Crochet Pumpkin Medallion Napkin Rings – Free Pattern

This crochet pumpkin napkin ring brings a practical handmade detail to Halloween. Two flat orange sc discs make an unstuffed jack-o-lantern medallion with embroidered face and green flat stem, mounted on a narrow sage sc ring. The instructions below describe the construction in US crochet terms. Choose yarn for the fabric structure rather than color alone, and compare each checkpoint with your own swatch before continuing.

Make two matching flat orange single-crochet circles, embroider the face on one, then join their edges with a tiny green stem held between them. There is no stuffing. A separate narrow sage band is joined into a ring and sewn behind the medallion. The ring slips over a rolled fabric napkin and removes completely for washing.

Pattern Details

• Hook Size: 3 mm starting point; choose hook from washed swatch
• Finished Size: Planning medallion about 1.9 inches across; band about 0.83 inch wide and 4.3 inches around before seam
• Gauge: 24 sc and 28 sc rows = 4 inches; firm but flexible DK cotton
• Estimated Time: 1-2 hours per ring
• Construction: Two 36-stitch flat discs, three-stitch stem, five-stitch band and sewn join
• Skill level: Intermediate

Why You’ll Love This Project

The decoration is part of a useful, deliberately shaped project rather than a generic motif added to an unrelated pattern. Separate construction stages make counting manageable, while the limited palette keeps the silhouette readable. You can pause between components and check the measurements before committing to final assembly.

Materials

• Planning allowance per ring: 30 yards orange DK cotton, 15 yards sage DK cotton, 2 yards black embroidery yarn; multiply by four for a four-ring set and add swatch allowance
• 3 mm hook, tapestry needle, scissors, marker, ruler and actual rolled cloth napkin

Gauge, Measurements, and Planning

Make a 26-sc by 32-row swatch in orange, wash and dry, then count the central four inches. Six stitches per inch gives a 36-stitch circumference near six inches; dividing by pi gives a circle diameter near 1.9 inches. Seven rows per inch gives a 30-row band near 4.3 inches before its join. These are planning estimates, not measured sample results. Make the two discs at the same tension and compare them before embroidering. The band size depends on the actual rolled napkin: measure around it loosely, crochet the strip to that length plus one row for the seam, and record the final row count. A ring should slide off without pulling the napkin threads.

Make and wash a gauge swatch before beginning. Measure only after the swatch is completely dry. If the stitch width differs, change hook size rather than pulling the working yarn tighter. Keep a written count at the end of every section so the finished edges remain balanced and the assembly points line up.

Abbreviations and Special Stitches

• ch: chain
• sc: single crochet
• hdc: half double crochet
• dc: double crochet
• sl st: slip stitch
• st(s): stitch(es)
• rnd: round
• BLO: back loop only
• inc: 2 stitches in one stitch
• sc2tog: single crochet two stitches together
• RS: right side
• WS: wrong side
• sp: space

Special stitch guidance: Work discs in continuous sc rounds without a joining chain, moving the marker to the first sc. An increase is two sc in one old stitch. For flat band and stem rows, chain one and turn; that chain never counts. Whipstitch means passing the needle through corresponding edge loops of both pieces from the same side each time. Keep the sewn seam relaxed rather than pulling the circles into a cup.

Important Notes

• Pattern development note: stitch arithmetic and written construction have been reviewed computationally; this design has not been physically sample-tested. Gauge, yardage and finished measurements are planning targets, not a tested guarantee. Swatch and check fit before making a gift.
• Beginning ch 1 or ch 2 and joining slip stitches never count as stitches. Mark the first counted stitch of each round and move the marker after completing the round.
• On flat rows, turn after each row and work the first stitch into the last stitch of the previous row. On joined rounds, join to the first counted stitch and do not turn unless specifically instructed.
• Change color on the final yarn-over of the stitch before the new color is needed. Leave a 6-inch tail and weave it back and forth through same-color stitches after construction.
• Use the written stitch counts for structure and your washed gauge for dimensions. Do not silently add shaping increases to correct a measurement; make a fresh swatch with a different hook first.
• Images are AI-generated design illustrations, not stitch charts or photographs of a physically tested sample. Follow the written counts and your measured gauge.

