This is from my Pumpkin Patch pattern from 1996. There have been many out there similar but here is the directions for original painted pumpkin!
1. Cut a rectangle from batting, say 9" x 18" wide. Too big? try
6" x 14".
2. Fold in half and sew
the two short ends together, one seam in the back.
3. Hand-gather one open
end with string, floss, pearl cotton or linen thread, pull tight and knot
several times.
4. Turn inside out and
stuff with poly-fil until firm, but not too firm.
5. Hand-gather the top and knot several times.
6. Using a long doll
needle ( say 8") and a long piece of the thread you used in #3, go in and
out from the center top to the center bottom to pull the center in tight. Knot
again.
7. Then proceed to go top
to bottom around the outside of the pumpkin to create the veins, pulling tight
each time.
8. Knot the thread each
time on the center top which will be covered by the stem later.
9. Mix orange paint with
water, coffee or tea and slop it on using your hands (pre-manicure not post).
It washes off your hands eventually and I would remove your rings first!
*** Using coffee or tea
makes the colors separate once dried and gives a wonderful aged look.
Make different sized pumpkins
from cotton batting, muslin, or chenille and paint each one a different shade
of orange. Mix colors- it's fun!My husband went int the woods and cut old gnarly grapevine for me to use as stems. He cut them about 2"-3" and
I hot glued them to the center top, covering the knots.It makes a wonderful
fall decoration and costs so little for so many, a small package of batting, a
bottle of paint, some stuffing.
and 
