Crochet Adorable Plush Pumpkins!

ByEmila Lorein

Materials and Tools You’ll Need

  • Yarn for the Pumpkin Body: Any plush yarn (e.g., Himalaya Dolphin Baby, YarnArt Dolce) in shades of orange, bright orange, or yellow.
  • Yarn for the Stem: Plush yarn in green, beige, or brown shades.
  • Yarn for Cinching: Yarn Art Jeans yarn (or similar strong, non-stretchy cotton yarn) in orange or yellow, for shaping the pumpkin segments.
  • Crochet Hook: 3 mm, 3.25 mm, or 3.5 mm (3 mm or 3.25 mm is preferred for a denser fabric to prevent stuffing from showing).
  • Filler: Holofiber or polyester fiberfill.
  • Needles:
    • A large-eye tapestry needle for sewing on stems.
    • A long needle (doll needle) for cinching the pumpkin segments.

Designer’s Tip: You can create pumpkins of various sizes and shapes – big and small, plump and tall – by simply adjusting the initial number of chain stitches and the total number of rows!

Abbreviations Used in This Pattern

  • MR: Magic Ring (Alternatively, chain 2 and work the required SC into the second chain from the hook if your yarn frays or doesn’t tighten well).
  • SC: Single Crochet
  • CH: Chain Stitch
  • INC: Increase (work 2 single crochet stitches into one stitch)
  • SL ST: Slip Stitch
  • HDC: Half Double Crochet
  • ( ) * n: Repeat the instructions inside the parentheses ‘n’ times.

Let’s Crochet Your Pumpkin!

The finished pumpkin, when following this pattern, will be approximately 12 x 9 cm (excluding the stem).

Pumpkin Body (Crocheted in Turning Rows)

    1. Start by leaving a long tail (about 40 cm / 16 inches) at the beginning of your work. This tail will be used later for cinching the bottom of the pumpkin.
    2. Chain 35 stitches.
Initial chain stitches for pumpkin body

    1. Row 1: Starting from the second chain stitch from your hook, work into the back loops only: 3 SC, 28 HDC, 3 SC. Chain 1, then turn your work.
    2. Rows 2-29: Repeat the pattern of Row 1. You will crochet 28 more such rows, for a total of 29 rows. Feel free to change yarn color arbitrarily throughout these rows to create beautiful color variations on your pumpkin!
Crocheting rows for the pumpkin body

  1. Once all 29 rows are complete, fold your crocheted piece in half lengthwise (so the short ends meet). Connect the two long sides together using slip stitches to form a tube.
  2. Fasten off the thread, leaving another long tail (about 40 cm / 16 inches). This tail will be used to cinch the top of the pumpkin.

Shaping and Cinching the Pumpkin

    1. Using the first long tail you left at the beginning, thread it onto your large-eye needle. Weave the thread through the stitches along one of the open edges of your pumpkin tube and pull it tight to gather and close the opening. Cinch it completely shut and sew it securely to form the bottom of the pumpkin.
Cinching the bottom of the pumpkin

    1. Turn the pumpkin right side out if necessary.
    2. Begin stuffing your pumpkin firmly with holofiber or fiberfill, making sure it’s plump and even.
Stuffing the pumpkin with fiberfill

    1. Once adequately stuffed, use the second long tail you left. Thread it onto your large-eye needle, weave it through the stitches along the remaining open edge, and pull it tight to cinch the top opening. Close it completely and sew it securely.
Cinching the top of the pumpkin

    1. Hide any remaining thread ends inside the pumpkin for a neat finish.
Top of the pumpkin cinched and closed

    1. Now, to create the characteristic pumpkin segments! Take your strong cotton cinching thread (Yarn Art Jeans or similar), approximately 2 meters / 79 inches long. Secure one end firmly at the top center of your pumpkin.
Starting the vertical cinches on the pumpkin

    1. Using your long needle, pass the thread down through the center of the pumpkin to the bottom, then bring it back up along the side to the top. Pull firmly to create a vertical segment. Repeat this process a total of 8 times, evenly spacing the cinches around the pumpkin to create 8 distinct segments. Ensure you pull tightly each time to form deep grooves.
Vertical cinches in progress on the pumpkin

    1. Once all 8 segments are complete, secure the thread firmly at the top center and cut it, hiding the end inside the pumpkin.
All vertical cinches completed on the pumpkin

Adding the Stems

Bottom Stem

This small stem helps the pumpkin sit nicely.

    1. Using your stem yarn, make 9 SC into a Magic Ring (MR).
    2. SL ST to join the round.
    3. Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing.
    4. Sew this small stem securely to the bottom center of your pumpkin.
Crocheted bottom stem

Top Stem with Tendril

This is the decorative stem with a cute curling tendril.

    1. Row 1: 5 SC into MR.
    2. Rows 2-5: 5 SC (crochet 4 rows of single crochet, maintaining 5 stitches).
Crocheting the top stem

    1. Row 6: 5 INC = 10 SC.
    2. Row 7: 10 INC = 20 SC.
    3. Row 8 (Ruffled Edge): *(Chain 2, work 2 SC into the next stitch (INC), 1 SL ST)* repeat 10 times. This creates a lovely ruffled edge for the stem.
    4. Do NOT cut the thread! We will continue directly into crocheting the tendril.
Top stem with ruffled edge

  1. Tendril:
    1. Chain 12 stitches.
    2. Starting from the second chain stitch from the hook, crochet: *(1 SC, INC)* repeat 5 times. This will make the chain curl into a tendril.
    3. SL ST to the base of the tendril (or into the top stem) to secure it.
  2. Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing.
  3. Sew the top stem (with its charming tendril) securely to the top center of your pumpkin.

Congratulations! Your Adorable Plush Pumpkin is Ready!

Finished crochet pumpkin

Pattern designed by Alla Knyazeva. Happy crafting!



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