Plump Little Pumpkin Knitting Pattern

Finished Size: about 4"–5" wide (can be scaled up or down).

Yarn

Worsted weight (Category 4) — about 50 yds of orange, plus a small amount of brown or green for the stem.

Needles

US 7 (4.5 mm) straight needles (or circulars for flat knitting).

Notions

Tapestry needle, stitch marker (optional), polyester fiberfill stuffing, scissors.

Gauge

Not critical for this project — slightly tighter gauge helps keep stuffing from showing through.

Pumpkin Body

Cast on 40 stitches.

(For a larger pumpkin, cast on more stitches — multiples of 4 work well.)

Row 1 (Right Side): Knit across.

Row 2 (Wrong Side): Purl across.

Row 3: K2, P2 repeat across the row.

Row 4: K2, P2 repeat across the row.

Repeat Rows 1–4 until the piece measures about 8 inches long (or approximately twice the diameter you want your pumpkin to be).

Bind off loosely.

Assembly

With right sides facing in, sew the cast-on and bind-off edges together to form a tube.

With a long piece of yarn, gather the bottom edge tightly using a running stitch and pull it closed. Secure well.

Turn the pumpkin right side out.

Stuff firmly with fiberfill.

Using the yarn tail, gather the top edge in the same way and pull closed.

Shaping the Pumpkin

To give your pumpkin its signature plump segments, thread a long piece of yarn through the center of the pumpkin (from top to bottom), pulling snugly to create an indentation.

Bring the yarn back up and repeat around the pumpkin 5–6 times, spacing evenly to form the “ridges.” Tie off securely at the bottom.

Stem

With brown or green yarn, cast on 6 stitches.

Work in stockinette stitch (knit one row, purl the next) for about 1½ inches.

Bind off.

Roll or fold this strip into a little cylinder and stitch it to the top of the pumpkin.

Optional: You can also knit i-cord for the stem if you prefer something smoother.

How to Knit an I-Cord (Basic 3-Stitch Version)

Cast on 3 stitches onto a double-pointed needle (or circular needle if that’s what you have).

Knit those 3 stitches as normal.

Instead of turning your work like usual, slide the stitches to the other end of the needle.

Bring the working yarn across the back of the stitches and knit them again.

Repeat sliding and knitting until your i-cord is the length you want.

Bind off and weave in ends.

The key is never turning the work — just sliding the stitches back and knitting again. This pulls the yarn around the back, closing the tube.

Pro tip

3 stitches = thin cord

4–5 stitches = slightly thicker cord

You can use the same yarn as your main project or contrast it for a fun accent.

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