Crochet Pumpkin Pattern — Ribbed Harvest Pumpkin
Ribbed Harvest Pumpkin: A Free Crochet Pumpkin Pattern with Sage Stripes
Free Crochet Pattern · Fall & Thanksgiving Décor · Easy Level · Worsted Weight
📖 B. Introduction
This free crochet pumpkin pattern makes a plump, deeply ribbed pumpkin about 16 cm (6¼ in) wide, striped in warm pumpkin orange and soft sage green, topped with a curved bark-brown stem, a pointed leaf, and a springy corkscrew tendril. It is worked as one flat ribbed panel, gathered at both ends, then cinched with yarn wraps into eight rounded lobes — so it looks sculpted without a single increase round in the body.
The reason to choose this pumpkin over a standard amigurumi sphere is the texture. Working every row in the back loop only builds tight vertical ridges that run from stem to base, just like the grooves on a real field pumpkin. The flat-panel method is also far more forgiving than shaping in the round: every row is the same length, so there is nothing to count mid-row once you have your first row right.
It earns its place on a harvest table, a mantel, or a bookshelf, and it is quick enough to make several in a weekend for Thanksgiving place settings, teacher gifts, or craft-fair baskets. Because it is soft and unbreakable, it is also a safe seasonal decoration for homes with pets.
The details that make it recognizable are the contrast lobes and the stem. The sage bands sit as full lobes between the orange ones rather than as thin lines, which gives the pumpkin a heirloom, farmhouse look. The stem is ribbed at the tip, flared at the base, and bent slightly to one side, and the tendril coils tight enough to cast its own little shadow.
Personalizing it is simple. Work the panel in one solid color for a classic orange pumpkin, swap sage for cream or dusty pink for a ghost or boho palette, or change the row length to make a squat pumpkin or a taller one. A family of three sizes on a table runner is one of the easiest ways to make a handmade fall display look intentional.
🔍 C. Main Pattern Overview
The pumpkin is made from four pieces: one striped body panel, one stem, one leaf, and one tendril. The body panel is a rectangle of single crochet worked in the back loop only, with 28 stitches per row and 88 rows. Each row becomes one vertical “meridian” of the pumpkin, running from the top center to the bottom center.
| Component | Color | Make | Method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Body panel | Pumpkin Orange + Sage Green | 1 | Flat rows, sc BLO, seamed into a tube |
| Stem | Bark Brown | 1 | Continuous rounds from a magic ring |
| Leaf | Sage Green | 1 | Worked around both sides of a chain |
| Tendril | Sage Green | 1 | Corkscrew chain |
Construction order: work the panel, seam it into a tube, gather the top, stuff, gather the bottom, wrap eight lobes, then add the stem, leaf, and tendril.
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🎯 D. Skill Level
Easy. The body uses only single crochet in straight rows, and the shaping comes from gathering and wrapping rather than increases. The leaf introduces half double and double crochet, which a confident beginner can follow.
Techniques used:
- Foundation chain and single crochet in rows
- Working in the back loop only (BLO) for ribbing
- Color changes at the end of a row, carrying yarn up the side edge
- Slip-stitch seam
- Gathering row ends closed with a yarn needle
- Yarn wraps to form lobes
- Magic ring and increases in continuous rounds (stem)
- Corkscrew tendril and a two-sided leaf
📏 E. Finished Size
With worsted weight yarn and a 4.0 mm (US G-6) hook, the finished pumpkin measures approximately 16 cm (6¼ in) wide and 11 cm (4¼ in) tall at the body, or about 15 cm (6 in) tall including the stem.
What changes the size:
- Row length sets the height. Each 4 stitches added or removed changes height by roughly 2 cm (¾ in).
- Row count sets the width. Keep the total a multiple of 4 color repeats; see the variations in the FAQ.
- Yarn weight and hook. Chunky (#5) yarn with a 5.5 mm hook gives roughly a 22 cm (8½ in) pumpkin from the same counts.
- Tension of the wraps. Tighter wraps pull the top and bottom closer together, making a squatter, wider pumpkin.
- Stuffing density. Firm stuffing adds up to 1 cm (⅜ in) in width.
