Pumpkin Cross Stitch Pattern

When the evenings draw in, a pumpkin is the motif that says autumn faster than any other. This original pumpkin cross stitch pattern is a plump, slightly squat pumpkin with curved ribs, a leaning stem, one leaf and a curling tendril. It measures 23 x 20 stitches, uses 6 colors and is worked entirely in full crosses.

The shading does most of the work. A light apricot highlight sits on the upper left, burnt orange darkens the right side and the base, and rust brown lines mark the outline and the ribs. Together they turn a flat orange oval into something round.

Pattern Summary

• Size: 23 x 20 stitches, which is 1.6 x 1.4 in (4.1 x 3.6 cm) on 14-count Aida.
• Stitches: 349 full cross stitches.
• Colors: 6: one brown, three oranges and two greens.
• Level: easy. Most of the design is solid filling inside an outline.

The body of the pumpkin is the same on the left and right apart from the shading. The stem, leaf and tendril on top are deliberately uneven, which keeps the motif lively.

Materials

• 14-count cream Aida with 2–3 in (5–8 cm) of spare fabric on every side
• Size 24 tapestry needle
• Stranded cotton floss in the six colors of the key
• Small sharp scissors
• An embroidery hoop, optional

Cream and white fabric both set off the orange well. A natural oatmeal Aida gives a rustic harvest look, though the light apricot highlight will be a little less visible on it. New to the supplies? The first-day guide on how to start cross stitch goes through each item.

The Chart

One square on the chart equals one cross stitch. The arrows at the edges mark the center column and row, and every tenth grid line is heavier to make counting easier.

Color Key

The colors are named, not numbered. Pick the nearest shades from your own floss. Line up the three oranges before starting and make sure they form clear steps from light to dark.

Symbol	Color	Stitches
●	Rust brown	108
×	Pumpkin orange	134
▲	Light apricot	9
◆	Burnt orange	50
■	Olive green	29
+	Dark green	19

The rust brown should be darker than the burnt orange, or the ribs on the shaded side will blur into the filling. If the two look alike in your stash, choose a deeper brown for the outline.

Finished Size on Each Fabric

Aida	Finished design	Fabric to cut (3 in spare per side)
11-count	2.1 x 1.8 in (5.3 x 4.6 cm)	8.5 x 8 in (21.6 x 20.3 cm)
14-count	1.6 x 1.4 in (4.1 x 3.6 cm)	8 x 7.5 in (20.3 x 19.1 cm)
16-count	1.4 x 1.3 in (3.6 x 3.3 cm)	7.5 x 7.5 in (19.1 x 19.1 cm)
18-count	1.3 x 1.1 in (3.3 x 2.8 cm)	7.5 x 7.5 in (19.1 x 19.1 cm)

Use 2 strands of floss on 14-count and 16-count, 3 strands on 11-count, and 1 or 2 strands on 18-count. A solid block of color like this pumpkin looks best with full coverage, so 2 strands is the better option on 18-count.

How to Stitch the Pumpkin

The quickest route is to build the rust brown framework first and then fill each section like a coloring book.

1. Find the center. Fold the fabric in half both ways. The crossing of the folds matches the crossing of the chart’s center arrows, which falls inside the pumpkin’s middle section.
2. Stitch the two inner ribs. Count from the center to the nearest rib on each side and work both lines of rust brown from top to bottom. They curve inward by one stitch at each end.
3. Add the outer ribs and the outline. Work outward to the next pair of ribs, then stitch the outline all the way around. The top and bottom edges are straight rows; the sides step in at the corners to round the shape.
4. Fill with pumpkin orange. Work each section in rows. With the ribs in place there is very little counting left.
5. Add the highlight and shadow. Stitch the light apricot squares in the upper part of the middle and left sections, then the burnt orange in the right-hand section and along the base.
6. Stitch the stem. It rises from the top center and leans to the right. Use olive green with a dark green shadow down its right edge.
7. Stitch the leaf. Work the dark green vein first, from the stem out to the left, then fill the olive green above and below it.
8. Finish with the tendril. The dark green curl to the right of the stem is a handful of single stitches that touch at their corners.

Order of the oranges

Some stitchers prefer to place the small areas of light apricot and burnt orange before the main orange, so the filling flows around them. Either order works. What matters is not leaving single empty squares behind; scan each section against the chart before moving on. The page on common cross stitch mistakes lists the slips that are easiest to make in filled areas.

Optional details

The chart is complete without any outlining, but a few additions are possible:

• Backstitch outline: a single strand of dark brown worked around the body sharpens the edge. The method is explained in the guide to backstitch in cross stitch.
• A second leaf: mirror the leaf onto the right side in place of the tendril.
• Ground line: one or two rows of soft brown or straw yellow under the pumpkin anchor it on the fabric.

Color Variations

Version	Outline and ribs	Body	Highlight	Shadow
Classic orange	Rust brown	Pumpkin orange	Light apricot	Burnt orange
White pumpkin	Warm gray	Cream	White	Pale tan
Sage pumpkin	Deep gray-green	Soft sage	Pale mint	Mid gray-green
Golden squash	Chestnut brown	Golden yellow	Pale lemon	Mustard

The white version needs a colored fabric to show. For the sage version, change the stem and leaf to a brown so they do not merge with the body.

Ways to Use It

• Fall hoop: center the pumpkin in a small hoop for a shelf or door decoration.
• Pumpkin patch: stitch three in a row in different colorways, leaving a few empty columns between them.
• Seasonal card: work it on 16-count or 18-count Aida for a card front or place card.
• Autumn pair: stitch it beside the mini mushroom pattern for a woodland theme.
• Year-round set: keep it with the Christmas tree ornament as the start of a collection of seasonal motifs.

Before mounting, wash the finished piece gently in lukewarm water, roll it in a towel and press it face down on a soft surface so the stitches stay raised.