Free Crochet Pattern: Raccoon Pumpkin
The cutest fall decoration you’ll crochet this season
If you’ve been scrolling through fall crochet inspo and keep stopping on those adorable amigurumi pumpkins with little animal faces, you’ve come to the right place. This free crochet pattern for a raccoon pumpkin combines everything we love about autumn — the warm colors, the cozy crafting sessions, the excuse to buy more yarn — with the undeniable charm of everyone’s favorite masked bandit. The result is a squishy, shelf-worthy decoration that looks like it belongs in a farmhouse boutique but costs almost nothing to make.
Whether you’re a seasoned crocheter or someone who just finished their first granny square and is feeling ambitious, this pattern is written with clear, beginner-friendly instructions. Grab your hook and let’s dive in.
Why a Raccoon Pumpkin?
Raccoon-themed crochet has had a serious moment lately, and honestly, it makes complete sense. Raccoons are perfectly on-brand for fall — they’re nocturnal, a little mischievous, and they show up uninvited to your pumpkin patch. Pairing that energy with a classic amigurumi pumpkin shape creates something that feels fresh and seasonally appropriate without resorting to the same old jack-o’-lantern.
This raccoon pumpkin also makes a fantastic gift. It’s the kind of handmade item that people genuinely squeal over at craft swaps, autumn markets, and holiday gift exchanges. You can make several in a weekend and customize the colorwork to match different fall palettes — deep burnt orange, soft cream, sage green, even a spooky purple if you want to lean into Halloween.
Materials You’ll Need
Before we get started, here’s everything you’ll want to have on hand.
Yarn: Worsted weight yarn (size 4) in the following colors — orange (main pumpkin body), dark gray or charcoal (raccoon mask and rings), light gray or cream (face details), black (eyes, nose), and a small amount of brown for the stem. You don’t need full skeins of most of these; leftover yarn from other projects works beautifully here.
Hook: Size 4.0 mm (G hook) for the main body. Some crocheters prefer a slightly tighter gauge with a 3.75 mm hook — both work fine, just be consistent.
Other supplies: Polyester fiberfill stuffing, two 10mm or 12mm safety eyes (black), yarn needle, scissors, stitch markers, and straight pins for positioning facial features before sewing.
Finished size: Approximately 4 inches tall and 4.5 inches wide when stuffed. You can easily size up by using bulky yarn and a larger hook.
Gauge and Abbreviations
Gauge isn’t critical for amigurumi since we’re aiming for a firm fabric that won’t show stuffing, but as a general reference: 4 sc x 4 rows = 1 inch with worsted weight yarn and a 4.0 mm hook.
Throughout this pattern, the following abbreviations are used:
MR = magic ring
ch = chain
sc = single crochet
inc = increase (2 sc in same stitch)
dec = invisible decrease (insert hook into front loops of next two stitches, pull up loops, yarn over and pull through all three loops)
sl st = slip stitch
BLO = back loop only
FLO = front loop only
st(s) = stitch(es)
rnd = round
() = total stitch count at end of round
Pattern Notes
This pumpkin is worked in continuous rounds (no joining unless specified). Use a stitch marker to track the beginning of each round. The body is crocheted from the bottom up, and the pumpkin ridges are created by working into back loops only on specific rounds, then surface crocheting or slip stitching vertical lines afterward.
The raccoon face is crocheted separately and attached, making it easy to position exactly where you want it. The mask sits over the eyes and bridge of the nose, giving the piece that classic masked-bandit look.
Part One: The Pumpkin Body
Start with your orange yarn.
Rnd 1: MR, 6 sc into ring. (6)
Rnd 2: Inc in each st around. (12)
Rnd 3: Sc 1, inc repeat around. (18)
Rnd 4: Sc 2, inc repeat around. (24)
Rnd 5: Sc 3, inc repeat around. (30)
Rnd 6: Sc 4, inc repeat around. (36)
Rnd 7: Sc 5, inc repeat around. (42)
Rnd 8: Sc 6, inc repeat around. (48)
Rnds 9–11: Sc in BLO around for all three rounds. (48) — This creates the first pumpkin ridge line. Working in BLO pulls the fabric inward and gives the segmented pumpkin look.
