Professor Pumpkin is a soft, round plastic bag holder with a little personality. The body is a blush pink pumpkin with neat vertical ribs. On top sit a chocolate brown stem, a curly tendril and two sage green leaves. The face has round brown glasses, black eyes, rosy cheeks and a small smile.
You push bags in through the top opening and pull them out one at a time through an arched “mouth” low on the front. Small brown arms sit on each side and two round brown feet sit at the base. A pink loop at the back lets it hang from a hook or peg.
The pattern uses US crochet terms. The finished body is about 8 in (20.3 cm) wide and 8 in (20.3 cm) tall when it is filled with bags. With the stem it stands about 10 in (25.4 cm) tall, and the loop rises about 3 in (7.6 cm) above the rim.
The construction is simple. You crochet one flat ribbed rectangle in single crochet through the back loop only. Then you seam it into a tube, leaving a gap for the mouth, close the bottom and gather the top into a small opening. You make the small parts separately and sew them on.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: body 8 in (20.3 cm) wide x 8 in (20.3 cm) tall; 10 in (25.4 cm) tall with stem
- Skill level: Easy to intermediate
- Terminology: US crochet terms
- Yarn weight: Worsted (#4)
- Hooks: 5.0 mm (H-8) for the body; 4.0 mm (G-6) for small parts
- Number of pieces: 1 finished item (one body panel plus small sewn-on parts)
- Layout: Single body, with the seam and mouth at center front
- Body panel size (flat): 10 in (25.4 cm) tall x 24 in (61.0 cm) wide
- Size before border: 8 in (20.3 cm) wide x 8 in (20.3 cm) tall; top opening about 3 in (7.6 cm) across
- Border depth: about 0.25 in (0.6 cm) around the top opening and the mouth
Materials
Choose a smooth worsted acrylic or cotton-acrylic blend. Smooth yarn shows the ribs clearly and holds up to daily use.
- Blush pink (body, loop): 120 g, about 216 m
- Chocolate brown (stem, tendril, arms, feet, glasses): 25 g, about 45 m
- Sage green (leaves): 10 g, about 18 m
- Rose pink (cheeks): 5 g, about 9 m
- Black (smile): 2 m scrap
All quantities include a margin of roughly 20 percent.
Tools:
– 5.0 mm (H-8) and 4.0 mm (G-6) hooks
– Two 12 mm black safety eyes
– About 20 g fiberfill
– Tapestry needle
– Stitch markers
– Scissors, tape measure and pins
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch – chain
- sl st – slip stitch
- sc – single crochet
- hdc – half double crochet
- dc – double crochet
- sc2tog – single crochet 2 together
- inc – 2 sc in the same stitch
- dec – invisible decrease through the front loops of the next 2 sts
- MR – magic ring
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- rnd – round
Special stitch – sc BLO: Single crochet worked into the back loop only. Each row leaves its front loops as a raised ridge. Once the panel is turned sideways and seamed, these ridges become the vertical pumpkin ribs.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Body gauge: 16 sc BLO and 18 rows = 4 in (10.2 cm) with the 5.0 mm hook.
Small-parts gauge: about 5 sc and 5 rnds = 1 in (2.5 cm) with the 4.0 mm hook. Keep it tight so the stuffing doesn’t show.
Test the panel first: ch 41 and work 18 rows as written below. That swatch is the first 4 in (10.2 cm) of the real panel, so nothing is wasted.
Checkpoints:
- Foundation: 40 sts = 10 in (25.4 cm)
- Row 18: panel is 4 in (10.2 cm) wide
- Row 54: panel is 12 in (30.5 cm) wide
- Row 108: panel is 24 in (61.0 cm) wide
- After the top rnds: opening is about 3 in (7.6 cm) across
Too big? Go down half a hook size. Too small? Go up half a hook size. If only the panel’s width is off, change the row count to the nearest even number that measures 24 in (61.0 cm). Then use that number instead of 108 in Top and Bottom Rnd 1.
Body Panel
Use blush pink and the 5.0 mm hook.
Foundation: Ch 41.
Row 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across. Turn. (40 sc)
Rows 2–108: Ch 1 (does not count as a st), sc BLO in each st across. Turn. (40 sc each row)
Fasten off. Mark one long edge as the bottom edge. The other long edge is the top edge. The two short edges are the foundation chain and Row 108.
Checkpoint: The panel is 10 in (25.4 cm) tall x 24 in (61.0 cm) wide, with 54 ridges on each face.
Seaming and the Mouth
Fold the panel so Row 108 lies against the foundation chain, right sides together. The seam will sit at center front.
