By Kristin M. Roach
With candy corn on my mind this month, I came up with a fun knitting pattern that can be finished before Halloween. This pattern starts at the bottom and works its way up to the top, in the round. You’ll stuff it as you go along, filling the bottom with rice or dried beans (or safety plush beads, if you have them), then stuffing on top of that. Embroider on the face before knitting up the feet.
And most importantly, always remember to brush your teeth or they might end up like this little guy’s.
Materials and Specs
25g each of four yarn colors. I used Berroco Vintage (3.5oz/100g; weight 50% acrylic, 40% wool, 10% nylon): Pumpkin 5176 (Orange – Color A), Tang 5164 (Yellow – Color B), Mochi 5101 (White – Color C), Chocolate 5179 (Brown – Color D)
1 cup rice, dried beans, or plastic pellets
Poly-fil
1/2″ oval of felt, fleece, or natural cotton batting
Thread
US #4 (3.5mm) double-pointed knitting needles
Yarn needle
1 stitch marker
Hand-sewing needle
Embroidery needle
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Download the Candy Corn Creature PDF Right click to save the PDF to your desktop. Directions on downloading PDFs. |
Gauge
20sts and 28 rows = 4″ x 4″
Abbreviations
K = knit
RS = right side
St(s) = stitch(es)
K2tog = knit two stitches together; decreases one stitch
Ssk = slip two stitches, knit the two slipped stitches together
Rnd = round
Kitchener stitch
The kitchener stitch is a great way to make a seamless finish. It’s most commonly used for the toes of socks, but it’s also a great technique for knit plushies. KnittingHelp.com has the best video tutorial around.
Pattern
Bottom:
Using Color A, cast on 20 sts and work stockinette stitch using two needles for 16 rows, ending on a wrong-side row. Slip the first stitch of each row – this will make it easier to pick up the stitches for the body of the candy corn.
Body:
Row 1: Needle 1 – K1, place marker, knit to end of row. Needle 2 – Pick up and knit 8 stitches from the side of row. Needle 3 – Pick up and knit 20 stitches along the cast-on edge. Needle 4 – Pick up and knit 8 stitches from the side of row – 48 stitches total.
Rnd 2-8: Join in the round and knit all.
Rnd 9-10: Change to Color B – knit all.
Rnd 11 (decrease round): K1, ssk, knit to last 3 sts on Needle 1, k2tog, k2, ssk, knit to last 3 sts of round, ssk, k1.
Rnd 12-16: Knit all.
Rnd 17 (decrease round): K1, ssk, knit to last 3 sts on Needle 1, k2tog, knit to Needle 3, k1, ssk, knit to last 3 sts on Needle 3, ktog, knit to end.
Rnd 18-21: Knit all.
Rnd 22 (decrease round): K1, ssk, knit to last 3 sts on Needle 1, k2tog, k2, ssk, knit to Needle 3, k1, ssk, knit to last 3 sts of needle 3, k2tog, knit to last 3 sts of round, k2tog, k1.
Rnd 23-26: Knit all.
Rnd 27 (decrease round): K1, ssk, knit to last 3 sts on Needle 1, k2tog, knit to Needle 3, k1, ssk, knit to last 3 sts on Needle 3, ktog, knit to end.
Rnd 28 & 29: Knit all.
Rnd 30 & 31: Change to Color C – knit all.
Rnd 32 (decrease round): K1, ssk, knit to last 3 sts on Needle 1, k2tog, k2, ssk, knit to Needle 3, k1, ssk, knit to last 3 sts of Needle 3, k2tog, knit to last 3 sts of round, k2tog, k1.
Rnd 33 & 34: Knit all.
Rnd 35 (decrease round): K1, ssk, knit to last 3 sts on Needle 1, k2tog, k2, ssk, knit to Needle 3, k1, ssk, knit to last 3 sts of Needle 3, k2tog, knit to last 3 sts of round, k2tog, k1.
Rnd 36 & 37: Knit all.
If you haven’t already, now is a good time to fill the bottom of the candy corn with your rice, beans, or pellets, and stuff it the rest of the way with Poly-fil. Just a few more rows and the body will be all finished up.
Rnd 38 (decrease round): K1, ssk, knit to last 3 sts on Needle 1, k2tog, k2, ssk, knit to Needle 3, k1, ssk, knit to last 3 sts of Needle 3, k2tog, knit to last 3 sts of round, k2tog, k1.
Rnd 39: Knit all.
Rnd 40 (decrease round): K1, ssk, knit to last 3 sts on needle 1, k2tog, k2, ssk, knit to Needle 3, k1, ssk, knit to last 3 sts of Needle 3, k2tog, knit to last 3 sts of round, k2tog, k1.
Rnd 41: Knit all Needle 1, ssk, knit all stitches on Needle 3, k2tog.
Rearrange the stitches, moving the single stitches from Needles 2 and 4 to Needle one, so there are 6 stitches on each needle and the tip of the candy corn will lay flat when you graph the opening shut.
Use the kitchener stitch to close the gap. Weave in your end.
Face:
Use the needle and thread to sew a little oval of fleece to the face. Using Color D, use a backstitch to outline the mouth and “draw” the teeth. Stitch the eyes next. You can use the same I did – just little “v”s. Or you can use one of the alternates above.
Feet:
With Color D – Pick up and knit 12 sts on 3 needles in the round, 4 sts on each needle as in figure 2.
Rnd 1-12: Knit all.
Split for toes
K3, skip to last 3 sts and knit.
K6 sts in the round for 4 rnds.
K2tog all for 1 round, cut yarn, and weave through remaining 3 sts, weave in ends.
Join in yarn and repeat for remaining 6 sts.
Pick up and knit 6 sts between the 2 toes – 2 sts on each side of toes, 1 st from each side of the middle.
Repeat all for the other leg and foot on the opposite side of the bottom.
Weave in all the ends and enjoy!
Author Bio:
Kristin M. Roach, creator of the popular website Craft Leftovers, is the author of Mend It Better (Due out February 2012). As founder of the nonprofit Ames C.art, she enjoys organizing community art programs and inspiring others to live creatively. Her designs have been featured in a variety of publications, including Interweave Knits, Knitscene, CRAFT, MAKE, and the book Button It Up, by Susan Beal. She lives in Iowa with her husband and a mini-farm worth of animals.
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