BOO! 6 Days of Halloween Minis Just In Time! PUMPKINS!!!

Many dolls can be made from similar patterns... this week I will be posting 13, maybe it's 14 patterns - including 6 amigurumi mini's.

Yes, you read right... that's GHOSTS, BATS, OWLS, SKULLS and FLOWERS, PUMPKIN and LEAVES, CANDY CORN and WITCHES HATS, and as always... free when posted here on the 12SquaredCreations blog. 

These dolls and many others are listed for sale in my Etsy shop... or you can use these free patterns to make your own.

I designed these patterns to demonstrate the versatility of a single shape with minor changes or simple decorations... All of these dolls begin with a simple ball shape and come out very differently based on what you do with them. The closest to the original shape are the bat and pumpkin, and the farthest is a tie between the ghost and the skull.

Every day this week I will be posting free patterns, today's installment is this super cute little pumpkin!

Supplies
Worsted weight yarns in the colors you need - I used Fair Isle Yarn Liberty Jeepers Creepers Craft Can tangerine, black and grass
**Update: This year I used Herrschners Worsted 8 Halloween Shimmer in Jack-o-Lantern, Batty and Frankenstein
4.5mm crochet hook
darning or yarn needle
scissors
12 mm buttons or safety eyes
stitch marker or contrasting yarn to use as a stitch marker
polyfill or other stuffing. mine is always mixed with the yarn cuttings from previous projects

Abbreviations
MR = Magic Ring
SC = Single Crochet
DC = Double Crochet
TC = Treble or Triple Crochet
SL ST = Slip Stitch
CH = Chain
INC = Increase
DEC = Decrease
F/O = Finish Off

Notes
You are working in the round, using a stitch marker will really help.

These little dolls are addictive, be prepared to go wild with color changes and inspiration... and please, show me what you come up with and tag me at 12SquaredCreations on Instagram so I can see what you made!

Pumpkin

I used Fair Isle Liberty yarn in Tangerine
**Update: I used Herrschners Worsted 8 Halloween Shimmer in Jack-o-Lantern

Round 1: 6 SC in MR (6) Tighten and sew in ends after Round 2

Round 2: INC in each around (12)

Round 3: SC then INC and repeat around (18)

Round 4: 2 SC then INC and repeat around (24)

Round 5: 3 SC then INC and repeat around (30)

Round 6: 4 SC then INC and repeat around (36)

Rounds 7-14: SC around (36)

Round 15: 4 SC then DEC and repeat around (30)

Round 16: 3 SC then DEC and repeat around (24)

Round 17: 2 SC then DEC and repeat around (18)

Sew in buttons or add safety eyes. I placed mine in the space between Rounds 10 and 11, with 9 stitches showing between them.

Stuff your pumpkin until he is really round and pretty firm without stretching the stitches so that you can see the filler between them.

Round 18: SC then DEC and repeat around (12)

Round 19: DEC around (6) and F/O by stitching the front loops of the stitches together and pulling tight. Tie off and bury your ends.

Using Tangerine yarn cut a long length, 2 feet or so, and tie in at the middle of the top ring of stitches and pull the yarn down and insert your needle into the bottom middle ring of stitches and press the needle all the way up and through the pumpkin to the top again and pull tight then tie a knot. I did this three times. I like odds, so I would recommend 3 or 5 cleaves to make your pumpkin very bumpy and cute. When stitching between the eyes or over the mouth, feed the needle under your yarn and work just as usual, the face features will follow the cleave.

Stitch on a mouth in whatever shape you would like. I went for more comical than diabolical. Hide your ends inside the doll.

Leaf and Spiral
I used Fair Isle Yarn Liberty in Grass
**Update: I used Herrschners Worsted 8 Halloween Shimmer in Frankenstein

Round 1: work all in one MR - CH 4, 3 TC, 3 DC, TC, 3 DC, 3 TC CH 4 and SL ST into ring but do NOT cut yarn

Pull the ring tight and sew in the middle yarn tail, you are going to still be using the working end of your yarn.

2: CH 10 and SL ST into the same space on the leaf where you finished the top of the leaf to form a loop as a stem.

3: CH 21 and work your way back along the CH beginning from the 2nd stitch from the hook - 2 SC in each stitch until you are at the last stitch, then SL ST into the last CH and F/O and sew in your end.

I stitched the top of my stem into the circle where my knots for the pumpkin cleaves were located and also did a little whip stitch into the top of my spiral to secure it down but I didn’t sew any other parts of the leaf because I find that I like being able to pose it a little bit.

Go crazy and remember to share your results with me and tag me on Instagram!