9 Creative and Thrifty DIY Pumpkins for Fall Decorating

Pumpkins can be crafted and upcycled using a variety of materials and techniques! Here are 9 of my favorite thrifty pumpkins to spark your own creativity!

pinecone pumpkin, farmhouse pumpkin, lantern, wood wall

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If you love decorating for the seasons, but are on a budget, I know you'll appreciate these affordable DIY pumpkins you can make for your home! 

I enjoy purchasing real pumpkins, especially the Cinderella and heirloom varieties, but they can be pricey - and they only last for a season! The beauty of making your own pumpkins is you can pull them out each Autumn and display them in a myriad of ways!

Heads up: For a limited time, I've decided to made some of my handcrafted Fall items available for sale! I'll share the link a little further down.


Ideas for Fall Leaves

I love making affordable home decor for the seasons and recently shared 7 creative ideas to decorate with Fall leaves, including two paper bag crafts: 
  1. a DIY paper bag fall leaf garland and my popular
  2. DIY copper magnolia wreath from paper bags
You won't believe these home decor items are made from paper bags, they're beautiful! Plus paper bag decor isn't just for a season, you can enjoy them for years if you package them carefully.

DIY Pumpkin Varieties

But let's talk about handcrafted pumpkins, that's why you're here isn't it? I've been making DIY pumpkins for over a decade, and no two are alike! To see them all, you can click here and just scroll down to visit a particular DIY pumpkin you like or check out these handmade pumpkins below. I've made pumpkins from a variety of materials:
Today's DIY pumpkins are some of my more recent and I'm excited to share them all here in one place for your convenience!

9 Creative and Thrifty DIY Pumpkins to Make Today

You might be surprised at just what you can use to create unique pumpkins with! I'm sharing all styles of pumpkins to make, and if you click through the link, you'll find a step by step tutorial for each one, so you can make your own!

1. Primitive Pumpkins with Cinnamon

There is something so homey and inviting about primitive crafts, and when you craft with cinnamon and coffee, your handmade items smell amazing too! Adding a handcrafted primitive item to a room immediately makes it feel timeless! These pumpkins are no exception, and I'm including an option to turn them into personalized place cards for your Thanksgiving table. Click here for the tutorial.

vintage blue transferware, paper leaves, primitive pumpkin

2. Textured Pumpkin Using Lace and Rope

I wanted to add texture to a boring pumpkin, and boy did this one turn out even better than I expected! This shabby chic pumpkin just begs to be touched, and it is beautiful and interesting to look at. If you want to see how to make this lace pumpkin, click here.

lace and rope pumpkin, fall leaves and berries

3. Terracotta Pumpkins with Clay Stems

The Dollar Tree foam pumpkins have been a staple in Fall decorating for years, and there have been so many versions. I think mine are unique in that they have handmade clay stems, and an easy paint technique that makes them look like terracotta! Try this craft by following the steps here.

terracotta pumpkin, vintage lockers

4. Pumpkin Fabric Coasters

These double-sided coasters are homespun fall fabrics on one side, but flip them over and they are cute jack o lanterns! This makes them perfect to keep out right through Halloween. Visit this short video to see how I made them.

jack o lantern fabric coasters, man in moon sign, white and black Halloween decor

And the other side.

homespun fabric coasters, pumpkins, wood beads

5. Pumpkin Spice Loop Yarn Pumpkin

Loop yarn is usually used to quickly make throw blankets, but I envisioned a soft and squishy pumpkin! The entire pumpkin takes just a few minutes to make, and if you're like me and don't like commitment, no worries! We aren't cutting the yarn, and the entire process is reversible in seconds if you want to use it for something else next year (like a wreath!). Click here to find out how to make it.

loop yarn pumpkin, velvet pillows, wood pumpkin, wood riser

6. Farmhouse Heirloom Pumpkin

I told you each of these pumpkins is easy on the wallet, and if you love those heirloom pumpkins like I do, this DIY version can be yours for less than $10! I made a white, a light orange color as well as a green one and I'm sharing all the details here, along with a video that shows how to make the realistic clay stems.

heirloom pumpkin, brick wall, sweater pumpkin, basket

7. High Gloss Decoupage Pumpkins

A few dollar store pumpkins were given a gorgeous blue and white makeover and then sealed with a high gloss spray so they resemble fine porcelain! I love how these pumpkins turned out, and the fact that they match my vintage blue and white transferware dishes is a bonus! Of course, you can make your pumpkins any color you like, see how I did it here.

vintage blue and white dishes, blue floral pumpkins, pine hutch

8. Crochet Chain Sweater Pumpkins

I was looking for another way to make sweater pumpkins and even though I don't crochet, I know how to make a simple chain. These pumpkins were born from this idea and they look so cozy and fabulous! See how to make them here.

sweater pumpkins, wood bead, natural stems, pussy willow

9. Pinecone Pumpkin

A pumpkin crafted from real pinecone scales is a thing of beauty! This project is a little more complicated than the others, but the results are simply stunning! This sturdy DIY pumpkin can last for years to come. Find the tutorial here.

pinecone pumpkin, wreath, wheat, ironstone

Fall Sale

As you can imagine, as a creator, I have a house filled with beautiful items I've made! I've decided to sell some of my handcrafted goodies, including some of the pumpkins you see here. Please visit this link to shop.

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  1. Funky Junk InteriorsSeptember 29, 2023 at 10:32 PM

    Goodness... this is one outstanding collection of DIY pumpkins! I mean, there's one for everyone! Stunning. All of them.

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