Felt Pumpkins: Easy Gathered-Circle Tutorial

One circle of orange felt, a line of gathering stitches and a few wraps of floss are all it takes to make felt pumpkins with plump, convincing segments. There is no pattern to follow and no seam to match: the circle is gathered into a ball, stuffed, and then squeezed into shape by the thread itself.

The method scales easily, so the same steps give a tiny pumpkin for a shelf, a medium one for a table and a larger one to anchor a fall display. A set of three in slightly different oranges, or in cream, mustard and sage, looks more natural than three identical ones.

What You Need

• Felt in orange or another pumpkin color (wool-blend felt gathers more smoothly than stiff craft felt)
• A scrap of brown or green felt for the stems
• Embroidery floss to match the pumpkin, plus brown or a darker shade for the segments
• An embroidery needle with a large eye
• Polyester fiberfill
• Scissors, a fabric pen or pencil, and a ruler
• Round objects to trace: a small bowl, a saucer and a side plate
• Tacky craft glue or fabric glue for the stem

Cutting the Pieces for Felt Pumpkins in Three Sizes

Trace around household objects that come close to the diameters below, or draw the circle with a pencil tied to a length of string pinned at the center. A circle that is a little wobbly still works, because the edge ends up hidden inside the gather. A gathered pumpkin finishes at roughly half the width of its circle, a little more when it is pressed flat.

A 9 in (23 cm) circle uses the full width of a standard 9 x 12 in (23 x 30 cm) sheet. The small and medium circles fit side by side on a second sheet. Smooth, round cuts are easier with long strokes of the scissors and the felt turned into the blades; the guide on how to cut felt has more on circles.

How to Make a Gathered Felt Pumpkin

1. Thread a long, strong length. Cut about 24 in (60 cm) of matching floss and use all six strands, knotted firmly. Gathering puts real strain on the thread.
2. Stitch around the circle. Work a running stitch 1/4 in (6 mm) from the edge, all the way around, with stitches about 3/8 in (1 cm) long. Longer stitches make fewer, deeper folds; very short ones are hard to pull up. Finish with the needle on the same side as the knot and do not cut the thread.
3. Pull to form a cup. Draw the thread gently until the circle closes into a pouch with an opening about 1.5 in (4 cm) wide.
4. Stuff the pouch. Add fiberfill in small tufts, pushing it out to the sides so the shape is wider than it is tall. Fill it firmly; the segment wraps need something to press against. The guide to stuffing felt projects explains how to avoid lumps.
5. Close the top. Pull the gathering thread tight, tucking the raw edge inward with the needle tip. Take three or four stitches back and forth across the opening to hold it shut, then knot. A small pucker remains; the stem will cover it.
6. Anchor the segment thread. Cut 36 in (90 cm) of brown or darker floss, six strands, and knot it. Bring the needle up through the gathered center so the knot is buried in the folds.
7. Wrap the first segment line. Carry the floss down the outside of the pumpkin to the center of the base. Take a small stitch through the felt at the base to hold it, then carry the floss up the opposite side and back to the top. Pull snug so the thread sinks in, and take a small stitch at the top to lock it.
8. Repeat twice more. Turn the pumpkin and make two more wraps, spaced evenly, each crossing the same base point. Three wraps give six segments. Pull each wrap to the same tension, then knot at the top.
9. Roll the stem. Run a thin line of glue along the stem strip and roll it tightly from one short end. Hold it for a minute until it grips, or secure the end with a few whip stitches.
10. Attach the stem. Glue the flat end of the roll over the gathered center and hold it in place until set. For a stronger hold, stitch around its base into the pumpkin with matching thread.

Variations

• Eight segments. Make four wraps instead of three on the large size.
• Add a leaf and tendril. Cut a leaf about 1.5 in (4 cm) long from green felt, stitch a center vein, and glue it beside the stem. For a tendril, cut a strip 1/4 x 4 in (6 mm x 10 cm), wind it around a pencil, hold a steam iron above it without touching, and let it cool before sliding it off.
• Matching thread. Wrapping in the same color as the felt gives shadowed grooves without visible lines.
• Pumpkin garland. Make several small pumpkins and thread them onto cord with a long needle passed through the sides, as an add-on to the method for a felt garland.

Troubleshooting

• The gathering thread snapped. Use all six strands, or doubled floss, and pull steadily rather than in jerks.
• Segments look uneven. Before knotting, slide each wrap sideways with a fingertip until the spacing is even; the floss will move over the felt while the tension is still adjustable.
• The wraps are loose. The pumpkin is understuffed. Reopen the top, add filling and close it again before wrapping.

Displaying and Storing

Group the three sizes on a tray with pine cones or dried leaves, line them along a windowsill, or set a small one at each place at the table. They are decorations rather than toys, and they should sit well away from candles and other heat sources. Dust them with a lint roller, spot clean with a barely damp cloth, and store them in a box with room to spare so the segments are not crushed. More fall ideas, with colors and shapes for the rest of the year, are collected in the guide to seasonal felt crafts.