Denim Pumpkin: 5 Creative Ways to Decorate a Pumpkin

It’s October and you know what that means! It’s pumpkin time! Remember back in the day when the only kind of pumpkins you could find were orange. Now you can find them in so many different colors: blue, gray, green, even white.  And if you’re really feeling creative, you can make your own.

Recently, I was invited to participate in a pumpkin party with four talented Bloggers. Our only instruction was to create a “pumpkin craft” to share. I absolutely love how completely different all the pumpkins turned out. (You’ll find links to all the pumpkin tutorials at the end of this post.)

5 Clever Pumpkin Ideas

If you’ve been reading BNOTP over the last few months, you know I’ve been having a blast this summer thinking up craft ideas I could create with some old, out-of-style, too-small jeans. So far the jeans have been used to make flatware pocket holders for a tablescape, a 4th of July banner for the porch and napkin rings for a casual table setting.

Denim Projects

For this latest project, I couldn’t resist the power of the denim. It was pulling me in, challenging me to make something else.

New Uses for Old Denim Jeans

How about a denim pumpkin! I purchased a craft pumpkin in Michaels where they were 40% off for a cost of $7.49. This project required few additional supplies, just Mod Podge and a brush with which to apply it. I had both of these already, left over from previous projects.  I pulled out some ribbon I had on hand along with some cute little flowers I found in Michaels for $4.99 a dozen.

Make a Denim Pumpkin with a Craft Pumpkin

 To get started, I cut up some of the recycled jean fabric into strips around 2 inches wide. I roughly measured, putting a small mark on the fabric every couple of inches.

Denim Pumpkin Tutorial

Since pumpkins are curved and bumpy, there’s not much point in measuring the fabric strips exactly. Just have fun and go with the flow of the pumpkin.

Cut Strips of Old Jeans to Make a Denim Pumpkin

 Next, I slathered Mod Podge on to the back side of the denim fabric pieces, working with one piece at the time since it dries quickly.

Mod Podge Denim to Make a Denim Pumpkin

 The Mod Podge did a great job of adhering the fabric to the pumpkin and smoothing out wrinkles as they occurred was really easy.

Denim Craft, Decoupage a Pumkin with Denim

A little “in-progress” shot…

Decoupage a Denim Pumpkin

Here’s how our pumpkin looked fully dressed in denim. I wish you could feel it through the screen…the denim is sooo soft. No wonder we love jeans so much!

Make a Denim Pumpkin for Halloween

Next, I sat down at my desk in the office and played, draping various kinds of ribbon/trim along the seams where the denim strips met. I’ve been busting to find a use for this ribbon I bought a while back that looks like a measuring tape. It looks great with denim, doesn’t it? In the end I decided against using any ribbon or trim.

Decorate a Pumpkin with Ribbon

Instead, I decided to add some Flower Power–there’s a phrase from the past! Each flower was applied with a little drop of hot glue.

Since I loved the feeling and softness of the denim, I didn’t apply a coat of Mod Podge to the top of the fabric, just left it as it was. I did dress up the pumpkin stem, though–more on that in a sec.

DIY Pumpkin Made with Denim

Once completed, I had to see how it looked in the one room of my home sporting some denim, the upstairs family room.

Create Upstairs Family Room from Bonus Room 2

Looks right at home here with the denim sofa, doesn’t it?

A Denim Pumpkin for the Upstairs Family Room with a Denim Sofa

I wasn’t too crazy about the plastic, brown stem so I wrapped  jute yarn around it to create a more natural looking stem. Starting at the base of the stem, while applying hot glue sparingly, I wrapped the yarn around and around, working my way to the top.

Decoupage a Craft Pumpkin with Denim Fabric

The lighting on the porch is usually best for picture-taking so I headed down to the porch for a couple of photos in natural light.

Almost forgot to mention, I had three of those small pockets from my recycled jeans, you know-the tiny little pocket that’s always tucked inside a larger pocket on jeans. Using Mod Podge, I attached the back side of the white pocket fabric to one side of the pumpkin. I added a touch of hot glue near the top edge on either side. Once dry, it became a fully functioning pocket. Could be a great place to stow away some candy for emergencies. 😉

Denim Pumpkin on Screened Porch

Do you know why that little pocket was originally designed into jeans? I was curious and Googled it. Turns out, it was originally created to hold a pocket watch back in the day when it was common for a man to carry one. Now folks tend to use it for change or to hold a key.

It would be fun to do one of these in a patch-work design with denim. Ummm, just thinking.

Denim Pumpkin on Screened Porch

 

Happy Fall, dear Friends!

