IMPORTANT NOTE BEFORE YOU
BEGIN SCOR-IT LINES:
Placement at the ½” mark when scoring will determine how the lid will fit.  Both the lid and base are scored at  ½” intervals, however, to insure the lid will be slightly larger than the base you will need to make slight adjustments as you score each line. The Scor-It line can vary depending on where ‘you’ eyeball the succeeding score lines, a little to the left of the hump or a little to the right of the hump, or dead center.  Ultimately you need to have the final score line (17^th) of the lid be ¼” beyond the final score line of the base.  I have marked the score lines in red for an example:

1. Make 17 Scor-It lines, ½” apart, along the length of the pumpkin base, with IMPORTANT NOTE (above) in mind, along the length of the pumpkin lid.

2. Make 17 Scor-It lines, ½” apart, with IMPORTANT NOTE (above) in mind, along the length of the pumpkin lid.

3. Cut off the end of both strips along the final (17^th) scor-it line.  It’s better to cut the strip too long and then trim it AFTER you scor-it, since the length, itself, is not crucial, rather that the two strips work together in the correct lengths once they have been scored.

4. On the under side (depressed side of scor-it lines facing you) use ruler and pencil to make a light pencil lines 1-1/4” away from one edge along the length of the pumpkin base and lid.  These lines will guide you when cutting the tabs.  (To assure you cut tabs on the correct edge, make a notation (*) within the 1-1/4” space you have just penciled.)

5.  You must leave a 1/8” wide tip on each angle so there is room to create a lacing hole later.

The 17 lines you have scored will give you 16 angled tabs + 1 side tab that is not angled.  The angled tabs are cut to the pencil line; the last ‘space’ will be cut along the pencil line, as shown. 

6.  Divide the 2 stabilizing discs into 16 pie sections on the Scor-It board.  Don’t worry about having them ‘perfect’, just wing it to get as close to the center as possible where the lines cross.

7. On ONE disc only, pierce the center with scissors but not too big!  This is where the stem will go and it must be a tight fit so easy does it.

8. Cut both discs around the outer edge, snipping inward ½” with each cut.  Use your fingers to manipulate the snipped edge to bend slightly, as shown.  Set the discs aside.

9. Break the tension in the card stock fibers of the brown piece by running your CLOSED scissors along the length a few times, like you would do if you were trying to curl ribbon.  Fold down a 1” angle, to the inside, at one corner.  Curl the piece into a very tight tube and when you near the end put a bit of glue near the fold, then roll it closed.

Using both hands, pinch each end of the tube and give it a good, hard TWIST to make it resemble a pumpkin stem.  Set the stem aside.

10. Place your strips as shown in the picture so you stamp RIGHT-SIDE-UP on the lid and the base.  Note how the angled tabs are placed opposite each other for the lid and base. Color the strips with ColorBox Cat Eyes, being careful not to bend the tabs.  Stamp with ColorBox Fuild Chalk ink, Dark Brown.

11.  Use the cutting mat and screw punch to make holes in each tab, being sure the hole is at least 1/8” away from the point and centered so it won’t rip during the lacing process.

12. TEST where you will join each ring by wrapping the narrowest strip OVER the wider strip so you will be sure to allow for the lid to slip on and off.   Glue the tabs on each ring while they are nested to assure the size is right.

13. Thread the needle with 15” of doll hair fiber.  Insert needle FROM THE INSIDE hole, pulling to the outside.  Leave about a 3” tail and if you like, make a knot 3” from the end to keep the thread from pulling through.  Repeat the needle insertion, inside to outside, all the way around, gently snugging the tabs toward the center as you lace. Leave a small hole in the center, just large enough for the stem to fit snugly, before you tie off the threads. When you cut off, leave some tails of thread to become vines for the pumpkin top.

14.  Put some glue on the disc and position it inside the pumpkin lid.  Quickly flip it over to be sure the tabs are aligned to your liking while the glue is still wet and pliable.  On the inside, use your finger to press around the inside curve to round it out.

15.  Insert the stem into the hole.  On the inside, put some glue around the stem where it meets the disc.

17. Use the Scor-It shuttle to crease around the inside base so your pumpkin will sit upright.

18. Glue 3 punched leaves on the top to give it some color and to camouflage the sewing.  Though they are not ‘pumpkin’ leaves, they add some fun to the pumpkin.  Add more doll hair fiber around the stem for ‘vines’.  If you slide your fingers along the nubby doll hair fiber, it will bounce back into a curly shape.