The Craftiest Workshop

I had bought a bunch of yarn at our local mission thrift store last winter when they had a 50% off yarn sale. I got two balls of this Robin’s egg blue simply because it matches the colour of our kitchen island.

This week I decided to knit a few pumpkins using that yarn. The first one I made used an entire ball. It ended up being bigger than I thought it would be, more the size of a real pumpkin.

I used 5mm needles and cast on 24 st

Row 1 knit

Row 2 Purl

Row 3 Kfb each st to the end (48 st)

Row 4 Purl

Row 5: “Knit 1, Kfb 1” repeat to end of row (72 st)

Row 6: “Knit 6, Purl 3” repeat to end of row

Row 7: “Knit 3, Purl 6” repeat to end of row

Row 8: “Knit 6, Purl 3” repeat to end of row

Row 9: “K3, P6” repeat

Row 10: “K6, P3” repeat

Row 11: “K3, P6”repeat

Repeat rows 6-11 six times. I made myself a 6X6 grid and checked off rows as I finished them.

Row 12: K1, K2tog (48)

Row 13: Purl

Row 14: K2tog (24)

Row 15: Purl

Row 16: K2tog (12)

Cut yarn leaving about 40cm (I didn’t measure but enough for the bottom, side and top). Thread yarn onto a darning needle. Slip stitches about 8 at a time onto the darning needle and pull through. Continue until all stitches are off the knitting needle. Pull tight to create bottom of pumpkin. I think I turned the knitting over at this point because I liked the wrong side better. It can end up either way.

Seam up the side of the pumpkin. At the top, weave yarn in and out going around the top edge in a running stitch. Before pulling tight, stuff your pumpkin with fibre fill or rags. I cut a branch for my stem and stuck it in before pulling tight. I tied the two yarn ends in a knot and snipped off the excess.

The rest of the pumpkins I made were much smaller and faster to make. I think I finished one in an hour. I made myself two in the same yarn then made two black pumpkins and an orange one. As you can see, I used a variety of different stems. I had enough yarn in that one ball of Robin’s egg blue yarn to make three pumpkins.

I used 4.5mm needles with cheap Bernat yarn (for the black and orange).

Cast on 40 st.

For 20 rows “knit 2, purl 2” repeat.

(optional for more closed bottom) Row 21: “K2tog, P2tog” repeat (20 st)

Cut yarn to 30 cm. Thread onto darning needle and transfer stitches from the knitting needle to the darning needle ten at a time then pull through. Once all stitches are off the knitting needle, pull tight and seam up side. Stuff with fibre fill and weave yarn in and out of the top in a running stitch. Insert cinnamon stick or small twig and pull tight. Tie a knot.

Optional knitted stem:

Cast on 6 st and knit rows to desired length of stem (I think I did 10 rows). Transfer yarn tail onto darning needle and transfer stitches from the knitting needle, pull through. Stitch up side and top of stem or leave top open. You could also put a pipe cleaner inside the stem to give it more shaping capability. Use both the tails to attach it to the pumpkin weaving towards each other and tie a knot.

These are a perfect size to knit as place setting decor for a thanksgiving meal.
I placed one next to a mug to show how small they are.

The tighter closed bottom makes the pumpkin a tad less flat on the bottom and more prone to rolling. After my first pumpkin I didn’t bother reducing that last row.

For some reason the cooler weather this week had me feeling like knitting again and these pumpkins were perfect for getting me back into the knitting mode for winter. I have a knitted patchwork blanket to finish and I want to knit some poppies before Remembrance Day. I seem to be always able to find a knitted project that I want to make.