It’s only April, and somehow… pumpkin people are already back on my mind.
For a bit of background: over the past two falls, I’ve been making felt and fabric pumpkin dolls. They’re my original design, and after last season, I have a feeling they might become an annual tradition.
They’re not only fun to make, but they’ve also become a space for experimentation. Last year, I went in thinking I’d simply recreate the same rustic style from the year before—but that idea changed pretty quickly.
here’s what they looked like my first year:
And here is how they came out this year 2025 (and boy blue up top!) :
Style Shifts
Overall, the biggest change was in the faces and outfits.
I moved away from a hand carved style (more abstract and quirky) and leaned into more classic, modern pumpkin faces.
The clothing evolved too—lots of layered looks. I started adding handmade vests under coats and experimenting with more structured outfits (I addicted to adding tiny buttons and hemming details!)
One unexpected challenge was color. The brighter orange pumpkin fabrics ended up influencing everything else. Many of my older rustic fabrics didn’t pair well—they clashed in ways I couldn’t quite make work. Even though I bought a wide range of felt colors, I ended up using only about half of them.
Next year, I’m seriously considering ordering swatch sets first. Trying to match fabrics blindly was a headache.
Looking Ahead to 2026
I already have a few ideas brewing for next season:
Pumpkin hats
I keep seeing hats decorated with ribbons and tiny pumpkin brooches. I think I could recreate something similar with felt or even clay.
Lavender accents
Last year, I really wanted to incorporate lilac and lavender tones but didn’t quite get there. I love how Japanese and Korean Halloween aesthetics mix soft purples with orange—it feels magical and a little unexpected. I’m imagining an orange pumpkin with a black witch hat and soft lavender ribbon details.
Frills and layers
I’d love to push further into frilly, layered outfits—maybe even a classic apron look with a small black collar. Something slightly storybook-inspired.
Hand-embroidered details
The patterned fabrics I tried didn’t work as well as I hoped. I’m realizing I prefer smaller details—buttons, trims, subtle stitching—over bold prints. Next year, I might use more solid fabrics and embroider small stars or accents by hand.
The Ongoing Challenge
Like last year, I’m still trying to balance creativity with using what I already have.
Now I have leftover orange felts, scrap fabrics, and bits of string that didn’t make it into the final pieces. It’s a strange mix of abundance and limitation.
Part of me misses the simplicity of the earlier versions—when the wool felt blended more naturally with the softer, muddier tones I was using…but find it’s a habit of mine to always love the very original of anything I make. I can’t tell if it’s biased or they actually do look better than polished or more detailed versions…
What are your thoughts?