How to Make a Pumpkin with Kraft-tex

Instructions

1. Print pattern for the pumpkin, see link and download button above.
2. Trace the pumpkin section piece on a larger piece of paper so it is one piece. It is difficult to cut Kraft-tex on the fold.
3. Cut out the pattern pieces and trace them onto the Kraft-tex using a Frixion pen. Test the pen on a corner of a scrap before using. With a Frixion pen, touch the material with a hot iron and it usually disappears. This feature makes it perfect for tracing patterns.
4. Cut out all of the pumpkin pieces.
5. Take two pumpkin wedges and sew them together.
6. Add a third piece, so that you will end up with half of the pumpkin sewn together.
7. Sew the other three pieces together, so you now have two pumpkin halves. NOTE: Seams will be on the outside of the pumpkin.
8. Make the stem. Sew the two stem pieces together.
9. Make sure to leave the bottom of the stem open.
10. Add a little stuffing to the stem to give it dimension.
11. Put the two pumpkin halves together and sew one of the seams from top to bottom.
12. Sew a partial seam for the other open side. Leave at least 4" open to stuff the pumpkin.
13. Now it is time to add the stem. Carefully slide the bottom of the stem over the top of the pumpkin where all of the seams come together. Topstitch the stem bottom, being carefully to make sure you catch all of the pumpkin seam tops.
14. Here is the finished stem sewn to the pumpkin.
15. Next, fill the pumpkin so that it has enough filling to keep it inflated. You don't need to stuff it hard, as the stiffness of the Kraft-tex keeps the pumpkin inflated.
16. Sew the gap closed on the last seam of the pumpkin. NOTE: This is tricky. The Kraft-tex is stiff and the pumpkin is too large to fit under your machine. You need to really squish the pumpkin down and sew slow to get an even seam. This is one reason why you don't want to overstuff in step 15.
17. Pumpkins usually aren't perfectly round, but seem to dip on the top near the stem. Use a long doll needle and go from the top of the pumpkin to the bottom. It is hard to get the needle to go through the Kraft-tex straight, and if the bottom is a little off center, no one will notice because we are going to cover it up!
18. Make a knot in your thread, then take a stitch and loop your needle through the knot. When you pull hard on the thread, just a knot on the Kraft-tex doesn't hold and pops through the Kraft-tex. Ask my how I know! 🙂
19. Then, take your long doll needle and put it through the Kraft-tex near the stem and squish the pumpkin until it comes out the bottom. Keep squishing to get the pumpkin the shape you want, and then knot the thread.
20. Here is what the bottom of your pumpkin might look like.
21. Cut a piece of double sided fusible web about 1/8" smaller than the circle to finish the bottom.
22. Using a teflon ironing sheet, turn it upside down and press the fusible to the Kraft-tex.
23. Turn the pumpkin with the bottom up on your ironing board. Place the circle with fusible over the bottom and press. You might need to press several times, to get a good fuse. Let it cool.
24. Enjoy your new Kraft-tex pumpkin!