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This charming Disney pumpkin t-shirt will remind you of being on Main Street USA during Halloween Time! So cute to wear at the theme park or just at home to evoke the fall spirit with a Disney twist. Here are the step-by-step instructions on how to create your own Disney pumpkin t-shirt, including easy sewing tips for beginners.

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Sewing a Disney Pumpkin T-Shirt

Do you love having custom boutique clothing for you and your kids when you visit the Disney Parks? Me too! And we love to incorporate Disney into our holiday seasons, even when we’re not at the amusement parks. When celebrating Halloween at Disneyland, the Mickey jack o lantern is one of our favorite seasonal photo ops!

I’ve been creating appliqued tees for years for my own children. And you can see from these photos, I made this Disney Pumpkin t-shirt for three of my children! I know not everyone has the time or inclination to perfect satin stitching or utilize proper techniques for seamless applique. I came up with a technique for applique that anyone with a sewing machine can accomplish! 

If you are an accomplished seamstress, I have the tips for more complex applique as well. I hope you love this Disney Pumpkin t-shirt DIY that features either Mickey or Minnie!

What Kind of T-Shirt To Use

Use a cotton tee shirt, washed and dried (no fabric softener). Avoid versions that have a breast pocket and choose plain, undecorated tees. This shirt can be made for both children and adults. I like kid’s shirts from Primary.com for their thick, sturdy cotton and wide variety of colors. Click through to get 20% off your first order at Primary.com with code AFF20PCT.

Free Printable Design Pages

I have created two sheets for each design. One is called the “original” and the other is the “flip side”. You’ll need to print out both. I’ll explain more about how you’ll use these in the directions.

Design or coloring page (I created these designs based off a licensed Disney coloring page)

• MICKEY VERSION | ORIGINAL | FLIPSIDE
• MINNIE VERSION | Minnie Halloween Pumpkin ORIGINAL & FLIPSIDE

What Fabrics Will You Need?

Large scraps of fabric (choose cotton or cotton knit) in orange and black for both designs. I prefer Kona Cotton Broadcloth Fabric for its bright colors and thick weave. In addition, you’ll need smaller scraps for the respective projects:

• Mickey applique –  orange, black, lime green, and brown.
• Minnie applique – orange, black and purple. 

Additional Supplies Needed

• Sharpie Fine Point Marker
• Fusible bond, like Heat’n Bond Lite Iron-on Adhesive
• Thread in matching colors. Gutermann thread is my favorite brand as it’s strong (doesn’t break mid-project!), offers a wide range of colors and holds up to wash and wear.
• Bobbin thread in color to match the shirt
• Sewing machine needle (jersey or Ballpoint Machine Needles give the best results for applique)
• Stabilizer, like Sulky Sticky Self-Adhesive Tear-Away Stabilizer
• Disappearing ink pen, like this one from Dritz
• Iron

Instructions for a Mickey Pumpkin Tee – Tracing Out Pieces

1. Using the FLIPSIDE printout, trace out individual pieces using the following method.

Place a piece of fusible bond (bumpy side down) onto your design and trace out each individual shape using a Sharpie marker (ball point pens or pencils will smudge or smear off onto your iron, so a Sharpie is best).

You’ll have a piece for the pumpkin, the stem, the leaf and the individual pieces of the jack-o’ lantern face.

Cutting Pieces for the Applique

2. Cut around each piece of fusible bond but NOT on the Sharpie line (see image above on left). Iron them (bumpy side down) onto the appropriate color of fabric.

For Mickey Pumpkin:

• One orange pumpkin shape
• One lime green leaf
• One brown stem
• One black jack-o’ lantern smile, one nose and two eyes

For Minnie Pumpkin:

• One orange pumpkin shape
• One purple bow
• One black jack-o’ lantern smile, one nose and two eyes

3. Cut out each piece out on the Sharpie line.

Adding Pieces to the Disney Pumpkin T-Shirt

4. Lay your shirt down and iron out any wrinkles in the design area. Starting with the orange pumpkin and brown pumpkin stem, peel off the fusible bond backings and place down onto the tee. Tuck the brown stem slightly underneath the orange pumpkin. Make sure the design is centered and straight. Do not iron yet!!

