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DIY Paper Pumpkin Tutorial

If you’re looking for an easy fall craft, this DIY Paper Pumpkin is it. You only need a few supplies and a little bit of time to make them.

For more ideas, check out all of our DIY posts.

Two paper pumpkins with the words "DIY Paper Pumpkin" digitally written on top.

It’s a little early for me to start thinking about Halloween decorations. That’s still six weeks away. But the first day of fall is next week (although, honestly, someone tell the weather). So that means all the pumpkin decorations can be set out.

If you want to start your fall decorating, but you don’t have any pumpkin décor, just make some, like these DIY Paper Pumpkins. They’re really cute and all they take to make are some items that you probably already have around your house. That makes them the perfect craft for a fall weekend.

What’s great too is you can start the craft and set up the supplies when the craft is about half done (when the paper pieces are cut and hole punches). Then, you can set them out and let your kids finish the rest of the craft so they have something to do besides sitting on their tablets all day.

Three homemade knitted pumpkins with the words "5+ Fun & Easy Halloween Pumpkin Crafts" digitally written on top.

If you’re looking for other pumpkin tutorials to make crafts to go with this one, check out out list of Fun & Easy Halloween Pumpkin Crafts.

DIY Paper Pumpkin

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A paper trimmer, orange scrapbook paper, green twine, glue, and a single hole punch.

DIY Paper Pumpkin Supplies:

You can get the full list of supplies in the how to card below.

How To Make A Paper Pumpkin:

Orange scrapbook paper being cut in a paper trimmer.

Start with a 12- x 12-inch piece of scrapbook paper.

Use a paper trimmer to cut it into 1- x 12-inch strips. You’ll need to cut six strips.

An orange strip of paper being hole punched by a single hole punch.

Punch a hole about a quarter-inch down from each end of the strip.

What I actually ended up doing was folding one of the strips in half (making sure not to crease it in the middle) and hole punching both sides at once. Then, I used that strip as a template to cut the rest of the strips so they were all even. You don’t have to be that serious about it, but I feel like it helped.

Two strips of orange paper being glued together.

Lay down one strip of paper.

Put a dab of glue in the middle.

Lay another strip across it to make a plus sign.

Six pieces of orange strips of paper glued together to form a starburst.

In between each gap that the plug sign creates, you’ll be placing two strips of paper. So, add a dab of glue, then place the strip accordingly, leaving enough room for a second strip in that area.

Continue until you’ve glued together six strips. Set them aside to dry.

A knot tied at the bottom of a piece of green twine.

When the strips are dry, take a piece of twine, fold it in half, and knot it at the bottom.

A paper pumpkin being strung together.

Grab one of the strips and bring it into the middle, making sure to curve it.

Take both untied ends of the twine and put them through the bottom of the hole punched hole on that strip.

Take the strip to the left and put the twine through the hole (again, coming from the bottom). Continue until you’ve gone around the entire pumpkin.

A DIY paper pumpkin.

Tie the two ends of the twine together to make a knot. Tie a second knot. Display the pumpkin wherever your heart desires.

Two DIY Paper Pumpkins.

DIY Paper Pumpkins: Frequently Asked Questions

Can you use any type of scrapbook paper?

We used plain orange scrapbook paper to make these pumpkins. Scrapbook paper with a design on both sides would work as well. But, scrapbook paper with a design printed on just one side wouldn’t be as good. You would see so much white on the inside of the pumpkin and it would detract from it.

Can you turn these into a jack-o-lantern?

You absolutely can turn these paper pumpkins into jack-o-lanterns. Take a piece of black card stock, construction paper, or scrapbook paper. Cut out the pieces of a jack-o-lantern face. Use a tiny bit of glue or double sided tape to stick the face onto the paper pumpkin.

Ghost piñata with the words "7+ Easy Halloween Ghost Crafts" written digitally on top.

More Halloween Crafts:

If you’re making these pumpkins to go with your Halloween decorations, we have some more Halloween crafts that you might like:

Yield: 1 Paper Pumpkin

DIY Paper Pumpkin

If you’re looking for an easy fall craft, this DIY Paper Pumpkin is it. You only need a few supplies and a little bit of time to make them.

Active Time 10 minutes
Additional Time 3 minutes
Total Time 13 minutes
Difficulty Easy

Materials

  • Scrapbook paper
  • Glue
  • Green twine

Tools

  • Paper trimmer
  • Single hole punch

Instructions

  1. Orange scrapbook paper being cut in a paper trimmer.Start with a 12- x 12-inch piece of scrapbook paper. Use a paper trimmer to cut it into 1- x 12-inch strips. You’ll need to cut six strips.
  2. An orange strip of paper being hole punched by a single hole punch.Punch a hole about a quarter-inch down from each end of the strip.
  3. Two strips of orange paper being glued together.Lay down one strip of paper. Put a dab of glue in the middle. Lay another strip across it to make a plus sign.
  4. Six pieces of orange strips of paper glued together to form a starburst.In between each gap that the plug sign creates, you’ll be placing two strips of paper. So, add a dab of glue, then place the strip accordingly, leaving enough room for a second strip in that area. Continue until you’ve glued together six strips. Set them aside to dry.
  5. A knot tied at the bottom of a piece of green twine.When the strips are dry, take a piece of twine, fold it in half, and knot it at the bottom.
  6. A paper pumpkin being strung together.Grab one of the strips and bring it into the middle, making sure to curve it. Take both untied ends of the twice and put them through the bottom of the hole punched hole on that strip. Take the strip to the left and put the twine through the hole (again, coming from the bottom). Continue until you’ve gone around the entire pumpkin.
  7. A DIY paper pumpkin.Tie the two ends of the twine together to make a knot. Tie a second knot.

Notes

Did you make this project?

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Have you tried making these DIY Paper Pumpkins? Let us know what you thought in the comments.

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