Fall is in the air at Concord Academy: the trees are changing color, students are clad in their flannels and light jackets, and people are beginning to enjoy their pumpkin spice lattes. Speaking of pumpkins, let’s get crafty! Here are two simple pumpkin crafts that you can enjoy this fall.
Have an old bandana that you have no use for? For this craft, you need a bandana, embroidery floss, scissors, stuffing, and a stick. To start, cut your bandana into a rectangle with a length twice as long as its width. Next, sew the two short ends together using embroidery floss. This should form a tube-like structure with the fabric. Next, stitch up one long-side and pull on the thread, cinching the top of the tube-like structure you created with the fabric. Then, flip the bandana so that the stitching is on the inside. Fill your pumpkin with stuffing and to close it, cinch the top and sew it closed. You can stop here if you want to have a smooth fabric pumpkin, but if you would like to add texture, pick up your needle and thread. Put the needle through the middle of the pupkin (the area you just cinched and closed up) and weave it back up to the top. Continue this stitch, moving around the entire circumference of the pumpkin. When finished, create a tight knot at the end of the thread. To create the “stem” of your pumpkin, grab a stick from outside and chop it to your desired length. Finally, hot glue the “stem” to the top of your pumpkin. Voila! You have just made your own miniature fabric pumpkin that can be used as a fall decoration or a great gift.
For the next craft, you will need an actual miniature pumpkin, a tea-light, pipe cleaners and a hot glue gun. Maybe you still have yours from the Environmental Co-heads sale at Club Expo. Take your mini pumpkin or gourd and cut out a small circle at the top, large enough to hold your tea light. Next, using a spoon or carving tool, clear out the inside and put your small candle inside. Crease your pipe cleaners to form spider legs and glue four of them on to each side. Now you have a spider pumpkin!
I hope you enjoy these festive fall crafts. Feel free to email lilia.kasdon@concordacademy.org with any questions about the steps described above or if you need help finding supplies.