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September 20, 2011

Yarn Wrapped Gourds & Pumpkins

Aren't these just the coziest, cutest little things?  
Almost makes me want to curl up and snuggle with them. Almost.

As a lot of you know...I love yarn crafts.  Anything with texture.  Yarn has so many possibilities and I believe these little $1 store pumpkins and gourds have been transformed into some pretty spectacular Fall decor pieces.

I bought those little mini gourds and pumpkins by the pack (5 in each) at the dollar tree and I think the bigger gourds and pumpkins are from Wal-mart at 97 cents each. All of them are FAKE PUMPKINS because I wanted each of them to last! I used different yarn gauges in ivory, green, and a mustard yellow to wrap them in different ways and make each one unique.This green pumpkin (which kinda ended up looking like an apple but I truly love it) was done simply by gluing the yarn around the base of the stem and then continuing to wind it around while applying glue. I prefer to use hot glue because it keeps it in place due to drying faster.  Even though I'm used to working with a glue gun, I still burn myself at times so if this is a kid project for you...use craft glue like Mod Podge or Aleen's Tacky Glue. Craft glue really does work great but be careful not to press too hard as you conform the yarn to the shape because it can cause hard glue spots.

Also, I loved the real look of this stem so I left it as is.
These little gourds and tiny pumpkin make me smile too.  Same technique as the green pumpkin but I just varied it a bit by going horizontal or vertical. The large gourd is wrapped in twine and the stem is wrapped in green embroidery floss. The smaller stems are made from twine bent in half and hot glued together.  I frayed the ends and kind of smooshed it on the top of the pumpkin or gourd to make it look like it grew out of the top.
Oh, I love this white pumpkin so much.  I twisted 4 strands of yarn together measuring them the length of the pumpkin from stem to bottom.  It reminds me a bit of a cable knit sweater without the knitting. The green stem is wrapped with twine to add even more texture. Craft glue worked best with this technique too.
These are not exactly rosettes but they are similar to the way you make fabric ones.  This mustard yellow pumpkin comes off sophisticated to me.  I think these in all white would be striking with maybe some touches of green.

The tricky part in making this style is rolling them into TIGHT spirals and then using craft glue to put them on. Start by tying a knot at the end and then rolling it between your thumb and index finger. Once you get a spiral you like, they have to be pressed flat with glue. So hot glue does not work. Incidentally...my above pumpkin has been handled by two 3 year olds and a 5 year old. Hence some of the spirals coming loose. 

The spiral rosettes are simple but it does take some time to finish one pumpkin.  But I think the effect is completely worth it! :)
Hope you like another yarn wrapped project I came up with for Fall!
Do you see yourself making these too?
 I would love to hear what you think. :)

Cozy Fall Hugs to all of you!

74 comments:

  1. these are great I have to try this soon!

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  2. Jessica, these are adorable! I was wonderin' how to do fall with non-traditional colors..ooo and the texture they add. Love!!!

    {Alicia @ www.thriftyandchic.com}

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  3. Jess - Oh how I wish I had your patience, my friend. These are totally fab!

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  4. Okay these are just about the prettiest things I have ever seen....They look Extremely Cozy too....I am CERTAINLY giving this a try....

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  5. A sweater pumpkin? The perfect fall craft. I have some dollar store pumpkins that might be getting cozy soon- thanks to you!
    :) crafty texas girls

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  6. you may be turning me on to yarn!! I love the spiral rossette yarn pumpkin and the twisted yarn pumpkin. Did you see in my creative connection photos, the photo of Dottie Angel's booth, she had yarn pom poms strung on the drape. I thought of you right away when I saw it, I loved her style.

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  7. Just super, Jessica!! I just picked up some yarn at the thrift store yesterday! It's supposed to be for something else though... Oh decisions, decisions! ♥

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  8. Oh these are just fabulous! I LOVE the "spiral roesette" pumpkin! I'd make one in hot pink! lol!

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  9. Gosh I love you and your yarn! Wait a minute... I have an idea forming...

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  10. Pretty! My fave is the little spiral rosette pumpkin. I've got to try some yarn crafting!

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  11. See - this is why we had that conversation yesterday! You are just so stinking creative. I bought pumpkins and gourds from joanns, but did I think to cover them with something??? of course not! that's why i need you as my crafty decorating consultant :)

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  12. Sooo cute! This would be perfect for my home since my the cool tones of my house don't really go with all of the warm fall colors!! I could seriously have any color pumpkin I want!! Thanks for sharing!!

