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How to Knit a Pumpkin?

imolaK by imolaK

I Shall Knit a Pumpkin !

At the end of this week is Halloween, so is time to look after a nice pumpkin to make our Jack-o - lantern.

Usually my husband and my daughter are involved in this "project"- my daughter gives the ideas and her father is carving the pumpkin. During this "project" you can hear laughters because my daughter often has ideas which are impossible to apply but she is teasing her father. I love these moments !

Soon is Halloween again, and since last year our family has increased. My son is almost two years old and I thought maybe he will be scared by a Jack-o- lantern, seeing a scary face lightened up by candle light - it won't be all right . Or am I too protective ?!

This year we gave up carving pumpkins, but when I saw the sad face of my daughter. I decided to make a friendly Jack-o lantern. How ? I will knit one.

I took a piece of paper , I drew the mouth, nose and the eyes of the pumpkin and I tried to make it to be scary but funny in the same time. Then I turned it into a model, I decided the colors needed for the pumpkin and I started working.

What We Need For This Project?

If you decide to knit this pumpkin you don't need a great quantity of yarn. You can reuse the remaining yarn from a scarf or a sweater you knitted in the past.

You can use any color you like : orange, green or yellow and also you can combine the colors as you wish.

You, also, need : circular needles ; crochet needle, a sewing needle, scissor, stuffing material.

The Pumpkin's Face

You'll have to follow this model in order to knit the pumpkin's face. As you see the model begins with row 23 and finishes with row 45, just as it is described in the "Pattern" module.

It"s Halloween on Amazon !

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Let's Begin to Knit Our Pumpkin

The Pattern

Row 1: put 10 stitches on your needle ( you have 8 stitches and 2 side stitches)
Row 2 : purl this row(this is the "back" side of work)
Row 3 : knit this row (this is the "front" side of work)
Row 4 : purl this row
Row 5 : now we have to increase the number of stitches. For that, we will increase every stitch from our work and we will have 16 stitches and 2 side stitches. The most basic way to increase is knitting in the front and the back of a stitch.

Row 6 : purl this row
Row 7 : knit this row
Row 8 : purl this row
Row 9 : increase again the number of stitches. For that we will increase every stitch from our work and we will have 32 stitches and 2 side stitches.

Row 10 : purl this row
Row 11 : knit this row
Row 12 : purl this row
Row 13 : increase once again the number of stitches. For that we will increase every stitch from our work and we will have 64 stitches and 2 side stitches.

Row 14 : purl this row
Row 15 : knit this row
Row 16 : purl this row
Row 17 : this is the last time when we increase the number of stitches. But now we increase only every second stitch in order to get 98 stitches and 2 side stitches.

Row 18 : purl this row
Row 19 : knit this row
Row 20 : purl this row
Row 21 : knit this row
Row 22 : purl this row

Row 23 : purl this row but in this row you will insert the first row (of the mouth) from motif/pattern of the pumpkin and also you will insert a purl stitch for separation of pumpkin slices ;
Your row have to follow this pattern:

1 side stitch ,12 knit stitches,1 purl stitch,12 knit stitches ,1 purl stitch,12 knit stitches,1 purl ,20 knit stitches,1 purl stitch,12 knit stitches,1 purl stitch,12 knit stitches ,1 purl stitch,12 knit stitches,1 purl stitch,1 side stitch
( 1__12__1__12__1__12__1___20___1__12__1__12__1___12___1)

In the slice with 20 stitches you will start to knit the face of the pumpkin. Knit until 45th row following the motif. You finished the face of pumpkin


Row 46 : purl this row(this is the "back" side of work).
Row 47 : knit this row
Row 48 : purl this row
Row 49 : knit this row
Row 50 : purl this row

Row 51 : Now we have to decrease the number of the stitches and we do exactly how we increased the numbers of the stitches but now we will decrease it. Decrease - knitting only every second and third stitches together in order to get 64 stitches and 2 side stitches.( 1 stitch is knitted the next two( the 2nd and 3rd) stitches are knitted together; 1 stitch is knitted the next two( the 2nd and 3rd) stitches are knitted together - until you finish the row

Row 52 : purl this row(this is the "back" side of work).
Row 53 : knit this row
Row 54 : purl this row
Row 55 : Decrease by knitting together two stitches (knit together the1st and 2nd stitch; the3rd and 4th stitch ;the 6th and 7th stitch ... until you finish the row). You have now 32 stitches and 2 side stitches.
Row 56 : purl this row(this is the "back" side of work).
Row 57 : knit this row
Row 58 : purl this row
Row 59 : Decrease for the last time by knitting together two stitches (knit together the1st and 2nd stitch; the3rd and 4th stitch ;the 6th and 7th stitch %u2026 until you finish the row).You have now 16 stitches and 2 side stitches.
Row 60 : purl this row(this is the "back" side of work).
Row 61 : Take a crochet needle and and pull the yarn through 18 stitches in order to finish your work; make a knot and you've just ended the pumpkin

Helpful Photos

I hope these photos will help you


You will not have holes in your work if you will twist the yarns.




This is how the back side of your work will look when you make the pumpkin's face.




This is the way how we knit together the second and the third stitches.




This is how we decrease every stitch by knitting two together.

We Finished Knitting the Pumpkin

We finished our work and this is how your pumpkin looks.

Pumpkins For Halloween !

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Just Few More Steps


Sew the two sides of pumpkin, but leave a hole where you will introduce the stuffing material.




Introduce the stuffing material and finish sewing the two sides of pumpkin.




And we have our jack-o-lantern looking pumpkin !

The Pumpkin's Stem


Twist the yarn.




Anchor the twisted yarn to the pumpkin.




Knot the twisted yarn to the pumpkin.




And we knitted a nice pumpkin!



Do You Have a Pumpkin For Halloween?

  • SudokuNut Dec 29, 2011 @ 10:13 pm | delete
    What a fun idea. My wife is just getting started with knitting so I'll be passing this along to her.
  • miaponzo Nov 4, 2011 @ 1:45 pm | delete
    I don't do Halloween at all actually... but this was so cute I just had to BLESS it!
  • cheyennedereck Oct 22, 2011 @ 7:36 pm | delete
    Great lens details where great and the pictures I did one the kids loved it. Thanks
  • Ladydove62 Sep 6, 2011 @ 10:15 am | delete
    Loved all your photographs and your detailed description of how to knit this darling pumpkin. Your story was delightful.
  • Philippians468 Jun 10, 2011 @ 10:50 am | delete
    this might be too tricky for my butterfingers! cheers
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A Great Idea For Halloween !

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My Bio

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Happy Halloween !


HAPPY HALLOWEEN !!!

This So Crafty page written by

imolaK

I am a working mother who lives in Satu Mare, Romania. I like to write and English is my third language.
My interests: family, science, cooking, baking... more »

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