Instructions

Download and print pattern.

PUMPKIN PIECING:

Note: For piecing, sew all seams with all-purpose orange thread, and leave a ¼-in. seam allowance.

1. Sew light-orange and dark-orange fabric strips together lengthwise, right sides facing. Press seam toward darker fabric.
2. Cut sewn strip into 12 smaller pieced rectangles, 1½ in. wide.
3. Sew two of the pieced rectangles lengthwise, right sides facing and alternating light and dark fabrics. Repeat to make six separate rows made of two pieced rectangles each. Press seams.
4. Sew two rows together in a checkerboard pattern. Repeat twice more to make three blocks of two rows each. Press seams.
5. Sew each of the three blocks together, alternating light and dark fabrics for a checkerboard pattern.
   The final block will be 5 in. x 7 in. Press seams.
6. On wrong side of fabric, use fabric pen to mark a ¼-in. seam allowance around edge. Press seam to wrong side. At each corner, fold over toward wrong side to form a triangle and press in place.

APPLIQUÉ:

1. Trace heart, stem and leaf patterns onto tracing paper and cut out.
2. Following the manufacturer’s instructions, fuse red, brown and green fabric scraps onto paper-backed fusible web.
3. Trace each pattern onto paper side of appropriate-colored fused fabric. Cut out one each: heart from red, stem from brown and leaf from green.
4. Following the manufacturer’s instructions, fuse pumpkin onto paper-backed fusible web and cut out around edge.
5. Center pumpkin 1 in. from bottom of tea-dyed muslin block and fuse to fabric surface. Fuse heart, stem and leaf to fabric surface in same manner. See photo for placement.

EMBROIDERY:

1. Stem: With embroidery needle and three strands of brown floss, blanket stitch around edge and backstitch two rows in center of stem for veins.
2. Leaf: Use two strands of black floss. Blanket stitch around edge and backstitch lines in center of leaf for veins.
3. Heart: Use two strands of black floss. Blanket stitch around edge.
4. Pumpkin: Use three strands of dark-orange floss to sew loose X-shaped stitches about every ½ in. around edge.
5. Tendrils: With fabric pen, sketch lines as in photo. Then use two strands of green floss to backstitch on lines.
6. Lettering: With fabric pen, trace “AUTUMN” pattern centered 3/8 in. above pumpkin stem. Use three strands of rust floss to stitch letters.

FINISHING:

Note: Sew all seams with a ¼-in. seam allowance.

1. Trim finished block size to 6 in. x 9½ in. with appliqué and lettering centered on block.
2. Using all-purpose brown thread, sew on border strips, right sides facing and edges even. Sew on 9½-in. x 1½-in. side strips first and press. Sew on 8-in. x 1½-in. top and bottom strips next and press.
3. Place 8-in. x 11½-in. fabric-backing piece on top of finished block, right sides facing. Using brown thread, sew around edge, leaving 4-in. opening at the bottom. Trim excess fabric from corners; turn pillow right side out.
4. Sew on sunflower button with coordinating floss, placed as shown.
5. Stuff pillow with fiberfill and hand-sew opening closed.
6. Sew a brown button on each corner, using two strands of orange floss and stitching through all fabric layers.

Optional: For each button, thread needle with a 4-in. length of double-strand orange floss; don’t knot. Take the needle in from the front through one hole in the button, leaving a short length of floss on the front. Bring the needle back through the button through the other hole. Tie the two ends of the floss together, and trim
as desired.

Tagged as: Craft Tutorials, Crafts for the Home, Cross-stitch Crafts, Décor & Accessory Crafts, Fall Crafts, Halloween Crafts