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How to Make a Pumpkin Wreath Using Deco Mesh

This pumpkin wreath using deco mesh is such a quick and easy fall project!

Just a few supplies and an hour and you’re all set for Spooky Season!

Pumpkin Wreath Tutorial | Where The Smiles Have Been

How to Make a Pumpkin Wreath: A Simple Tutorial Using Deco Mesh

Pumpkin Wreath Supplies

Here’s what I used to make this pumpkin wreath:

  • 12-inch willow wreath form
  • 24-inch roll of orange deco mesh
  • Four orange pipe cleaners, cut in half
  • Strip of burlap
  • Two strips of green deco mesh
  • Two strands of green ribbon
  • Floral wire
  • “Boo!” sign made from a cereal box
    • Find the complete tutorial here

Making The Orange Pumpkin Wreath Body

To complete the main orange pumpkin part of this wreath, I first raided my craft supplies and rediscovered a 12-inch willow wreath form that I picked up at Dollar Tree, ooooh, probably a year or two ago just for the heck of it.

A floral or grapevine wreath form would also work just fine for this, and maybe even an embroidery hoop too.

I also grabbed a roll of 24-inch orange deco mesh as well as some scissors and orange pipe cleaners (there are seven pipe cleaners pictured but I only ended up using four).

The pipe cleaners that I had on hand had fuzzy, caterpillar-like sections, but regular everyday pipe cleaners are all you need, or you could also use floral wire too.

Pumpkin Wreath Tutorial | Where The Smiles Have Been

Pop quiz! Do you know that pipe cleaners have a real, official, fancy name??

They’re actually called chenille straws. I had no idea about this until just a couple days ago.

High five to you if you were already aware of this awesome trivia fact!

Moving on…

How to Attach Deco Mesh to a Wreath Form

First, I cut four pipe cleaners in half to make them more manageable.

Then starting at about the 10:00 position, I grabbed a pipe cleaner piece and fed it around a branch on the backside of the wreath form.

Pumpkin Wreath Tutorial | Where The Smiles Have Been

I then unrolled some orange deco mesh, bunched it up, and twisted the pipe cleaner tightly around it to hold it in place.

There was about a four-inch “tail” sticking out the end, but I just trimmed that up with my scissors when I was finished with the wreath, leaving only a one-inch stump remaining.

Pumpkin Wreath Tutorial | Where The Smiles Have Been

Next, I wrapped another pipe cleaner around a branch in the back at about the 7:00 position.

I then pulled the deco mesh down so it was covering both the front and side of the wreath form, bunched it up again, and twisted the pipe cleaner around it.

Below you can see the back and front views.

Pumpkin Wreath Tutorial | Where The Smiles Have Been

I want to point out that for this entire pumpkin wreath, I did not do ANY cutting of my deco mesh.

The orange pumpkin body is one continuous piece.

To make the next section, I turned the deco mesh that was just fed through the pipe cleaner and pulled it back up the front side of the wreath.

Then at the top, I added another pipe cleaner and attached the deco mesh.

Pumpkin Wreath Tutorial | Where The Smiles Have Been

This process was repeated until the entire pumpkin wreath was covered.

I just:

  1. Unrolled a bit of deco mesh
  2. Pulled it up across the front of the wreath form
  3. Attached it with a pipe cleaner on the back side
  4. Turned it and wrapped it back around the front again

This is how I was able to create the cool, distinctive ridges that real pumpkins have.

It also created an asymmetrical oval with bumpy edges, which is just what I was after.

I was making a pumpkin after all, not a perfectly round fancy, shmancy Christmas wreath!

I wanted a pumpkin with character, not a perfectly round circle, because that would look more like an orange anyway, or a basketball.

Now those are projects for another day!

Pumpkin Wreath Tutorial | Where The Smiles Have Been

Below you can see what the back side of my wreath looks like.

I went around and bent all the ends of the pipe cleaners down so they weren’t noticeable from the front or sides.

