Hallothanksmas Pumpkin Garland instructions

Well, it's a cold, snowy, icy day here in Pa -- I can't go out and play so I'm trying to organize and post pictures and directions for the Hallothanksmas Pumpkin Garland (I know you've all been waiting on pins and needles for these directions!!! Don't forget, the Hallothanksmas backup date is Tuesday Dec 4th -- so you still have time to churn one of these babies out for this year's celebration!! Lucky you!!! ....or just let it sit another year..... that would be in true Moonbeams in Jar style!!) Oh, and by the way .... as with most things I do, this project falls into the category of inexact science !! I've heard, that's why things are categorized as "folk art" -- art made by folks -- just us ordinary , inexact folks!

ANYHOW ... Here's the "ingredients" list:

orange felted wool : 11" x 40" piece
green felted wool: 5" x 40" piece
black cotton print: 1/4 yd
5 ply natural jute: 3 pieces each 76"
9 white 1" buttons
black jumbo rick rack (1 pack should be enough)
#8 black pearl cotton (or you can use 2 strands of DMC embroidery floss)
green thread to match green felted wool
pinking sheers
white pencil

OK -- the second and third pictures show the pattern pieces (and again, I apologize for my computer ineptness and not knowing how to scan and make one of those Adobe Reader things -- that is one of my New Year's Resolutions -- to figure that out -- also how to figure out how to separate my pictures with text instead of all clumped together -- but I'll probably just end up paying the teenagers big bucks to do it for their dummy mommy .) ANYHOW, I'll give you the sizes of each piece so you can draw them out yourself, but if you'd rather, feel free to email me and I'll be happy to make copies of the pattern pieces and mail them to you.

large pumpkin = 3 1/2" x 5"
medium pumpkin = 2 3/4" X 4 1/4"
small pumpkin = 2" x 3"
star = 3" x 3"
large pumpkin stem = 2 1/4" x 2"
medium pumpkin stem = 1 1/2" x 1 1/2 "
small pumpkin stem = 1 1/4" x 1 1/4"
medium pumpkin (rectangular) bow = 1 1/4" x 5 1/2"
small pumpkin (rectangular) bow = 1" x 4 3/4"
bows (for tying pieces onto jute) = 7 1/4" x 1 1/4"
pumpkin vine squiggle = 3" long

OK -- on to the cutting directions (stay with me now -- are your eyes glazed over?)
I pretty much cut everything out with the pinking sheers, except for the pumpkin vine squiggles.

All of the pumpkins and stems have a front and back -- so double your fabric and cut 2 each. There are 5 big pumpkins, 1 medium pumpkin, and 1 small pumpkin (these are all cut from the orange wool felt)

From the green wool felt cut 5 sets of large pumpkin stems (i.e. cut front and back for each) ; cut 1 medium pumpkin stem (front and back); cut 1 small pumpkin stem (front and back).

For the pumpkin vine squiggles, do not double fabric. Trace the squiggle using white pencil (you need 5 vine squiggles) -- cut out with regular fabric scissors (you may need to use little scissors to get the middles cut out).

Stars: do not double fabric; cut out 5 stars

OK -- now my eyes are glazed over so I think that's enough for today.... besides, I have to get dinner started before there's an angry uprising ! (and I want to get the kitchen cleaned up and finished so I can watch "Desperate Housewives" -- yes, I admit it -- I watch that show -- it's just so ridiculous!!! the thing is, I'm definately a desperate housewife, but I defintely do NOT dress like those chicks!!! How come they never wear baggy old sweat pants and sloppy slippers? and let's not even discuss the hair! ) -- anyway, gotta zoom..... I think they're gonna have a tornado or something on Wisteria Lane!! Then I have to see if Kitty actually marries the senator (aka babe Rob Lowe) on "Brothers and Sisters" !

More tomorrow....
Toodles,
Mary Anne (aka Mare)