Casper's Friendly Pumpkin

Make this cute pumpkin to your halloween decor this year, and add the bonus little sister pumpkin so big sister doesn't feel lonely! The pumpkin is worked in stranded colorwork, catching floats between motifs.

Click here to download the pdf version!

Or just follow along on this page. Video tutorials are down below to get you started.

Finished Dimensions

Large Pumpkin - Approximately 5” diameter

Small Pumpkin - Approximately 2” diameter

Supplies

Yardage Estimates for both pumpkins

MC: Osprey (30 yds)
CC1: Paprika (30 yds)
CC2: Coral (30 yds)

Needles: 3mm (32” long) circular needles for magic loop
Cinnamon Stick
Small stick (not supplied, for small pumpkin)
Stuffing (15 grams for lge pumpkin, 5 grams for small pumpkin)
Tapestry needle

Special techniques

Watch the tutorial video below to learn the 'Ring' cast on, a technique borrowed from crochet for beginning a circular knit.

Abbreviations

beg - begin(s/ning)

BOR - beg of rnd

CO - cast on

dec - decrease(s/ing)

LLI - left lifted increase

rep - repeat

rnd(s) - round(s)

st(s) - stitch(es)

Colorwork Chart

Directions

With CC1 and circular needle, CO 6 sts using the Ring cast on. Place three sts on one side of circular needles and three sts on the other. Beg working in the round starting with the first cast on st.

Rnds 1,3,5,7,9,11: Knit.

Rnd 2: *K1, LLI; rep from * to BOR - 12 sts.

Rnd 4: *K1, LLI; rep from * to BOR - 24 sts.

Rnd 6: *K2, LLI; rep from * to BOR - 36 sts.

Rnd 8: *K2, LLI; rep from * to BOR - 54 sts.

Rnd 10: *K3, LLI; rep from * to BOR - 72 sts.

Rnd 12: *K3, LLI; rep from * to BOR - 96 sts.

Rnds 13-16: Work even.

Next Rnd

Beg working from color chart. Work rnds 1-29 of colorwork chart above. 46 rows worked.

Next Rnd

Beg dec for top as follows:

Rnds 45,47,49,51,53,55: Knit.

Rnd 46: *K2, K2tog; rep from * to BOR -72 sts.

Rnd 48: *K2, K2tog; rep from * to BOR - 54 sts.

Rnd 50: *K1, K2tog; rep from * to BOR - 36 sts.

Rnd 52: *K1, K2tog; rep from * to BOR - 24 sts.

Pause knitting to stuff your pumpkin, then cont dec rnds.

Rnd 54: *K2tog; rep from * to BOR - 12 sts.

Rnd 56: *K2tog; rep from * to BOR - 6 sts.

Leave a long yarn tail (about 6 ft). Thread a tapestry needle with the yarn tail and pass the needle through the six rem sts. Insert cinnamon stick partway into the top hole and pull on yarn tail gently to close around the cinnamon stick. Bring the tail down through the center from top to bottom, and bring back to top halfway between a ghost and a bat. This creates a pumpkin wedge. Repeat 5 more times, for a total of six wedges. Weave in yarn tail at the bottom.