Crochet Pumpkin Poncho: The pattern and bodging tips!

This is a day's work. Max. All of my patterns are shift-able, mess-around-able and not too precise. Perfect for learners, free form thinkers and the basically-crap-at-reading-instruction types. 

You will need:  

• Small amount of green chunky;
• 3 x 100g balls of orange chunky;
• 4mm Hook;
• Button;
• A 2yr old to make look cute. 

General Notes:

This is all worked in treble (tr), double (dc) and with bobbles. 

To make a bobble stitch, you need to yarn over (yo) as with any other treble, insert your hook into the stitch, yo, pull out and repeat twice more, then insert your hook, yo and pull through all except the last stitch on your hook. It helps if you wiggle the hook on its way through. Then yo hook and pull through the remaining stitches (like the second stage of a treble). You should have a puffy, chunky bobble in your work. 

Start in Green.

1. Ch49. The last 3 ch are your turning chains;
2. Work your foundation chain in tr to the end, ch3, turn;
3. 3tr, 2tr in same stitch, *4tr, 2tr in same stitch* repeat ** to end. Join in orange with the last stitch, ch3 and turn. 

Continue in Orange.

1. 5tr, 2tr in same stitch, bobble. 4tr, 2tr in same stitch, tr, bobble. 3trc, 2tr in same stitch, 2tr, bobble. 2tr, 2tr in same stitch, 3tr, bobble. Tr, 2tr in same stitch, 4tr, bobble. 2tr in same stitch, 5tr, bobble. 5tr, 2tr in same stitch, bobble. 4tr, 2tr in same stitch, bobble. Ch3, turn;
2. Bobble, 5tr, 2tr in same stitch, bobble. 5tr, 2tr in same stitch, tr, bobble. 4tr, 2tr in same stitch, 3tr, bobble. 2tr, 2tr in same stitch, 4tr, bobble. Tr, 2tr in same stitch, 5tr, bobble. 2tr in same stitch, 6tr, bobble. 6tr, 2tr in same stitch, bobble. 5tr, 2tr in same stitch, tr, ch3, turn.

The next sections are worked in panels to leave gaps for the arm holes and the slit at the neck back. The sections are back right, back left and front. It doesn’t really matter from this point on if you go too wonky with the increases and decreases as long as the bobbles run in straight lines from top to bottom. Basically if you see a bobble in the row below, work a bobble!

Back Right.

1. 2tr in every stitch (apart from the bobbles, where you…bobble). Stop one stitch before the second bobble, ch3 and turn;

2 & 3.  Tr every tr, bobble every bobble. At end of rows, ch3 and turn. At end of row 3, fasten off. 

Back Left.

Join back in opposite at the other end of the next, and repeat the instructions for the back right. 

Front.

Join in the orange in the stitch next to one of the two back panels. You are now working across the front from sleeve hole to sleeve hole. Again, bobble every bobble you meet.

1. 2tr in every stitch (excl. bobbles), ch3, turn;

2-7  Tr across. Ch3 and turn at the end of every row. At the end of row 7, fasten off. 

Back.

This will join the two back sections together, leaving you with one front piece and one back piece.

Join the orange at one sleeve hole edge. Work 5 straight rows of tr and bobbles, ch3 at the ends and turning. 

Body.

The rest of the pumpkin is worked going around the whole garment in circles. You join the end of every row back where it started with a slip stitch into the top of the first stitch, remembering to then ch3 at the start of each new row.

1-5  trc and bobble, slip stitch to join end of row and ch3;

6-8  (decreases!!) work tr and bobbles as you have been doing, but place a decrease two together (dec2tog) in the middle of every bobble to bobble section;

9-10  Work as before but add 3 dec2tog in each bobble to bobble section;

11.  Decrease at every other tr;

12-13 Dc every stitch (no bobbles), slip stitch to join at the end of the last row and fast off.

Sew in all loose ends, and add button at neck. Insert toddler, add copious amounts of jelly, glitter and sweets. 

Bodge it! Adapt it!

How about a Christmas pudding? A giant sprout? An easter bunny (add tail and ears on a headband)? You know you wan