Tiny velvet pumpkin place settings for Thanksgiving dinner – could we get any more elegant/pretty/unique?

 I saw the idea for a darling velvet pumpkin last year, bought the fabric, and put the project on my to do list. Had I known it would have taken me a few hours to get these little guys done, I would have knocked them out in time. Each pumpkin takes about 10 minutes to complete. The original pattern made decorative pumpkins, but I thought it would be so sweet to use them as place settings for Thanksgiving dinner. I used to laugh at the idea of tablescapes, but for real – they give your guests a feeling of warmth and family and all the warm fuzzies you want at a holiday table.

I used an ivory crushed velvet, but I think any color would look gorgeous – such as a warm orange, rust, or burgundy. Even a sage hue would work well.

What You Need: (makes approximately 12)

• 1 yard crushed velvet or velvet
• salad plate (or a 9″ or so pattern to use for measuring)
• scissors
• thread in matching color
• needle
• fiber fill
• rice or dried beans
• pumpkin stems or store bought stems (I found some branches at Michaels)
• name tags (I found some at the dollar spot in Target)
• Gold or silver pen

Steps:

Measure out your velvet circles by tracing around salad plates or other 8″ or equivalent pattern. If you want to make bigger pumpkins, simply use a larger plate or pattern. Cut accordingly.

Thread needle, and baste stitch around circle edge leaving about a 1/4″ seam. Once you’ve gone about 3/4 around, pull yarn to create a bundle with the velvet. Add a few tablespoons rice, then fill the rest with fiber fill. Pull thread taut and stitch top together. If you want a rounded pumpkin, knot off. If you would like a more compressed pumpkin, stitch through to bottom and come back up a few times, knotting at the top. This will make your pumpkin more squat.

Using a hot glue gun, carefully add stem.

In gold or silver ink, label name banners with each person’s name who will be at your Thanksgiving table. Glue banners to pumpkins with hot glue gun.

Table Setting How To:

I like to use a neutral tablecloth, either a pretty woven texture or lace. Each place setting gets a dinner plate with a salad plate on top. Set pumpkins on top of salad plates. My silverware goes in a cloth napkin rolled with a napkin ring. For centerpiece, you can use a large hurricane type votive with a large candle and two candlesticks on either side, or I like to carve a pumpkin and insert a short vase filled with white flowers (or harvest colored flowers). Either looks gorgeous and chic. You can also place pumpkins above plates, and put napkin rings on plates. It’s up to you, but whatever you choose will look lovely! Happy table-scaping!

My flatware and table settings are linked below!