Spice up your fall decor with the simple and stylish paper pumpkins from this tutorial! Display your pumpkins on the mantle, window sills, in decorative bowls, or string them on a long cord or ribbon to create a garland of pumpkins.

Instructions

Each large pumpkin will use ½ sheet of the DSP. Each small pumpkin will use slightly less than 1/3 of a sheet of DSP.

• For each large pumpkin cut 1” x 6”
• For each small pumpkin cut 1” x 4”

Feel free to try different sizes, it’s amazing the different results.

Stack the strips for each pumpkin neatly, then punch a 1/8 hole close to each end of the strip.

Assemble Pumpkin

1. To assemble pumpkins use the 8 inch strips of ribbon for the large pumpkins and the 6 inch strips of ribbon for the small pumpkins.
2. Get one stack of the 1” strips. Determine which pattern you want on the outside of the pumpkin and make sure all are face up.
3. Stack neatly so holes on one end are lined up.
4. Thread gingham ribbon down through one end. You can either trim the end of the ribbon at an angle and thread through or use a tapestry needle.
5. Pull ribbon about 1/3 of the ribbon through.
6. Thread the ribbon through the holes at the other end of the strip. You will go in through the back side of the paper and end up on the “good” side.
7. Tie a knot for the bottom of the pumpkin about 3” up for the small pumpkins and about 5 inches up for the large pumpkins.
8. Slide the bottom paper against the knot you just made, and then slide the top section down until you get your desired pumpkin shape. I liked it a bit more flat; it seemed like the paper laid more smoothly that way.
9. Create a loop with the remaining ribbon and tie at top of pumpkin to hold the shape.
10. Fan out the paper strips to create the “sphere” shape of the pumpkin.
11. Tie one of the 5” hemp twine pieces around the ribbon at the top of the pumpkin and fray the ends by untwisting the twine and pulling it apart.
12. Repeat the steps above for each pumpkin.

There are many different uses for this easy to create paper project.  Amy has created a pumpkin garland for her home simply by hanging each pumpkin from a ribbon garland.  I’ve had my younger friends make the same shape but replace the paper with Real Red cardstock to create apples for the teachers.  You can stuff them with pencil erasers or chocolates.  I prefer chocolates.

The pumpkins can be packed away for use from year to year. To save space and help protect the pumpkins, slide the paper strips of each pumpkin together, just as they were before you fanned them out. Then carefully group the pumpkins and wrap them in paper tissue or a bag. Next year just unpack, fan out the paper strips, primp and enjoy again and again!