Complete Instructions for Crochet Pumpkin Medallion Napkin Rings

Make Two Flat Orange Discs

1. With orange make a magic ring. Round 1: 6 sc in the ring. Tighten, mark first sc and do not join or turn. (6 sts)
2. Round 2: 2 sc in each stitch. (12 sts) Move the first-stitch marker.
3. Round 3: [sc in next 1, 2 sc in next] six times. (18 sts) Move the first-stitch marker.
4. Round 4: [sc in next 2, 2 sc in next] six times. (24 sts) Move the first-stitch marker.
5. Round 5: [sc in next 3, 2 sc in next] six times. (30 sts) Move the first-stitch marker.
6. Round 6: [sc in next 4, 2 sc in next] six times. (36 sts) Move the first-stitch marker.
7. After Round 6, sl st into the next stitch to level the edge, then fasten off with a 20-inch joining tail. The slip stitch is not a 37th stitch. Make a second identical circle, leaving a short tail instead. Weave the short tails into the wrong sides and flatten both circles gently.
8. Lay discs together with wrong sides touching. Their six marked round-6 segments and all 36 perimeter loops must align without stretching. If one is larger, remake it at matching tension; do not hide the size difference by gathering the join. Separate them again for embroidery.

Embroider a Small Jack-o-Lantern Face

1. Choose the top of the front disc between two outer-round segments and mark it. On the front, mark two eye centers approximately 0.6 inch apart, each slightly above the magic-ring center. Use removable thread marks, not ink on the yarn.
2. Use doubled black yarn to outline each tiny eye as a triangle spanning about two sc columns and two rounds. Fill each with three short parallel stitches. Do not pull so tightly that the disc puckers; each stitch should lie on the surface without a long loose loop.
3. Below the center, embroider a shallow smiling line approximately 0.7 inch wide with four short backstitches. Add two short vertical stitches across that smile to suggest teeth. There is no separate nose or detachable facial piece. Anchor black tails across several reverse-side stitches with two direction changes.
4. Check that the face is upright with the chosen top marker and that black stitching does not extend through the edge loops needed for joining. The back disc will enclose these tails, but it does not replace secure fastening.

Make the Stem and Join the Medallion

1. With sage ch 4. Stem Row 1: sc in second chain and next two chains. (3 sts) Rows 2-4: ch 1, turn, sc in all three stitches. (3 sts) Fasten off leaving an 8-inch tail.
2. Place the stem at the marked top of the front disc, with its lowest two rows overlapping the disc on the wrong side and its upper two rows projecting above the rim. Sew the overlapped rectangle securely with the tail, passing through each of the three stitch columns twice.
3. Place the back disc wrong side against the front. Use the orange long tail to whipstitch all 36 matching perimeter positions once, beginning opposite the stem. At the stem, pass through both discs and the secured stem fabric. Do not add stuffing, beads or cardboard between the layers.
4. Repeat three joining stitches at the end to secure the seam, then bury the tail between layers. The medallion should lie flat, with the stem above the face. Count the edge positions before hiding the end; an accidental skipped segment leaves an opening.

Fit the Band to Your Napkin

1. With sage ch 6. Band Row 1: sc in second chain and each remaining chain. (5 sts) Rows 2-30: ch 1, turn, sc in all five stitches. (5 sts) Do not turn after the last row. This is the standard 4.3-inch strip before seaming.
2. Damp-block and dry the strip. Wrap it around the actual rolled napkin with the short ends touching. If too tight or too loose, add or remove complete five-sc rows before seaming. At seven rows per inch, an extra seven rows adds about one inch; use your own measured row gauge instead when different.
3. Keep the strip untwisted and whipstitch its two five-stitch ends together, matching five foundation positions with five last-row stitches. Try the empty ring and then the napkin. It must hold its shape but slide off easily. Leave the seam at the front for hiding behind the medallion.
4. Center the medallion over the band seam, face outward and stem upward. Sew a 0.5-inch-square attachment on the back disc through the band, then sew both diagonals of that square. Catch only the near wall of the ring, never the opposite wall, so the napkin passage stays open.
5. Pull gently at the medallion and stem to test both joins. Weave ends, remove markers and check that no embroidery floats or seam tails catch the napkin. Repeat the complete recipe for additional rings and use the same recorded band row count if the napkins match.
6. Use as removable table decoration, not a toy, teether, food-contact liner or hot-dish holder. Keep away from candles and young children. Remove the napkin before laundering. Hand wash according to the cotton label, rinse, shape the ring around two fingers, then dry flat without stretching the medallion.

