This soft pumpkin begins as a plain ribbed rectangle. Join its short edges, gather the top and bottom, then shape the finished piece with yarn. There are no increases, decreases, or complicated round counts.
Materials
- Bulky yarn: approximately 55 m for small, 90 m for medium, or 140 m for large
- A crochet hook one size smaller than the yarn label suggests
- Yarn needle, scissors, and polyester stuffing
- A short cinnamon stick, twig, or tightly rolled piece of brown felt for the stem
Size table
| Size | Target rectangle height | Target rectangle width |
|---|---|---|
| Small | 10 cm | 20 cm |
| Medium | 15 cm | 30 cm |
| Large | 20 cm | 40 cm |
These are planning dimensions, not a fixed gauge. The exact finished size depends on your yarn, tension, and stuffing. What matters most is proportion: the rectangle should be about twice as wide as it is tall.
The pattern
The turning chain does not count as a stitch.
- Chain until the chain, measured without stretching, matches the target rectangle height for your chosen size.
- Row 1: single crochet in the second chain from the hook and in every chain across. Chain 1 and turn.
- Row 2: working in the back loop only, single crochet in every stitch. Chain 1 and turn.
- Repeat Row 2 until the rectangle reaches the target width, or is about twice as wide as it is tall.
- Fasten off, leaving a tail about four times the height of the rectangle.
Assembly
Fold the rectangle so the first and last rows meet. Whipstitch those edges together to make a tube. With the same yarn, weave around one open edge and pull firmly to close it. Secure the gathering with several stitches.
Turn the tube so the seam is inside. Fill it evenly, keeping the centre slightly softer than the outside. Gather the second opening, pull it closed, and secure it.
Thread a long strand from the top through the centre to the bottom. Bring it around the outside and pass through the centre again. Pull gently to form a groove. Repeat five or six times at even intervals, then knot securely. Add the stem at the top.
Troubleshooting
The pumpkin looks tall instead of round
The rectangle was too narrow for its height. Add more rows before seaming, or compress the finished pumpkin while tightening the shaping strands.
The stuffing shows through
Use a smaller hook, loosen the amount of stuffing, or place the stuffing inside a matching fabric pouch first.
The ribs look uneven
Mark equal sections around the top before adding the shaping strands. Tighten each strand to roughly the same tension.
The gathered opening will not close
Remove a little stuffing and work a second gathering pass closer to the edge. A small felt circle under the stem can hide the final opening neatly.
Make it your own
Try cream, moss, rust, or muted pink instead of orange. A small pumpkin is useful for testing leftover yarn; a group looks most balanced when the colours are related but the sizes differ.