5. Lay your coloring page down (the original side, not the one that you traced) on top of your design. You want to make sure the pieces line up before pressing with the iron. I flip the page back and forth quickly so I can compare the design and make sure I have pieces in the correct position. Use a smooth pressure to apply the pieces to your tee shirt with the iron on a “cotton” setting.

Getting Design Ready to Iron

6. Moving on to the leaf, use the same technique, comparing the coloring page to the fabric design before ironing in place.

7. Repeat with jack-o’ lantern pieces, matching the correct position by comparing to the coloring page before ironing in place.

Stabilizing the Design Before Sewing

8. Once you have all your pieces securely ironed on, cut a piece of stabilizer slightly larger than the size of your design.

Carefully turn your shirt inside out and follow the package instructions to secure to the inside of the shirt (some stabilizers must be pinned on; I use one that can be ironed on and easily removed).

Turn the shirt right side out. Do not skip this step of using stabilizer! Stabilizer holds the design straight while you sew to avoid warping, puckering or rippling.

Sewing Your Mickey Pumpkin

9. Thread your sewing machine bobbin with the same color of thread as your t-shirt. You will start by sewing the pieces on top, the black jack-o’ lantern eyes, nose and smile. When appliqueing, always sew the smaller pieces on top first to avoid puckering. Thread the machine with black thread and set the machine for a tight straight stitch.

10. Carefully sew each jack-o’ lantern piece close to the outside edge. Change thread colors and complete by sewing the green leaf and brown stem for Mickey. For the Minnie version, use purple thread to sew around the edge of the bow. 

Adding Magical Details

11. Taking your disappearing ink pen and comparing to the original coloring page, draw any detail lines for the pumpkin directly onto your fabric design.

12. Using orange thread, sew around the outside of the pumpkin first, then sew up and down the design to add the details. Make sure to back stitch before and at the end of each strand to secure stitches. If sewing the Minnie Mouse Disney pumpkin t-shirt, add in the details for her bow at this point.

Finishing Up the Disney Halloween T-Shirt

13. When all sewing is complete, spritz the design lightly with water to remove the disappearing ink lines. You may have to repeat this process several times. Do not iron until the ink lines are gone to avoid setting them permanently.

14. For the Minnie t-shirt, use black thread and a needle to hand sew eyelash details.

15. Turn shirt inside out and remove all pieces of stabilizer. Turn shirt right side out.

14. When disappearing ink lines are gone, press the design with iron to sink and tighten the stitches. Your shirt is ready to wear!

Halloween Disney Pumpkin T-Shirt

Yield: 1 t-shirt, either Mickey or Minnie

Disney Halloween T-shirt in either Mickey or Minnie Mouse version

Print

Materials

• Black cotton t-shirt, washed and dried
• Printable design pages (found on website)
• Fabric scraps - large piece of orange and black cotton; additional smaller pieces in green & brown (for Mickey) or purple (for Minnie)
• Fusible bond, like Heat’n Bond Lite Iron-on Adhesive
• Thread in coordinating colors
• Stabilizer, like Sulky Sticky Self-Adhesive Tear-Away Stabilizer

Tools

• Sewing machineSharpie fine point marker
• Disappearing ink pen
• Iron

Instructions

1. Using the FLIPSIDE printout, trace out individual pieces. Place a piece of fusible bond (bumpy side down) onto your design and trace out each individual shape using a fine point Sharpie marker.

2. Cut around each piece of fusible bond closely but NOT on the Sharpie line. Iron them (bumpy side down) onto the appropriate color of fabric.

For Mickey Pumpkin:

One orange pumpkin shape

One lime green leaf

One brown stem

One black jack-o’ lantern smile, one nose and two eyes

For Minnie Pumpkin:

One orange pumpkin shape

One purple bow

One black jack-o’ lantern smile, one nose and two eyes

3. Cut out each piece on the Sharpie line.

4. Lay your shirt down and iron out any wrinkles in the design area. For Mickey design: Starting with the orange pumpkin and brown pumpkin stem, peel off the fusible bond backings and place down onto the tee. Tuck the brown stem slightly underneath the orange pumpkin. Make sure the design is centered and straight. Do not iron yet!!

