How to Make a Pumpkin Garland

Our live is very much a dizzying swirl of boxes, tape, houses, new places, and lists.  In the midst of all the craziness that will consume us completely over the next few weeks there has been some still crafting and handwork.  A geometry lesson turned into handwork recently and we made a delightful garland…or as she says…“necklace for the house”.

She drew several circles and ovals for me and we pinned them to two layers of orange felt and cut them out. 

I cut thin strips of black felt and she cut them into squares circles or thinner strips to bend into pumpkin grins. 

She designed the faces and counted out one smile, two eyes, and one nose for each pumpkin. 

We hot glued the features in place forming the most charming and wonky little pumpkin faces you’ve ever seen. 

We stitched the two layers of felt together leaving a small opening at the top.  By the way…I love stitching felt with little ones.  You can use quite a blunt needed and the felt has some stability which makes it easier for little hands to maneuver. 

She painstakingly stuffed each pumpkin the perfect pumpkin plumpness and we finished stitching the hole. 

Our plan was to use twigs as stems but it had been raining all day and everything was wet wet wet…so we broke off small strips of wood from the scrap bin in the workshop because we were impatient to finish!!! 

We strung a the pumpkins on a black ribbon, tying a knot before and after each one to keep the pumpkins from sliding around.

It turns out she had a very particular idea of where this “necklace” should go…and up it went, where it brings joy to every dish washer every day!         

And on a side note…do you see how this project became a lesson in geometry, basic mathematics, art, and handwork…oh I do so love learning side by side with this girl each day!