Sew Cute: Pumpkin Coasters
I’m on something of a pumpkin kick right now—well, me and the rest of the world! It’s understandable, though. Like I said last week, pumpkins are pretty much the most adorable sign of fall. Another sign of fall? Lots and lots and LOTS of drinks: apple cider, chai, hot chocolate, the ever-popular pumpkin spice latte. I wanted a fun, seasonal way display all of those beverages, with the added bonus of saving my grandmother’s vintage coffee table from rings (hey, we all have to grow up sometime!). And I don’t know about you, but coasters are one of those things I never think I need, but always end up wishing I had.
This is a quick project that can easily be completed over the course of a lazy autumn afternoon. And if you’re not feeling quite as pumpkin-crazed as me, no worries—these basic steps can easily be adapted to make coasters in the shape of apples, limes, donuts, or pretty much anything round.
Materials:
- Piece of paper
- Ballpoint pen
- Scissors
- Straight pins
- Orange and green felt (I used three 9”x12” pieces of orange felt and one 9”x12” piece of green felt for this project)
- Orange and green thread
- Basic sewing needle
Craft away:
- Draw a roughly circular shape on the paper, about 4 inches across. Don’t worry if it isn’t perfect—a squashy shape is part of a pumpkin’s charm!
- Draw a little stem for your pumpkin, using the top of your circular template as a guide. Cut out both shapes.
- Stack two pieces of orange felt on top of each other and pin them together, sticking the pins close to the edges of the felt (the pins keep the fabric from bunching up and moving around).
- Trace six of the pumpkin shapes onto the felt. Stick a pin through the middle of each circle to keep the two pieces together, then cut them out.
- Trace six of the stem shapes onto the green felt, then cut them out.
- Cut a couple feet of orange thread and fold it in half, then thread the needle and tie a knot.
- Stitch each pair of orange pieces together using a simple in-and-out motion, staying close to the edge of the felt. To finish the row of stitches on each coaster, pass the needle back under the thread of your final stitch to knot your needlework in place.
- If you’re feeling extra crafty, stitch curved lines on each coaster. This will give them a more pumpkin-y look. You don’t have to do this step, but I highly recommend it—they made my coasters that much cuter!
- Pin a green stem onto each orange coaster, then sew it in place using the green thread. Remember to stitch around the tops of the stems, too, to make the coasters more uniform.
- You’re finished! Now you can display all of those seasonal drinks in style.