Pumpkin Softies

I saw the tutorial for these Pumpkin Softies in Family Fun magazine several years ago and made the white ones below out of my son's receiving blanket leftover from baby days.  

Here are the steps to make these white pumpkins:

1. I took a salad plate and used it to trace a circle on my fabric. (You can make the circle larger or smaller depending on the amount of fabric you have and the size pumpkin you want.)
2. Though I first used white thread, I switched to the recommended dental floss after the thread broke in the final step. Make a knot several inches from the end of the floss and sew wide stitches all around the circle about a 1/2 inch from the edge. Knot the end and leave a few inches of floss to tie later.
3. Pull the floss to gather the edges and stuff the pouch (with plastic bags, fabric, or whatever you have - I thought potpourri would be nice too for a scented bonus.)
4. Place a twig into the top as a stem, then pull the thread and knot it so that the fabric is cinched around the twig.

These pumpkins were made from fabric scraps, stuffed with other fabric scraps.

The stem is made from a glue stick wrapped with twine!

A wool sweater recycled into a cozy green pumpkin with a twig stem.

I love getting out my Pumpkin Softies every Autumn and finding just the right home for them!