How to Make Fabric Pumpkins

Want to learn how to make fabric pumpkins? You’re in luck! I’ve got an easy fabric pumpkin tutorial to share that shows you how to make these cute, colorful DIY pumpkins with just about any type of fabric.

There’s a free fabric pumpkin pattern in 4 sizes: Mini, Small, Tall, and Short & Wide. And if you prefer to watch the process, there’s also a video tutorial to walk you through each step.

DIY Fabric Pumpkins as Fall Decor

My kitchen table has been in need of a little update for fall. I’d been seeing these adorable fabric pumpkins around and wanted to try making a few myself.

I finally did and am tickled pink with how they turned out! (Or should I say tickled orange and purple?)

One of my favorite things about this project is how different the pumpkins can look just by changing the fabric. Make them bright and colorful like mine, use fall plaids, try soft velvet, or dig through your scrap bin and make a whole collection.

Recommended Fabric for Fabric Pumpkins

The good news is just about any fabric will work!

• Quilting cotton or scrap fabric
• Velvet
• Canvas
• Thick knits
• Corduroy
• Old sweaters

Quilting cotton is probably the easiest option if this is your first fabric pumpkin because it gathers easily and is simple to sew. Heavier fabrics like velvet, canvas, corduroy, and sweater knits make beautiful pumpkins too.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve got a pretty great collection of quilting cotton. I’m on a mission to curate a collection that has all the colors so I can make something seasonal or whatever is trending without having to rush off to the fabric store.

I picked up this fall-themed fabric collection from my local fabric store and have a ton of project ideas for it, starting with these easy fabric pumpkins.

More Simple Projects for Your Quilting Cotton Stash

• 45+ Easy Quilt Patterns for Beginners
• Free Pillowcase Dress Pattern
• Simple Elastic Waist Skirt
• Easy Patchwork Pincushion Pattern
• Quilted Fabric Coasters
• 10-Minute Pillowcase Pattern

Free Fabric Pumpkin Pattern – 4 Sizes

These fabric pumpkins are made from simple rectangles, which is what makes this pattern so easy. I’ve included a free printable fabric pumpkin pattern with four different sizes and shapes:

• Mini: 4.25″ × 3.5″ on the fold / 8.5″ × 3.5″ opened
• Small: 7.75″ × 7.5″ on the fold / 15.5″ × 7.5″ opened
• Tall: 10.5″ × 16″ on the fold / 21″ × 16″ opened
• Short & Wide: 16″ × 13″ on the fold / 32″ × 13″ opened

Pro Tip:
Print the pattern pages at 100% or Actual Size and check the 1-inch test square before cutting. The Tall pumpkin pattern is rotated, so the top black dashed line is the edge that goes on the fabric fold.

Want to save paper? You don’t have to print the pattern at all. Since every pumpkin starts with a simple square or rectangle, you can just use the dimensions listed above and measure/cut your fabric directly. The printable is most helpful if you’re making several pumpkins, want to quickly repeat the same sizes, or just prefer having a ready-to-use pattern piece.

Bonus Mini Fabric Pumpkin

I recently added a Mini pumpkin to the pattern, and it may be my favorite size yet. The Mini uses a rectangle that measures 4.25″ × 3.5″ on the fold, or 8.5″ × 3.5″ when opened.

It is made exactly the same way as the larger pumpkins, so there are no separate sewing instructions to follow. Because it uses so little fabric, the Mini is perfect for scraps. These tiny pumpkins would be adorable as bowl fillers, place-setting decorations, wreath embellishments, tiered-tray decor, or grouped together in a little basket.

How to Make Fabric Pumpkins

Would you like to make some fabric pumpkins too? It’s so easy, and you don’t even need a sewing machine!

The best part of this fabric pumpkin pattern is that you can make the pumpkins with fabric scraps you already have on hand.

There is a tiny bit of sewing, but if you don’t have a machine, don’t worry. It is easy to hand-stitch in just a few minutes. You could even use hot glue on the side seam if you aren’t into hand sewing.

Creative Ideas to Fancy Up Your Fabric Pumpkins

• Add burlap, fabric, or raffia leaves.
• Wrap twine around your pumpkin stem.
• Add a few cinnamon sticks along with the stuffing to give the pumpkins a pumpkin spice scent.
• Use homespun, plaid, buffalo check, corduroy, or velvet fabric.
• Make several Mini pumpkins for a bowl, wreath, garland, tiered tray, or place settings.

Time Needed

About 15 minutes.

Skill Level

Easy. You can even sew it by hand.

Materials Needed

• Pattern (or dimensions – found below)
• Fabric
• Polyester stuffing
• Needle and strong thread
• Hot glue gun
• Scissors and ruler
• Something for the stem and leaves. I used sticks I found outside and leaves from an old discarded fake plant. Felt or fabric would also work for the leaves.
• Twine, string, raffia, or yarn to wrap around the pumpkin

Instructions to Make Fabric Pumpkins

Step 1: Cut Your Fabric

Cut your fabric into a rectangle. Different dimensions will give you different pumpkin shapes. For a classic round pumpkin, start with a rectangle about twice as wide as it is tall. For a tall, skinny pumpkin, reduce the width. For a shorter, fatter pumpkin, increase the width.