Love crafting and sewing with repurposed denim? You’ll find more denim projects at my other blog, Denim Do Over and many are No-Sew projects! You’ll find Denim Do Over here: Denim Do Over

*If a post is sponsored or a product was provided at no charge, it will be stated in post. Some links may be affiliate links and as an Amazon Associate, I may earn from qualifying purchases. *



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Comments

  1. Fabulous, as usual Susan!

  2. Oh, Susan!
    Why am I always so impulsive?! Why?!
    I love, love , love your “Flower Power” pumpkin and I regret again to have thrown away those old jeans my friends gave me months ago! Argh!!!
    (Just imagine how pretty and “neutral” the white one would have looked! *Sigh*)
    ~Hugs to you, my friend… I’m going to kick myself!~
    (Thank you, Susan, for that! LOL)
    Cecilia

  3. Susan, I love your denim covered pumpkin with all its flower power! So darn cute and I’m sharing and pinning!

  4. That looks sensational!! I’ve seen a myriad of crafty pumpkins in magazines…yours is tops!! franki

  5. HI, I must say I am already pretty tired of all the ideas about how to decorate pumpkins, too many are similar in idea and execution and how many different ideas for pumpkins do we really need u n t i l I saw the jeans pumpkin with the little flowers, THEN I SAID GREAT A REALLY DIFFERENT AND REALLY CUTE IDEA…. so I had to look at a lot of ‘whatever’ pumpkins until I found this one.
    Love it! Now I have a question, can the pumpkin be preserved in a way that it keeps for years to come? I know when
    cleaning the outside of the little pumpkins carefully dry them well, they will last ….. not sure what can be done
    to the big ones….
    Edith

    • Thanks, Edith. The denim one is made with a “craft” pumpkin from Michaels so it will last indefinitely…should have it around for many years.

      • Oh why was I even thinking about the real thing, thanks, I am off to Michaels I so believe in artwork that lasts for
        years to bring back or to give as a gift to friends who bring it out year after years. thanks for this lovely idea.
        By the way if someone does not have old jeans or does not wear jeans (I do not ….. ) but any resale store has thousands of them in all sizes…. so it should be easy for little to get the color of jeans one wants.

        Thanks again for the great idea, I truly love the flower power on this one.
        Edith

        • Edith, that’s a great question. The easiest (and least expensive) way is just to stop by a thrift shop like Goodwill and you’ll find jeans for very little, especially if you go on the day of the week when they have those reduced. I bet you’ll be able to find them for a couple of dollars. You can always buy denim in fabric stores but thrift store jeans may be the least expensive way to go. Thanks!

        • Oh, and the little flowers came from Michaels, in case you want to use those, too. You may be able to find something similar in any hobby, craft or sewing store, too.

  6. SO cute! Thanks for another fun idea.

  7. SharonFromMichigan says

    Oh how cute! Love the denim and the door knob pumpkins are just too cute. I have a stash of old door knobs and this craft may be a way to use some of them. Wonderful project ideas. I may have to make a few to be part of my Thanksgiving table centerpiece! Thank you for sharing!

  8. Adorable and looks so easy peasy too!

  9. pam ~ crumpety cottage says

    That pumpkin is so you, Susan! 😀
    (cute header change) 😉

  10. You’ve really made fabulous use of your old jeans Susan! This is beyond cute!

  11. Just saw your darling pumpkin on the BHG pinterest board and had to drop in ! Love it!!! xo

  12. Linda Page says

    From the responses you have received, I think this post was a big hit!!!! I have a craft pumpkin and I am going to go to a local charity resale shop and get some jeans and make this pumpkin. Since I do scrapbooking, I have lots of flowers that would look so cute on a denim pumpkin. You are amazing!

  13. Such an eye for detail as …. leave it to Susan …. you even finished off its stem. Very haute couture! ☺ -Brenda-

  14. The little pocket definitely put this pumpkin over the top. How cute! I think your pumpkin the best of the lot. I’m glad you did not use the ribbons. They were to distracting to the overall design. The flowers worked perfectly.

  15. Susan,

    Your denim pocket was calling my name. 🙂 Love the detailing and the amazing creative way you decorated your pumpkin! So happy to be partying with you today rock star!

    Happy day!
    karianne

  16. So cute – I love the strips of different colors – and the flowers and pocket were the perfect touch! Have a great day! Take care, Laura

  17. I’m in love with your denim pumpkin with the adorable flowers! I was just at the craft store today, but now I have an excuse to go back tomorrow. Thanks Susan for a wonderful pumpkin project!

  18. So clever and fun! I adore the idea of a decoupaged fabric pumpkin. Yours looks amazing!

  19. Hi Susan! This is a really unique idea to decorate a pumpkin!!! loving it! It goes perfectly with the living room theme and the denim sofas!!! The flowers has enhanced the look of denim pumpkin! Great innovative ideas you have! 🙂

  20. Susan, your denim pumpkin is just toooo stinkin’ cute! I think I need several of these…..thanks for sharing!
    Happy Fall!

    Tammy

  21. this is so adorable, love the fresh clean look~

  22. That is just so dang cute, Susan! I LOVE how creative and resourceful you have been with those old denim jeans! Bravo, girl…

  23. Chris Gasser says

    making one today, bought a craft pumpkin at Joann’s… 50% off can’t wait to get started. May decorate mine with little Peace symbols I have on hand ….buttons would be cute also………..fun, fun, fun

  24. This is so cute, Susan! I’m so excited about all the great “denim” ideas that I have now created a new Pinterest board — “All Things Denim.”

    • Carol, I love that! 🙂 I’m getting excited, too! I want to make the wreath I just posted today…I’m wondering if I have enough denim left over from those jeans I’ve been using. I may need to dig through my closets again. lol

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