I decided it was well past due to do an update on this tutorial. I even made one of those trendy reels which you can find here.
So, you want to stitch a pumpkin? I don’t blame you, it’s a excellent way to keep your pumpkin year after year and celebrate the fiber arts.
1. The first thing you’re going to need to decide is what kind of design you want to make. I have two designs over at Ko-Fi: a spider and a “Boo!” The designs are all ready to go — the spots where you need to make the holes are marked and the size is ready for your 9″ pumpkin.
If you don’t use the designs I made, then you are going to have to draw out your own design. I suggest using graph paper for even squares. Remember to pick a small pattern — on a 9″ pumpkin, the most you can fit is around 20-30 squares high depending on the size of your squares.
2.) Poke the holes. If you use the designs I made, then you’re set to go, but if you went with your own pattern, then you want to make sure that you mark the proper squares out before you start making the holes. In my pattern, I marked them with circles so I knew where to drill. You can use an awl, but a drill with a small bit makes this step go by much faster.
3.) Stitch your pumpkin. Over the years, I found that cutting a hole in the back of the pumpkin worked best for me. I didn’t like reaching in from the top and pulling the needle through so I cut a hole in the back and used that to stitch up the pattern.
This project will take time. A lot of it. Be patient with your stitches and try to count accurately the first time because frogging these stitches is no fun at all. If you do have to frog and you have enough thread, you might want to just cut the stitches and use tweezers to pick out the thread.
Speaking of floss, you will need around one and a half skeins of thread, depending on your design. I use all six strands (for the Kreinik thread, I used the loop method and doubled the floss) which will give it the look in the pictures in the post. If you want it less thick, adjust your thread accordingly. I wouldn’t go much thicker than six because then it becomes difficult to pull it through the holes.
I typically use glow in the dark thread when I stitch these up because I love the wow factor! Plus, it’s always fun to see people’s reaction when they see the magic of glow in the dark thread!
If you decide to tackle this project, have fun! It can be tedious at times but just remember you’ll be able to keep this pumpkin year after year! If you have any questions, please let me know! Happy crafting! ❤
If you’d like to support my ability to provide posts like the ones above, please consider donating to my Ko-Fi page
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