🧮 F. Gauge
Gauge is not critical for a decorative pumpkin, but it keeps the proportions and yarn amounts close to what is listed here.
Approximate gauge: 16 sts and 20 rows = 10 cm (4 in) in sc BLO with a 4.0 mm hook.
💡 Tight, even tension matters more than an exact match. If you can see stuffing through the fabric when you stretch it gently, go down half a hook size.
🧶 G. Required Yarn Amounts
All amounts are approximate for worsted weight (#4) yarn and include tails for seaming and wrapping.
| Color | Used for | Approx. amount |
|---|---|---|
| 🧵 Pumpkin Orange | 56 body rows, seam, gathering, lobe wraps | 75 m (82 yd) |
| 🧵 Sage Green | 32 body rows, leaf, tendril | 45 m (50 yd) |
| 🧵 Bark Brown | Stem | 10 m (11 yd) |
| Total | about 130 m (142 yd) | |
| Polyester fiberfill | Body and stem | 70 g (2½ oz) |
For a solid orange pumpkin, you need about 110 m (120 yd) of Pumpkin Orange plus the Sage Green for the leaf and tendril (about 10 m / 11 yd).
🧰 H. Materials
- 4.0 mm (US G-6) crochet hook
- Worsted weight (#4) yarn in 🧵 Pumpkin Orange, 🧵 Sage Green, and 🧵 Bark Brown (acrylic or a cotton blend)
- Polyester fiberfill, about 70 g (2½ oz)
- Poly pellets, about 30 g (1 oz), and a scrap of nylon stocking (optional, for weighting the base)
- One brown pipe cleaner (chenille stem), 30 cm (12 in) long, for bending the stem
- Yarn needle
- Long doll needle, 12–15 cm (5–6 in), for the lobe wraps
- 1 stitch marker
- Sewing pins
- Scissors
⚠️ Safety note: Poly pellets and pipe-cleaner wire are small-part and sharp-point hazards. Omit both if the pumpkin is for a child under 3 or a pet that chews, and stuff with fiberfill only.
🛍️ Supplies we recommend: a 4.0 mm ergonomic hook, a 3-color worsted bundle in orange, sage, and brown, a bag of polyester fiberfill, and a doll-needle set with a 12 cm needle. (Affiliate links go here.)
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🔤 I. Abbreviations — US Terms
| Abbreviation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| BLO | back loop only |
| ch | chain |
| dc | double crochet |
| hdc | half double crochet |
| inc | increase: 2 sc in the same stitch |
| MR | magic ring |
| sc | single crochet |
| sl st | slip stitch |
| st(s) | stitch(es) |
| (…) x3 | repeat the instructions in parentheses 3 times |
| (6) | stitch count at the end of the row or round |
📝 J. Notes Before You Begin
- Body is worked flat, in rows. Ch 1 at the start of each row does not count as a stitch. Turn at the end of every row.
- Every body row after Row 1 is worked in BLO. This is what creates the ridges. Row 1 is worked into the chain as normal.
- Rows run vertically on the finished pumpkin. One long edge of the panel becomes the top, the other becomes the bottom.
- Color changes happen at the end of a row. Pull the new color through the last two loops of the final sc, then ch 1 and turn. Do not cut the old color; carry it loosely up the side edge. That edge is gathered closed later, so the carried strands disappear.
- Stem is worked in continuous rounds. Do not join with a sl st. Move the stitch marker to the first st of each round.
- Leave long tails where noted: 40 cm (16 in) on the body for the seam, and 30 cm (12 in) on the stem and leaf for sewing.
- Stuffing philosophy: stuff the body firmly but not tight. The wraps need some give to sink into the fabric and form lobes.
🪡 K. Complete Pattern
🎃 Pumpkin Body Panel (Make 1)
What it is: the whole outer shell of the pumpkin, worked flat and seamed into a tube. Yarn: 🧵 Pumpkin Orange and 🧵 Sage Green. Start: a foundation chain in Pumpkin Orange.
Ch 29.
