Pumpkin Porn

Welcome to my pumpkin patch!  As you can see, I have been busy with pumpkins and leaves. 

And what goes best with pumpkins?  Owlies! 

Last week I shared a link for the little crocheted pumpkins, and I see some of you have been making them.  I decided to add some leaves to mine I thought it dressed them up a bit.  I found this pattern for the maple leaves here.  The name of her etsy shot is Golden Lucy Crafts.  I love her patterns!  These leaves look complicated, but her pattern makes it so easy, I can make one up in about 40 minutes. 

 

I love the little green one.  With all this "pumpkin porn" I filled up my etsy shop and started making more for myself.   This is such a great way to use up that leftover acrylic yarn we all have.  I am tempted to run out and pick up some more yellow because I am just about out.  I keep telling myself I don't need it, but then the other side of my brain tells me I DO need it.  LOL

I did a search on pinterest for "crochet leaves."  Holy Crap!  There is some cool stuff on there I want to try. 

Just for fun I did a little Jack-o-Lantern to go with the "Franken-owl".  Notice the little bolts coming out the side of his head!  LOL! 

As promised, I wanted to share my finished sweater with everyone.  I have the buttons on it, it has been blocked, and I have even worn it once already!

 It fits me perfectly.  I can wear it like this..... or....

with the collar up.  I have learned so much from knitting this!!  If anyone is new to knitting sweaters I would definitely suggest this pattern.  Look, I even got brave and added pockets!

I am off of here for now.  I am sure I will be back next week with some more crochet.

Dawn

 

Pumpkin LoVe!!!

Sweater Pumpkins!  Aren't they cute?  I have been busy making these for my upcoming craft sale.  It is amazing what you can turn an old thrift store sweater into. 

This one turned out so pretty.  I found one of those old sweaters from the 90s that were long and had the big shoulder pads in it.  $3!!  I still have some pieces of the sweater left to salvage.  It is so hard to photograph black, but you can get an appreciation for the bright colors of the pumpkin.

These are so easy to make.  I found the idea on pinterest (thank you pinterest!).  Here is a link on a tutorial for them.   I did mine slightly different.  At the top, I actually wanted to use the ribbing at the bottom of the sweater for a little ruffle where the stem comes out, so I gathered it just below the bottom ribbing, pulled it slightly closed and started stuffing.  The stem is a piece of the sleeve wrapped in twine and I just put in in the center when I pulled the top tight. 

I cut the leaves out of an old plaid throw blanket I got from the thrift store.  It is made out of that fleece stuff, so it is like cutting felt.  I just cut two leaves out, one green and a large black, layered them and stitched them with black embroidery floss.  I used coated floral wire for the stems of the leaves and the curly vines.  The wire will go right in between the green and black layer of each leaf.  I put a leaf at each end of the wire and wrapped it around the stem of the pumpkin. 

You can then use a pen or pencil and curl the wire around it, both ends, then wrap it around the stem. 

That's it!  You may want to secure the stem and leaves with a little elmer's glue. 

Oh, I also pulled yarn through the bottom to the top, around the pumpkin to make those little separations on the pumpkin (I don't know the technical word for it).  I made mine into six sections.

Someone had to get in on the picture.  LOL.  Look at those little feet! 

Okay, now this is the fun thing!  Using the little scraps.  I fashioned up this little pumpkin and the little owl from pieces of the sleeve.  I really like the bright striped sweaters the best (so far)!  I used pieces of old tee-shirts for the eyes and wings.

:-)  He makes me smile...I can't help it!  I do however have serious scissor thumb from using the pinking shears.  Ouch!  I had to give them up after awhile.  They were too dull for the tee-shirt fabric.  It is cute, but the pain in my right thumb has forced me to go back to regular scissors. 

Aren't they pretty with the crocheted leaves?  This was a pretty sweater, I almost felt guilty for cutting it up, if I hadn't only paid $3 for it I probably would have!

In between all this, I have still been knitting little pumpkins and crocheting leaves.  I changed up the pattern quite a bit.  Now I start with an icord and work down.  I like the look a lot better.  This one I did a little cable stitch.  Ouch, once again, the thumb!  LOL!

It is rainy and cool today, perfect for pumpkin production, so I am off to get back to it!