Wool Felted Pumpkin: Tutorial

It soon will be Autumn ( if we like it or not vbg) so I thought I would try and wool felt a small pumpkin to display in the house. I thought maybe some of the folks that visit my blog might be interested in how I go about doing this. The first photo shows the supplies I gathered to start my wool felted pumpkin. In in the end, I did not used the two white balls seen in this photo. Instead I ended up buying a rubber ball approximately 6 inches round.

Then I started pulling apart the wool roving so it is thin lengthwise wisp of roving that I am wrapping. I wrap the rubber ball approximately 4 times, each time wrapping in a different direction until the ball is totally covered with a nice layer of yellow wool roving. The yellow roving will be the flesh of the pumpkin.

Then I do the same steps with the orange wool roving until I have all the yellow wool roving totally covered. I like to have the orange wool roving wrappings thicker than the yellow.

The above photo is of the completed orange wool roving covering over the yellow wool roving.

The next step is to cut a long piece of wool orange yarn approximately 2 or 2 1/2 yards long. Find the center of the length of yarn and place it under the south pole of your pumpkin. Bring the two ends up to the top of your pumpkin and cross them at the north pole so they are at a 90 degree angle to the first lines. Bring the two ends down to the bottom of your pumpkin, cross them at the south pole at a 90 degree angle and continue to wrap the yarn in this manner until the pumpkin is divided into 8 sections. At the top, tightly tie off the yarn ends in a square knot and snip off the excess. In the sink of warm soapy water wet your pumpkin and roll it around in your hands until you feel the wool fibers begin to lock together. Then roll it on a texture surface ( I used this brown rigged mat or you can used bubble wrap) adding more warm, soapy water as needed until the fibers are solidly felted together; this should take 5 to 10 minutes, depending upon the type of wool used.

Rinse the pumpkin in warm water until all the soap is gone, then squeeze out the excess water. Full the felt by bouncing your pumpkin on a hard surface ( I threw mind against the opposite side of my kitchen sink) Bounce for several minutes, then allow to dry.

I placed my felted pumpkin inside a nylon stocking and tie both ends tightly. then I place my pumpkin in a dryer which will tighten the wool fibers even further. While your pumpkin is drying, wet felt the piece of green roving into a stem shape, and rinse, and allow it to dry. I placed mind on a window sill where the bright sun of the day shines through.

The above photo is of my pumpkin after it has been felted in my cloth dryer. Notice what happens of the orange yarn you used to hold your wool roving in place. It gives it a neat added texture to your pumpkin.

When your pumpkin is totally dry, cut the lid off the top of your pumpkin with a pair of scissors and pop out the rubber ball. I used green wool embroidery floss to sew the stem onto the center of the lid. You can fill your pumpkin with chest nuts or perhaps Halloween candy. I think I will needle felt some acorn to put in my pumpkin.

I hope I have explain this tutorial so everyone can understand it and have fun creating one yourself. HAPPY AUTUMN EVERYONE!!! Hugs Judy