Row 1: sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across. (28)
Row 2: ch 1, turn, sc BLO in each st across. (28)
Rows 3–14: repeat Row 2. (28)At the end of Row 14, change to Sage Green. Keep repeating Row 2 for every remaining row, changing color on the schedule below.
| Rows | Color | Rows in band |
|---|---|---|
| 1–14 | 🧵 Pumpkin Orange | 14 |
| 15–22 | 🧵 Sage Green | 8 |
| 23–36 | 🧵 Pumpkin Orange | 14 |
| 37–44 | 🧵 Sage Green | 8 |
| 45–58 | 🧵 Pumpkin Orange | 14 |
| 59–66 | 🧵 Sage Green | 8 |
| 67–80 | 🧵 Pumpkin Orange | 14 |
| 81–88 | 🧵 Sage Green | 8 |
Every row has 28 sts. You finish with 88 rows: 56 in Pumpkin Orange and 32 in Sage Green.
🧵 Color changes: every change falls at the end of an even-numbered row, so all of them land on the same long edge of the panel. Carry the resting color loosely up that edge. This edge will become the bottom of the pumpkin; the opposite long edge becomes the top.
💡 Solid pumpkin option: work all 88 rows in Pumpkin Orange.
Seaming into a tube: Do not fasten off after Row 88. Fold the panel so the foundation chain lies against Row 88. Sl st through the back loop of each Row 88 st and the matching free loop of the foundation chain. (28 sl sts) The seam starts on the bottom edge and ends on the top edge. Fasten off, leaving a 40 cm (16 in) tail at the top edge.
Turn the tube so the seam ridge is on the inside.
🔔 Gathering and Stuffing the Body
- Close the top. Thread the 40 cm tail on the yarn needle. Weave it in and out through the end of every row along the top edge (88 row ends). Pull tight until the hole closes completely, knot twice, and push the tail inside the tube.
- Stuff. Working through the open bottom, add fiberfill a handful at a time, about 70 g (2½ oz) total, shaping the tube into a firm, round cushion.
- Weight the base (optional). Pour about 30 g (1 oz) of poly pellets into a scrap of nylon stocking and knot it closed. Set the sachet on top of the stuffing, just inside the open bottom, so it ends up resting on the base.
- Close the bottom. Cut 60 cm (24 in) of Pumpkin Orange. Weave it through the end of every row along the bottom edge, pull tight, and knot twice. Leave the tail for now.
🎀 Forming the Eight Lobes
Yarn: 3 m (3¼ yd) of 🧵 Pumpkin Orange on the long doll needle.
The eight wraps sit exactly on the color boundaries: between Rows 14 and 15, 22 and 23, 36 and 37, 44 and 45, 58 and 59, 66 and 67, 80 and 81, and on the seam (Rows 88 and 1). That places a sunken groove on each side of every sage lobe.
- Knot the wrapping yarn to the bottom gathering tail. Insert the doll needle at the bottom center and push it straight up, exiting at the top center.
- Lay the yarn down the outside of the pumpkin in the valley between Rows 14 and 15.
- Insert the needle at the bottom center again and exit at the top center. Pull until the wrap sinks about 1 cm (⅜ in) into the fabric.
- Repeat for the remaining seven boundaries, working around the pumpkin in order.
- Adjust all eight wraps so the lobes are even, then take one extra pass bottom-to-top-to-bottom to lock the tension. Knot at the bottom and bury the tails inside the body.
⚠️ Pulling the wraps hard draws the top down into a deep dimple. That is what you want — the stem sits in it — but stop before the fabric starts to pucker at the sides.
🌿 Stem (Make 1)
Yarn: 🧵 Bark Brown. Start: magic ring at the tip of the stem.
R1: MR 6. (6)
R2: (1 sc, inc) x3. (9)
R3: sc BLO around. (9)
R4–R10: sc around. (9)
R11: (2 sc, inc) x3. (12)
R12: (3 sc, inc) x3. (15)
R13: sc around. (15)Fasten off, leaving a 30 cm (12 in) tail.
Structure: Fold the pipe cleaner in half and twist the two halves together. Push the folded end into the stem until it touches the tip, leaving about 3 cm (1¼ in) sticking out of the open base. Stuff lightly around the wire, then bend the stem into a gentle curve to one side.
