Halloween… don’t we just love it?
Everyone dressing up as something amusing, walking the streets, and eating candy. Add a few denim pumpkins to the mix, and it’s pure perfection!
This was our very first Denim Pumpkin Contest, and participants were judged on material choice, craftsmanship, originality, and Halloween vibe.
It was a tough but so very fun debate between our Denim Upcyclers Facebook group moderators, Kathleen Resnick, Annette Whitford and me... but in the end, it all came down to one question: which house would probably have the most candy? 🍬😁
1st PLACE 🥇
— WONA CHENNAULT
We stared at the picture for so long, trying to take in all the Halloween love and details in Wona’s work! The overall décor composition, the strong Halloween spirit, the clever use of different parts of jeans, and little birdy as a bonus… simply stole our hearts.💙
“I actually used a pumpkin I found at Hobby Lobby…
I think it was paper mâché. I cut oblong strips and used Mod Podge to glue them on, then hot-glued the jeans seams.”— Wona Chennault
We asked: What do you love most about Halloween?
Wona : I love the decorations…& I love the kiddos!🎃
We asked: We also want to know about little birdy...did you made the pattern?
Wona : I found the bird pattern on Pinterest, and I have a BL Destiny sewing machine, which allows you to do some minor embroidery. I downloaded a bunch of eyes from the internet, picked the one I liked, edited it, and then scanned it into my machine to embroider before cutting it out. For the legs, I had so many of these seams that I thought it would work, and then decided to knot them to make the knees.
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2nd PLACE🥈
— SVETLANA FAULKNER
We were all drawn by Svetlana's whimsical atmosphere, the outstanding craftsmanship, the strings, and those fairy tails alike denim leaves. Such a magical and cohesive piece!
“The leaves are made from scratch. There is no mold. Special heated flower shaping tools are used. Here's one of my videos to demonstrate the idea.“
– Svetlana Faulkner
We asked: What do you love most about Halloween?
Svetlana : I love celebrating Halloween because it’s an excellent opportunity to get creative! Whether by making seasonal arrangements, decorating the house and garden, or creating a Halloween-inspired outfit for myself. I like to be well prepared when kids come knocking on our door for sweets! 😃
We asked: We also want to know how you made the stems? Do you have any tutorial for the making of the pumpkin?
Svetlana : I used premade stalks (Amazon bought) but painted them with acrylics to match my pumpkins. I have got a mini video pumpkin tutorial on my Patreon.
3rd PLACE🥉
— CINDY TAYLOR IRBY
We loved how Cindy placed the denim strips so cleverly, and how she combined natural elements with upcycled materials. It created a perfect rustic balance.
“Dollar Tree styrofoam pumpkin, covered with cut strips using Mod Podge, fake leaves and a stick from the woods.“
— Cindy Taylor Irby
We asked: What do you love most about Halloween?
Cindy : Halloween is the ultimate in Fall decor. From pumpkins to witches to kids in costumes… I love it all!🎃
FINAL NOTES
Thank you to everyone who joined in the fun! Your creativity made this first contest unforgettable. To see all participants check out our Facebook group.
Can’t wait to see what you’ll dream up next year…
Stay spooky, and keep upcycling! 🎃 👖 ♻️ 😎
Ariane xo
Denim Upcycler
Want to start a sewing project? Why not make an apron?
A perfect beginner-friendly project — great to make for yourself or to give as a gift :)