Rnd 12: Sc in both loops around. (48)
Rnds 13–15: Sc in BLO around. (48)
Rnd 16: Sc in both loops around. (48)
Rnds 17–19: Sc in BLO around. (48)
Rnd 20: Sc in both loops around. (48)
Rnds 21–22: Sc in BLO around. (48) — You’ve now created a rounded, ridged pumpkin body. At this point, begin stuffing firmly with fiberfill.
Rnd 23: Sc 6, dec repeat around. (42)
Rnd 24: Sc 5, dec repeat around. (36)
Rnd 25: Sc 4, dec repeat around. (30)
Rnd 26: Sc 3, dec repeat around. (24)
Rnd 27: Sc 2, dec repeat around. (18)
Add more fiberfill now if needed to make sure the top is firm and round.
Rnd 28: Sc 1, dec repeat around. (12)
Rnd 29: Dec around. (6)
Fasten off, leaving a tail. Thread through remaining stitches, pull tight, and weave in the end.
Part Two: Enhancing the Pumpkin Ridges
The BLO rounds create a subtle ridge, but if you want deeper, more defined pumpkin segments, here’s an optional (but highly recommended) step. With your orange yarn threaded on a yarn needle, use a whipstitch or a slip stitch worked with your hook along the vertical columns of the front loops you skipped earlier. Evenly space 5–6 vertical lines around the pumpkin from top to bottom. This cinches the body slightly and creates lovely raised ridges that really sell the pumpkin silhouette.
Some crocheters also like to run a length of yarn from the top center through to the bottom center and pull gently before securing to create a slightly flattened pumpkin shape. Both techniques are optional and purely aesthetic.
Part Three: The Stem
Switch to brown yarn.
Rnd 1: MR, 4 sc into ring. (4)
Rnd 2: Sc around. (4)
Rnd 3: Sc around. (4)
Rnd 4: Sc 1, inc repeat around. (6)
Rnd 5: Sc around. (6)
Fasten off, leaving a long tail. Lightly stuff the stem (or skip stuffing for a flatter, more natural look). Attach to the top center of the pumpkin body by sewing through the gathered stitches of Round 29.
Part Four: The Raccoon Face Base
Switch to cream or light gray yarn.
This is a slightly flattened oval that forms the muzzle area of the raccoon face.
Rnd 1: MR, 6 sc. (6)
Rnd 2: Inc in each st. (12)
Rnd 3: Sc 1, inc repeat around. (18)
Rnd 4: Sc 2, inc repeat around. (24)
Rnd 5: Sc around. (24)
Fasten off, leaving a long sewing tail. This piece does not need to be stuffed — it will sit flat against the pumpkin front.
Part Five: The Raccoon Mask
Switch to dark gray or charcoal yarn.
The mask is a wider, more abstract oval that sits above the muzzle and wraps around where the eyes will be. Think of the classic raccoon eye stripe.
Rnd 1: MR, 6 sc. (6)
Rnd 2: Inc in each st. (12)
Rnd 3: Sc 1, inc repeat around. (18)
Rnd 4: Sc 2, inc repeat around. (24)
Rnd 5: Sc 3, inc repeat around. (30)
Rnd 6: Sc around. (30)
Fasten off, leaving a sewing tail. Again, this piece stays flat.
Part Six: The Ears
Make two in dark gray or charcoal.
Rnd 1: MR, 6 sc. (6)
Rnd 2: Inc in each st. (12)
Rnd 3: Sc 1, inc repeat around. (18)
Rnd 4–5: Sc around. (18)
Sl st to close. Fasten off, leaving a sewing tail.
For inner ear detail, you can make two smaller circles in cream or light pink using just Rnds 1–2 (12 sts) and sew them onto the front of each ear before attaching the ears to the pumpkin.
Part Seven: The Tail (Optional Accent)
A classic raccoon isn’t complete without a striped tail, and while this is technically a pumpkin, adding a curled tail as an accent piece is absolutely adorable — especially if you’re gifting or displaying this on a shelf where the back is visible.
To make the tail, crochet a tube by chaining 20 with charcoal yarn, joining into a round, and working 6–8 rounds of sc, alternating between charcoal and cream every two rounds to create the striped effect. Leave the end open, curl it slightly, and tack it to the back of the pumpkin with a couple of stitches.
Assembly: Putting It All Together
This is where your raccoon pumpkin really comes to life, and taking your time here is absolutely worth it.