If I was making this again, I would move a couple of the pipe cleaners farther down the back instead of near the edges, but since they’re orange, they blend in well.

Pumpkin Wreath Tutorial | Where The Smiles Have Been

Adding the Pumpkin Stem to the Wreath

To make the pumpkin’s stem up top, I grabbed a roll of six-inch wide burlap and cut off a section that was approximately eight-inches long.

I then simply rolled it back up and wedged it between the orange deco mesh and the wreath form.

It fit nice and snug without needing any floral wire or hot glue for support.

A different idea would be to just use a sturdy stick as the stem to add a nice natural touch to the pumpkin wreath.

Pumpkin Wreath Tutorial | Where The Smiles Have Been

Adding the Leaves to the Pumpkin Wreath

To make the pumpkin’s leaves, I used some 5.5-inch green deco mesh.

I first cut off a section that was about twelve inches long, rolled it up lengthwise, and then brought the ends together to create a loop.

Then I cut off a small piece of floral wire (about two inches or so) and attached the leaf to the back of the wreath form behind the stem.

Pumpkin Wreath Tutorial | Where The Smiles Have Been

I repeated this process to make a second leaf and attached it to the other side of the stem.

Then I played with and positioned them so they were sort of laying down on the pumpkin instead of sticking up away from it.

Pumpkin Wreath Tutorial | Where The Smiles Have Been

Adding the Pumpkin’s Vines

To make the vines for this pumpkin wreath, I used some green ribbon.

First, I cut off two strands that were about ten inches long and curled them by running them between my thumb and the blade edge of my scissors.

Then I placed them on either side of the stem so they were hanging down in front, looking all viney.

As was the case with the stem, I didn’t use any wire or hot glue to attach them.

They fit snuggly wedged between the stump and orange deco mesh, but a dab of hot glue would work well to keep them in place if needed.

Pumpkin Wreath Tutorial | Where The Smiles Have Been

The Almost Finished DIY Pumpkin Wreath

The pumpkin wreath was now made and ready to hang!

I created a simple loop from some floral wire on the back for hanging, and here it is: my (almost final) pumpkin wreath.

Not too shabby for an hour-long project using only supplies that I already had on hand, and very fall indeed. :)

Pumpkin Wreath Tutorial | Where The Smiles Have Been

Adding a Halloween ‘BOO’ Sign to the Pumpkin Wreath

I thought it would be extra fun to add a cute little homemade sign to the front as well, so I created this “Boo!” sign (from a cereal box!!) with my Silhouette Cameo.

I have it hanging from two hooks made from floral wire that simply slip into the deco mesh, and it’s super easy to adjust or remove.

Pumpkin Wreath Tutorial | Where The Smiles Have Been

It definitely makes the pumpkin wreath much more festive and Halloweeny, and adds a nice pop of contrasting color to the front.

Plus, since the sign is removable, I can easily swap it out for a more generic fall sign, such as one that says “Happy Harvest,” or even a “Happy Thanksgiving” one to hang during November.

I love decor that you can get extra mileage out of!

Pumpkin Wreath Tutorial | Where The Smiles Have Been

If you’d like to see how I made this ‘Boo!’ sign from a cereal box, check out this tutorial!

How To Turn a Cereal Box into a Custom Sign

More Fall & Halloween Fun

If you enjoyed this, make sure you check out my Project Gallery for all of my creations, tips, and freebies, including these fun wreath and door hanger ideas!

I hope this pumpkin wreath tutorial was of some help to you, or at least provided a little spark of inspiration.

You can easily adapt this technique to make a variety of wreaths.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Where The Smiles Have Been | Crafts. DIY. Home. Mom Life.

Kim~madeinaday

Thursday 15th of October 2015

Great idea for a Pumpkin wreath. I have yet to make a Deco mesh wreath! Your rockin it! Featurin this and your Ornament Wreath today for the Spooktacular linky Feature post!! Sharing on social media! Kim

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