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  13. SO very cute! Thank you so much for sharing how to make them with us. Also, I love your photography.

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  14. I have to tell you that before I even saw this, I bought some spray paint at Big Lots the other day to spray all my orange decorative pumpkins a VERY light sage green. I was seriously in the aisle thinking to myself how proud you would be of me when you saw them. But now... you have stepped it up a notch. I want a spiral rosette pumpkin now.

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  15. Oh my goodness, I LOVE these little pumpkins! I really may have to try this. You are super creative! I would love to have you share this @ Show & Share--
    http://southernlovely.blogspot.com/2011/09/show-share-6.html

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  16. These are so cute! I love the spiral rosettes pumpkin! Very creative and very cute! I'm going to feature this on Friday on my blog! I hope you'll stop by!
    Jen
    Scissors & Spatulas

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  17. SHUT UP!

    You just made me make a NEW STICKER!

    Come visit tomorrow love!

    One word for you: EXTRAORDINARY!

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  18. So, so cute! Love the rossette pumpkin!

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  19. Love love LOVE!! I have to try this. Thanks for sharing!

    {Here from Southern Lovely}

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  20. No way. So cute! I have tons of yarn and am obsessed with pumpkins right now. I am sharing this on my FB page, and following your lovely blog. Hope you link this up at Thrifty Thursday.

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  21. LOVE this!! Thank you so much for sharing. I am now your newest follower!

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  22. these are so cute, Love your blog, new follower :)

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  23. AHhhhh..I feel so at home here :) Just when I thought I had seen it all...you wrap these veggies in yarn & WHal La! Craft! Adorable! Have I told you before you are a genius...I know...I tell you all the time but I don't lie. :) If I could only use your brain for a day I'd be a happy girl :) I am sure this sounds strange to others if they read it but you already know what a weirdo I am :) Gotta go see what else I've missed!

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  24. These are incredibly adorable! I featured your lovely pumpkins in my {friday finds} post today!
    http://sweetcsdesigns.com/archives/2399

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  25. You have officially been pinned! This is really cute...I'm gonna go through my yarn stash and make these for our home. Thanks.

    Would love it if you would link this up to our Rockin' link party going on now at RoCa and Company. Here is the link: http://rocaandcompany.blogspot.com/2011/09/welcome-fall-and-you-rock-2.html Come and show off what you got. Hope to see you there...

    Remember...YOU ROCK!!

    Carmen @
    RoCa and Company
    www.rocaandcompany.blogspot.com

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  26. What an amazing transformation! You transformed those gaudy little plastic pumpkins into a real natural feeling work of art!

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  27. These are Just Fabulous, Jessica! So warm and sophisticated :)

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  28. I am loving the yarn-wrapped trend this fall! These are beautiful! I'd love for you to link this up with Creative Me Monday! You can link up through tomorrow night... here's the link:

    http://www.thesoutherninstitute.com/2011/09/creative-me-monday_18.html?utm_source=BP_recent

    Hope to see you there!

    Jenny

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  29. In love with these! They are so cute and pretty!!

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  30. These are so sweet. I love the rosette design especially.

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  31. These are gorgeous. I love them all, but the yellow roses is my favorite. So beautiful.

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  32. So fun! Creative idea!!

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  33. These are cute but after all that work to have the under squashes rot is bad. I would have done them on the fake or papermache ones from the craft stores. That way you have them for another time.
    tammy

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  34. I'm so sorry for the confusion...these ARE done on fake pumpkins! I mentioned in the post that I purchased them from both wal mart and the dollar tree. I would be bummed if I put that much work in just to have them rot too! :)

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  35. So, so adorable! I wouldn't be surprised if I accidently came home with some yarn and some pumpkins today...

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  36. Oh Man ... these are just the cutest ever! I love them.

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  37. Love these! I just pinned it.

    Have a wonderful weekend.

    xo

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  38. The spiral rosettes are just gorgeous!

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  39. I love these, no adore these! I love the colors that you chose, I love the tutorial, I just love everything! Great job! Thanks for the inspiration!
    Have a happy weekend!

