My favorite season of the year has arrived!… especially since summers no longer correlate to vacation. With the advent of fall comes brisk weather and colorful trees (for most states, anyway), the comeback of pumpkin spice lattes and all things pumpkin, and of course, the sound of football announcers and whistles emanating from televisions across the nation. Whether you are a football fanatic who spends fall weekends optimizing the number of games watched OR a friend of these individuals who enjoys getting together for barbecues and brews, football season offers something for everyone. I personally fall into the latter of these categories. After all, who doesn’t love an excuse for a party?
For those of you who know me well, or have read any of my blog posts, you know that with any party or event comes an opportunity for crafting… even a football party. Check out the crafts below to add some extra team spirit to your next game day get together!
BADGER BLANKET
A spirited throw blanket can be the perfect addition to your living area accent decor either during game day or year-round (and a great extra layer as the weather starts to turn!). You will need two separate pieces of fabric to make this no-sew throw, so you can even make it a dual-team blanket if you just can’t decide on one team to root for, or have both NFL and college team allegiances. It can also make a great host gift for any of your football fanatic friends or Christmas present if you are looking to get an early start on holiday gifts. If you really want to get into the game day spirit, use this technique to make accent pillows as well!
HANDSOME DAN PUMPKIN
Pumpkin carving has been one of my favorite fall activities since I can remember. Right before Halloween, I would sit in the garage for hours on end with my Crammily, striving to master the most complicated design in my pumpkin carving kit. Last year, I carved pumpkins just before heading back to New Haven for a volleyball game, and it inspired me to make a Yale Bulldog pumpkin. I carefully drew the logo on a piece of paper, taped it to the flattest side of the pumpkin, poked holes to create an outline, and used the tools found in any pumpkin carving kit to carve out my design.
Before you get too excited and start carving, I highly recommend drawing out your respective school or NFL team logo. You will need to strategize and make sure there are enough connecting points to keep the pumpkin in tact. This pumpkin wouldn’t have looked quite the same if I had carved out the entire bulldog! Don’t fret if you get a little too ambitious and cut out a full piece of your design; a toothpick can be a pumpkin carver’s most helpful tool in holding any rogue pieces in place. Add some fall flair to your next game day party by carving a festive pumpkin for your entry way!