R3 Pumpkin

Small for a pumpkin, but big for an ODDknit. Most of the design is knitted in the flat,
but the stem is done in the round.

You will need:

orange and green double knit yarn • toy stuffing
4 x double ended knitting needles (3mm) • tapestry needle • scissors

Pattern (Pumpkin):

Cast on 24 in a contrasting colour then switch to orange. Leave a long tail of your main colour for
sewing up later. Work in the flat, as follows:

Row 1: k –
Row 2: p –
Row 3: [kfb, kfb, k1] x 8 (40)
Row 4: p34 w&t/ k28 w&t/ p22 w&t/ k16 w&t/ p – (40)
Row 5: k –
Row 6: p28 w&t/ k16 w&t/ p22 w&t/ k28 w&t/ p – (40)
Row 7: k –
Row 8: [p1, p2tog, p2tog] x 8 (24)

Repeat rows 1 to 8 nine more times so that there are ten repeats in total. Leave the stitches on the
needle for making up.

Pattern (Stem):

Cast on 20sts in green and join into the Knit the next 8 rounds straight.
round.
Round 15: p –
Rounds 1 to 3: k – Round 16: k –
Round 4: [k2tog, k2] x 5 (15) Round 17: k2tog x 5 (5)
Round 5: k –
Round 6: [k1, k2tog] x 5 (10) Thread yarn through remaining stitches and
pull tight.

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 Making Up:

Carefully unpick the cast on edge of the orange pumpkin body. As you unwind the contrasting yarn
orange stitches become “live” and in danger of unravelling. As you free up each stitch slip it onto a
double ended needle. You should finish with 24 stitches on this needle to match the 24 stitches on
the needle at the other end of the knitting.

We are now going to use Kitchener stitch to graft the edges of the pumpkin together.

Thread the long tail of yarn from the cast on edge onto a
tapestry needle. Hold the two knitting needles together so that
the wrong side of the knitting is on the interior.

Insert the tapestry needle p-wise into the first stitch on the front
needle then k-wise into the first stitch on the back needle.

The next four steps form the Kitchener stitch. Repeat until all
stitches have been grafted together (you will need to stop half
way through to transfer the remainder of the stitches from the
stitch keepers onto the knitting needles).

Insert the tapestry needle:

1. k-wise into the first stitch on the front needle, slip this stitch off the needle.
2. p-wise into next stitch on front needle, leave this stitch on the needle.
3. p-wise into the first stitch on the back needle, slip this stitch off the needle.
4. k-wise into the next stitch on the back needle, leave this stitch on the needle.

Emphasize the bulges in the pumpkin

body by folding the end of each
knitted section into a peak and then
running a thread through them. Do
this at both ends of the pumpkin
body.

At the base of the pumpkin pull the thread tight to gather the sections together. Sew back and forth
over the remaining hole to close the opening completely.

Stuff the pumpkin body through the hole at the top then pull the thread to gather the ends of the
sections together. Leave a hole about 2cm across and then fix the thread in place.

Stuff the knitted stem. Fix the stuffing in place by sewing loosely back and forth across the stem.
Sew the base of the stem to the remaining hole in the pumpkin top.

Lose any remaining loose ends inside the pumpkin.

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 Notes:

Abbreviations

[ ] x number Repeat the section in square brackets the required number of times.
(number) Gives the total number of stitches you should have on needle by the end of the row.
k– Knit every stitch to the end of the row / round.
k number Knit this number of stitches.
kfb Knit into the front and then the back of a single stitch (+1 stitch).
k2tog Knit the next two stitches together (-1 stitch).
p– Purl every stitch to the end of the row.
p number Purl this number of stitches.
p2tog Purl the next two stitches together (-1 stitch).
sts Stitches.
w&t/ Wrap the yarn around the next stitch and turn the knitting. See “Short Rows”.

Needle/Yarn Size

As with most ODDknit patterns the yarn and needle sizes in the "you will need" section are just a guide. Feel free to
improvise with whatever needles and yarn you have lying around - that's half the fun!

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