Halloween is one of my favorite holidays for making decorations. It's a holiday that continues to grow in popularity, but still seems to have a lot of room to "make it your own" and come up with something new and fun.
When I first saw these craft pumpkins, I thought about decorating them with a glue gun. That would probably work fine, but it violated two of my important rules for happy crafting:
- It's messy. (Glue strings make me crazy.)
- I can't watch TV while doing it. (I'd have to sit next to an outlet in the basement to make it since a glue gun needs to be plugged into a place where I can be messy. See point #1.)
Using sewing pins and beads turned out to be perfect. You can sit anywhere (on the sofa watching movies) and you don't need any special tools. It's also completely mess free, unless you're the type to drop pins into the sofa cushions. (The blood will come out. Trust me.)
Beaded Pumpkin Tutorial and Tips
This project sparked some unexpected nostalgia, as it reminded me just a little of that old Girl Scout Christmas project of covering an orange with cloves. (You did that, too, right?)
Design Tips
- It's important to use the steel sewing pins. (They may also be called dressmaker pins.) Regular jewelry head pins will bend too easily. You'll likely want to use pins with a plain, flat top instead of decorative pins.
- Instead of an all-over design, make two different designs (one on the
front and one on the back) so you have options on how to display the
pumpkin.
- Look for beads that have a single center hole and will look good when viewed from the top down. I've found that spacers that often look quite dull when viewed from the side, really look cool when viewed from the top down.
- You can paint your pumpkin before you begin if you'd like a different base color or if the pumpkin you bought has a few scratches or marks.
- It will take less time to create a pumpkin with larger beads, but you'll be able to create more intricate designs with smaller beads such as seed beads.
- If you drew your design with a pencil, remember to erase any stray pencil marks when you are finished.
- You can just use your fingers to push in the pins, but this can be hard on your hands. You might be able to use a small hammer if you are careful and do not hit the beads, especially if they are breakable. Light tapping works well. (Try not to think of politics or anything that might cause unrestrained whacking while you work.) You can also use a metal ruler or file to help push in the beads.
More of My Halloween Tutorials
Here are a few more of my free tutorials from the past (links no longer available!):
Boo Napkin Rings
Use beaded wire to spell out a spooky message.
Day of the Dead Earrings
Each one of these has a little personality!
Midnight Ranch Necklace
This easy knotted necklace features leather cord.
Get spooky and have fun!