Easy Way to Make DIY Velvet Pumpkins with Real Stems

Directions

1. Trace your chosen templates onto the velvet using a white chalk marker, then carefully cut out the shapes. The creator worked with three specific sizes: 10-inch, 15-inch, and 18-inch circles.
2. Measure and snip a 40-inch length of strong thread, then secure a large knot at one end. Begin your stitching on the reverse side of the cloth so the knot remains concealed within the final form.
3. Thread your doll needle and run a gathering stitch around the perimeter of each circle, keeping the needle 1/2 to 1 inch away from the edge as you go.
4. Draw the thread firmly to gather the fabric into a sack shape, making sure to leave a wide enough gap for filling.
5. Place a funnel into the opening and pour in rice until the pouch is approximately half full.
6. Top off the sack with poly-fil, grabbing handfuls of varying sizes to give the pumpkin a natural, uneven texture.
7. Tighten the gathering thread as much as you can and stitch the opening shut, but leave the thread attached for now.
8. Guide the needle through the middle of the pumpkin and out the base. Bring it back up through the bottom near the exit point and push it toward the top again. Repeat this threading motion three additional times, finishing with the needle emerging at the top before tying off and trimming the excess.
9. Squeeze hot glue onto the base of your chosen stem and press it firmly into the pumpkin's center. Keep it held in place until the adhesive sets.