Fabric pumpkin

Photo taken from this site.

I am obsessed with pumpkins, can't help it. For those preferring to sew and not to carve or paint, here are some examples of fabric pumpkins and tuts how to make them.

How to make fabric pumpkin

On this site you can find detailed tut how to make this gorgeous pumpkins. Although, according to the tut, genuine stems are used, I think some wooden twig will do as well.

one very easy to make

These are really funny and original, remind me on Cinderella's carriage. If you like them, go to the thecottagemama.com .

This is one very easy to make pumpkin.

And if you prefer paper, this is project for you.

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Pumpkins again

Pumpkins are 'in' again. I love them - they are so colorful, interesting, funny and tasteful in so many ways, even seed and oil are delicious. Although Halloween is not so popular in Croatia, we love to decorate pumpkins and squashes.
Internet is full of pumpkin art, here are some I found the most interesting or funny, enjoy.

How to make a silhouette pumpkin

This easy to make tut find on www.thistlewoodfarms.com.

Pumpkin lanterns

Design*sponge is always current with themes. 

Patchwork pumpkin (and other tuts) by Alisa Burke

On the blog of Alisa Burke you can find various 'pumpkin' projects created over the years.

How to carve pumpkin

And, for the 'zero' step, find out how to carve pumpkin. Remeber, it is not easy.

Another carved pumpkin I realy love.



Few more photos for pumpkins lovers.

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Lavender bag

Lavender is certainly one of the best plants in my garden - so modest and durable, yet giving us so much joy. Except in the very begining, lavender don't require a lot of care. I enjoy the laveneder bushes all year long - in summer as well as in winter, not to mention the  beautiful fragrant flowers. I collected flowers month ago and found some time today to make a little lavender bag (some other ideas still in the pipeline).

How to make lavender bag

Material

Material: fabric scaps, rope, lavender, wooden bead

Cut a paper triangle (pattewrn for the bag), then cut two fabric pieces. Put them together (right sides together) and sew them, leaving opening at the base.

Turn on the right side, fill in with the lavender and  hand sew the opening.

Pull the rope through the bag and through the bead, make simple knots.

Hand sew little lace skirt and lavender bag is finished.

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New look of an old benches

Two benches on my terrace realy needed a 'facelifting'. I planned for  months this renovation but there are always something else to be done. Benches were in good condition but shabby (not shabby shic, unfortunatelly).

Short tutorial how I renovated benches

This is small bench 'before' - you can see that the surface isn't very nice.

Even just sanding improved the image of the bench and gave it better look. I used wood stain (acrylic, of course) for painting - two coats were enough. And one coat of varnish (satin) for the protection at the end.

Now it looks much better, doesn't it?

Similar process was done with the bigger bench.

First step -  sanding.

Second step - applying wood stain.

Third step: painting metal parts. I protected the wood with the tape and then painted the metal parts with silver Hammerite (oil) paint. Why this paint? Because I alredy had it and because it has three effects: rust protection, primer and coloring.

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Pincushion in no time

For a long time I thought pincushions are just for decoration. I sew as a hobby, from time to time and found out that I am frequently loosing my needles, or can't find then when I need them - and pincushion is a great place to put them. 

Tutorial how to make pincushion

It is really easy, it took me more time to take photos and make this tut than to sew the pincushion.

First, cut four pieces 10 x 5 cm (or some other size) from the chosen fabric. 

Sew two and two pieces together.

Pin two sides together and sew the edges leaving one half of a side.

Reverse on the right side through the opening, stuff with filling and hand stitch the opening.

Sew the button (for decoration) and elastic band on the other side to put the cushion on the wrist, if you need.

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Play with cushions

Back from holidays, spent two weeks on the Adriatic seaside. It was good to get away from high temperature to the coast and enjoy swimming in the warm sea water. I love to craft something even when I am out of the town. This year I was refurbishing some furniture in our summer house and making plans to decorate the apartment - cushions are so great to add sent of romance or create certain filling. I made this one and other two few month ago, put them on (refurbished) sofa and  enjoy them during this vacations. And this is tutorial how to make such cushions - very easy and very quick, no buttons or zip.

Tutorial how to sew cushion or pillow case 

Size of the cushion: 40 x 40 cm

Material:

- cotton fabric
- strip fabric leftovers

You can see the scheme of the cushion - cut off three parts (because of the diagonal ribbons; otherwise, you don't need to cut the parts).  Be aware that seam allowances are NOT included in the scheme. Mark diagonal on the one 40x40 cm part. Cut on diagonal.

Cut off two ribbons out of different fabric (3 cm wide, add seam allowances). Sew the first ribbon on the cut off parts and the second one above (on the right side).

Sew another  40x40 cm part on one side and 40x18 cm on the other side of the ribbon part.

Make borders and turn a shorter part inside as on the photo and sew 'left' and 'right' sides together.

Cuchion case is finished - just put the pillow insert inside. On the photo you can see the backside of the cushion.

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