Hello friends! Today, I’m introducing Penny Pumpkin Head and isn’t she just lovely? She has a great head on her shoulders, if you ask me! xD (or rather, she *doesn’t*! Ha!)
As you can probably guess, Penny’s spooky, gravity-defying, hovering head is by far my favourite part of this doll – it is very easy to achieve with the right wire and creates a stunning effect! Let’s dive in!
The Details
The petticoat, skirt, body, arms, and head are worked in continuous rounds. The bow, stem, and vines are worked into a starting chain.
The body, and head are worked from the bottom up. The arms are worked starting from the hands. The petticoat and skirt is worked from the top down.
The petticoat is placed over the waist, then the skirt is placed over the petticoat and crocheted to the body (the petticoat remains free floating). The arms are worked separately and are sewn on during assembly with the wire.
A 16 gauge craft wire is inserted through the arms, torso, and head to allow the pumpkin head to remain free floating over the body.
The finished measurements are approximately 25cm/10″ tall.
Let’s get started! (Or Pin/Shop for later!)
If you’d prefer a downloadable or printable version of this pattern, an inexpensive, formatted, and ad-free PDF can be purchased the following ways:
Materials:
- 2.75mm hook (I use THESE hooks!);
- Hobbii Rainbow 8/6 Cotton in the following colours (1 skein of each):
- Color 03 (skin)
- Color 09 (black)
- Color 101 (rust)
- Color 02 (white)
- Color 100 (deep jungle green)
- Black crochet thread or fine weight yarn for eyelashes;
- 16 gauge craft wire;
- 9mm safety eyes;
- Stitch markers;
- Stuffing;
- Tapestry needle.
Terms and Stitches:
Ch – Chain
Slst – Slip stitch
MR – Magic Ring
Sk – Skip a stitch
Sc – Single Crochet
Surface sc – Surface single crochet – insert your hook into the gap between stitches, then behind the stitch and out the gap on the other side of the stitch, yo, pull up a loop, ch 1 and continue with pattern to crochet across surface of piece.
Inc – Increase. Work a regular sc increase
Dec – Decrease. When decreasing in the round, always use the invisible decrease method.
BLO – Back loop only
FLO – Front loop only
Hdc – Half double crochet
Dc – Double crochet
Pattern
Petticoat (make 1):
Rnd 1: In white, ch 24, join to create a loop, sc in each ch around (24 sts)
Rnd 2: *Sc 3, inc in next st, repeat from * five more times (30 sts)
Rnd 3: *Sc 4, inc in next st, repeat from * five more times (36 sts)
Rnd 4: *Sc 5, inc in next st, repeat from * five more times (42 sts)
Rnd 5: *Sc 6, inc in next st, repeat from * five more times (48 sts)
Rnd 6: *Sc 7, inc in next st, repeat from * five more times (54 sts)
Rnd 7: *Sc 8, inc in next st, repeat from * five more times (60 sts), slst to next st, ch 2, turn.
Rnd 8: In BLO, work 4dc into each st around (240 sts)
Tie off. Weave ends.
Skirt (make 1):
Rnd 1: In black, ch 21, join to create a loop, sc in each ch around (21 sts)
Rnd 2: Inc in each st around (42 sts)
Rnd 3: *Sc 6, inc in next st, repeat from * five more times (48 sts)
Rnd 4: *Sc 15, inc in next st, repeat from * two more times (51 sts)
Rnd 5: *Sc 16, inc in next st, repeat from * two more times (54 sts)
Rnd 6: *Sc 17, inc in next st, repeat from * two more times (57 sts)
Rnd 7: *Sc 18, inc in next st, repeat from * two more times (60 sts)
Rnd 8: *Sc 19, inc in next st, repeat from * two more times (63 sts)
Rnd 9: *Sc 20, inc in next st, repeat from * two more times (66 sts)
Rnd 10: *Sc 21, inc in next st, repeat from * two more times (69 sts)
Rnd 11: *Sc 22, inc in next st, repeat from * two more times (72 sts)
Rnd 12: *Sc 23, inc in next st, repeat from * two more times (75 sts)
Rnd 13: *Sc, sk 2, 5dc in next st, sk 2, repeat from * 11 more times, sk 1, sc, sk 1, 5dc into next st, sk 1, slst to beg st.
