Mini Pumpkin

This last week I played around with making mini pumpkins. Will finish the white pumpkin today. 

Would like to offer some more tips on making your pumpkin from my original pattern.

 Pattern can be purchased from this blog on the side bars. 

Shrink the pattern down for a mini pumpkin. I did alter a section of the top of the pumpkin piece to narrow it a bit. This made it easier to draw the top around the pumpkin stem. My original pattern called for a stick stem. We worked at a pumpkin lot for a few years and ended up with some real stems. So I added one to this mini pumpkin. 

Do not stuff the pumpkin real firm, while you are assembling, as you want to be able to create the vertical indent lines of your pumpkin. Stuff more after you create these lines. While creating these lines I took a few stitches right into the bottom wool piece of the pumpkin this helps to create the pumpkin shape as well.  

Color planning. 

To create this look I hooked the darker sections of the pumpkin in this way. The darkest color on the outside edges of each piece and another lighter color inside that. Then I chose my lightest color to go inside of the darker hooked loops of one side only. This acts as a highlight. As you assemble, the darker hooked loops, enhance the indentations of your pumpkin.  

If you would be interested in me making a pattern for these mini pumpkins please post and let me know. 

Have fun and feel free to ask any questions. 

JoEllen 

BeFRuiTFuL KReaTioNS

Rug Hooked Indian Corn

Never to early to start on your fall decor.

You can make my Indian Corns by using this pattern. 

 Etsy

Indian Corn Pattern

Patternmart

Indian Corn Pattern 

You will need to know how to Rug Hook. I started with a library book. Used an embroidery hoop and I purchased an inexpensive rug hook off of Ebay. I purchased my monks cloth (swedish weave cloth) from the local fabric shop. I do believe that I found the wool from 100% wool clothes at the local thrift shop. 

If you already know how to rug hook. Some tips you could use are hook very tight. Use a small hook as it is easier to put the hoop through your foundation cloth with a small hook due to how tight you hook. I suggest using Swedish Weave monks cloth in a brown color. You can find this online and in some of your local stores. 

Have fun with your choice of colors as you can see you can use any kind of wool. You can also use my pattern for the husks or I have seen some use cheese cloth that was coffee or walnut stain dyed. This is a fun look too. You can use any fabric you have on hand for the husks. I was thinking that some patterned fabric could add a fun look. 

Feel free to ask any questions.

JoEllen

Special order cat purse.

Finished Linda's special order cat purse. This purse is wider then the original. If you have the pattern to this already. You can widen the bottom section to as large as 3" or so for a wider purse. Also you can widen the strap pieces so it is easier to turn. 

Steaming Rugs

I do not always write in my patterns about steaming before assembling. 

Steaming plumps up your wool. It also helps to even the loops out. 

I would do this step for every rug hooked project. 

For really good instructions on how to do this I suggest this web site. 

Cindi Gays Steaming Rugs Instructions

Another step I do not always put in my patterns is taping your finished piece. Take strips of packing tape and lay it over the rug and then pull it up. Use as many pieces as you need to until the tapes starts to come up clean when pressed onto the loops. This cleans off the fibers that were created when your strips were cut. This really helps.

Mounting Rugs to Walls

Often you will find me posting in my blog so I remember some of the rug hooking sites I visit and idea's gleaned. This link has some great idea's for hanging your rug hooked art pieces. \click here

Hanging Rug

Tips For Hooked Pumpkin

While hooking this special order pumpkin I realized that I wanted to share a few tips on the process of making the pumpkin. 

Since you must hook snug and close together it is easier to use a smaller hook. I was using my primitive hook and it was a real work out to use it for this project. I pulled out my first hook a simple hook with a sponge covered handle. It was so much easier to hook close with this.

When assembling the pumpkin I find this needle a must. 

Here is a link for, one place you can find, these Jumbo darning needles. I have found the metal ones are a must as I break the plastic ones. Clover also makes a case for these to go in which I use to store mine.

Click here for a link to the Jumbo darning needle. 

 

 The larger the thickness of the stick stem the easier it will be to close the monks cloth around it. 

 If you can find the colored monks cloth I would suggest using brown or rust for these pumpkins. 

Click here for a sight that has photos of the color options available  

 

If you have a photo of a pumpkin you have made from my pattern and want me to share it here in my blog add a commit saying so and we will work out how to get me your photo.

Love the tips

Primitivespirits tutorial

I like to post things I want to remember in my blogs and hope that you find them helpful too. I like the T-pins idea.