Halloween knits

I know some of you will be thinking it is a bit early, but when you have as many on-going projects as I do it’s better to start early with these things, don’t be surprised if I post some Christmas stuff in October.

The thing most children love and most parents hate about Halloween is the sweets. Each year I try and knit a different gift for the children I know to give rather than sweets. This year I have compromised a bit and decided on a ghost lollypop cover as well as a pumpkin bag for holding a tangerine. If you wish you could cut a section of toilet roll holder and insert it to keep the shape of the bag and put a selection of small sweets or jewellery in the bag rather than fruit.

 

The pumpkin bag is made with oddments of orange and green wool, using 3.25 needles.

I have tried to make the pattern as simple as possible so that even beginners can make it – like those in my craft class.

If you have any problems of find any errors please comment on the post.

Abbreviations:

K- knit

P- purl

Inc- increase by knitting into the front and back of the stitch

2 tog – knit 2 stitches as one to decrease one stitch

 (    )– repeat the stitches within the brackets only, not those before or after.

Yrn – wrap the wool over the needle to create a stitch which will be knitted on the next row.

If you are unsure about yrn you can skip this and knit a normal row, this will mean you do not have any holes to thread the “vine” through to tie the pumpkin. You can still use a darning needle to thread the wool through to create the drawstring effect.

Cast on 9 stitches

K inc all stitches – 18 stitches

P inc all stitches – 36

P1 (K6, P2) to end

**P2 (K6,P2) to end

K2(P6 K2)**

Repeat the last two rows 8 more times which will be 16 rows

K2 tog (P6, K2 tog) to end

(K2 tog k5)to last 6 stitches K4 K2 tog – 30 stitches

(p2 tog, P4) to end – 25 stitches

(K2 tog, yrn) to last 2 stitches, K2 tog

Change to green wool

P 1 row          

Cast off loosely

Create a twisted cord

Measure a length of green wool 3 times the length you require

Secure one end (I tie it to a door handle) then simply twist the wool round for a few minutes. Some people find it easier to tie the wool to a pen and rotate it but I just roll it between my fingers. The wool will start to kink, the more it kinks the tighter your cord will look. Place your finger roughly in the centre of the wool then bring the two ends together, the wool will start to twist round itself, pull the centre even until any tangles have disappeared. Tie a knot at the end of the cord.

If you have trouble following my directions there are a number of videos on you tube showing how it is done.

Thread the cord through the holes at the top of the pumpkin.

When I first started to create a pattern for the ghost lollypop cover I had planned to make them all the same. However as I could not decide which looked best I have decided that I am just going to create loads of different ghosts. Every time I show them to my friends and ask which one they think is best the all pick a different one so I think I have made the right decision. I haven’t finished putting faces on them yet and knowing me I will be doing that the day I give them out