No-Sew Pumpkin Decorations

A chill is in the air and though Halloween has come and gone, pumpkins are still the gourd of choice for this holiday season. That’s why we here at Fabric and Sewing wanted to make something pumpkin-y to use as home or table decorations for those holiday parties. Not a strong sewer, I thought it best to stick to a project that I could do without a sewing machine – which means this project is both beginner and kid friendly!

Here's what you'll need for this project:

• Fabric - You can buy fabric, use scraps, or even upcycle an old shirt.
• Twine, String, or something similar
• Rubber Bands (2 per pumpkin)
• Stuffing Material
• Adhesive – Fabric glue, hot glue, anything that will hold two ends of the fabric together

Your fabric can be any size, but for reference we used a 13.5" x 20" piece to make the plaid flannel which is 7" tall, and a 8" x 9" piece to make the orange fleece which is a wee 3.5" tall. 

1. The first step is to make a tube out of your fabric. If you’re using an old shirt, just cutting the sleeve will suffice. To do this, turn the material inside-out and glue (or sew if you want) two parallel sides together.
   
2. Next cut six pieces (minimum, you may want more if you’re making a big pumpkin) of your string material so that they’re a bit longer than your fabric tube. Tie together all the strands with a big knot and thread them through the tube.
   
3. Gather up the end of the sleeve that’s closest to the knot and tie it off with a rubber band so that the knot is hanging out.
   
4. Turn the tube right side out and stuff with filling. Stuff it as full as possible, trust me on this. Leave enough room so that you can tie up the other end and still have a little bit of fabric left over at the top.
   
5. Gather up the other end of the tube and secure the fabric and strings with another rubber band. Try to space the stings out evenly around the fabric when you rubber band them.
   
6. Adjust the strings, tightening them to create sections like you would find on a pumpkin. You can also tug on the fabric to smooth out your sections. When you get two strings appropriately taut, tie them together in a knot around the rubber band. Repeat until your creation is looking appropriately pumpkinesque. 
   
7. Take another piece of string (length varies) and tie it to the rubber band leaving several inches hanging at the end (if you want a leaf AND tendrils). Start to wrap the string around and up the excess fabric, creating a stem. When you’ve reached the top, wind the string back down and tie a knot at the base of the stem. If you want to add a leaf or tendrils, leave a couple of inches of string before you cut.
   

Leaves

Cut a different color fabric in the rough shape of a leaf. Then simply glue the leaf to one of the stings hanging off the stem and admire your beautiful pumpkin!

Tendrils

If you’re working with a thick, wound sting, you can unravel the string a bit and either leave them as is or curl the threads. To make a permanent curl, you can coat the strings in mod podge, wrap them around a pencil or other cylindrical object, and then pull the pencil out once the modge podge gets tacky.

Fun Football Fleeces!

Football season is gearing up and our fun, cozy football fleeces provide the perfect way to show support for your team while still staying warm and comfy. They obviously could easily be turned into blankets, but they’re also perfect for scarves, gloves, hats, they’d even make great pajamas! We’ll be sharing some great (and easy!) projects later on in the season, so look forward to those.

We’ve got a few different types of team fleeces available so you can choose the design that best suits your needs, mix patterns, or gear up the whole family without being too matchy-matchy.

Firstly we have our regularly patterned fleeces such the ones shown here for the Indianapolis Colts, Philadelphia Eagles, New Orleans Saints, and New England Patriots.

Our team printed plaids offer a more subtle way to show your team pride. Here we see plaids for the Detroit Lions, Oakland Raiders, Pittsburgh Steelers, and San Francisco 49ers.

Lastly, we are proud to offer checkered patterns for a number of teams such as the Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, Baltimore Ravens, and New York Giants.

All our team fleeces are anti-pill, 58-60” in width, and a plush 13oz per yard.

Colors of Fall

Autumn is decidedly  upon us. The air is crisp and fall’s colors are dazzling in the height of their glory. Why not incorporate some of those colors into your home or wardrobe this season with color palettes inspired by the rich autumnal pigments around us?

1. Fall Leaves

Nothing is more emblematic of fall than its foliage. Warm yellows, oranges, and reds contrast with the hint of winter cold beginning to invade. Pick up on those dazzling yellows with a Dark Gold Yellow Dernier Interlock.  If you're looking for a more luxurious feel, try this Charmeuse Satin in Light Orange or this TaffetaLining Fabric in Cranberry. Or you can always cozy up on those cool autumn evenings with a Sherpa Fleece like this one in Brown.

2. Pumpkin Patch

Pumpkins enjoy the shine of the spotlight every year during the build up to Halloween.  From the iconic bright orange to various shades of green, and even white, pumpkins are seen adding pops of color to front stoops across the country. For an iconic orange, try this cozy Anti-Pill Polar Sweater Fleece. This Green Upholstery Fabric gets an upgrade with a Diamond Pin Tuck Embroidery. Meanwhile, this Silver Charmeuse looks truly metallic thanks to its satin shine. Lastly, brown doesn’t have to be boring, case-in-point being this Dark Brown Upholstery Fabric with Gold Yellow Ivy Flower Embroidery.

3. Park Bench

What’s fall if not sitting on a bench in your favorite park, sipping a hot coffee? Capture the ambiance of that experience with warm colors such as this Taffeta in Dark Burgundy Red or a Velveteen in Burnt Orange. Let this mocha colored Honey Comb Pique Fabric revive the memory of a warm cappuccino nestled in your palms, while this Upholstery Fabric with a Geometrical Small Diamond Print in Brown, Taupe, and Light Green recalls the cool touch of metal benches and cobblestones.

4. Grapes

Fall is the season of harvesting crops and most nations and/or religions have holidays celebrating that year’s harvest. One of the most iconic fall harvests is the grape, spawning wine festivals across the various wine regions of Europe. Channel your inner wino with deep purples like this Charmeuse Satin in Dark Purple and dark pinks like this Dernier Interlock in Bright Burgundy Red. Or, channel instead the bright greens and rich browns of grape vines with fabrics like this Jersey in Bright Green or this lush Velveteen in Light Brown.