These pony bead pumpkins are such a fun fall craft, and all you need to make them are beads and cord! The simple pumpkin pattern has a classic orange and green design, while the jack-o-lantern version adds a cute Halloween face made right into the bead pattern.
Follow the patterns row by row to create your own little beaded pumpkin, and add a keyring to turn it into a Halloween keychain, cute backpack charm, or fall-themed ornament. This beaded pumpkin craft is perfect for older kids, teens, and adults, and once you get the hang of the beading technique, they’re surprisingly quick to make!
This post contains affiliate links. If you use these links to buy something, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. This helps support our website and allows us to keep creating fun, free content.
How to Make Pony Bead Pumpkins
Materials:
- Rattail cord
- Split ring keyring
- Pony beads (green, orange, black)
Equipment:
- BBQ lighter (optional)
See the craft in action:
Instructions:
Step 1: Find what you need
- Gather your supplies and materials.
Step 2: Prepare your cord
- To make the keychain you’ll need some type of keychain hardware and a 48 inch (4 foot) piece of rattail cord.
- Fold the cord in half and attach the loop to the keychain hardware using a lark’s head knot.To do this, slide the loop down through the ring and then bring it back over. Pull down on the cords to tighten the knot.
- Then tape the keychain piece to your working surface. This makes it a lot easier to make knots and work with the beads.
- For a pony bead pumpkin you’ll need green and orange beads. To make a jack-o-lantern you’ll also need black beads.
Step 3: Add the first beads
- To make your pony bead pumpkin you’ll be working with the ends of the cords, first attaching beads to one strand, and then the other.For Row 1, begin by adding 1 green pony bead to the left cord. (You can also do the right cord if it’s more comfortable to you.)
- Take the end of the right cord and push it through the right side of the bead, so it’s attached to both cord ends.
- Pull the cord ends so that the bead ends up centered and against the knot.
- For Row 2 add 2 green beads to the left cord.
- Again, put the right cord through the other side of the beads and pull the cord ends so it’s snug against Row 1.
Step 4: Finish the pumpkin pattern
- For Row 3 add 5 orange beads in the same way.Starting with Row 4 we’re going to be adding beads of different colours. Thread on 2 orange, 1 black, 2 orange, 1 black, and 2 orange.
- Follow this pattern to make the rest of the jack-o-lantern:Row 5: 4 orange, 1 black, 4 orangeRow 6: 1 orange, 2 black, 3 orange, 2 black, 1 orangeRow 7: 1 orange, 6 black, 1 orangeRow 8: 6 orange
Step 5: Complete the keychain
- Adjust the cords as needed, tightening the rows by pulling on the side cords, starting at the top.Then make knots on either side of the last row to keep the beads in place.
- Cut the excess cord close to the knots.Optional: Melt the ends with a BBQ lighter to stop the cord unraveling.
- Your jack-o-lantern pony bead pumpkin is complete!
Helpful Tips:
- Seal synthetic cord ends carefully: If you’re using rattail cord or another synthetic cord, you can carefully melt the cut ends with a BBQ lighter to help prevent fraying. Only an adult should do this, and never melt natural fibers like cotton or hemp.
- Design your own jack-o-lantern face: Once you understand the basic pattern, try changing the placement of the black beads to make different expressions. You can also make the pumpkin a little taller or wider to give yourself more room for a big smile, triangle nose, or other details.
- Lay out your beads first: Arrange all the beads row by row before you start weaving. This makes it much easier to follow the pattern and helps the keychain come together quickly without constantly counting beads.
What’s the pattern for a pony bead pumpkin?
If you know how to make a pony bead keychain you can follow these basic patterns to create your own pumpkin or jack-o-lantern. We’ve used “G” for green, “O” for orange, and “B” for black.
For the pumpkin:
- Row 1: 1G
- Row 2: 2G
- Row 3: 5O
- Row 4: 😯
- Row 5: 9O
- Row 6: 9O
- Row 7: 😯
- Row 8: 6O
For the jack-o-lantern:
- Row 1: 1G
- Row 2: 2G
- Row 3: 5O
- Row 4: 2O, 1B, 2O, 1B, 2O
- Row 5: 4O, 1B, 4O
- Row 6: 1O, 2B, 3O, 2B, 1O
- Row 7: 1O, 6B, 1O
- Row 8: 6O
What type of cord is best for making pony bead pumpkins?
Rattail cord or another nylon beading cord works really well for these pony bead pumpkins. You can also use cord made specifically for pony beads, plastic lacing cord (also called gimp or boondoggle), elastic cord, or even thin ribbon.
Plastic lacing cord is a particularly good option if you want the finished pumpkin to feel a little more structured.
How many pony beads do I need to make this pumpkin keychain?
For the plain pumpkin, you’ll need 3 green pony beads and 45 orange pony beads.
For the jack-o-lantern, you’ll need 3 green pony beads, 32 orange pony beads, and 13 black pony beads.
How can I keep pony bead keychains from sagging?
Pull the cord snug as you complete each row, but avoid pulling so tightly that the beads bunch together or the pumpkin starts to curl.
Plastic lacing cord can also help the rows hold their shape better than softer cord. For an even sturdier pumpkin, some crafters thread the beads onto short pieces of plastic straw and then run the cord through the straws. Thin wooden skewers can also be used to help support the rows.
These pony bead pumpkins are a cute little project for fall, whether you make the classic pumpkin or a jack-o-lantern with a silly or spooky face. Once you’ve made one, it’s easy to experiment with different colours, shapes, and expressions to create a whole patch of beaded pumpkins!
Clip them onto backpacks, pencil cases, or keys, or use them as fun little Halloween decorations. They’re a simple and satisfying way to turn a handful of pony beads into something festive for fall.
Here’s even more pumpkin craft ideas:
Now available
Low-Mess Crafts for Kids Book
72 cute and fun crafts that kids and parents alike can enjoy. All with as little mess as possible!
Where to buy:
You can purchase Low-Mess Crafts for Kids from Amazon, or wherever books are sold:
Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Books-A-Million | Indiebound | Amazon Canada
Leave a Reply