Learn how to make a pumpkin wood bead garland for fall decor! Simple step-by-step instructions using Dollar Tree beads, twine, hot glue, and mini foam pumpkins.
How to make a charming fall garland using dollar store supplies: wood beads, mini foam pumpkins, and twine.
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Looking for a fun, budget-friendly fall craft that comes together in under an hour? This adorable pumpkin wood bead garland is perfect for styling shelves, tiered trays, mantels, or console tables.
We’re using leftover Dollar Tree beads, mini foam pumpkins, twine, and a little paint to create a cozy bit of autumn charm. Best part? You can customize the bead colors to match your fall vibe. Whether you’re into neutrals, bright pumpkin orange, or farmhouse-style whites. Let’s get crafting!
Video Tutorial: Wood Bead Pumpkin Garland
Watch this quick video to see how this craft came together:
Wood Bead Pumpkin Garland
Transform Dollar Tree beads into a cute pumpkin wood bead garland for autumn decorating. Budget-friendly supply list and beginner-friendly craft tutorial.
Materials
- Wood bead garland from Dollar Tree (or loose wood beads)
- Mini foam pumpkins (picks or clip-on styles)
- Waverly chalk paint in Pumpkin (or any orange paint)
- White wood beads (optional)
- Unfinished wood beads (optional)
- Parchment paper
- Hot glue sticks
- Painter’s tape
- Plastic zipper bags
- Twine
Tools
- Hot glue gun
- Scissors
- Small craft knife or snips (to remove picks)
- Paper towel or baby wipes (for cleanup)
Instructions
- Watch the video. Follow along with the video tutorial for a walkthrough on how to make your own fall wood bead garland..
- Deconstruct Your Garland. If you’re starting with a pre-strung garland, go ahead and remove all the beads. Separate white/unpainted beads from any colors you don’t want to use. Save red beads for Christmas or Valentine’s Day crafts later!
- Paint the Red Beads. Drop the beads you want to paint into a small plastic bag. Add a squirt of orange chalk paint (Waverly’s “Pumpkin” is perfect), seal the bag, and gently roll, shake, and smush everything around until fully coated.
Lazy crafter tip: This is WAY easier than painting them one-by-one! - Dry the Beads. Dump the freshly painted beads onto parchment paper and separate them so they’re not touching. This prevents sticky spots. Let them dry completely.
- Prep Your Pumpkins. Grab your mini foam pumpkins. If they’re on wooden picks, use scissors or snips to remove the stick. Clip-on pumpkins work too—just remove the metal clip.
- Prep the Twine. Cut a length of twine longer than your desired garland. Wrap one end with painter’s tape and trim at a slight angle. This makes threading beads so much easier and prevents fraying.
- Create Your Pattern. Thread beads in an alternating pattern: unfinished wood, orange, white… and repeat. This creates little “segments” of color that sit between each pumpkin.
- Double Knot the Ends. Tie a tight double knot at each end of your bead segment. Leave one long twine tail on the final pumpkin—this becomes your hanging loop later.
- Attach to the Pumpkins. Because foam pumpkins are solid, threading through them is tricky. Instead: Use a craft knife or pokey tool to make a small hole in the pumpkin side. Fill the hole with a dab of hot glue. Press the knotted end of the bead segment into the glue. Hold for a few seconds until secure. Repeat at the opposite end of your garland run.
- Add Hanging Length. Leave an extra long piece of twine at one end so you can hang your garland on hooks, beads, trays, or across shelf edges.
The finished craft
This cute little pumpkin wood bead garland is the perfect mix of seasonal charm, color, and cozy texture. And you can make it entirely with budget-friendly Dollar Tree supplies! Customize the bead pattern, change up the pumpkin style, or adjust the length to fit your space. Whether you’re decorating a tiered tray, coffee bar, or mantel, this DIY brings instant fall goodness to any nook.
Don’t forget to PIN this craft for later:
