How to Create Denim Pumpkins With Recycled Jeans

10 Materials
$15
30 Minutes
Easy

There are always certain things that that I just can’t throw away. An old pair of jeans is on the top of that list! I’ve been collecting these blue jeans for years because I wore them every day for my restaurant marketing job. Now I get to wear yoga pants and be creative every day – WINNING! But seriously, jeans are so versatile when it comes to upcycling. The fun back pockets, seams that are already sewn, and even the buttons and zippers can be repurposed to create new projects.

Gather Your Supplies & Cut The Jeans


To begin Denim Pumpkins with Recycled Jeans, gather all supplies. Layout the jeans on a flat surface. Measure and cut the jeans into 14″ (large pumpkin) long and 12″ (small pumpkin) long sections. I love the Fiskars Mixed Media Shears for cutting heavier fabric like denim. Remember how I told you these were old jeans? Well, these jeans are boot cut, so the legs are approximately 10″ wide. YIKES! Not very stylish, but great for pumpkins!

Gather & Secure


Turn the sections of jeans inside out. Gather leg opening at one end and secure tightly with a heavy duty rubber band.

Cut Hole For Stuffing


Find the inside seam and carefully cut the threads to create an opening that is approximately four inches long. This hole is how we will stuff the pumpkin. The inside seam is two layers of denim fabric sewn together with the stitching inside. The outside seam of jeans is a double-lapped seam and has two rows of exposed stitching.

Gather & Secure


Gather and secure the opposite end of the blue jean leg with a rubber band. Make sure that you pull the rubber band as tightly as you can when wrapping around the jean fabric so the ends are super secure.

Turn Right Side Out


Carefully turn the pumpkin right side out through the stuffing hole.

Fill With Poly-Pellets®


Fill small plastic zipper sandwich bags to approximately half full with Poly-Pellets® from Fairfield World™. Remove the air and zip closed. Place one bag in the bottom of each pumpkin and spread out evenly over the gathered end inside. This will give the pumpkin a sturdy base to sit on. Poly-Pellets® is one of my go-to supplies when sewing stuffed items. Small plastic pellets that you use to weight a stuffed item, create a weighted toy, make bean bags, or even as vase filler. They are so versatile and the bag has a spout with a screw-on lid.

Fill With Poly-Fil®


Stuff the pumpkins with Poly-Fil® premium polyester fiberfill from Fairfield World™. Tear off chunks of stuffing and place in all of the nooks and crannies created by the folds in the denim fabric. Use a chopstick to move the filling around and get it in all the places. With Poly-Fil® you can stuff really firm or a little bit squishy, it just depends how much filling you use.

Glue Hole Shut


Apply a line of Fabri-Tac™ fabric glue from Beacon Adhesives to the inside edge of the seam opening. Carefully pinch seams together and secure with binder clips for approximately an hour, until the glue is dry.

Add Stem & Ribbon


To finish Denim Pumpkins with Recycled Jeans, fluff the pumpkins with your hands until you get the shape that you want. I like that the pumpkins are lop-sided and quirky because it gives them character. Attach a wine cork to the top center of each pumpkin with Fabri-Tac™ and then set aside to dry. Measure and cut a 12″ length of gingham ribbon, tie in a bow, trim the ends, and glue to the base of the wine cork stem.

Your Project is Complete!


I hope you have enjoyed my Denim Pumpkins with Recycled Jeans and you will try out this tutorial soon. It was a quick and easy project. I created four denim pumpkins from two pairs of recycled blue jeans in just about 30 minutes.

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Beth @CreativelyBeth
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