This cheerful cat pumpkin brings two Halloween favorites together in one soft crochet decoration! With tiny ears, whiskers, a sweet face, and pumpkin-shaped ribs, it’s a playful piece that adds instant charm to your fall display.
A crochet pumpkin becomes much more fun when it has little cat ears and a face of its own. This crochet cat pumpkin makes a cute addition to a mantel, shelf, table centerpiece, or Halloween display, and you can easily change the colors to match your decorating style.
The body starts as a simple textured rectangle worked in half double crochet, then it is joined, stuffed, and shaped into a rounded pumpkin. After that, the ears, stem, eyes, nose, and whiskers bring the cat character to life, with a few helpful shaping tips along the way.
Materials & Tools
- Worsted/Medium-weight yarn: Main pumpkin color, such as orange
- Contrast yarn: For the stem and whiskers, such as green
- Small amount of white yarn: For eye highlights
- Crochet hook: A size suitable for your yarn; approximately US G/4.0 mm or H/5.0 mm can work with worsted yarn
- 2 safety eyes
- 1 safety nose, or yarn for an embroidered nose
- Fiberfill/stuffing
- Yarn or tapestry needle
- Scissors
Finished Size & Customization
The exact finished size depends on your yarn and hook. With worsted-weight yarn and a suitable hook, the finished cat pumpkin should be approximately hand-sized.
For a traditional Halloween look, use orange for the pumpkin and green for the stem and whiskers. For something more playful, try black, purple, neon, or another color combination.
You can also embroider the nose instead of using a safety nose, change the whisker color, or adjust the number of pumpkin indents to create a slightly different shape.
Crochet Abbreviations
This pattern uses US crochet terms:
- ch: Chain
- sl st: Slip stitch
- sc: Single crochet
- hdc: Half double crochet
- inc: Increase – 2 sc in the same stitch
- dec: Decrease – single crochet 2 stitches together
- BLO: Back loop only
- MR: Magic ring
- st(s): Stitch(es)
- Rnd: Round
- Row: Row
Step by Step Instruction
Make the Pumpkin Body
The pumpkin body begins as a flat rectangle of half double crochet worked through the back loops. Once the rectangle is joined at the short ends, it forms a tube that can be stuffed and cinched into the rounded pumpkin shape.
The BLO rows create the ribbed texture, so keep your stitches consistent throughout these rows. The texture becomes much more noticeable once the pumpkin is gathered and shaped.
Foundation
Make a slip knot and ch 27.
Row 1 Starting in the 2nd ch from the hook, work 1 hdc in each ch across. You should have 26 hdc. Ch 1 and turn.
Rows 2–32 Work 1 hdc BLO in each of the 26 sts across. At the end of each row, ch 1 and turn. Repeat the same sequence through Row 32, keeping 26 hdc in every row.
You should now have a textured rectangle made from 32 rows of 26 hdc.
Join the Pumpkin Body
At the end of Row 32, ch 1. Bring the two short ends of the rectangle together, lining up the stitches.
Work sl st through both layers across to join the two ends. Insert your hook through the corresponding stitch on both sides, yarn over, and pull through all loops on the hook to make each slip stitch. Continue across all stitches.
Once the seam is complete, cut the yarn leaving a very long tail. This tail will be useful for cinching the pumpkin.
Fasten off.
Turn the tube right side out so the seam is on the inside. Locate the short tail from the foundation chain, weave it into the fabric, and trim the excess yarn.
Flatten the tube gently with the seam positioned at the back.
Add the Cat Face
It is easier to place the facial details while the tube is still open and relatively flat.
Keep the long sewing tail at the back while positioning the face.
Safety Eyes
Place the two safety eyes around the middle of the pumpkin, adjusting their position until the expression looks balanced. Once you are happy with the placement, secure the backs firmly.
Add the Nose
Position the safety nose between the eyes, slightly below their center line. Check the face from the front before securing it.
If you prefer, you can embroider a small nose with black or pink yarn instead.
Add the Eye Highlights
Thread a small amount of white yarn onto your needle. Bring the yarn from inside the pumpkin and make a small highlight along the edge of one eye. Repeat on the second eye, keeping both highlights at similar heights.
