Making paper lanterns has long been a favorite craft to do with kids. This variation makes no sew fabric jack o lanterns. Older kids can make these, and younger kids can help with the gluing. Make lots of these for festive fall decorating. Vary the shape of the pumpkins by adjusting the height. These, just like real pumpkins, have different shapes, and no two will be exactly alike.
How to Make the Fabric Strips
You will need small pieces of orange fabrics, at least 12" long and heavy duty fusible craft web. A rotary mat and cutter make cutting the strips easier, but aren't essential
- Cut a 12" strip across the width of the fusible web. It can be cut into smaller widths to fit the fabric, just be sure to keep them all 12" long.
- Fuse the fusible web to the wrong side of a piece of orange fabric, following the instructions for the particular fusible. Let cool, trim the fabric to the same size as the fusible, peel the backing paper off, and fuse to the wrong side of a second piece of orange fabric.
- Trim the second piece of fabric, and cut into 12" x 3/4" strips. It only takes 4 strips to make each pumpkin.
Supplies Needed to Finish the Pumpkins
- Fused strips of orange fabric
- A button for each pumpkin
- Fabric Glue, look for one that sets almost immediately such as Liquid Stitch
- Orange thread
- Coffee stirrers cut to 3", 3 3/4", and 4 1/4"
- Heavy Duty needle (The fused strips are hard to get a needle through and thin ones will bend or break.)
- pliers
- Green or brown florist wire
- Florist tape to match the wire
How to Finish the Pumpkins
If making several pumpkins, it's more efficient to do each step for all of the pumpkins before going on to the next step. Be sure to click the pictures below for larger views.
- Line up 4 strips, the side that is up will be the outside of the pumpkin. Use a piece of paper that's been cut to 6" to mark the centers of all of the strips. The marks will not show.
- Cut a piece of thread about 2 yards long and thread the needle, doubling the thread. Sew the thread in the middle of one of the strips, bringing the ends to about even (now there are 4 strands of thread) and tie the thread in a knot. Don't cut the thread, the longer it is, the easier it is to work with later. The thread ends will be to the inside of the pumpkin.
- Glue the centers of the all of the strips together, as shown below, and glue a button in the center of the last strip. Let the glue set up before the next step.
- Thread the needle with all 4 strands of the thread, and drop it through a coffee stirrer. Run the needle and thread, about 1/4" from the end, through one end of the bottom strip, then through the other end of the same strip. See the picture below. Pull the thread tight and tie it in a knot. Put a little glue between the ends of the strip, and on the thread. Glue the ends of the next 2 strips to the top center.
- For the last strip, glue the ends of the strip together, but not to the top of the pumpkin yet. When the glue is set, cut 4 diagonal slits toward the top center of the final strip. The slits will form an X shape without cutting all the way to the center.
- Cut 2 6" pieces of florist wire, pass them under the final strip, bend the ends up through the slits. They will form an X under the top of the strip. Glue the wire and the fabric of the final strip to the top of the pumpkin, and let the glue set.
- With pliers, twist the 4 ends of wire into a stem, and cover with florist tape. Hang and enjoy.
These lightweight pumpkins won't rot or be made into pie, but they will brighten fall decor. They can be made into jack o lanterns by fusing black or yellow fabric, cutting out features, and gluing them to the pumpkins. Kids can help with the gluing and making facial features. Use them to brighten the decor of someone you love.
Corinne Shibley - Corinne Shibley studied sculpture in art history and created her own sculpture on the way to a B.A. in Studio Art. "There's something ...
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