Nothing like needing something at the last minute to make your heart race a little, right? A few days ago a friend came and asked me to do some table decorations for a senior's luncheon. "When do you need them?" I asked. "The luncheon is on Friday." came the answer. Now this was Wednesday evening that we were having this conversation so not much time. It really wasn't her fault, as the person who had originally volunteered had been called away unexpectedly. So, I agreed to do something as long as it could be really simple. A few mums, clay pots dressed with ribbon I was thinking, but it didn't look quite finished. So I made some little felt pumpkins and ghosts to stick in the pots and delivered them on Thursday night. Here's some of the extra ones that I put on my porch.
Here is what you need to make two of either the pumpkins or the ghosts :
Stabilizer - I used wash away because I am out of tear away but I think almost any type would work.
Two rectangles felt 6" X 4.5" (Orange for the pumpkins and white for the ghosts)
Embroidery Thread (Orange and green for the pumpkins and black for the ghosts)
Bobbins wound with the same thread you will use on top for each color
Lapel stick or temporary adhesive
The Pumpkin or the ghost design which you can download below.
Two kabob sticks or thin dowel rods 10" long.
Craft glue
Ribbon if desired.
What you do to make the pumkins:
1. Hoop the stabilizer only.
2. Sew the first color (in orange)
3. Remove the hoop from the machine and place on a flat surface. Put a little temporary glue on the corners of one felt rectangle and place it on the back of the hoop making sure that all the stitching is covered. Turn the hoop over and repeat for the other felt rectangle on the front.
4. Slide the hoop back onto the machine carefully making sure the back felt stays in place. Embr
oider the next two colors for the pumpkins using orange.
5. Change the bobbin and top threads to green and embroider the last color.
6. Remove from the hoop. Carefully cut around the outside of the designs.
7. Using the sharp point of small scissors cut a small slit close to the bottom of one side of the pumpkin.
8. Put a little craft glue on the stick and insert into the slit. Let dry and add ribbon if desired. Poke one or more in a pot of mums and you have a cute table decoration in no time at all. Or decorate the porch like I did - there's still time.
Click here to get the little ghost and the pumpkin.
Here are some links to other fall blogs in case you missed them in years past.
Easy Runners for Small Places
Spiders, Ruffles and Ghosts
Easy Tutus and Black Cats
Halloween Masks for My Pumpkins
Halloween Costumes
A Dancing Princess
I think they all have a free design to download for your library.
Here's what our girls will be this year - a cowgirl, a ladybug and a bumble bee (She absolutely hates bugs so go figure - she wanted to wear "thingys" - antenna's)
The ladybug design is from ATG Summer flights (I only sewed part of the design.) For the lady bug and bumble bee wings I just made appliqe ovals in my embroidery software and then sewed them together. I sewed yellow ribbon on a black tee and made those bee antennas out of a headband, pipecleaners and pom poms. The dots on the lady bug are cut from felt and her antennas we found in a bargin bin. The cowgirl outfit is made from vinyl remnants and a couple of leftover scrapbook embellishments.
I hope everyone has a safe and happy Halloween.
Take care,
DB