    Tausha
    sassystyleredesign.blogspot.com

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  40. Hello, your blog is lovely and I adore your pumpkins. YOu could do different colors to match your decor. Love it. You are very creative. I'm a new follower. Cheers

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  41. Now these are too stinkin CUTE! I just pinned them for Fall decorating. Can't wait to check out the rest of your blog! Thanks for sharing the tutorial, they look pretty easy to do, but I would of never of thought of doing this! Great idea.

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  42. Very snuggly! I better be careful if I make these. My daughter tends to get very attached to snuggly things and she might want to add these to her stuff animal menagerie! They look so great!

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  43. Hi!! Thank you for coming over and telling me about the Under the Table and Dreaming feature. I didn't even know I was featured!! Thanks for your comments and I looove your pumpkins!! They're so creative and beautiful and I love the variation in the way you wrapped them!! You've done a wonderful job :)

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  44. I HAVE NO EXCUSE LOL
    BTW
    my hubby and i couldn't stop laughing...he was like.. I HAVE to get that Done!! lol

    and OMGOSH can these little beauties be anymore Awesome!!

    We need to talk soon! :)

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  45. These are so amazing! I love that spiral pumpkin and the colors and....everything! I am featuring this at somedaycrafts.blogspot.com on Tuesday evening. Grab my "featured" button.

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  46. Just wanted to tell you that I featured you today! Grab a button if you'd like!

    http://southernlovely.blogspot.com/2011/09/show-share-6-features.html

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  47. Well obivoulsy these are fabulous due to the number of comments you have!! ☺ Love them!! And I see they are one of Lindsay's features!! Yay!
    Thanks for partying with us at Show & Share and hope to see you this week!

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  48. These are amazing!!! Love them! I pinned and facebooked about this...fabulous!

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  49. I am not crazy about "fall decorations" but these are lovely!

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  50. OMG! These are cute! I'm so happy to have found another Florida craft blogger (we are hard to come by)! New follower of yours.

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  51. I'd just like to add to my earlier comment that I'd be honored if you came and shared these at my halloween link party at http://igottacreate.blogspot.com

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  52. I ♥ these! What a fun idea. Linking up tomorrow at Tangled Happy. Thanks for sharing this. :)

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  53. These are terrific, so cute & different! Thank you for sharing how you made them.

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  54. I LOVE these! My girlfriend and I started making them the other day....I saw them on Pinterest and had no idea where they came from - so glad I found your blog!!

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  55. Hi Jessica,
    Love these pumpkins and gourds! So want to do them but maybe I'll do them next year. I'll have to save this tutorial so I don't loose it or forget where I stored it on my computer.

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  56. hi jessica,
    un effet design et cosi....j'aime bcp....
    j'ai mis vos créations en lien sur mon blog :
    http://nathalievanvolsom.blogspot.com/2011/10/pumpkins_19.html
    bonne journée
    nathalie

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  57. Your collection of pumpkins are FAB!! Popped over from Craft Gossip. :)

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  58. so gigi from sogigi@ etsyOctober 22, 2011 at 4:42 PM

    Just got started on pinterest and have to let you know you are my very first pin!
    I love these little pumpkins and gourds!
    Sooo cute!

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  59. Love love love these! Having trouble tweeting my photos, but I put them on Ravelry. I have an outrageous left-over-bits-of-yarn stash, and my daughter, son, husband and I all are relishing every moment! Thank you!

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  60. Oh. em. gee! You are so creative!

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  61. Hi Jessica!

    First time in your blog and i´ve loved it... Such preety stuff! And great ideas too...

    I'll be following you!

    Kisses,

    Pipinha

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  62. These are too cute! I especially love the spiral pumpkin. Thanks for sharing the directions!

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  63. Fantastic, these look great!

    I spotted them on stelabird.com

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  64. Found this post via Pinterest. I love this idea! I need to find some fake pumpkins.
    Christine @ Projects Around the House

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  65. I LOVE these! They present a natural element so cute! Found your post from the 36th Avenue! TFS
    Anna @ Bean Bug Crafts

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  66. Absolutely adorable! I can't wait to go to the Dollar Store today and see what I can find to decorate. WOW!

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  67. This is great! Let them go to town with a bunch of colorful string/yarn, felts/fabrics, paint and a copious amounts of glue. :)
    --totally happening and I can't wait

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