Here's a quick and easy Fall project

Instead of trimming the pumpkins as decorations, try using black felt, cut into jack-o-lantern face shapes and glue them on with white craft glue.

Pumpkin Centerpiece ( size is approx. 3" tall, depending on yarn and hook used)

Materials:

Small amounts 4-ply worsted weight yarn in orange, sage green and hunter green.

2” plastic ring

“H” hook

Small amount of scrap yarn or Fiberfil for stuffing

Assorted fall silk flowers and leaves as desired

White craft glue, hot (or cool) glue gun

Pencil

Yarn needle

Pumpkin:

Row 1: Leaving a 24” tail and using orange, chain 17. Work hdc in 3rd stitch from hook and in each stitch across. Chain 2 and turn.

Row 2: Working in back loops only, work 1 hdc in each stitch across. Chain 2 and turn.

Row 3-15: Repeat row 2, ending without chain 2 and turning. Leave a 20” tail.

Folding short ends together and using 20” tail, whip stitch to form a tube. Using beginning 24” tail, weave through one open end creating a drawstring. Pull drawstring tight and fasten off. Cut another 24 “ length of orange and repeat with remaining open end, stuff before pulling tight and closing. Weave any loose ends to inside of pumpkin.

Stem:

Round 1: With sage green, chain 2. Work 6 sc in 2nd chain from hook.

DO NOT JOIN, BUT CONTINUE WORKING IN ROUNDS MARKING 1ST STITCH OF EACH ROUND AS YOU GO.

Round 2: Work 2 sc in each stitch around.

Round 3-5: Work 1 sc in each stitch around.

Fasten off leaving a 20” length of yarn. Whip stitch the stem over the gathered top of pumpkin.

Taking a 20” strand of sage green, pull it through the base of the stem. Thin white craft glue with a few drops of water and saturate the strand. Wrap the strand around the pencil to form a curl. Set aside to dry. Remove pencil when thoroughly dry.

Base:

Using sage green attach to 2” plastic ring with a slipstitch. Sc around ring covering completely (approximately 30sc). Fasten off and weave in ends.

Using hot (or cool) glue gun, glue pumpkin to base. Add silk flowers and leaves as desired.

(c) MaryEllen Stover 9/12/02