Easy Sew DIY Sweater Fairy Tale Pumpkin Tutorial

3 Materials
$2
30 Minutes
Easy

This is such an easy way to recycle old sweaters into adorable cuddly pumpkins. Once you start, you won't be able to stop until you have a giant snuggly pumpkin patch.


If a fairy godmother can turn a pumpkin in to a carriage, then we can certainly turn a sweater in to a pumpkin fit for a fairy tale.

Start with a fun sweater


About that sweater. You can use one that has a hole or even a stain.

Have no fear, we will work around it.

Color? It really can be any color.

As long as it suits your home decor, go with it.

Patterns? GO FOR IT!I found an old orange cashmere sweater. It is so soft, I love it, but the sweater is shrinking. Or I am growing. Let’s go with the latter.


Start by laying the sweater on a flat surface

Let's cut our pieces out


You want to cut the arms off at the seam where it meets the body.

Same with the collar, cut it at the seam with a sharp pair of scissors.

We are going to make 5 pumpkins out of the three remaining pieces.


The next step is to fold the sleeve so that the cuff is level with the under arm to use as a guide to cut the shoulder off.

I call this folding in half-ISH.

Cut a straight line from the bottom of the armpit to the other side. Use the cuff as your guide.

It doesn’t have to be EXACT, just do your best.

Once the edge is straight, cut the sleeve in 2 pieces at the fold.

Repeat the process with the second sleeve.

You can disregard the 2 triangle pieces, or save them for another project.


Now you have 5 pieces to make 5 pumpkins.


We are going to start with one piece of your choosing.

Let's sew that pumpkin


I like to use a doll makers needle for this project because they are nice and long.


Make sure you have a good strong thread, or embroidery thread because the tighter you pull, the deeper the pumpkin sections.

Turn the sleeve inside out and tie off your thread to the seam.


Gather the cut edge and do a running stitch.

Push the needle in, out, around the edge.

In, out, in, out, grabbing about 2 centimeter each time.

Once you go sew all the way around, pull TIGHT to close the hole.


Tie the thread tight.

Then pop the needle thru the center to the other side and flip the half-ish sleeve ride side out.

Look at that cute little pumpkin bum.

Don’t cut it of the thread, you can leave the needle and thread dangling.

Just be careful not to poke yourself!

Now grab your fiberfill, or an old pillow like I did, and stuff bits at a time.

Stuff, stuff, stuff, but not too firm.

Fairy tale sweater pumpkins should be plump.


That should make a nice plump fairy tale sweater pumpkin.

Now take your needle that is dangling from the bottom of the pumpkin and push it straight thru the center.


Pop it up topside.

Give it a little tug.

Find the inside seam and start to sew another running stitch around the edge.

Leave about 1/2 inch at the top.


Pull TIGHT and tie it off.

Add new thread to your needle as the thread start getting shorter. Simply tie it to the tail of the previous thread.

It is starting to look like a pumpkin, now!

To make the grooves of the infamous fairy tale pumpkin, take the thread on the outside and align it with the sweater seam.


You will be making a big stitch from the top center of the pumpkin to the bottom center of the pumpkin.

Poke the needle up thru the center and give it a TUG.

The tug is what creates the cute pumpkin grooves.

Don’t worry about the thread color because it will disappear, like magic.

A fairy tale sweater pumpkin should have a little magic, don’t you think?

After you pull the thread thru the center of the pumpkin and give it a tug, sew a small stitch in the center bottom of the pumpkin to anchor it.

Repeat the process on the opposite side.

One giant stitch around the pumpkin, give it a good tug to create the groove and tie it off.

Once you have the first section created, the pumpkin really starts to take shape.

We are going to make six sections for this pumpkin.

If you look at the pumpkin from the top or the bottom, you should see 2 distinct halves of your pumpkin.

OK, now don’t panic.

We are going to work with fractions, but in a fun easy way.

Visually divide each half into thirds. It doesn’t have to be exact.


If you look at a fairy tale pumpkin, you can see that mother nature isn’t exact.


I like to think that the more imperfect your segments, the more perfect the pumpkin will be.


Your next segment will be 1/3 from the previous thread.

Wrap that thread around, pop the needle thru the bottom and back up to the top.

Now take the the remaining 2/3 and visually divide it in half. So you are creating two more sections by wrapping your thread between the two.

Can you see the three sections on the bottom of the pumpkin?

Tie off the ends, and repeat for the other half.


Once you are done, you should have 6 sections.

Mine aren’t perfectly the same size.


That’s what gives it character that I love.

So cute! A cute snuggly little fairy tale sweater pumpkin.


Are you ready to keep going and make the other 4?

You’ve got this!


If you need a break from sewing the other fairy tale sweater pumpkins, no worries.


My preference is to sew a group of pumpkins and then add the stems.

Once your ready to add a stem, you just need to pick your desired style and hot glue it to the center.


Twigs and twine make add a more rustic look to your pumpkins.

If find the twine isn’t thick enough, you can braid a couple strands together.

Finishing touches


The braided stem looks adorable. It is such a simple embellishment, but adds so much character.


I hope you are inspired to start your own fairy tale sweater pumpkin patch.


For a more detailed tutorial and other fun DIY projects, head over to my blog at www.aloverlylife.com

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Frequently asked questions
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  2 questions
  • Tam Tam on Sep 22, 2020

    Can I borrow your patience for the weekend????

  • Liz Liz on Sep 22, 2020

    I love your pumpkins!! You write really well, too. Were you ever a teacher?

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