Pumpkin Pin Cushion Pattern #9022

Materials: Clark's O.N.T. or J. & P. Coats Pearl Cotton, size 5, 2 balls of Orange and 1 ball of Brown. Milward's steel crochet hook No. 5. Cotton batting.

Starting at center, with Orange ch 2. 1st rnd: 8 sc in 2nd ch from hook. Join with sl st. 2nd rnd: 2 sc in each sc around. 3rd rnd: * Sc in next sc, 2 sc in next sc. Repeat from * around. 4th rnd: Sc in each sc around. Hereafter repeat 4th rnd, increasing where necessary in order to keep work flat, until piece measures about 2 inches in diameter. Then repeat the 3rd rnd until piece measures 11 inches in circumference. Work without increasing for 3 inches. Then * sc in next sc, dec. 1 sc (to decrease 1 sc, work off 2 sc as 1 sc). Repeat from * around until 24 sc remain. Stuff this piece firmly with cotton batting, and continue to dec. until opening is completely closed. Break off.

Divide pumpkin into 2 equal vertical sections by winding Brown tightly around. Holding thread securely at center top of pumpkin, divide these 2 sections into 4 sections, and subdivide these into 8 equal sections. Fasten securely and break off.

Stem. With Brown ch 2. 1st rnd: 8 sc in 2nd ch from hook. 2nd and 3rd rnds: 2 sc in each sc around. 4th and 5th rnds: Sc in each sc around. Break off at end of 5th rnd, leaving a 12-inch length of thread. Thread this length and make 5 small tucks, starting at equal distances apart on 5th rnd and meeting at center top. This completes lower part of stem.

Make upper part as follows: Ch 10. 1st row: Sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc in each ch across. Ch 1, turn. 2nd and 3rd rows: Sc in each sc across. Ch 1, turn. Break off after 3rd row, leaving a 6-inch length of thread. With this length, sew long sides of piece together; then sew to center top of lower part of stem. Sew stem to top of pumpkin.

With Brown, make 2 ch-10 loops for eyes, and a ch-20 loop for nose. For mouth make: ch 13, dc in 5th ch from hook, ch 8, dc in 5th ch from hook, ch 40, and break off. Sew eyes, nose and mouth in place as in illustration.