This pillow looks like it was plucked straight from a cozy cabin in the woods, where knitted blankets, glowing candles, and pumpkin spice fill the air.

The thick orange stitches swell outward like a real pumpkin fresh from the patch, while the leaves stretch upward in rustic detail.

Also, resting against this pillow feels like leaning into fall itself, a season stitched in yarn, carrying both comfort and nostalgia.

Materials Needed

• 1 knitted pillow cover (16”×16” or 18”×18”) in cream or neutral tones
• Super bulky yarn in orange (approx. 60-80 yards)
• Super bulky yarn in brown (10 yards for stem)
• Super bulky yarn in rust or gold (20 yards)
• Large tapestry needle
• Crochet hook (size N or larger, optional)
• 1 pillow insert (size to match cover)
• Scissors

Step-by-step Guide

Step 1: Begin with a plain knitted pillow cover in a light, neutral color. This creates the perfect backdrop for your pumpkin design.

Step 2: Using orange chunky yarn and a tapestry needle, stitch wide vertical cables directly onto the cover, shaping them into a round pumpkin.

You then layer stitches until the pumpkin looks plump and textured.

Step 3: Switch to brown yarn and stitch a small, sturdy stem at the top of the pumpkin. Keep the stitches tight so it stands out against the orange body.

Step 4: With rust or gold yarn, create two large leaves.

You can crochet them separately and stitch them on, or free-stitch leafy shapes directly onto the pillow cover.

Step 5: Secure all yarn ends neatly on the inside of the cover. Insert the pillow form, fluff it, and admire your harvest-inspired creation.

Tips:

When I made a similar design, I noticed that slightly overlapping the orange cables gave the pumpkin more depth and made it pop.

Don’t worry if your stitches aren’t perfectly even as the beauty of this pillow is in its hand-crafted, rustic look.