Assembly and Shaping

Embroider only the front disc, sandwich the stem between the circles at the top, and whipstitch all 36 paired edge positions. Join the band ends without a twist. Sew the completed medallion to the band at the band seam through a small central rectangle, keeping the empty napkin passage open.

Lay every component on a flat surface before joining. Match the marked centers first, then divide each remaining edge into equal sections. Work through both layers with consistent tension and pause after each section to check that the fabric lies flat. This measured approach prevents twisting and keeps decorative details facing the intended direction.

Finishing

1. Fasten off with a 6-inch tail; weave through three separate groups of stitches, changing direction twice.
2. Damp-block gently according to the fiber label, check the intended shape, and dry fully before assembly or use.
3. Inspect both sides, all joins, and every decorative attachment; resecure a loose stitch before gifting.
4. Include the fiber content and washing instructions with the finished item. Keep the item away from candles and other heat sources.

For a polished result, weave each tail through several same-color stitches, reverse direction once, and trim only after the fabric has been gently stretched. Block to the listed dimensions without flattening textured stitches. Inspect joins, borders, straps, and decorative pieces before the project is used or gifted.

Helpful Tips

• Count in small marked sections instead of counting an entire dark-colored edge repeatedly.
• Use a pale working surface behind black yarn so both loops of the stitch remain visible.
• Keep a row tally and record your swatch measurements beside the size you selected.
• If shaping ripples or pulls, stop at that checkpoint and compare counts and gauge before progressing.

Good lighting and a contrasting stitch marker make counting much easier. If a section looks uneven, compare the current count with the previous checkpoint before continuing. Fixing one missed stitch early is faster than compensating later, and it preserves the measurements used by the assembly instructions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change the colors?

Yes. Keep the yarn weight and fiber behavior consistent and use enough contrast for the decorative detail. Make a washed swatch with every major yarn substitution.

Is this pattern physically tested?

No physical sample test is claimed. The stitch counts are computationally checked and the written construction is reviewed. Make a gauge swatch, use the measurement checkpoints, and test fit or assembly before gifting.

Can a beginner make this?

This is an intermediate project because shaping and assembly require careful counting. Practise the named special stitches in a small swatch before working the main piece.

Conclusion

Keep the completed measurements and your yarn details with your pattern notes. The finished piece should match the described construction before it is styled or gifted. If a checkpoint does not match, correct the underlying count or gauge instead of concealing the difference during finishing.

BabyYarnie Printable Crochet Pattern Card

BabyYarnie — easy-to-follow crochet for everyday makers.

Project: Crochet Pumpkin Medallion Napkin Rings

Skill level: Intermediate   Hook: 3 mm starting point; choose hook from washed swatch   Yarn: DK cotton

Finished size: Planning medallion about 1.9 inches across; band about 0.83 inch wide and 4.3 inches around before seam

Card Materials

• Planning allowance per ring: 30 yards orange DK cotton, 15 yards sage DK cotton, 2 yards black embroidery yarn; multiply by four for a four-ring set and add swatch allowance
• 3 mm hook, tapestry needle, scissors, marker, ruler and actual rolled cloth napkin

Card Instructions

1. Make Two Flat Orange Discs: Each disc: six rounds, counts 6, 12, 18, 24, 30, 36.
2. Embroider a Small Jack-o-Lantern Face: Two small embroidered triangle eyes and one short toothy smile; no safety eyes.
3. Make the Stem and Join the Medallion: Four rows of 3 sc for stem; align and join 36 perimeter pairs without stuffing.
4. Fit the Band to Your Napkin: Five-sc band, default 30 rows; fit, join and attach medallion without sewing the passage shut.

Finish: Check every count, weave in all ends, block to measurement, and inspect each join.