This melancholy miniature pumpkin doll is a perfect decorative piece for Halloween. Despite its small size, the little pumpkin packs a lot of character and is a perfect comfort buddy or a traveling companion.

Pattern notes: This pumpkin doll is meant to be knitted, stuffed, and then felted (fulled) using the washing machine. The pumpkin head, body and limbs are knitted separately. The head and body are knitted top-down in the round using DPNs. The limbs are part crocheted, part knitted as I-cords using DPNs. The pumpkin will be assembled after felting.

MATERIALS AND TOOLS

YARN:
Fingering weight wool yarn (about 3,5 m/ 4 yd) in orange (Yarn A) and 14 m /15.5 yd in green (Yarn B).

Naturally coarse, minimally treated lambswool yarn works best since the pumpkin will be felted in the washing machine. Samples were knit with plant-dyed fingering weight Estonian lambswool yarn. Alpaca, mohair, angora, etc. are not recommended since they felt too well and the “roots” would be ruined with felting.

NEEDLES:
A set of size 2,5 mm (US 1.5) double-pointed needles

OTHER SUPPLIES:
● A small amount of wool stuffing
● A tapestry needle, a dollmaking needle, sewing needles and pins
● Crochet hook (f.e 2 mm, US 4 (Steel Crochet Hook size))
● Seed beads (for eyes). I used matte black seed beads for the sample. You can also use thread to embroider eyes.
● Sewing thread in black and complimentary to your yarn color
● Strong polyester thread. I used off-white Jean Stitch Thread from BearBasics.co.uk.
● Scrap yarn or stitch markers (optional)
● Small canvas bags, a mesh bag and a washing machine (optional)

TECHNIQUES USED:
Long-tail cast on, knitting in the round on DPNs, knitting I-cord, increases, decreases, crocheting chain stitch, simple embroidery.

FINISHED SIZE:
Size depends on what kind of yarn & needles you are using, and if you felt the item, or not. The sample is approx. 17 cm/6.75 in tall. You can easily scale them up by going up a needle size and using thicker yarn.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
As this item will be felted, gauge is not very important, just make sure that your stitches are tight enough, so the stuffing does not show through. You may want to go down a needle size if that happens. Felting might also help. You could also make this doll in any other fiber yarn, for example using cotton or superwash merino yarn. The yarn & needle combination works if you plan to felt the item afterwards. If you are using cotton, merino or superwash merino and wish to skip felting, I suggest you either go down a needle size or two; or use DK weight yarn instead of fingering weight yarn. The root limbs will also look different then.

The finished doll is very tiny and not suitable for young children under the age of 3.

KITS with plant-dyed yarns will soon be available via MLindDolls Etsy shop.