Simple Pumpkin Coasters to Sew

Although Halloween in Australia falls in the middle of spring, I couldn’t resist making a quick fall inspired project. I have put together this super quick sewing tutorial for simple pumpkin coasters to sew. Everyone needs a pumpkin coaster – perfect for setting near your typewriter with a lovely hot cup of peppermint tea. I generally don’t use a lot of orange in my projects, but it was fun to rummage around my stash and vintage haberdashery supplies to gather the materials for this project.

I enjoyed assembling a little picnic basket of goodies. The mini Bonne Maman jars are the perfect size to store pins and buttons. Who can resist wooden spools of vintage thread?

I used a strip of brown leather for the pumpkin stem and added a small wooden button secured with orange embroidery thread. The left side of the pumpkin shown in solid fabric has machine quilting, and the patterned fabric on the right side has some hand stitching detail.

If you would like to make your own simple Pumpkin Coasters, you will need:

• scrap of solid orange quilting cotton measuring 5 x 2 3/4 inches
• scrap of orange floral quilting cotton measuring 5 x 2 3/4 inches
• scrap of orange polka dot quilting cotton measuring 5 x 5 inches (backing)
• batting measuring 5 x 5 inches
• wooden button
• brown leather measuring 4 1/2 inches x 1/4 inch (or use leather thonging)
• orange embroidery thread

1. Sew the solid and floral fabrics together along on long 5 inch edge. Press seam open. You will now have a coaster top measuring 5 x 5 inches.

2. Using a small saucer/side plate or other round object as a guide, mark two curved lines on the coaster top as shown (or alternatively draw the lines free hand for a more rustic pumpkin). Position the coaster top on top of the batting, and then machine stitch along the curved lines on the solid fabric.

3. Mark curved lines on the floral side of the coaster, and hand stitch using two strands of embroidery thread along the line. 

4. Cut the corners so they are slightly rounded as shown. As pumpkins come in different shapes/sizes, trim to suit your style. I went for a square-ish shape.

5. Fold the leather strip in half and stitch to the top edge as shown.

6. Layer the coaster top on the coaster backing with right sides together. Trim the backing so that it is the same size as the front. Stitch around the outside of the coaster, leaving a 2 inch gap in one side for turning. Clip corners and turn out the right way through the gap in the opening.  Hand stitch the opening closed. Press.

7. Attach the button to the top of the coaster using two strands of embroidery thread.

Hope you are inspired to make a batch of simple pumpkin coasters to sew.  Check out some of our other Halloween inspired projects here.