Paper Mache Pumpkins: A Reusable Pumpkin Project

Real pumpkins are lovely for a few weeks and then they are gone. Paper mache pumpkins give you the same rounded, ribbed shape in a form you can paint any color, pack away and bring out again next October, and they are made almost entirely from things already in the recycling bin.

The method is slow more than it is difficult. Most of the time goes to waiting for layers to dry, so plan to spread the project over several days and do a little each evening.

Materials

• Newspaper or plain packing paper, plenty of it
• A thin plastic bag for each pumpkin, or a round balloon
• Twine or thin string
• Masking tape
• Paste: flour and water, or white craft glue thinned with water
• A mixing bowl and a wide, inexpensive brush
• Acrylic craft paint and, if you want one, a clear water-based sealer

Build the pumpkin form

You have two ways to make the base shape, and each gives a slightly different pumpkin.

Crumpled paper in a bag

Loosely crumple sheets of newspaper and stuff them into a thin plastic bag until you have a ball about 6 to 8 inches (15 to 20 cm) across. Squeeze out the extra air, twist the top of the bag closed and tape it. The twist becomes the core of the stem. This form stays inside the finished pumpkin, which makes it sturdy and a little heavier.

A balloon

Blow up a round balloon to the size you want and knot it. A balloon gives a smoother, lighter, hollow pumpkin, but the shell needs at least three full layers before the balloon comes out. Keep balloons and balloon pieces away from young children and pets.

Tie the ribs with twine

The ribs are what turn a ball into a pumpkin. Cut four pieces of twine, each long enough to go around the form with some to spare.

1. Wrap the first piece around the form from top to bottom and back up, pull it until it presses a groove into the surface, and knot it at the top.
2. Add the second piece at a right angle to the first, dividing the form into four sections.
3. Add the last two pieces between those, so you finish with eight sections.
4. Press down lightly on the top to flatten the shape a little. Pumpkins are usually wider than they are tall.

On a paper-filled bag you can pull the twine firmly for deep ribs. On a balloon, pull only until a gentle groove appears.

Mix the paste

Either paste works. Choose by what you have and how you plan to store the pumpkins.

• Flour paste: whisk roughly one part flour into two parts water until it is as smooth as thin pancake batter. It costs almost nothing but dries more slowly and must be used the same day.
• Diluted glue: stir about two parts white craft glue with one part water. It dries harder and a little faster, and it is the better choice in a humid home.

If you are curious where the technique comes from, there is a good overview of the history of paper mache as a craft material.

Layer the newspaper strips

Tear the newspaper into strips about 1 inch (2.5 cm) wide and 4 to 6 inches (10 to 15 cm) long. Torn edges blend into each other far better than cut ones.

1. Dip a strip into the paste, or brush paste onto both sides, and run it between two fingers to remove the excess. It should be damp, not dripping.
2. Lay the strip on the form and smooth it down, pressing it into the grooves so the ribs stay visible.
3. Overlap the next strip slightly and keep going until the whole form is covered, twine included. Short strips follow the curves best.
4. Let the layer dry fully before adding the next.
5. Add a second and third layer. Running each layer in a different direction makes it easy to see where you have been.

Three layers are enough for a pumpkin that sits on a shelf. A final layer of plain packing paper gives a cleaner surface for painting, since newsprint ink can show through pale colors.

Drying takes longer than it looks

This is the step that catches most people out. A layer can feel dry on the surface while the paper underneath is still damp, and paint over damp paper mache may peel or let mold develop later.

Set the pumpkin on a wire rack or an upturned bowl so air reaches the underside, and turn it now and then. Each layer often needs a full day, and longer in cool or humid rooms. The pumpkin is ready when it feels light, sounds hollow or firm when tapped, and is no longer cool to the touch.

Add a stem, then paint and seal

Take a half sheet of packing paper, twist it tightly into a rope and bend it into a short, slightly crooked stem about 2 inches (5 cm) long. Fan out the bottom end, tape it to the top of the pumpkin where the twine meets, and cover the join with two layers of small pasted strips. On a balloon pumpkin, pop and remove the balloon through the top first, then cover the opening with the stem.

When the stem is dry, start with a coat of white acrylic paint as a primer, then add your color. Orange is classic, but cream and matte black look good in a group. Paint the stem brown or gold.

Because the surface takes paint so well, every technique from the collection of painted pumpkin ideas works here too. A clear water-based sealer is optional; it gives a little protection against dust and handling, so check the product label for how to apply it.

Display and storage

Paper mache pumpkins are indoor decorations. Line three sizes along a mantel, stack them on a tray, or use them as the anchor for one of these Halloween centerpiece ideas. They also sit well beside softer textures, such as a few no-sew fabric pumpkins.

When the season ends, wrap each pumpkin in tissue and store it in a box somewhere dry, away from damp basements and garages. How long they last varies, so check for soft spots or a musty smell when you unpack them.