The much-loved Pumpkin Man, above left, originally appeared here as a craft tutorial back in 2019.  Some of his accoutrements were vintage and, like all good things vintage, once they sold out, they were gone forever.  We've since given this dapper gentleman a little update with two different leaf styles, new colors of velvet bows and more autumnal items to hold.  Join us in getting a jump on Autumn crafting by making a merry band of pumpkin men.  This project is one of our all-time favorites! Completed figures are about 5-1/2" tall.

Supplies: Spun Cotton Heads, Chenille Bumps, Bows, Leaves, Lacquered Acorns or Other Items to Hold, Dried Acorn Caps, Clear-drying Glue (like Alleen's or E6000), Needle-nose Pliers, Scissors. Paint Brush (for handle)

Step 1: Arrange your supplies: To make 1 pumpkin man, you will need 1 head, 1 acorn cap, 3 chenille bumps (1 for arms, 2  folded in half for body/legs), 2 leaves, 1 bow and 1 lacquered acorn.

Step 2: Using needle-nose pliers, make the hole in the spun cotton head larger.

Step 3: Bend two chenille bumps in half to create the body and legs.  Pinch the top of the bumps together with your pliers so it will better fit in the spun cotton head.  Glue between the bumps with two small drops to hold the body together.  Let dry.

Step 4: Create arms by gluing 1 chenille bump to the back of the figure. Glue arms about 1/4" inch below the "neck" to allow space for the head later.  Let dry.

Step 5: Cut a small V at the base of the leaves to remove the wire stems.  The V will make it easier for the leaves to fit around the figure's shoulders.

Step 6: Add glue only along the edges of the leaves near the V.  Apply a leaf to the BACK of the figure first, taking care to fit the V closely around the neck area and to gently bend the edges of the leaf forward onto the shoulders.  Apply second leaf to the front of the figure, overlapping the first leaf slightly on the shoulders.  Let dry.

Step 7: Glue the spun cotton head in place, making sure it fits snugly onto the shoulders.  Let dry.

Step 8: Glue acorn cap in place as a hat.  Glue bow in place as a bow tie.  Let dry.

Step 9: Give him something to hold.  For an acorn: Bend wired acorn stem about 1/4" above the cap.  Twist wire around pencil or paint brush handle to make a curl.  Trim excess stem if desired.  For other items, proceed to step 10.

Step 10: Use pliers to create a small loop that will serve as your pumpkin's "hand" for holding his acorn or other item.  Apply a small drop of glue in the loop then insert the wire stem of the acorn or other item.  Let dry.

Step 11: Use pliers to bend the chenille up about 1/4" to create remaining hands and feet.

Notes and Tips:

-- Proportionally a 1" head works best -- any smaller and the head seems too tiny.  

-- Use glue sparingly when glueing body section together -- too much glue can make the chenille seem matted and less fluffy.

-- Want to use a different leaf? Leaves measuring around 2-1/2" work nicely. Vintage leaf VL011 is a variation on the leaf originally used in the project and also works beautifully.  It is the same shape as the original in a slightly different colorway and is linked below.