💡 The BLO round (R3) creates a flat, cut-looking rim at the tip, like a real snapped pumpkin stem.
🍃 Leaf (Make 1)
Yarn: 🧵 Sage Green. Start: foundation chain.
Ch 10.
Row 1 (worked around both sides of the chain):
Starting in 2nd ch from hook: sl st, sc, hdc, dc in next 3 ch, hdc, sc,
(sc, ch 2, sc) in last ch.
Working along the other side of the chain: sc, hdc, dc in next 3 ch, hdc, sc,
sl st in the same ch as the first sl st.The ch-2 space forms the leaf tip; the sl st end is the base. Fasten off, leaving a 30 cm (12 in) tail at the base.
🌀 Tendril (Make 1)
Yarn: 🧵 Sage Green.
Ch 20.
Row 1: 2 sc in 2nd ch from hook, 3 sc in each remaining ch across. (56)Fasten off, leaving a 15 cm (6 in) tail. The extra stitches force the strip to twist; roll it around a pencil to tighten the spiral.
🎨 L. Styling, Assembly, Stability & Final Shaping
Styling Notes
The finished pumpkin should read as wider than it is tall, with the stem leaning slightly off-center and the leaf and tendril spilling to opposite sides. Turn the pumpkin so a sage lobe faces front: the eye reads the contrast stripe first, then follows it up to the stem.
🌿 Attaching the Stem
- Pin the stem over the top dimple, centered on the point where all eight wraps meet.
- Push the pipe-cleaner ends straight down through the gathered top and into the stuffing.
- Thread the 30 cm stem tail. Whipstitch the R13 edge to the pumpkin, catching one ridge of the body with each stitch. Go around twice.
- Pass the needle through the body and out at the bottom, pull gently, and trim the tail flush so it disappears inside.
🍃 Attaching the Leaf and Tendril
- Pin the leaf base against the base of the stem, with the tip pointing outward along a lobe.
- Sew across the base only, about 1.5 cm (⅝ in). Leave the tip free so it lifts slightly off the pumpkin.
- Sew one end of the tendril on the opposite side of the stem from the leaf, and let the spiral fall over the nearest lobe.
⚖️ Stability
- The pellet sachet lowers the center of gravity so the pumpkin sits upright instead of rolling onto a lobe.
- Press your thumb firmly into the bottom center to make a slight hollow; the pumpkin then rests on its lobes like a real one.
- The pipe-cleaner anchor stops the stem from flopping. If it still leans too much, add a few hidden stitches from the stem’s inner curve down into the body.
- Balance check: set the pumpkin on a flat table and push the stem gently sideways. It should rock and settle back, not tip over.
🔢 Recommended Assembly Order
- Crochet the body panel (Rows 1–88).
- Seam the panel into a tube.
- Gather the top edge.
- Stuff, add the pellet sachet, and gather the bottom edge.
- Wrap the eight lobes.
- Crochet the stem, insert the pipe cleaner, and bend it.
- Sew on the stem.
- Crochet and sew on the leaf.
- Crochet and sew on the tendril.
- Weave in any remaining ends and do the final shaping below.
✅ Final Shaping Checklist
- ✅ All eight wraps sit exactly on the color boundaries.
- ✅ Lobes are even in width when viewed from above.
- ✅ Top dimple is centered and fully covered by the stem base.
- ✅ Stem curves to one side and does not wobble.
- ✅ Leaf tip lifts slightly; tendril coils freely.
- ✅ No carried strands or gathering yarn visible from the side.
- ✅ Pumpkin sits flat without rolling.
- ✅ All ends are woven in or buried in the stuffing.
💡 M. Helpful Crochet Tips
- 💡 Count Row 2 once, then trust the edges. If both side edges of the panel stay straight, your count is holding at 28. A slanting edge means a skipped or added stitch.
- 💡 Mark the bottom edge. Clip a stitch marker to the edge where you change colors. It saves confusion when you gather, and keeps carried strands on the hidden side.
- 💡 Carry, don’t cut. The resting color never travels more than 14 rows up the edge, so carrying it is tidy and leaves only 2 ends to weave in for the whole body.
- 💡 Keep the last stitch of each row snug. A loose end stitch makes the row end harder to gather, and the top will not close fully.