Tie the yarn ends together inside the pumpkin and trim them. Avoid pulling the white yarn too tightly, as this can draw the pumpkin fabric inward.
Add the Whiskers
Use your contrast yarn. Bring the yarn from inside the pumpkin and create the first whisker just beneath one eye.
For the second whisker, move down approximately one row and angle the line farther outward by about three rows.
Repeat the same arrangement on the other side of the face so the whiskers look balanced.
Secure the yarn tails inside the pumpkin without pulling them too tightly.
Cinch and Stuff the Pumpkin
Now the flat tube can be transformed into a rounded pumpkin.
Thread the long yarn tail onto your needle. Starting at one opening, weave the needle in and out through the stitches around the edge.
Pull the yarn gradually to gather the opening.
If a small gap remains, sew across it with a few passes until it is mostly closed. If this is the top opening, a small remaining gap is fine because the stem will cover the center later.
If the long tail is still long enough, weave it through the pumpkin toward the opposite opening. If you run out of yarn, finish it off and use a new long strand.
Before completely closing the second opening, begin adding fiberfill. Start by filling the pumpkin about halfway, making sure the lower area is filled evenly.
Continue adding stuffing as needed, but don’t pack it too firmly. A slightly soft pumpkin is easier to shape and gives the finished decoration a more natural appearance.
Pull the second opening closed using the same in-and-out method. Add a little more fiberfill if necessary, then finish closing the opening securely.
Create the Pumpkin Ridges
Make the Cat Pumpkin Stem
Use your contrast color.
Round 1 Make a MR, ch 1, and work 6 sc into the MR. Pull the ring closed.
Round 2 Work inc in each stitch around. You will have 12 sc.
Round 3 Work 1 sc BLO in each stitch around. You will have 12 sc. This BLO round creates the small ridge near the top of the stem.
Rounds 4–7 Work 1 sc in each stitch around through both loops. Keep 12 sc in each round.
After Round 7, sl st into the next stitch. Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing.
Stuff the stem lightly with fiberfill.
Attach the Stem
Place the stem at the center top of the pumpkin.
Using the sewing tail, stitch around the base of the stem, catching a stitch from the pumpkin and then a stitch from the stem. Continue around the entire base until the stem feels secure.
Weave in and trim the remaining yarn.
Make the Cat Ears
Make 2 ears using the main pumpkin color.
Round 1 Make a MR, ch 1, and work 4 sc into the ring. Pull the ring closed.
Round 2 Work [1 sc, inc] × 2 for a total of 6 sc.
Gently push the tip upward to begin forming the pointed ear.
Round 3 Work [2 sc, inc] × 2 for a total of 8 sc.
Round 4 Work [3 sc, inc] × 2 for a total of 10 sc.
Round 5 Work [4 sc, inc] × 2 for a total of 12 sc.
Round 6 Work [5 sc, inc] × 2 for a total of 14 sc.
Round 7 Work [6 sc, inc] × 2 for a total of 16 sc.
Sl st into the next stitch, then fasten off leaving a long sewing tail.
Flatten the ear before attaching it.
Repeat Rounds 1–7 to make the second ear.
Attach the Cat Ears
Position the ears on the upper sides of the pumpkin, a few rows away from the stem.
Before sewing them down, compare both sides from the front to make sure the ears sit at similar heights.
Thread the sewing tail from one ear onto your needle.
Sew around the base of the ear, catching stitches from both the ear and the pumpkin. Continue until the ear is firmly attached.
Weave in the remaining tail and trim.
Repeat with the second ear.
Final Finishing Check
Before displaying your cat pumpkin, check that:
- The pumpkin ribs are reasonably even.
- The stem is centered.
- Both ears are balanced.
- The eyes and nose create an even expression.
- The whiskers are secured without pulling the fabric.
- All yarn tails are woven in securely.
Your crochet cat pumpkin is now ready for its Halloween display. Place it on a mantel, shelf, table, or anywhere you want to add a little handmade feline charm to your fall decorations.
