Headless Horseman Pumpkin Head

SUPPLIES & TOOLS:

• 12" x 36" 2 Ply Corrugated Cardboard (2, the side panels of a tri fold display board work well)
• Single Ply Corrugated Cardboard Scraps (for stem and inside top of pumpkin)
• 2" Masking Tape
• Band Saw or Utility Knife & Cutting Board
• X-Acto® Knife, #11 Blades
• Hot Glue Gun & Glue Gun Sticks
• Acrylic Paint, Variety of Orange
• Acrylic Paint, Variety of Brown
• Acrylic Paint, Black
• 1" Chip Paintbrush
• Assorted Artist's Paintbrushes
• Paint Palette
• 9" x 12" Sticky Back Felt, Black
• Graphite Paper
• Pencil
• Newsprint Paper & Bowl (to mix glue and water for mache)
• Optional: 5" x 10" Netting, Black, 5" X 10"
• Optional: Quick Grip Adhesive

DIRECTIONS:

To find the downloadable patterns click on the "GET PATTERNS" tab above.

1. Cut and tape together templates, A to B and C to D, align center lines. Cut pumpkin sides out of 2 ply corrugated cardboard. Cut circles and stem out of single ply cardboard. If there is printing on one side of the cardboard keep that side as the inside of the pumpkin.
2. Cut four A/B panels and four C/D panels (two reverse). Score back/inside of parts on three vertical lines, top to bottom and on four horizontal lines that connect with the points of the darts. Run a blunt pencil point down the vertical score lines to slightly flatten the sides of the score. Bend the panels toward the score lines. Pull both sides of one dart together matching outside sides of cardboard. Apply a small strip of masking tape to the back to hold the dart. Repeat for all darts on all eight panels.
3. Tape one panel to another in groups of two. One A/B panel to a C/D panel. Attach the dart sides together. Apply small strips of masking tape on the inside between the seams of the darts. Match the bottom edges and the seams. Do not tape the area from the top dart to the point. Set two of the A/B panels with a C/D panel to the right side. Set the other two A/B panels with a C/D panel to the left side.
4. Tape two groups of two panels together. Tape together two A/B panels. Tape same as first sets. Repeat. This will create two halves of the pumpkin. Pull the top points together and apply a small strip of tape to the outside to temporarily hold in place.
5. Use hot glue to apply one half of 3 1/2" circle to the inside of the top points of the pumpkin. Repeat. Remove the tape on the outside of the top of the pumpkin.
6. Tape the two sides of the pumpkin together same as the separate panels. Hot glue the full 3 1/2" circle over the top of the first two halves of circle inside the top of the pumpkin.
7. Optional: Mix water and school glue, 60/40. Dip strips of newsprint paper in the mixture and apply to the outside surface of pumpkin, overlapping strips. Let dry. If mache is applied, eliminate 1/4" cardboard strips and 1 1/2" felt strips steps.
8. Cut eight 1/4" W x 15" L strips of single ply cardboard with the corrugations running the width. Flatten the strips. Apply hot glue to the back of the strips and adhere on top of the vertical seams of the pumpkin. Start the strips about 1/2" from the center top. Trim off excess at the bottom.
9. Try on pumpkin. Widen the bottom opening if necessary. Cut with a utility knife.
10. Cut 1 1/2" W strips of felt. Press strips along the inside bottom edge of the pumpkin. Match a long edge of felt with the bottom edge of the pumpkin. This will help to solidify the panels as one unit.

STEM:

1. Bend the stem into a circle slightly overlapping the sides.
2. Hot glue to hold.
3. Flare out the six bottom tabs of stem.
4. Hot glue the 1 1/8" circle into the top of the stem.
5. Place the stem over the top points of the pumpkin.
6. Mark the location. Remove the stem, add hot glue under the bottom tabs and replace the stem on the pumpkin.
7. Apply hot glue for texture on the stem.
8. Apply irregular concentric circles to the top of the stem and vertical lines down the sides and onto the tabs.
9. Let dry.

FACE:

1. Try on pumpkin. Determine front side. Set the face pattern with the lowest point of tooth about 2" above the bottom edge of the pumpkin. This will need to be adjusted if the bottom opening has been widened. Transfer eyes of face image to front of pumpkin. Use an X-Acto knife to cut small holes centered in eye images. Try on pumpkin to determine if the eye openings land in an appropriate location. Transfer the entire face pattern to the pumpkin. Cut face eyes, nose and mouth with an X-Acto knife.
2. Apply a bead of hot glue along each cut edge of the pumpkin (bottom edge and all face parts).
3. Paint: Basecoat the pumpkin with a thin coat of orange paint. Let dry. Apply black to the stem and the hot glued edges. Let dry. Wet blend browns in vertical seams with oranges in the high areas between vertical seams. Let dry. Add highlights of light orange to orange areas and drybrush light browns to the hot glue on the stem. Add random thin vertical lines of dark brown to enhance the creepy look of the pumpkin.

OPTIONAL: Add netting behind eye holes. Make felt frames for the eye holes. Use the original face template. Cut 1/2" around the perimeter of the eyes on the template. Transfer the pattern RSU to the back of sticky back felt. Use scissors to cut felt. Remove the paper backing from the felt. Place the sticky back of felt onto netting. Cut the netting to the perimeter of the felt. Apply Quick Grip adhesive to the back of felt. Press the felt/netting eyes to the inside of the pumpkin centered on the eye holes.

OPTIONAL: Add a thin layer of black paint to the interior of the pumpkin.

JOANN HACKS:

• Add a strip of felt over the seams inside the pumpkin, between the eyes and mouth. This will strengthen the face surface of the pumpkin.
• Dry brushing over the broad sides of the pumpkin may enhance the visibility of the corrugations in the cardboard. To soften that effect immediately brush over paint layers with a damp chip brush.