Start at the bottom edge. Sl st through both layers, matching one Row 108 st to one foundation ch:
- Sts 1–4: sl st through both layers (4 sts seamed)
- Sts 5–16: leave unjoined (12 sts open; this is the mouth)
- Sts 17–40: sl st through both layers (24 sts seamed)
Total: 4 + 12 + 24 = 40, which matches the 40 sts per row. Fasten off after the first 4 sts, then rejoin at st 17. Turn the tube right side out. The seam looks like one more rib.
Checkpoint: The mouth slit is 3 in (7.6 cm) tall and starts 1 in (2.5 cm) above the bottom edge.
Bottom Gathering
Join blush pink at the seam on the bottom edge. Work in rnds.
Rnd 1 (conversion): Ch 1, sc in each row end around. (108 worked 1-per-row-end + 0 extra = 108 sc)
Rnd 2: [Sc 1, sc2tog] 36 times. (72 sc)
Rnd 3: Sc2tog 36 times. (36 sc)
Rnd 4: Sc2tog 18 times. (18 sc)
Rnd 5: Sc2tog 9 times. (9 sc)
Fasten off. Weave the tail through the front loops of the last 9 sts, pull tight and secure it inside.
Top Gathering
Join blush pink at the seam on the top edge.
Rnd 1 (conversion): Ch 1, sc in each row end around. (108 worked 1-per-row-end + 0 extra = 108 sc)
Rnd 2: [Sc 1, sc2tog] 36 times. (72 sc)
Rnd 3: [Sc 2, sc2tog] 18 times. (54 sc)
Rnd 4: [Sc 1, sc2tog] 18 times. (36 sc)
Do not fasten off. Continue straight into the top border.
Checkpoint: 36 sc at 4 sts per inch is 9 in (22.9 cm) around, so the opening is about 3 in (7.6 cm) across.
Stem and Tendril
Use chocolate brown and the 4.0 mm hook. Work in continuous rnds.
Rnd 1: 6 sc in MR. (6 sc)
Rnd 2: Sc in each st. (6 sc)
Rnd 3: [Sc 2, inc] 2 times. (8 sc)
Rnds 4–5: Sc in each st. (8 sc)
Rnd 6: [Sc 3, inc] 2 times. (10 sc)
Rnds 7–8: Sc in each st. (10 sc)
Rnd 9: [Sc 4, inc] 2 times. (12 sc)
Rnd 10: Sc in each st. (12 sc)
Fasten off with a long tail and stuff lightly. The stem is about 2 in (5.1 cm) tall with a rounded tip. Bend it slightly to one side.
Tendril: Ch 16. Work 3 sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across. (15 ch x 3 = 45 sc) It twists into a corkscrew about 1.5 in (3.8 cm) long.
Leaves (make 2)
Use sage green and the 4.0 mm hook.
Rnd 1: Ch 9. Sc in 2nd ch from hook, hdc, dc 3, hdc, sc, then 3 sc in the last ch (tip). Along the other side of the chain: sc, hdc, dc 3, hdc, sc. Sl st to the first sc. (7 + 3 + 7 = 17 sts)
Rnd 2: Sl st in each st up to the middle sc of the tip. Work (sl st, ch 2, sl st) in the tip, then sl st in each remaining st. Fasten off.
Each leaf is about 2 in (5.1 cm) long with a pointed tip.
Arms (make 2)
Use chocolate brown and the 4.0 mm hook.
Rnd 1: 6 sc in MR. (6 sc)
Rnd 2: Inc in each st. (12 sc)
Rnd 3: [Sc 1, inc] 6 times. (18 sc)
Rnds 4–7: Sc in each st. (18 sc)
Rnd 8: [Sc 1, dec] 6 times. (12 sc) Stuff lightly.
Rnd 9: Dec 6 times. (6 sc)
Fasten off and close. Press each arm into an oval about 1.5 in (3.8 cm) wide and 2 in (5.1 cm) long.
Feet (make 2)
Use chocolate brown and the 4.0 mm hook.
Rnds 1–3: Work as for the Arms. (18 sc)
Rnd 4: [Sc 2, inc] 6 times. (24 sc)
Rnds 5–7: Sc in each st. (24 sc)
Rnd 8: [Sc 2, dec] 6 times. (18 sc)
Rnd 9: [Sc 1, dec] 6 times. (12 sc) Stuff firmly.
Rnd 10: Dec 6 times. (6 sc)
Fasten off and close. Each foot is a ball about 1.75 in (4.4 cm) across.
