Big Ol' Pumpkin by Lorraine Keeler

Big Ol' Pumpkin

Knitting
October 2013
Super Bulky (5-6 wpi) ?
14 stitches and 17 rows = 4 inches
in Stockinette
US 10½ - 6.5 mm
150 yards (137 m)
O/S
English
This pattern is available as a free Ravelry download

I was looking for a pumpkin pattern with the right bulging, irregular look of a real pumpkin. I decided to do it myself, making the pumpkin’s ridges pop by purling the stitch below every other row, which pulls the purled ridges inward. The vine is worked with a pipe cleaner inside so you twist and curl it whichever way you like. You could make a brown stem instead and add a duplicate stitch face for a jack-o-lantern! Although I used chunky yarn because I wanted a BIG pumpkin, you could use any yarn with this, depending on your desired size.

Note on yarn and gauge:
This pattern can be knit with any size yarn; the only part that will need to be changed is how long you work for the body. Use needles appropriately sized to the yarn, making sure the fabric is tight enough that the stuffing won’t show through. The pipe cleaner might not fit into a 3-stitch i-cord in a fine yarn but you could use wire or skip the pipe cleaner and sew the vine into place.

Materials:
5 DPNs, size US 10.5.
16” circular needle size US 10.5.
2 pipe cleaners.
Stuffing.
Yarn needle.

Yarn:
Brown Sheep Lamb’s Pride Bulky.
MC: 1 skein Orange You Glad (M110), CC1: small amount Limeade (M120), CC2: small amount Deep Pine (M172).

Gauge: 14 sts and 17 rows = 4 inches.

Finished size: height: 5.5 inches, circumference: 33 inches.