I wanted a variety of shapes that would complement each other, so for reference, my full opened fabric pieces are:

• Mini: 8.5″ wide × 3.5″ tall
• Small pumpkin: 15.5″ wide × 7.5″ tall
• Short & Wide pumpkin: 32″ wide × 13″ tall
• Tall pumpkin: 21″ wide × 16″ tall

If you’re using the printable pattern, place the marked edge on the fabric fold and cut. Remember, the Tall pattern is rotated, so its fold edge is the top black dashed line.

Step 2: Sew the Side Seam of the Pumpkin

Fold your fabric in half, right sides together, and hand stitch, machine sew, or even hot glue the side seam using a 1/4-inch seam allowance.

Step 3: Close the Bottom of the Fabric Pumpkin

Next, hand stitch a wide basting stitch along the bottom of the tube. I tried to use my machine for this basting stitch, but it works better hand sewn since you can get a much wider stitch.

Pull the gathering thread until the bottom is tightly closed, then add a few stitches to secure it.

Step 4: Stuff Your Fabric Pumpkin and Close the Top

Flip the fabric right side out and stuff your pumpkin.

Pro Tip:
Don’t be shy with the stuffing. In my experience, the more stuffing you can work into these pumpkins, the better they look. A generously stuffed pumpkin gets a fuller, rounder shape and prettier sections once the twine is wrapped around it. Just leave enough fabric at the top to pull the opening closed.

To conserve my stuffing, I make a hole in the middle of the fiberfill and tuck plastic bags or fabric scraps into the center, then cover them with stuffing.

Sew a basting stitch along the top and close it the same way as the bottom.

Pull the top closed and add a few stitches to secure it.

Mini Pumpkin Tip:
The Mini can be a little fiddly to close because it’s tiny and stuffed so firmly. You may need a second set of hands to help hold everything in place while you pull the thread tight. I actually had to wait for my husband to come home so he could lend me a finger while I cinched mine closed.

Step 5: Add the Twine and Finishing Touches

Wrap the piece of twine around the pumpkin 2 to 4 times, or however many times looks best to you. Wrap it tightly and tie it off on the bottom.

The tension gives the pumpkin its puffiness.

If the knots at the bottom bother you, you could cut a circle of fabric or felt and hot glue it over the knots to cover them up.

Add a dollop of hot glue to the top of the pumpkin and attach your stem.

Add your leaves and twine with a little more hot glue and voilà! An adorable DIY fabric pumpkin. Cute, isn’t it?

Fabric Pumpkin FAQs

I think my next set will be velvet pumpkins. How about you, what fall sewing projects do you have lined up?

Did You Make These DIY Fabric Pumpkins?

Please leave a star rating and/or a review in the comments section below. If you share an image on Instagram, be sure to tag me and use #scatteredmompatterns. You can also share an image in my private Facebook sewing group.

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Yield: 1 fabric pumpkin

How to Make Fabric Pumpkins

4.8 Stars (5 Reviews)

Print

Make some adorable Fabric Pumpkins using any type of fabric! These cute and colorful fabric pumpkins make a great centerpiece or fall display.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Active Time 10 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Difficulty easy

Estimated Cost $2

Materials

• Fabric
• Polyester fiberfill / pillow stuffing
• needle and thread
• hot glue gun
• scissors/ruler
• Something for the stem and leaves (I used sticks I found outside leaves from an old discarded fake plant, but you could use felt or fabric for the leaves (if you even want a leaf) and for the stump, you could stuff a small piece of felt or fabric or use a stick from the yard or maybe even a twisted brown paper sack.)
• Twine, string, raffia or yarn to wrap around the pumpkin.

Instructions

Step 1: Cut Your Fabric.

1. Cut your fabric into a rectangle; different dimensions will give different shapes. For a classic round pumpkin, start with a rectangle about twice as wide as it is tall. So for a tall skinny pumpkin, reduce the width. For a shorter/fatter pumpkin, increase the width.
2. I wanted various shapes that would complement each other, so for reference, my cut pieces were:

Mini: 8.5 × 3.5
Small: 15.5 × 7.5
Short & Wide: 32 × 13
Tall: 21 × 16

Step 2: Sew The Side Seams Of The Pumpkin.

1. Fold your fabric in half, right sides together, and hand stitch, machine sew, or even hot glue the side seam, using a 1/4 inch seam allowance.

Step 3: Close The Bottom Of The Fabric Pumpkin.

1. Next, hand stitch a wide basting stitch along the bottom of the tube. (I tried to use my machine for this basting stitch, but it works better hand sewn since you can get a much wider stitch.)  
2. Gather the bottom up so it is tightly closed and sew a few stitches to secure the bottom.

Step 4: Stuff Your Fabric Pumpkin And Close The Top.

1. Flip the fabric right side out and stuff your pumpkin.  (To conserve my stuffing, I made a hole in the middle of the stuffing and used plastic bags and fabric scraps, then put stuffing on top.)
2. Sew a basting stitch along the top and close it the same way as the bottom.
3. Pull the top closed and add a few stitches to secure it.

Step 5: Add The Twine And Finishing Touches To Your Fabric Pumpkin.

1. Wrap the piece of twine around the pumpkin 2 to 4 times (whatever looks best to you.) Wrap it tightly and tie it off on the bottom. 
2. The tension gives the pumpkin the puffiness.  
3. If the knots at the bottom bother you, you could cut a circle of fabric/felt and hot glue it over the knots to cover them up.
4. Add a dollop of hot glue to the top of the pumpkin and attach your stem.
5. Add your leaves and twine with a little more hot glue and…

Voilà!  An adorable fabric pumpkin! Cute isn’t it?

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