Pretty Pumpkin Tutorial

My mother and dad owned a florist several years ago and my mom and the lady that worked for her used to make lots of these every fall to sell in the flower shop. They were very popular. My mom showed me how to make them and I have been making them for friends and family ever since.

One year we (the 2 oldest boys and I - the 2 youngest weren't here yet) made a pumpkin for every Aunt and Uncle, grandparent, etc.. It is really neat to make a bunch of these and have a whole little pumpkin patch of your own. They are great for decorating. I still have the first one that my mom ever made for me (well over 10 years ago) and it still looks great! [It is just as easy to make a bunch all at once as it is to make one, except I knew I was almost out of paint, so I only made one.]

I got dryer hose (used to vent your dryer) from the hardware store. It was approximately $0.40/foot and it took roughly 2 ft. to make 1 pumpkin. (You will have to measure for yourself to see how much you will need b/c I have found out that dryer hose varies slightly how it is made.) I cut the metal wire with pliers (not shown) and the vinyl part with scissors. I purchased enough dryer hose to do more than one pumpkin. You might could ask the hardware store where you purchase your hose to cut it in sections for you if you do not have pliers, but it is easy enough to cut yourself.

You want your dryer hose to meet, but you do want it tight.

When my mom made the pumpkins, she had a needle nose stapler. I did not have one and I used a regular desk stapler. Let me tell you from experience, if you have a needle nose stapler, it is much easier. I will have to do some investigating to see the cost of one (if it isn't too expensive I may have to invest in one, I make these every year).

It takes about 3 staples, I do the one in the middle first and then top and bottom (doesn't matter if you do top or bottom next).

Here is the dryer hose all stapled and waiting anxiously to be painted. It's starting to look like a pumpkin already.

Spray paint the dryer-hose-soon-to-be-pumpkin. Use several light coats, allowing paint to dry in between. I used spray paint (I love to use spray paint). If you use spray paint, make sure you paint the pumpkin from all angles to ensure full coverage. If you do not get the center part of the pumpkin completely orange, that is o.k. It will not show later.

You will have to turn it over and spray paint the other side after the top has dried.

After both the top and bottom have dried. Look to see which side looks the best and that will be the top of your pumpkin.

Now to embellish it. I used a brown paper lunch sack for the stem. (When we first started making them, we used paper grocery bags, but lunch bags are pretty inexpensive. I twisted the paper bag and cut the top off with scissors, then bent the stem slightly and added an artificial leaf attaching them both with hot glue. Then tied a bow with twine. I prefer a rafia bow, but I was out (mental note: put that on my list to buy). I also like to add a little bit of spanish moss around the stem. You could also make some tendrils from floral wire wrapped in floral tape and wound around a pencil to make it spiral.

Who knew that ugly dryer hose could be so pretty???????????????

This particular pumpkin is for Anthony's Kindergarten teacher.

Note: I have tried tearing the brown paper sack for a more rustic look for the stem. I prefer cutting it with scissors b/c if you go to a pumpkin patch to get your pumpkins, they cut the stem with a knife for a clean cut.