Thread Spool Pumpkin
If you have been following along recently, you’ll see I’ve been on a pumpkin kick lately. I’ll link to those projects later in the article. Today’s project is a thread spool pumpkin.
There were a few different ways I considered going about this project, namely with how I wanted to decorate the spools.
I debated about wrapping them in fabric or paper, and also considered painting them. The idea of using plastic spools also occurred to me but I found a treasure trove of wood ones in my craft room so went with those.
You could build thread spool pumpkins in a couple of different ways. First, is by turning the spools on their side and have the top (or bottom) of the spool be the face of the pumpkin. This was the option I chose.
Second, is by keeping the spools vertical and stacking them into a round-ish shape and putting a stem on top. The centers of the spools are showcased in this design. Maybe I’ll do that one sometime and update this post.
We will only cover the first design today.
Supplies
- 20 empty thread spools; try to keep them the same approximate size – it just makes it a bit easier to assemble. This also includes a spool for the pumpkin stem, but you could use something else like a wine cork, or a different sized spool.
- Yarn – I used Lion Brand Homespun yarn in the Wildfire color. You could also use paint or pretty scrapbook paper. The purpose of this supply is to wrap it around the spool for some added color. I used an orange yarn and then a green yarn for the stem.
- Hot glue gun
- Ribbon, jute, small greenery, or a green pipe cleaner for the pumpkin vine. I used jute.
Thread spool pumpkin instructions
1. Wrap 19 of the spools with orange yarn. Wrap 1 spool with green yarn. I used hot glue to tack down the end of the yarn.
2. Turning the spools on their sides, assemble the pumpkin by gluing the part of the spools where the yarn is wrapped together. Glue spools together in rows first, and then attach rows together:
- 3 spools for the bottom row
- 4 for the second row
- 5 for the middle row
- 4 for the fourth row
- 3 for the top row
3. Attach the green spool in a vertical fashion to the top of the assembled pumpkin
4. Wrap ribbon, jute, or fabric around the bottom of the stem. Feel free to add any other embellishments.
And there you have it. A simple way to create a cute pumpkin for your fall décor. And here are a few more options to consider when selecting your supplies for this project.
Other ideas
- Use spools with thread already on them; sponge the tops with orange paint
- Find a yarn, or hairy yarn, to wrap around the spool
- Cover the tops of the spools with burlap, and paint/paper/fabric the body of the spool orange and then wrap a single piece of lace over the orange
- Use clay or cardboard for the stem
Related Pumpkin Projects
Concluding thoughts on thread spool pumpkins
The beauty of this project is that it can go fancy, rustic, or somewhere in between. What are your favorite pumpkin projects? Drop me a note in the comments.
