Make a beautiful and very simple pumpkin using chenille yarn. This free crochet pumpkin pattern comes with full instructions and a photo tutorial.
It’s very soft, so it’s an excellent fall-themed gift, especially for the sensory seeking, while the beautiful texture makes it the perfect fall decoration for your home.
If you don’t like working with chenille you could also use a wool yarn in a similar weight and go for a more subdued color.
The textured outer surface of this pumpkin is meant to evoke the knobby pumpkins with lovely ridges that make them unique and a fun sensory experience.
Another example of this type of textured crochet pumpkin is this one, made with Tunisian crochet stitches, but the same yarn.
The finished size, if you use the recommended yarn and hooks, is 16 cm in diameter by 7 cm in height (without the stem).
Contents
Abbreviations (US terms)
- Ch – chain;
- Dc – double crochet;
- EDc – extended double crochet: YO, insert hook into stitch, pull up a loop, YO, pull through one loop on hook, repeat {YO, pull through 2 loops on hook} 2 times;
- FpEDc – front post extended double crochet (see video): YO, go behind the post of the next St, YO, pull up a loop, YO, pull through one loop on hook, repeat {YO, pull through 2 loops on hook} 2 times;
- FSc – foundation single crochet (see video);
- HDc – half double crochet;
- MR – magic ring;
- Sc – single crochet;
- SDc – standing double crochet stitch – see video here;
- Sl St – slip stitch;
- St – stitch;
- Tr – treble crochet;
- YO – yarn over.
Observations
- Instructions between [square brackets] are repeated.
- Instructions between {curly brackets} are worked in one stitch.
- You can choose how to start each row, with a standing stitch or a Ch 3 (which doesn’t count as a stitch), plus the stitch in the instructions.
Supplies
Yarn – chenille or velvet yarn, size 5 or 6 or super bulky/super chunky, at 120 meters per 100 grams; the recommended hook on the label is 4.5 mm;
You will need two colors:
- Body – around 53-55 grams or 64-66 meters of color 1;
- Stem and leaf – around 8-10 grams or 10-12 meters of color 2;
For shaping, you will also need about 1-2 meters of sturdy size 2 yarn (any leftover of acrylic works fine).
Hooks – you’ll need one 6 mm hook for the body and leaf, and a 4.5 mm hook for the stem.
Others:
- stuffing – fiberfill (about 30 grams), small fabric or yarn scraps (cut up into bits no larger than 1-2 cm on all sides), beads or other stuffing you generally use in projects;
- large tapestry needle;
- scissors.
Instructions
The body is a simple tube, crocheted in the round. It starts with a foundation row of FSc, then your build the tube in rounds. There is no turning and there are 40 stitches on each row.
Use the 6 mm hook and color 1. Leave a long tail (about 20 cm).
Row 1. 40 foundation Sc and Sl St into top of first Sc (make sure that the foundation row is not twisted), do not turn;
Row 2. SDc in first St or Ch 3 and Dc in first St, 1 Dc in each St around, Sl St into top of first Dc;
Row 3. Standing FpEDc, 1 Dc in next St, Rep [FpEdc, 1 Dc] around, Sl St into top of first Dc;
Rows 4-10. Repeat Row 3 another 7 times;
Row 11. Sc in each St around, Sl St into top of first Sc.
The body is finished and it’s time for assembly.
Finishing the pumpkin body
Using one of the tails and the tapestry needle, go around one opening of the pumpkin, picking up only the back loops, in a spiral, like in the photo below.
You want to only pick one loop because there are many stitches and this ensures that you can tighten the pumpkin properly, without risking breaking the yarn.
Pull on the tail as you go, tightening the opening until you get back to the first stitch. Close the hole and weave in the end.
Flip the pumpkin, so you can fill it up.
Fluff up the fiberfill and put it in in layers going in different directions. Do not over stuff the pumpkin, but fill it up to the top.
Using the same spiral technique, close up the top with the leftover yarn tail, going in a spiral. Pick up only the back loops and pull on the tail as you go.
You don’t need to close the gap completely, you can leave it slightly open (about 1-2 cm). This gap will be covered by the stem.
Weave in the second and and you are ready to shape the pumpkin.
Step 3: Shaping the Pumpkin Body
Using the extra bit of yarn (the size 2) and the tapestry needle, you’ll now be shaping the pumpkin.
You have two options. Either choose to only create the central depression, or make extra ridges along the sides.
I chose to only make the central depression because the textured surface of this pumpkin seems enough.
Tie a knot close to the middle of the top of the pumpkin.
If you want to only create the central depression, go with the needle through the center, to the other side. Go back and forth through the middle a few times (at least four), pulling on the yarn as you go.
If you want to create the side ridges, go through the middle, come out on the other side, go around the pumpkin and back into the top of the pumpkin 5 or 6 times, to create 6 or 7 ridges. Pull on the yarn as you go, to shape the pumpkin.
After you have your desired shape, make a knot at the top of the pumpkin and cut off the excess yarn. Hide the yarn tails, as you don’t need to weave them in.
Step 4: Making and Attaching the Stem
Use color 2 and the 4.5 mm hook. Work into the back bumps of the chains and back loop of the stitches.
Ch 6.
Row 1. 2 Sl St, 2 Sc, 2 HDc, turn;
Row 2. Ch 1, 2 HDc, 2 Sc, 2 Sl St, turn;
Row 3. 2 Sl St, 2 Sc, 2 HDc, turn;
Row 4. Ch 1, 2 HDc, 2 Sc, 2 Sl St.
Cut off yarn, leaving a long tail. Fold the piece in half along the rows and, using the tail at the narrow end, sew down the sides, in a spiral, to form a tube.
Add a small amount of stuffing to the stem, to keep it from collapsing into itself.
Using the tapestry needle and the tails, sew the stem to the small opening left in the middle of the pumpkin. Go around the base of the stem, putting the needle through both the pumpkin and the stem.
Make at least 6 stitches, spread around the base of the stem.
Weave in the remaining tails.
Step 5: Optional: Making and Attaching a Leaf
Use color 2 and the 6 mm hook to make the leaf.
Start with a magic ring or Ch 4 and Sl St into the first Ch.
Row 1. Ch 3 (counts as Dc) and 8 Dc in MR, turn;
Row 2. Sl St into next Dc, Ch 2, 1 Dc in same St, {1 Dc, Ch 2 and Sl St} into next St, Sl St into next St, Ch 2, 1 EDc in same St, 1 Tr, {1 EDc, Ch 2 and Sl St} into the next St, Sl St into next St, Ch 2, 1 Dc in same St, {Dc, Ch2 and Sl St} into next St.
Cut the yarn, leaving a long tail. Using the tapestry needle, bring the tail to the MR in the middle.
Tie the two ends around the base of the stem using a double knot, then weave in the ends.
You could also attach the leaf closer to the top of the stem, to mimic an actual pumpkin. But hey, we’re going for cuteness, more than biological accuracy.
If working with a sturdier yarn, you can also leave the tails to act as little trailing vines.
The pumpkin is ready so enjoy!
If you liked this tutorial, check out all the crochet resources I have prepared here on the blog, or try these free crochet patterns that also have an autumn theme:
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