- 💡 Wrap in the valleys. In BLO fabric, the ridges alternate. Lay each wrap in the groove between two rows so it sinks instead of sitting on a ridge.
- 💡 Tension the wraps in two passes. Pull all eight to a gentle snug first, then go around again tightening. Even lobes come from even tension, not from pulling each wrap hard once.
- 💡 Bend the stem before you sew it. Curving the wire after it is attached pulls on the stitches and can tilt the whole stem.
- 💡 Match the gathering yarn to the edge. Gathering the top in Sage Green is invisible under the stem, but on a solid pumpkin, use Pumpkin Orange for both edges.
🧼 N. Care Instructions
- Spot-clean with a damp cloth and a drop of mild detergent. This pumpkin is decorative and not meant for the washing machine.
- Do not submerge it if it contains the pipe cleaner or poly pellets: the wire can rust and the sachet holds water.
- Test a hidden spot before cleaning if you used a dark brown next to a light sage; some dyes bleed when wet.
- Air-dry away from radiators and direct sun.
- Store in a cloth or paper bag, not sealed plastic, and out of direct sunlight to stop the orange from fading between seasons.
- If the fabric fuzzes after a few seasons, remove pills gently with a fabric shaver on its lowest setting.
Closing
Once the last wrap is tied and the stem is curved just so, you have a pumpkin that will come out of storage every fall for years. Make one in the sage-and-orange stripe, then try a solid orange, a cream, or a dusty-pink version, and group them in three sizes down the middle of the table. They make thoughtful hostess gifts, quick sellers at autumn markets, and a calm handmade touch on a mantel full of candles and dried leaves. Make yours, style it your way, and share how it turned out.
Share the Love
📌 Save this pattern to your fall crochet board and share it with a friend who needs a quick seasonal make. If you post your pumpkin, tag it with #RibbedHarvestPumpkin so others can find it.
Suggested categories: Free Crochet Patterns · Fall & Halloween · Home Décor · Thanksgiving
Suggested tags: crochet pumpkin, free crochet pumpkin pattern, ribbed crochet pumpkin, striped pumpkin, amigurumi pumpkin, fall crochet, Thanksgiving crochet, crochet home décor, easy crochet pattern, worsted weight pattern, crochet centerpiece, farmhouse fall décor, BLO crochet, crochet gift ideas
Comment question: Which colorway would you choose for your table — the sage stripe, classic solid orange, or something unexpected like navy or cream? Tell us in the comments.
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❓ R. FAQ
How long does it take to crochet a pumpkin? About 4–5 hours for the full striped pumpkin with worsted yarn: roughly 3 hours for the panel and 1–2 hours for stuffing, wrapping, and the stem, leaf, and tendril.
Can I make this crochet pumpkin smaller or bigger? Yes. For a mini pumpkin, ch 19 (18 sts per row) and work 4 repeats of 9 orange rows and 5 sage rows (56 rows). For a large one, use chunky yarn and a 5.5 mm hook with the same counts. Keep the wraps on the color boundaries in both cases.
What yarn is best for a crochet pumpkin? Worsted weight acrylic is the easiest choice: it holds its shape, comes in many autumn colors, and is affordable. A cotton blend gives crisper ridges and a matte, farmhouse look. Avoid very fuzzy yarn, which hides the ribbing.
Is this pattern safe for babies or toddlers? Only if you skip the poly pellets and the pipe cleaner and stuff with fiberfill alone. Sew the leaf and tendril on very securely, or leave them off.
My lobes are uneven. How do I fix them? Loosen all eight wraps slightly, rotate the stuffing with your fingers so it is evenly distributed, then re-tighten in two passes. Uneven lobes almost always come from one wrap being pulled harder than the others.
Why is the top not closing completely? The gathering yarn probably skipped some row ends, or the last stitches of the rows are loose. Undo the gathering, weave through every single row end, and pull in small tugs rather than one hard pull.
Can I use a different color for the stripes? Any contrast works. Cream gives a heirloom “ghost” look, dusty pink a boho palette, and deep green a classic squash. Swap the color in the row chart and keep the counts the same.