Tie off. Weave ends.
Legs (make 2):
Rnd 1: In black, work 6 sc into a MR.
Rnd 2: *Sc 2, inc in next st, repeat from * once more (8 sts)
Rnds 3-6: Sc in each st around.
Switch to skin coloured yarn. Tie off black yarn.
Rnd 7: In skin coloured yarn, sc in each st around.
Rnd 8: *Sc 3, inc in next st, repeat from * once more (10 sts)
Rnds 9-14: Sc in each st around.
Rnd 15: *Sc 4, inc in next st, repeat from * once more (12 sts)
Rnds 16-21: Sc in each st around.
Rnd 22: *Sc 3, inc in next st, repeat from * twice more (15 sts)
Rnds 23-28: Sc in each st around.
Tie off. Repeat rows 1-28 for second leg. Stuff legs. Proceed to body section below.
Body:
Rnd 1: In black yarn, sc 15 around the first leg, then with the first leg still on your hook, insert hook into any stitch on the second leg and sc 15 around second leg (30 sts)
Rnds 2-7: Sc in each st around (30 sts)
Rnd 8: *Sc 13, dec, repeat from * once more (28 sts)
Rnd 9: *Sc 5, dec, repeat from * three more times (24 sts)
Rnd 10: Sc in each st around.
Rnd 11: *Sc 6, dec, repeat from * twice more (21 sts)
Rnd 12: Sc in each st around.
Tie off. Stuff.
Place petticoat over waist. Place skirt over waist, lining up the stitches of round 12 of the body and the starting chain of the skirt. Insert hook through both layers (the skirt and round 12 of the body) at the centre back.
Rnds 13-15: Sc in each st around (21 sts)
Rnd 16: *Sc 6, inc in next st,ound repeat from * two more times (24 sts)
Rnd 17: Sc in each st around.
Rnd 18: *Sc 5, inc in next st, repeat from * three more times (28 sts)
Rnd 19: Sc in each st around.
Rnd 20: *Sc 13, inc in next st, repeat from * once more (30 sts)
Rnd 21: In BLO, sc in each st around.r
Rnd 22: Dec around (15 sts)
Stuff.
Rnd 23: Sc 1, dec around (8 sts)
Rnds 24-25: Sc in each st around.
Tie off, leaving a long tail for closing. Using a tapestry needle, weave tail through each stitch, down through centre and out a stitch in the back. Pull to close. Weave ends.
Sock Ruffles (make 2):
With white yarn, insert your hook into a space at the back of the leg at round 7, then behind the stitch, and out the space on the other side of the stitch (this technique is called surface single crochet – see photo under Sleeve Ruffle section to see where to insert the hook to work surface sc). Join yarn, pull up a loop, ch 1, and work the following around the leg on the surface of the leg:
Rnd 1: Work 4 sc into each st (32 sts)
Tie off. Weave ends. Repeat on other leg.
Arms (make 2):
Rnd 1: In skin coloured yarn, work 5 sc into a MR (5 sts)
Rnd 2: Sc 2, inc in next st, sc 1, inc in last st (7 sts)
Rnds 3-14: Sc in each st around.
Tie off. Switch to black yarn.
Rnd 15: In black, inc in each st around (14 sts)
Rnds 16-17: Sc in each st around.
Rnd 18: Dec around (7 sts)
Tie off, leaving a tail for closing.
Sleeve Ruffle (make 2):
With black yarn, insert your hook into a space at round 14 of the arm, then behind the stitch, and out the space on the other side of the stitch. Join yarn, pull up a loop, ch 1, and work the following around the arm on the surface of the arm (surface single crochet):
Rnd 1: Work 3 sc into each st (21 sts)
Tie off. Weave ends. Repeat on other arm.
