I was looking around my house this weekend and realized I desperately needed a few more cozy autumn touches, so I put together one of my favorite fall crafts yet, a soft yarn pumpkin made from an upcycled toilet paper roll. Now that the weather is cooling down, I am all about finding ways to bring those warm, chunky textures into my home without spending a fortune at the craft store or taking up my entire afternoon. If you are anything like me and want a super quick, completely mess-free DIY that looks like it came straight out of a boutique, you are going to be absolutely obsessed with what I just made.
Yarn Pumpkin Video Tutorial
Here’s another cute fall craft idea to try:
Twine Pumpkin Using Tissue Paper Rolls
Today, I am so excited to show you how to make a beautiful yarn pumpkin using chunky chenille yarn and an empty tissue paper roll! Yes, you read that right, we are repurposing those leftover cardboard tubes and turning them into the plushest, softest little pumpkins. This is a completely beginner-friendly project, meaning you absolutely do not need to know how to knit, crochet, or sew a single thing to pull this off. It is so ridiculously easy that you can whip up a whole patch of them while catching up on your favorite shows, making it the absolute perfect relaxing Fall craft.
The best part is how stunning these turn out once you are completely finished wrapping them. I arranged a few different colors together in the middle of my dining table, and they created the most gorgeous, cozy Thanksgiving centerpiece that I have already gotten so many compliments on. You can mix and match different shades of that buttery soft chenille yarn (think burnt oranges, creamy whites, and warm mustard yellows) to perfectly match your own holiday decor. So, grab a skein of chunky yarn, save a tissue paper roll from the recycling bin, and here is exactly how to make them!
These little pumpkins make a wonderful Thanksgiving centerpiece too, since the pumpkin has been tied to the fall harvest table for generations. If you like turning toilet paper rolls into fall decor, try our toilet paper roll banner or our 5 minute fabric pumpkins next, or browse all of our pumpkin crafts ideas for more easy fall projects.
Craft Supplies Needed:
- Tissue Paper Roll
- Chunky Chenille Yarn
- Scissors
- Cinnamon Sticks
How to Make a Yarn Pumpkin
Step 1: Cut and Fold Your Tissue Roll
Cut an empty tissue paper roll in half using sharp scissors, then take one of the halves and cut small notches all the way around both the top and bottom edges.
Next, push those notches down and fold them inward, overlapping them with each other as much as you can to create a nice rounded base for your pumpkin.
Step 2: Wrap the Yarn Around the Roll
Cut a long, workable piece of your chunky chenille yarn and tuck the end into one of the folded notches on your roll to secure it. Thread the rest of the yarn down through the center of the roll, pull it out the other side, and wrap it around the outside. Keep looping the yarn through the center and around the outside until the entire cardboard roll is covered.
If you run out of yarn, just tie another piece to the end and keep wrapping until it gets nice and bulky. Eyeball any areas that still look a little flat and wrap your yarn over those spots a few extra times to round them out.
Once you are happy with the shape, tuck the loose end of the yarn firmly down into the center hole. Finally, push a cinnamon stick right into the middle to hold everything in place and give your pumpkin the perfect little rustic stem!
FAQs
Yes, regular yarn will work, though the finished pumpkin won’t look quite as full and plush. Chunky chenille yarn covers the tissue paper roll in fewer wraps and gives the pumpkin that soft, velvety texture, so if you use a thinner yarn, plan on wrapping extra layers to get the same rounded shape.
One tissue paper roll cut in half gives you two pumpkin bases, so you can make two yarn pumpkins from a single roll. Save your empty rolls throughout the month so you always have a few on hand when you are ready for a wrapping session.
No, a cinnamon stick just adds a nice warm scent and rustic look, but any small twig or stick works fine for the stem. You could also use a short piece of brown pipe cleaner twisted into shape if you do not have a stick handy.
Once you have your supplies ready, wrapping a single pumpkin only takes about ten to fifteen minutes, which makes this an easy fall craft to knock out while watching a show. A whole patch of them comes together over one relaxed afternoon.
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