Cable Knit Pumpkin : Keep Your Hands Busy!

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Cable lovers beware! This cable knit pumpkin will make your heart jump for joy.

It’s September, aka… fall is right around the corner! It’s time to start knitting some pumpkins for your cozy home fall decor. :)

Get the free cable knitted pumpkin pattern below or purchase the ad-free, downloadable & printable PDF on Etsy, Ravelry or LoveCrafts.

Cable knit pumpkins are the perfect addition to your knitted pumpkin patch! A small pumpkin is ready to stuff in 2 hours, or less.

Bonus: This cable knit design means there are no ribs to create!

Other patterns for pumpkins that you might like:
Knitted pumpkins are the perfect cozy fall aesthetic! Are you looking for a vintage chenille easy knit pumpkin, a soft faux fur knit pumpkin to squeeze or a rustic seed stitch pumpkin pattern?

About the Pattern

This is an advanced beginner pattern. So, it’s helpful if you confidently know the difference between a knit stitch and purl stitch.

Available Sizes: Three
Pattern Format: Written Pattern, No Chart
Pattern Language: English
Skill Level: Advanced Beginner

Techniques

Here are some of the knitting skills you need to know before getting started:

Everyone needs to learn how to knit cables at some point, because they’re absolutely gorgeous AND they’re so much easier to knit than you think. :)

There’s a video below to show you how to C4F, the only knitted cable stitch used in this pattern.

Knit in the Round
Knit & Purl Stitches
1 Cable Knit Stitch
Decrease Stitches

WHAT’S TO LOVE!?

Quick knitting project
Stash busting scrap yarn project
No seams – just knit, stuff, cinch & you’re done.

Yarn & Substitutions

Yarn Weight: Super Bulky
Yardage: 80 – 380 yards {73 – 347 meters}
Suggested Yarn: Lion Brand Re-Spun Thick & Quick

cable knitted pumpkin & several hand knit pumpkins — Knit your own cozy home fall décor!

Alternative Yarn Suggestions:
Lion Brand Wool Ease Thick & Quick
HomeTown Yarn

I used super bulky yarn because it makes it a quick knitting project, which is great for my short attention span. However, if you love bulky or worsted weight yarn, you can easily substitute any yarn. {I give some details in the FAQ section.}

Needles & Notions

Needle Size: US 11 {8mm} Circular Needles with a 16” {40cm} Cable
Extras: Stitch Marker, Cable Needle
Stuffing {polyfill}

Gauge

Exact gauge is not required for this project.

Sizes

Small: 6″ W x 3″ {15cm x 8cm} 80-90 yards {73-82m}
Medium: 9″ W x 5″ {23cm x 13cm} 180-190 yards {165-174m}
Large: 12″ W x 7″ {30cm x 19cm} 370-380 yards {338-347m}

Notes

Not reversible.
Knit bottom up.
Knit using the cable knit stitch.
Knit in the round with a circular needle.
When knitting in the round you’re always knitting the right side of your work.

Video Tutorial

Knitting Abbreviations

*– * – repeat between * to end of round
BO – bind-off in pattern
C4F – cable4front – transfer 2 stitches to a cable needle and hold it in the front of your work, knit the next 2 stitches and then knit the 2 stitches off the cable needle
CO – cast-on – long-tail cast-on method
K – knit stitches – K1 means to knit 1 stitch
K2TOG – knit 2 stitches together
P – purl stitches – P2 means to purl 2 stitches
PM – place marker
STS – stitches

Get the free cable knitted pumpkin pattern below or purchase the ad-free, downloadable & printable PDF on Etsy, Ravelry or LoveCrafts.

Modification Options

Hmmm… what are your thoughts on decorating your knitted pumpkin, like a Jack O’ Lantern? Maybe with button or googly eyes, or black yarn for the eyes and mouth… oh my, you can get super creative here!

How fun would it be to knit some pumpkins for the kids or grand kids to decorate each year!?

At the end of the holiday season you can store them and display them every year and watch your knitted pumpkin patch grow each year and their creativity. Aw, I wish I would’ve thought to do this with my kids when they were little!

several hand knit pumpkins — All the fall vibes.

FAQ

Can I knit this pattern using a different weight yarn?

Definitely! If you cast-on using the same number of stitches with a thinner yarn & smaller needles, you’ll have a smaller pumpkin.

If you cast-on using the same number of stitches with a thicker yarn & smaller needles, you’ll have a larger pumpkin.

Do you want the same size pumpkin, but want to use thinner yarn?

Cast-on more stitches in increments of 5.

Do you want the same size pumpkin, but want to use thicker yarn?

Cast-on fewer stitches in increments of 5.

Can I make it even larger?!

Yes, just cast-on more than the recommended amount of stitches, in increments of 5 and you’ll have more stripes.

If you’d like fewer stripes, but a larger pumpkin, you can add more purl stitches in between the stripes. Instead of *K4, P1* you can use *K4, P3*, in that case, you’ll cast-on in increments of 7.

Print this Pattern

I know many of you enjoy working from a paper copy of your knitting pattern that’s why I offer a printer-friendly PDF completely ad-free on Etsy, Ravelry or LoveCrafts.

That way you can have lifetime access to it and download it to any device and view it from anywhere, ad-free {and the pattern might not be around forever}.

The ads on this website make it possible for me to offer the patterns for free, that way you can try it before you buy it. :)

Thank you so much for your support and joining me on this wonderful knitting journey!

Pattern, Knit in the Round

Buy the ad-free, printer-friendly pattern on Etsy, Ravelry or LoveCrafts.
Save it to your Ravelry Library here.
Pin-it for later here.

CO 45{S}, 70{M}, 90{L} STS, PM and then join in the round

Rounds 1-5: *K4, P1*
Round 6: *C4F, P1*
Repeat rows 1-6 for about 8″ {S}, 11″ {M}, 14″ {L}

Decrease for the Top:
Round 1: *K4, P1*
Round 2: *K2, K2TOG, P1*
Round 3: *K3, P1*
Round 4: *K1, K2TOG, P1*
Round 5: *K2, P1*
Round 6: *K2TOG, P1*

Without binding-off, cut the yarn leaving a long tails, about 10” {25cm} or so, pull it through the remaining STS, cinch it tight, thread your tail through the stitches a second time to reinforce it and then push the tail through the hole to the inside and then tie it off. There’s no need to weave in the ends, just stuff them inside the pumpkin.

Stuff your pumpkin:
Start by adding the stuffing to the outside edge and then fill in the center to your desired density.

Cinch the bottom closed:
Thread your darning needle and pick-up every outside stitch of the cast-on edge. Cinch it as you go. Thread your tail through the stitches a second time to reinforce it. Push the tail into the center, tie a knot and leave the tail inside, you don’t have to weave in the ends.

Weave in the ends, or push them into the center of your pumpkin.

No blocking necessary. :)