Cute Textured Pumpkin Pattern

I wanted to make some beautiful textured pumpkins for autumn and after playing around with stitches I found the Alpine stitch just perfect for the effect I was looking for. If you’ve never crocheted the Alpine Stitch before I recommend you watch a video tutorial first. Alpine stitch is a 4-row repeat pattern where rows of front post double crochet stitches are alternated with rows of single crochet stitches to create a beautiful texture on one side and a flat texture on the other side.

Materials:

Any yarn with right size hook.

I’ve used some left over scrappy chunky yarn and doubled my yarn with some sparkly Rico creative lame with a 6mm hook.

Pattern is written in US terms

DC double crochet)

CH (chain)

SC (single crochet)

FODC ( front post double crochet)

Special stitch:

Front post double crochet: Yarn over (2 loops on hook), insert hook from front to back behind the double crochet post below (in this case the double crochet is 2 rows below), yarn over and pull up a long loop (3 loops on hook). Yarn over and pull through 2 loops (2 loops on hook), yarn over and pull through the last remaining loops.

This pattern requires you to chain multiples of 2. My starting chain is 38ch.

Row 1: SC in 2nd ch from hook, SC in 37 sts to end of row.

Row 2: ch3 (Ch 3 counts as your first stitch), Dc in each st to end if row.

Row 3: ch1 (Does not count as your first stitch.), SC in each st to end of row.

Row 4: (now you will be working the next round in the DC sts from 2 rows below) ch3 (counts as a dc), *FPDC, skip the stitch left behind the FPDC and Dc in next st*, repeat from * until the end of the row, ch1, turn (your last two stitches should be (FODC, DC, in that order)

Row 5: Repeat row 3.

Row 6: ch3 (counts as a dc), dc in the following stitch, *FPDC, sk the stitch behind the FODC and DC in next st*, repeat from * until you have one remaining stitch to make, DC in the last stitch, ch1, turn (your last two stitches should be 2DC ( like the beginning of this row) This should make the alternating effect.

Row 7- 12: Keep alternating rows 5 & 6. (you can increase the number of rows to make a taller pumpkin)

Row 13: Ch 1, SC in each stitch to end of row. Fasten off leaving a long tail.

Assembly instructions:

Fold your piece in half on wrong side, you will turn right side out eventually. Thread your yarn needle using your left over long yarn tail and sew a whip stitch along the side. Now turn right way. Begin sewing the bottom of the pumpkin. Down in one stitch up in the other stitch. Continue all the way around. Start pulling the yarn to close the hole tight, secure the hole.

Stuff the pumpkin and sew the upper side of the pumpkin in the same manner as the bottom side and start pulling tight.

Do not cut the yarn yet, Insert the needle in the middle of the hole. And push it all the way to the middle of the other side. Pull the yarn tight so the upper center of the pumpkin will curve inwards. Insert the needle under the closing loops again and repeat the same procedure in the other way around, from the bottom up and keep repeating until you are satisfied with the result.

To finish your pumpkin find some tiny sticks and poke them through the top of your pumpkin. You could use a glue gun to secure.

Please tag me via Instagram @sweet_sharna if you make one.