The Knitting Fiend

Just in time for Halloween, knit pumpkins!

To the left, you can see the felted “proto-pumkin” with 4 ridges on the left and the final pumpkin pattern with 8 ridges on the right. If you follow the directions, your pumpkin will measure about 5″ across and have 8 ridges; this makes a nice “pumpkin like baby pumpkin”. If you like the smoother denser fabric, knit the pumpkin body from wool, trim any long strands, toss the knit pumpkin in the wash with some undershirts, but no bleach. It will shrink to about 4″ across like the 4-ridge pumpkin. Naturally, felting doesn’t change the number of ridges, so yours will still have 8 ridges.

The pumpkin is shaped by knitting short rows using the method I blogged about this morning. They are really easy, but I like to make the toy patterns into tutorials, so I worded the pumpkin pattern instructions to ensure you work the yarn over when you need to. You should also review the specific directions for sealing the short rows in my earlier article.

You’ll also use the three needle bind off, a provisional cast on and knit into the front and back of a stitch.

If you knit the pumpkin from wool, you can also use kool-aid to dye your pumpkin, and/or felt it. That’s what I did!

Yes, this is the amazing “How to learn a zillion knitting techniques by knitting one silly toy” pattern! Even though there are lots of techniques, the toy is easy to knit. Plus, it’s small, so you can learn all the lessons and finish while watching a the White Soxs win the World Series!

To make a pumpkin body, you’ll need some pumpkin colored yarn in worsted weight, needles of an appropriate length, a tapestry needle and some stuffing. To make the little top, you’ll need a bit of yarn in some stem color and a pair of double pointed needles.

Pumpkin body:

Use waste yarn and cast on 14 stitches; knit 1 row. (You’ll remove this later on.)

Set up row: Attach main yarn, knit 1 row.

Wedge A:

• Row 1: Slip 1, k1, kfb 10 times, k2 — 24 stitches on needle. (kfb means knit into front and back of the same stitch.)
• Row 2: Slip 1, p14, turn, backwards-yo. (There were 9 stitches unworked before turning.)
• Row 3: K6, turn, backwards-yo; (– 9 stitches were unworked.)
• Row 4: P6, (purl yo and stitch tog), p2, turn, yo; (– 6 stitches unworked.)
• Row 5: K9, (knit yo and stitch tog.) k2, turn, backwards-yo; (– 6 stitches unworked.)
• Row 6: P12, (purl yo and stitch tog) p1, turn, yo; (– 4 stitches unworked.)
• Row 7: K14, (knit yo and stitch tog.) k1, turn, backwards-yo; (– 4 stitches unworked.)
• Row 8: P16, (purl yo and stitch tog) turn, yo; (– 3 stitches unworked.)
• Row 9: K17, (knit yo and stitch tog.) turn, backwards-yo; (– 3 stitches unworked.)
• Row 10: P18, (purl yo and stitch tog), turn, yo; (– 2 stitches unworked.)
• Row 11: K19, (knit yo and stitch tog.), turn, backwards-yo; (– 2 stitches unworked.)
• Row 12: P20, (purl yo and stitch tog); (– 1 stitches unworked.)
• Row 13: Knit 21, (knit yo and stitch tog.); (– 1 stitches unworked.)
• Row 14: P22, (purl yo and stitch tog); (reached end of row.)
• Row 15: Slip 1, knit 22, (knit yo and stitch tog.); (reached end of row.)
• Row 16: Slip 1, k1, k2tog 5 times, k1,p1 — 14 stitches remain. (Notice that row 16 forms a purl ridge between each wedge. It also draws the pumpkin in a bit, although not as much as you’d expect. )

Wedge B:

• Row 1: Slip 1, k1, kfb 10 times, k2 — 24 stitches.
• Work short rows as follows:
• Row 2: Slip 1, p22, turn, yo. (There was 1 stitch unworked before turning.)
• Row 3: K22, turn, backwards-yo; (– 1 stitches unworked.)
• Row 4: Slip 1, p21, turn, yo. (There were 2 stitch unworked before turning.)
• Row 5: K20, turn, backwards-yo; (– 2 stitches unworked.)
• Row 6: P19, turn, yo; (– 3 stitches unworked.)
• Row 7: K18, turn, backwards-yo; (– 3 stitches unworked.)
• Row 8: P17, turn, yo; (– 4 stitches unworked.)
• Row 9: K16, turn, backwards-yo; (– 4 stitches unworked.)
• Row 10: P14, turn, yo; (– 6 stitches unworked.)
• Row 11: K12, turn, backwards-yo; (– 6 stitches unworked.)
• Row 12: P9, turn, yo; (– 9 stitches unworked.)
• Row 13: k6, turn, backwards-yo; (– 9 stitches unworked.)
• Row 14: P6, (purl yo and stitch tog), p2, [(purl yo and stitch tog), p1] 2 times, p1; (reached end of row.)
• Row 15: Slip 1, knit up to first yo, (knit yo and stitch tog.) k2, [(knit yo and stitch tog.) k1] 2 times, k1; (reached end of row.)
• Row 16: Slip 1, k1, k2tog 5 times, k1, p1 (– 14 stitches).

Alternate making wedges A and B until you have a total of 8 wedges; if you’d like a fatter, flatter pumpkin, make 10 wedges.

Pick up stitches near the cast on and remove the waste yarn. Work a “three needle bind-off. Break yarn leaving a long tail which you can use to sew the pumpkin holes closed.

If you plan to felt your pumpkin, sew one hole closed before felting. Then throw it in the wash with some t-shirts but no bleach. Trim any long strands, because they’ll just felt! As the pumpkin dries, try to gently form it into shape. (I inserted a small spoon into the sides and sort of encouraged the the wedges to “bulge”.)

If you to dye your pumpkin, do so now. Be sure to dye an extra strand of yarn for sewing. Let the pumpkin dry, and, once again, gently form the pumpkin to encourage the wedges to bulge.

When the pumpkin is dry, sew the bottom closed. I do this by threading a tapestry needle, basting around the edge stitches in a circle and then pulling tight. The hole closes right up.

Stuff the pumpkin; and push from the inside gently to help form bulges in the pumpkin wedges. Sew the top closed. Before breaking thread, insert the tip of the needle through the top center of the pumpkin; push it out the bottom. Pull to draw the bottom and top toward each other, then tack the thread, and make a knot at the bottom. Anchor thread, and trim.

If you like, insert the tapestry needle into the pumpkin near the center of each wedge and gently pull to encourage the wedges to bulge out.

Stem:
Cast on 6 stitches using a double pointed needle. Work 6 stitch Idiot Cord for about 6 rows. Break yarn leaving a long tail. Thread tail on a tapestry needle, and run through live stitches, then run the thread through the center of the I-cord using the tapestry needle. Attach the stem to the pumpkin top. Anchor all loose ends, and tidy up.