Stem (make 1):
Row 1: In dark green, ch 5, starting in 2nd ch from hook, slst in each ch (4 sts)
Tie off, leaving a tail for sewing.
Large Vine (make 1):
Row 1: In dark green, ch 12, starting in 2nd ch from hook, work 3sc into each ch (33 sts)
Tie off, leaving a tail for sewing.
Small Vine (make 1):
Row 1: In dark green, ch 10, starting in 2nd ch from hook, work 3sc into each ch (27 sts)
Tie off, leaving a tail for sewing.
Bow (make 1):
Row 1: In black yarn, ch 6, starting in 2nd ch from hook, sc in each ch (5 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 2: Sc in each st (5 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 3: Sc in each st (5 sts), ch 1.
Sc around edge. Tie off. Weave ends. With a length of black yarn, wind yarn around the middle 3 or 4 times. Tie a knot on the back to secure.
Pumpkin Head (make 1):
Rnd 1: In orange, work 6 sc into a MR (6 sts)
Rnd 2: Inc in each st around (12 sts)
Rnd 3: *Sc 1, inc in next st, repeat from * five more times (18 sts)
Rnd 4: *Sc 2, inc in next st, repeat from * five more times (24 sts)
Rnd 5: *Sc 3, inc in next st, repeat from * five more times (30 sts)
Rnd 6: *Sc 4, inc in next st, repeat from * five more times (36 sts)
Rnd 7: *Sc 5, inc in next st, repeat from * five more times (42 sts)
Rnd 8: *Sc 6, inc in next st, repeat from * five more times (48 sts)
Rnd 9: *Sc 7, inc in next st, repeat from * five more times (54 sts)
Rnds 10-16: Sc in each st around.
Rnd 17: *Sc 7, dec, repeat from * five more times (48 sts)
Rnd 18: *Sc 6, dec, repeat from * five more times (42 sts)
Rnd 19: *Sc 5, dec, repeat from * five more times (36 sts)
Insert 9mm safety eyes between rows 11 and 12 with about 10 sts between them.
Rnd 20: *Sc 4, dec, repeat from * five more times (30 sts)
Rnd 21: *Sc 3, dec, repeat from * five more times (24 sts)
Rnd 22: *Sc 2, dec, repeat from * five more times (18 sts)
Rnd 23: *Sc 1, dec, repeat from * five more times (12 sts)
Stuff firmly.
Rnd 24: Dec around (6 sts)
Tie off, leaving a tail for closing. Top up stuffing. Using a tapestry needle, weave tail through each stitch, down through centre of the head and out a stitch in the side. Pull to close. Weave ends.
Using a length of orange yarn, create 6 sections by weaving the yarn up through the centre of the head, around the outside of the head, then up through the centre again and pulling to tighten. Make 2 larger sections at the front and four smaller sections at the back. To do this, start by making a + sign with the sections (i.e. directly between the eyes, at the centre back and on each side), then divide the back two sections in half again. Tie a knot to secure and weave ends.
Stitch eyelashes using black crochet thread and a nose using orange yarn, if desired.
Stitch stem and both vines to centre of head.
Stitch bow to top of head.
Weave ends.
Assembly:
Cut a length of wire approximately 40cm/15″ long. Insert wire through the right arm starting at the hand, then through the body between rows 20 and 21, and then through other arm starting at the sleeve end.
Sew the arms in place on each side of the body at rows 19 to 21. Weave ends.
Insert each end of wire through the head between rows 8 and 9, approximately 5 stitches behind each eye. Very important: push each end of the wire out through the same stitch at the back of the head. This will ensure the wire creates stability all the way through the head so that the back of the head is stabilized and doesn’t fall backward.
Bend the arms and position the arms and head as desired. Then, with a pair of pliers or tweezers, twist the ends of the wires together to tighten the wires so all pieces are sitting flush together. Trim wire ends as close to head as possible, then poke inside the head.
You’re done!
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