Crochet a Halloween Pumpkin. Make it happily orange, stylish, or scary.

Skills Needed

All the minor parts are made with regular crochet stitches. 

The body/head of the pumpkin is made with Tunisian crochet stitches. If you don't know Tunisian crochet, don't worry. You will only need to learn a couple of basic Tunisian crochet stitches to make this, and it can be made with a regular crochet hook (with no handle).

Reverse Stitches

This is totally optional. But if you want to make the wings truly mirrored, a few unusual stitches are explained in the pattern.

I've borrowed the technique from Tunisian crochet where they are called 'reverse stitches'. However, it is different from the kind of reverse stitches we usually relate to, when we do regular crochet. 

See more in the pattern or check this out: Another kind of Reversed Stitches.

Happy Halloween!

Most of us cannot crochet with both hands. Though sometimes it would be useful to be able to.

When I made wings for a pumpkin (yes, for a pumpkin, a Halloween pumpkin), I wanted the reverse side of the second wing to look like the front side. Including the small ridges. 

It would have been great if I could have worked the second wing with my left hand. Then it would truly be 'mirrored' versions of the same item.

There is an alternative. In Tunisian crochet, there is something called 'reverse stitches'. Reverse stitches in the world of regular crochet are usually related to stitches like the 'crab stitch', where you crochet in the opposite direction (right-handed work from left to right).

However, with Tunisian crochet, the reverse stitches are not made in a different direction but on the reverse side of the work.

All you do is: 

• Position the yarn in front of the hook and your work. 
• Then, insert the hook from BEHIND the work into the regular stitch. 
• Yarn-over, pull up a loop and complete the stitch as usual.

Video

If you prefer a video to see how it can be done, then I made one for you here.

It must be Father's Day month as most of the world celebrates Father's Day sometime during June. 

To honor all Fathers, there is a special offer for you - for a limited time only.  

All the StoneGnome patterns made of little crocheted hearts - aka waistcoat stitches - are free or available with a 30% discount.

What to Choose

You can make a pillow from the mandala pattern or crochet something for your father to wear that can keep him warm during winter. Gloves, ear warmer, a beanie, or a cowl. 

The musician Brian Margell recently crocheted an infinity scarf for his wife. See his photos on Instagram @margellmusic 

The Patterns

All waistcoat stitch patterns can be found from the menu Themes > Waistcoat Stitch LOVE.

Paid patterns can be purchased from Ravelry or at the StoneGnome shop.

Use the code DAD2023 to get the discount.
(At Ravelry or at the Stonegnome shop only).

The code expires on June 14th (UTC).

Skill level

More versions

Margie helped test and proofread the original patterns. Check out her latest colorful Junior Eggs from 2023 or her very, very cute Bunny Egg on Instagram. 

Thank you Margie for being such a patient and positive tester and proofreader.

Skills

The Best Hook for Waistcoat Stitches

Yarn-Hook Combos

• Scheepjes Catona (Ravelry) 125m/50gr (138 yds/1.76oz)
• hook size 4mm for the main parts plus a hook size 3mm for the final round (US G6 and D3, UK 8 and 11).

The Red Striped Bauble

Special stitches

Abbreviations

Instructions

1. * With red. 1 ws and 1 ws-c in the next sc,
   ch-c 1 with the white (change color immediately). *
   Repeat all the way. [18]
   
   
2. * With red. 1 ws in the ws,
   1 ws-c in the next stitch.
   With white; 1 slst-blo in the chain,
   1 slst-blo-c in the ws *.
   Start the next repeats in the CURRENT ws. Repeat all the way [24]
   (Keep changing color so all ws are done with red yarn and all slst are done in white.)
   
   
3. * 1 ws in the current stitch,
   1 ws-c in the next stitch,
   1 slst-blo in each slst,
   1 slst-blo-c in the ws * [30]
   
   
4. Repeat round 3. [36]
   
   
5. Repeat round 3. [42]

Start filling the bauble. Depending on your tension, yarn, and more, the white part might arch inward. Use this if you like - or fill the bauble firmly in the end, if you want a very round ball.

2nd Half of the Red Ball

6. Begin this round in the ‘current ws’ and make the repeats from the ‘next ws’.
   * 1 ws in the ws,
   1 ws-c in the next ws,
   1 slst-blo in the next 4 slst,
   1 slst-blo-c in the last slst * [42]
   
   
7. Repeat the previous round.
   
   
8. * 1 ws in the ws,
   1 ws-c in the next ws,
   1 slst-blo-dec,
   1 slst-blo in the next 2 slst,
   1 slst-blo-c in the last slst * [36]
   
   
9. * 1 ws in the ws,
   1 ws-c in the next ws,
   1 slst-blo-dec,
   1 slst-blo in the next slst,
   1 slst-blo-c in the last slst * [30]
   
   
10. * 1 ws in the ws,
    1 ws-c in the next ws,
    1 slst-blo-dec,
    1 slst-blo-c * [24]
    
    
11. * 1 ws in the ws,
    1 ws-c in the next ws,
    1 slst-blo-dec-c in the slst. * [18]
    
    
12. * 1 ws in each ws * (Skip all slst). [12]

Final Round
Change to a hook 1 size smaller.

Make 1 ws in the first stitch and unfinished-ws the rest of the way. Every time you have 4 loops (max) on the hook, move 3 loops to a stitch marker /stitch holder (or just a piece of string). The loop you made last, keep that on the hook.

Cut a long yarn end. Pull the yarn end through all the loops on the hook and then all the loops on the stitch markers. Use a needle or a hook.

Fill the bauble - firmly for a round ball.

Tighten the yarn end and use a needle to secure it by going around in the last loops once more.

Insert the needle into the ball and let it come out from the middle of the 'star'.

Shape the Christmas bauble by hand if needed.

Have a Merry Crochet Christmas!

...Psst!

If you liked this, then try other projects using waistcoat stitches and slip stitches. You can find them under the theme Split Crochet.

The stitches are not used much with traditional patterns but are really fun to work with.

• World Heart Day
• Snowflake #1
• Snowflake #2
• A Little Christmas Heart
• Sibling Stars
• Double Heart

Christmas Crochet Ideas