design
of the month
A handcrafted pumpkin
accessorizes a harvest basket filled with seasonal finds.
A pumpkin crafted of open-weave ribbon, topped
with a branch and a permanent leaf, is the focal point in this
seasonal design that will easily transition from Halloween to
Thanksgiving. The fabric fruit could be used in many other ways,
as well, including as a Halloween accessory. For an elegant fall
flourish such as is shown here, be sure to accessorize basket
handles with pretty seasonal ribbon.
MATERIALS:
basket and permanent
berries from favorite suppliers; preserved Hydrangeas,
wheat, yarrow, thistles and clovers from Knud Nielson Company;
ribbon from Lion Ribbon Company; plastic-foam orb from
FloraCraft.
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Cut indentations into
opposite ends of a plastic-foam ball to create the top
and bottom of the pumpkin. |
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Fold a length of
21⁄2-inch-wide ribbon in half lengthwise, and crimp one
end to hold the wires secure. Beginning at the opposite
end, pull both wires simultaneously, gathering the
ribbon along the wires. Repeat this process until you
have enough sections to cover the ball. |
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Attach one end of a
gathered ribbon section to the indentation of the
plastic-foam ball with a hairpin-shaped wire. |
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Turn the ball over, and
attach the other end of the ribbon near the opposite
indentation. Continue attaching gathered ribbon sections
until the ball is covered. Shape the ribbon as you go,
keeping it firm but avoiding pulling it too tight. The
indentations make it possible to tuck the ribbon ends
into the ball to help create the pumpkin shape. |
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|
 These how-tos were
excerpted from the book Ribbons and Flowers,
which combines ribbons with flowers in projects for a
variety of seasons and holidays in a how-to format. 40
projects with easy-to-follow, step-by-step how-to
instructions. Softcover. 98 pages. $24.95. To order,
click
here or call (800) 355-8086. |
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