5. Lay your printed page down (the original side, not the one that you traced) on top of your design. You want to make sure the pieces line up before pressing with the iron. Flip the page back and forth quickly to compare the design and make sure you have pieces in the correct position. Use a smooth pressure to apply the pieces to your tee shirt with the iron on a “cotton” setting.

6. Moving on to the leaf, use the same technique, comparing the coloring page to the fabric design before ironing in place.

For Minnie design: Follow steps 4-6, ironing on the purple bow.

7. Repeat with jack-o’ lantern pieces, matching the correct position by comparing to the coloring page before ironing in place.

8. Once pieces are securely ironed on, cut a piece of stabilizer slightly larger than the size of your design.

Carefully turn shirt inside out and follow the package instructions to secure to the inside of the shirt (some stabilizers must be pinned on, others are iron-on).

Turn the shirt right side out with the stabilizer on the inside.

9. Thread sewing machine bobbin with the same color of thread as t-shirt. Start by sewing the pieces on top, the black jack-o’ lantern eyes, nose and smile. When appliqueing, always sew the smaller pieces on top first to avoid puckering. Thread the machine with black thread and set the machine for a tight straight stitch.

10. Carefully sew each jack-o’ lantern piece close to the outside edge. Change thread colors and complete by sewing the green leaf and brown stem for Mickey. For the Minnie version, use purple thread to sew around the edge of the bow. 

11. Use disappearing ink pen to add detail lines, comparing to the original coloring page. Draw any detail lines for the pumpkin directly onto your fabric design.

12. Using orange thread, sew around the outside of the pumpkin first, then sew up and down the design to add the details. Make sure to back stitch before and at the end of each strand to secure stitches. If sewing the Minnie Mouse Disney pumpkin t-shirt, add in the details for her bow at this point.

13. When all sewing is complete, spritz the design lightly with water to remove the disappearing ink lines. You may have to repeat this process several times. Do not iron until the ink lines are gone to avoid setting them permanently.

14. For the Minnie t-shirt, use black thread and a needle to hand sew eyelash details.

15. Turn shirt inside out and remove all pieces of stabilizer. Turn shirt right side out.

14. When disappearing ink lines are gone, press the design with iron to sink and tighten the stitches. Your shirt is ready to wear!

Disney Pumpkin Tee – Minnie Version

Much of the instructions are the same, but you’ll be skipping the stem and leaves to add Minnie’s signature bow instead! You’ll also be hand-stitching eyelashes for Minnie. Be sure to refer to the instructions that refer to the steps when sewing either Mickey or Minnie.

Straight Stitch Applique Advice

It is important to stick with cotton or knit fabrics only when straight stitch appliqueing. Because the edges of the applique pieces are not covered, there is a chance that the edges of your cotton fabric may fray or curl slightly after a wash and dry. As long as you’ve properly stitched the pieces securely, slight fraying or curling should be fine and create a fun look to your design.

Taking Applique to the Next Level

Once your practiced straight stitch applique, try using a satin stitch (aka: a very close together zig-zag) around the edges of your applique pieces to secure them. This will create a more smooth and polished look. You’ll be able to add more detail and the look will last a long time. Cover the stitches inside (because they will be thicker and potentially more itchy to the wearer) with a soft fusible Poly-mesh backing.

Looking for More Disney Craft Projects?

The Hidden Mickey Applique Valentine’s Day Heart Tee is ideal to wear for Valentine’s Day or any day you want to show your Disney love!

Make the Peppermint Mickey Holiday T-Shirt Disney DIY  for the Christmas season.

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For more Halloween craft ideas,
check out the other great posts!

• The Happiest Blog on Earth | Disneyland Mickey Jack-O-Lantern
• Capturing Magical Memories | Mickey Glow Stick Spider Classroom Gifts
• The Delightful Life | Quick & Easy Halloween Crafts for All Ages

 

This post originally published on Oct 14, 2015 and has been updated and republished.