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Want to make some yarn pumpkins this fall? I’ve got patterns for knitting, crocheting, and making pumpkins on the circular knitting machine.
If you want to make pumpkins out of fabric, I can help with that, too!
The Best Knit Yarn Pumpkins
My favorite craft by far is knitting, so I have made a lot knit pumpkins and designed more knitting pumpkin patterns than any other crafty genre. But the good news is any basic pattern can be adapted for other stitches, and even other ways of crafting if you like.
When it comes to knit pumpkins, the absolute easiest thing you can do is knit a square of garter stitch and sew it into a pumpkin shape. These easy knit pumpkins are done just that way, in a couple of different sizes and colors to get you started.
Once you have the basic idea down (which, again, is knit a square and sew it and stuff it into a pumpkin shape) you can use any stitch pattern you like to make your pumpkin. This ribbed knit pumpkin is my favorite because the ribbing naturally gives your pumpkin ridges like a real pumpkin has.
You could do the same thing with moss stitch, seed stitch, a different kind of ribbing. Throw in some cables, whatever you like!
Pumpkins to Crochet
I’ve actually only done one crochet pumpkin pattern for you all, and it’s this easy crochet pumpkin pattern. This one is shaped a little bit, worked from the center out to make a curved bottom. Work the sides straight and decrease again for the top.
This one uses single crochet, which I like for simplicity and also because the stitches are relatively tight.
But it also shows us, whether we’re crocheting or knitting, how to make a yarn pumpkin that isn’t just a flat piece. You could do the exact same thing with knitting by starting with a few stitches in the round and increasing to your desired size. Then decrease again at the top.
I don’t feel like there are as many stitch options for crochet pumpkins as there are for knit, but any crochet stitch that has a lot of single crochets like moss stitch or lemon peel stitch would be fun. You could also play with working in the front or back loop only to add texture.
Make Pumpkins on a Knitting Machine
If you don’t know how to crochet or knit with needles, never fear! You can still make your own yarn pumpkins on a circular knitting machine.
The mini pumpkins are so quick and easy to make, you can have a whole patch of them in an afternoon. Keep the sides smooth or stitch around the outside to give the pumpkin a more segmented look.
I also made a set of bigger pumpkins on a bigger knitting machine, and I love these stacked together. The combination of colors and textures on this set is really nice to me, and they’re still really easy to make.
Tips for Making Yarn Pumpkins
Whether you knit, crochet, or use a knitting machine, there are some things to keep in mind when making your pumpkins.
- Pumpkins don’t have to be orange! Use whatever yarn you have to make pumpkins of different colors. Stick to colors pumpkins can be in nature or make them wild colors (I have both black and purple pumpkins in my collection and I love them).
- Add a stem. Having a stem on your pumpkin makes it look that much more realistic. You can knit a cord or crochet a little stem if you want.
- Or make a stem from something else. Sticks, cinnamon sticks, pipe cleaners, real or fake leaves, and lots of other things can make super cute stems or toppers for your pumpkins.
- You can never make just one. At recent count I have 17 yarn pumpkins, and I’m not sure I’m done yet.