Face Pieces
Glasses rings (make 2): With brown and the 4.0 mm hook, ch 14 and sl st to the first ch to form a ring. Ch 1, work 20 sc over the ring and sl st to join. (20 sc) Each ring is about 1.25 in (3.2 cm) across.
Cheeks (make 2): With rose pink, work 6 sc in MR, then inc in each st. (12 sc) Each cheek is about 0.75 in (1.9 cm) across.
Assembly
- Eyes: Working through the top opening, place the eyes 2 in (5.1 cm) apart. Center them over the seam, 2 in (5.1 cm) above the mouth.
- Glasses: Sew a ring around each eye. With brown, embroider a short bridge between the rings and a 0.75 in (1.9 cm) temple out from each ring.
- Cheeks: Sew one just below and outside each ring.
- Smile: With black, backstitch a curved smile 1 in (2.5 cm) wide below the glasses.
- Arms: Sew one arm to each side, level with the cheeks.
- Feet: Sew both feet to the base, one on each side of the mouth.
- Stem, leaves, tendril: Sew the stem to the back rim of the top opening. Overlap the leaf bases on its right side and sew the tendril on its left.
- Loop: With pink and the 5.0 mm hook, ch 29. Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across. (28 sc, 7 in / 17.8 cm long) Fold it in half and sew the ends inside the back rim, behind the stem. The loop rises about 3 in (7.6 cm) above the rim.
Border
The border finishes both openings. Border gauge matches the body: 4 sc per inch (2.5 cm) with the 5.0 mm hook.
Top opening:
Rnd 1: Continuing from Top Rnd 4, sc in each st. (36 worked 1-per-st + 0 extra = 36 sc)
Rnd 2: Sl st loosely in each st. (36 sl st) Fasten off.
Mouth: Join blush pink at the top point of the slit.
Rnd 1: Ch 1. Sc in the top point, 12 sc down the first side, sc in the bottom point, then 12 sc up the second side. Sl st to join. (1 + 12 + 1 + 12 = 26 sc)
Rnd 2: Ch 1, sc in each st, sl st to join. (26 sc: 12 per side, 1 at each point) Fasten off.
Why the math works: The sides of the mouth are stitch edges, so 1 sc per stitch keeps them flat without ruffling or pulling. One sc at each point anchors the ends of the slit. The top border keeps the 36 sts from Top Rnd 4, so the rim stays 9 in (22.9 cm) around. The mouth stretches into an arch about 2.75 in (7.0 cm) wide.
Final Blocking
- Weave in all ends on the inside.
- Fill the body loosely with plastic bags or a folded towel until it is 8 in (20.3 cm) wide.
- Mist the body lightly with water. Do not soak the stuffed parts.
- Run your fingers down the ribs so they sit straight from top to base.
- Shape the mouth into a smooth arch.
- Let it dry fully, about 12 hours, then remove the filler.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- The panel has 40 sts in every row and 108 rows
- The seam is 4 + 12 + 24 sts and lines up with the ribs
- The bottom is fully closed
- The top opening is about 3 in (7.6 cm) across
- The mouth border has 26 sts and lies flat
- The eyes are level and the glasses are centered on them
- The arms sit at the same height
- The feet let the holder stand without tipping
- The loop is sewn on firmly enough to hold a full load of bags
Troubleshooting
- Ribs slant: You skipped the ch 1 or the last st of a row. Count 40 sts every few rows.
- Panel too narrow: Add even rows until it measures 24 in (61.0 cm).
- Mouth gapes: Work Mouth Rnd 2 in sl st instead of sc.
- Bottom puckers: Bottom Rnd 1 had more than 108 sts. Rework it at 1 sc per row end.
- Stuffing shows: Go down to a 3.5 mm hook for the small parts.
- Stem flops: Stuff it more firmly and sew all the way around the base.
Care
Remove the bags first. Hand wash in cool water with mild soap, then dry flat, reshaping it while damp.
Final Notes
The measurement chain is short. A gauge of 16 sts and 18 rows per 4 in (10.2 cm) gives a 40-st x 108-row panel that measures 10 in (25.4 cm) x 24 in (61.0 cm). The seam uses 4 + 12 + 24 = 40 sts and leaves a 3 in (7.6 cm) mouth. The top gathers from 108 to 36 sts for a 3 in (7.6 cm) opening, and the bottom closes from 108 to 9 sts. The border keeps 36 sts at the top and 26 around the mouth. The result is an 8 in (20.3 cm) pumpkin that stands 10 in (25.4 cm) tall with its stem.
Happy crocheting!