Start by laying out all your pieces on a flat surface in front of the pumpkin body. Use straight pins to position everything before sewing a single stitch. This saves a lot of frustration.
Position the mask piece first. It should sit roughly in the upper center of the pumpkin’s front, slightly above the midpoint. Pin it in place. Next, lay the cream face base just below and slightly overlapping the bottom edge of the mask — this creates the appearance of a continuous face with distinct sections. Pin the face base as well.
Before sewing the mask down, attach your safety eyes. Push them through the mask piece and into the pumpkin body, spacing them evenly. Most crocheters place them in the center of the mask, separated by about 4–5 stitches. Lock the safety eye backings firmly in place on the inside of the pumpkin.
Now sew the mask piece onto the pumpkin using your yarn needle and the charcoal sewing tail, working small whipstitches around the outer edge. Keep your tension even. Sew the cream face base on in the same way using your light gray or cream sewing tail.
For the nose, use black yarn to embroider a small triangle or oval shape just at the top center of the cream muzzle area, right where it meets the bottom of the mask. A French knot or a few satin stitches both work perfectly.
For the mouth, use black yarn to embroider a small curved line or a simple Y-shape below the nose. Keep it minimal — amigurumi faces tend to look best with understated mouths.
Position the ears at the top of the pumpkin, on either side of the stem. Flatten them slightly and pin before sewing. Attach by sewing through the base of each ear and into the pumpkin with several stitches, then weave in the ends securely.
If you made the optional tail, sew it to the back center of the pumpkin at this stage.
Finishing Touches and Customization Ideas
Once everything is assembled, take a step back and check the proportions. Sometimes eyes need a tiny nudge or the ears want to tilt slightly — this is all normal in amigurumi and part of the charm of handmaking something.
A few ways you can personalize this pattern:
You can change the pumpkin color entirely. A cream pumpkin with gray raccoon features has a beautiful neutral, farmhouse aesthetic. A deep forest green or burgundy pumpkin gives off a moody autumn vibe. Don’t feel bound to classic orange.
Adding a tiny blush to the cheeks of the cream face piece is a sweet detail. You can use a cotton swab with a tiny bit of craft chalk or blush powder, rubbed in small circles on the cream fabric before any sealing spray.
Making a family of these in different sizes is incredibly satisfying. A large one with bulky yarn, a medium one with worsted, and a tiny one with fingering weight yarn makes a gorgeous tiered display.
You can also add a leaf or two to the stem area. A simple crocheted leaf in green or gold yarn takes only a few minutes and adds so much dimension to the finished piece. To make a basic leaf, chain 8, then work sc, hdc, dc, dc, hdc, sc down one side, sc into the tip, then mirror back up the other side and slip stitch to the starting chain. Attach to the base of the stem.
Display and Care
Your finished raccoon pumpkin is best kept away from direct sunlight for long periods, which can fade the yarn over time. It’s also a good idea to keep it out of reach of very young children if you’ve used safety eyes with their backs exposed, though the locking mechanism on quality safety eyes is quite secure.
To spot clean, use a damp cloth and mild soap. Most worsted weight acrylic yarns are fairly resilient, but avoid submerging or machine washing an amigurumi piece that has been stuffed, as the fiberfill can clump.
For storage between seasons, wrap your raccoon pumpkin in tissue paper and store in a box away from humidity. It will come out looking fresh next fall.
A Note on Sharing Your Makes
If you make this raccoon pumpkin, please share it! Tag your photos with something like #raccooncrochet or #crochetsquash so other makers can find them. Seeing finished versions from different yarn palettes and personal styling is one of the genuine joys of sharing free patterns, and your version might inspire someone else to pick up their hook.
If you’re selling finished items made from this pattern at craft fairs or markets, that’s absolutely welcome — no credit required, though it’s always appreciated. Just please don’t copy or redistribute the written pattern itself as your own.
Wrapping Up
There’s something deeply satisfying about a crochet project that comes together quickly, looks impressively detailed, and actually gets displayed rather than buried in a basket somewhere. This free raccoon pumpkin pattern checks all those boxes. It’s the kind of make you’ll return to year after year, tweaking colors and trying new variations each time.
Whether this becomes your autumn go-to or your new craft fair bestseller, I hope it brings a little handmade warmth to your space this season. Happy crocheting, and may your yarn never tangle and your tension stay consistent all the way through.
