♻️ Cozy Fall Decor: How to Make Upcycled Sweater Pumpkins

There’s something magical about turning something old into something beautiful again — and these upcycled sweater pumpkins are the perfect example! They’re soft, sustainable, and bring that warm, handmade charm to your fall décor. Plus, they’re a great way to reuse those old sweaters that are too worn to wear but too special to toss.

🍁 Why We Love Them

Upcycled sweater pumpkins combine eco-friendly creativity with cozy autumn style. Each one has its own texture and character depending on the sweater you use — chunky cable knits create rustic charm, while smooth wool blends make sleek modern accents. They’re ideal for:

• Centerpieces and mantle displays

• Fall weddings or Thanksgiving tables

• Gifting a handmade touch to someone special

🧶 What You’ll Need

• Old sweaters (wool, cotton, or knit work best). I thrifted the sweaters used in this project.

• Scissors

• Needle and thread and hot glue. I also thrifted the knitting thread!

• Fiberfill or fabric scraps for stuffing. I used styrofoam balls taken from on old foot stool and the stuffing is from thrifted pillows I disassembled.

• Twine for tying and to make the stem.

🍂 How to Make Them

Cut & Shape

1. Cut a sleeve from the sweater. It will make two pumpkins.

2. Fold the sleeve and cut it in half.

3. Take one piece, turn it inside out, and tie it with twine. Cut off the excess (save it for another project, along with the rest of the sweater, such as stuffing other handmade items).

4. Stuff It. I used the styrofoam balls at the bottom so that it sits more evenly and stuffed the remainder with the pillow filling.

   
   

   Gather the Top

5. Gather the open end, pulling tight to close.

6. Leave enough material at the top to form the stem

   
   

   Wrap twine around the excess material

7. Wrap the twine tightly around the material to the desired length. Leave excess twine so you can glue it to cover the top (see below).

8. Trim any extra material (don’t forget to keep it for another project.)

9. Using hot glue, place the extra twine to cover the top of the exposed material to finish the stem.

   
   

   Create the ribs

10. Thread your needle. You’ll want to use heavier thread (as mentioned above, I used knitting thread). Use a long length as you’ll want to have enough to complete the entirety of the pumpkin.

11. Starting at the bottom, pull the needle through the height of the pumpkin, bringing it up as close to the stem as possible.

12. Pull tightly to form the line for the rib. Determine where you want to start the next rib and pull thread along the outside of the material before bring it back through the underside of the pumpkin, through the pumpkin, back to to the top near the stem.

13. Repeat to form the remainder of the ribs.

I completed six pumpkins using sleeves from three different sweaters in less than an hour and at a total cost of under $5. I’m going to gift mine, so you’ll see in the photos I sewed my label on the bottom, so the recipients will always remember who made them:)

🌿 Eco-Friendly, Budget-Friendly, Beautiful

These pumpkins don’t just look great — they’re part of a sustainable lifestyle that gives textiles a second chance. Each one tells a story, keeps fabric out of landfills, and adds unique, handmade beauty to your home. So keep those old, worn out sweaters, or look for great finds at a thrift shop like I did, and turn them into something beautiful!

At One More Time Finds, we’re all about giving forgotten materials new life — one cozy creation at a time. 🍂

🛍️ Check out our collection of new and preowned products and upcycled décor at onemoretimefinds.com and get inspired to make something old new again! Follow us for more upcycling tips!