Who can resist a plump cabled pumpkin this time of year? Cables look way more impressive than warranted because they’re actually quite simple! If you’re new to cables, this free knit pumpkin pattern makes nice chunky ones, excellent for beginners.
Knit in the round and shaped with basic knitting increases and decreases, your knit pumpkin is ready to stuff with no seaming required. You’ll bring these pumpkins out every year, so the effort is well worth your crafting time.
Gauge is not important for this project, although you should use a needle two sizes smaller than what’s recommended for your yarn in order to keep fabric tight enough so stuffing won’t show through. Depending on your unique gauge and amount of stuffing, Finished pumpkin is approximately 4 inches tall and 6 inches wide with a 15 inch circumference
Materials:
80 – 100 yards worsted weight yarn
3.75 mm (US 5) needles, (dpn’s or circular for magic loop)
12 inch pipe cleaner
tapestry needle
stuffing for pumpkin (I used polyester fiberfill)
Abbreviations:
kfb = knit in front and back of stitch
ssk = slip, slip, knit (slip one stitch knitwise, then slip secon
m1R = lift the bar between stitches from back to front with left needle, then knit into the front of the stitch.
m1L = lift the bar between stitches from front to back with left needle, then knit through back of stitch.
c5F = put next 5 stitches on cable needle and hold to front. Knit next 5 stitches, then knit 5 stitches from cable needle.
c5B = put next 5 stitches on cable needle and hold to back. Knit next 5 stitches, then knit 5 stitches from cable needle.
Instructions:
Stem:
cast on 5 stitches. Starting toward the bottom of the pipe cleaner, knit an icord around it for 10 inches. Keep pipe cleaner encased within icord by holding it behind stitches on left needle and taking working yarn to the left and around the back of the pipe cleaner each time you begin a new row. Pull first stitch of each row tight to create a continuous icord that will completely cover the pipe cleaner.
continuing in icord, bringing working yarn around back of pipe cleaner with each row:
(kfb, k1) twice, kfb
knit 3 rows in icord
(kfb, k1) four times
arrange stitches on circular needle for magic loop or on dpn’s for knitting in round
knit 3 rows (12 stitches)
kfb, k1, (kfb in next 2 stitches, k1) three times, kfb
knit two rows (20 stitches)
stuff enlarged end of stem lightly and join pumpkin colored yarn
Pumpkin:
purl one row
Increase for top of pumpkin:
(k3, p1) five times for two rows
(m1R, k3, m1L, p1) five times (30 stitches)
(k5,p1) five times
(m1R, k5, m1L, p1) five times (40 stitches)
(k7, p1) five times
(m1R, k7, m1L, p1) five times (50 stitches)
(k9, p1) five times
(m1R, k9, m1L, p1) five times (60 stitches)
(k11, p1) five times
(m1R, k11, m1L, p1) five times (70 stitches)
(k13, p1) five times
(m1R, k13, m1L, p1) five times (80 stitches)
(k15, p1) five times
Cabled sides of pumpkin:
(c5F, k5, p1) five times
(k15, p1) five times
repeat above row four more times
(k5, c5B, p1) five times
(k15, p1) five times
repeat above row nine more times
(c5F, k5, p1) five times
(k15, p1) five times
repeat above row five more times
Decrease for base of pumpkin:
(ssk, k11, k2tog, p1) five times (70 stitches)
(ssk, k9, k2tog, p1) five times (60 stitches)
(ssk, k7, k2tog, p1) five times (50 stitches)
(ssk, k5, k2tog, p1) five times (40 stitches)
(ssk, k3, k2tog, p1) five times (30 stitches)
(ssk, k1, k2tog, p1) five times (20 stitches)
stuff pumpkin
(ssk, k2tog, p1) five times (10 stitches)
break yarn and thread end through last 10 stitches with a tapestry needle. Fasten off and weave in ends.
Download Perpetual Pumpkin PDF Pattern here!
copyright, www.SimplyNotable.com, 2014
Fine Print: We are absolutely flattered that our crafty friends would want to make cute items from our original copyright patterns to sell in their online shops or brick and mortar stores. We are thrilled to grant that permission. We do, however, request that anywhere the item is for sale, (on each and every online listing OR on each item in your brick and mortar store that a Simply Notable pattern has been used), that you link back to us here at Simply Notable so others can enjoy the same free pattern you utilized. When you sprinkle the Simply Notable love back our way in the form of links, it lets us know how much you appreciate the free patterns we’ve shared. The only hard line we draw here at Simply Notable is that the free patterns themselves absolutely cannot be sold.
I love this pumpkin!
I’m going to have to give this pattern a go … it’ll be my first attempt at cables!
Yay Lucy! You’ll master those cables with this one, I tell ya! 🙂
Too cute!!! I’ll have to try these between KAL’s. And socks. And baby blankets. And hats!!!
Excellent, Paula! If you’re like me, you can just add it to the ever growing queue. LOL!
Maybe it’s been a long work week, I’m having a problem. I am ready to start the cabled sides of pumpkin and I must be overthinking it or something, but it doesn’t work out right. I have 80 sts after finishing the increase for top of pumpkin. What am I missing???
Thank you!
Karen
The cable part involves 10 stitches, then once you complete the cable stitch, there’s another direction to knit 5 stitches, then purl 1 stitch for 16 total. Hope that helps!
Like I said, never knit when you’re tired!! The pattern is perfect and so is the pumpkin! Once I payed attention to what I was reading, I knit up one of these cuties in no time. I plan on making more! Thank you for such a great pattern
Thanks Karen! So glad you enjoyed it. I can certainly understand the knitting when tired issue. I’ve tinked back many a project just for that very reason! 🙂
I just adore this pumpkin Thanks so much!
You’re so welcome, Denise! Happy Halloween Knitting! 🙂
Thank you so much for making this pattern available! I just learned how to knit a cable so I’m very excited to attempt this ornament (wish me luck!)
Good Luck Barb. You can do it! 🙂
I am in love with this pattern! I cannot wait to make a basketful to garner my table for October and November… Have you thought about making patterns for a few gourds too?!
Thank you so much for this pattern – its the most beautiful design I’ve seen!
You are so welcome Ann!