Two Small Knitting Patterns ... Acorns & Ghosts!

I promised I would share my pattern for the acorns I knit up at Thanksgiving. Although it's past Thanksgiving for Canadians, my American friends might find some use for them. I also worked out a pattern for a little finger puppet ghost I made for my daycare kids. Both these patterns are on my sidebar under Free Knitting Patterns. Let me know if you have any questions, and I'll be sure to reply. I posted about the acorn pattern on Instagram, but then realized I had made a mistake in the pattern. Apologies if you started knitting the pattern before I made the amendment (your acorn would have turned out quite tiny I think!). This is the amended version ... and I corrected it on the sidebar pattern page as well. Thanks for bearing with me.

Knitted Acorn (slightly amended!)

I really enjoyed knitting up these autumn oak leaves by Frankie Brown (below), but I wanted to make up my own acorn knit in the round, rather than flat and seamed together.

Here is the pattern I worked out for the acorn ...

Needles: set of 4 DPNs, I used 2.5 mm (US 2), but you can use any size that suits your yarn.

Yarn: Rust Colour: Lion Brand, Heartland, Medium, 100% acrylic, "135 Yosemite"
Dark Brown Colour: Lion Brand, Heartland, Medium 100% acrylic, "126 Sequoia"

Of course any scrap yarns you have in appropriate colours will do.

You can use a tiny bit of fibre fill or just scrap yarn to stuff the acorn.
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DPN: double-pointed needles
k: knit
p: purl
kfb: knit into the front and into the back of one stitch
k2tog: knit two stitches together as one
p2tog: purl two stitches together as one

Join for knitting in the round: I just slip purlwise one stitch from left-hand needle to right-hand needle; then slip the now second stitch from the right-hand needle over the first stitch and onto the left-hand needle.

I-cord: knit all stitches on one DPN, slide those stitches to the right-hand end of the needle (rather than turning the needle around as you would normally do); knit all the stitches again (the working yarn will come from left to right at the back of your work); slide those stitches to the right-hand end of needle again; knit; continue in this manner until you have a cord knit of desired length.

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- using the rust-coloured yarn, cast on 3 stitches onto one DPN

- kfb each stitch, distribute 2 stitches onto each of 3 DPNs (6)

- join for knitting in the round

Rnd 1 - *kfb, k1, repeat from * to end (9)

Rnd 2 - *kfb, k2, repeat from * to end (12)

Rnd 3 - *kfb, k3, repeat from * to end (15)

Rnd 4 - *kfb, k4, repeat from * to end (18)

Rnd 5-  k

Rnd 6 -  k

(see **Note at bottom of pattern)

- change to dark brown yarn (I tie the two yarns together in a knot and tuck the ends inside the acorn rather than weaving in ends)

Rnd 7 -  k

Rnd 8 - *p4, p2tog, repeat from * to end (15)

Rnd 9 - *p3, p2tog, repeat from * to end (12)

Rnd 10 - *p2, p2tog, repeat from * to end (9)

Rnd 11 - *p1, p2tog, repeat from * to end (6)

- stuff with fibre fill or scrap yarn ... make sure the yarn ends are tucked in at this point as well

Rnd 12 - *p2tog, repeat from * to end (3)

Rnd 13 - place all 3 sts onto one DPN

- p2tog, p1 (2)

- knit 2 rows of I-cord

- cut yarn, and thread it back down through the I-cord

**Note: I have knit many of these acorns trying to adjust them to look like a proper acorn, and decided this pattern worked out pretty well. If you want to make the acorn a bit longer, add another row of plain knitting after Round 6. If you want the acorn less plump, eliminate a round of increases in the lower part of the acorn, and then adjust the cap by purling one less stitch each round. If you have questions, leave a comment. 

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Knitted Ghost Finger Puppet

Needles: set of 4 DPNs (I used size 2.5 mm or US 2)

Yarn: Scraps ... I used some acrylic from Christmas crafts ... white with a thread of silver twisted through it. No label on it, but not quite as thick as worsted and not as thin as sock (helpful, right?!)

Gauge: not necessary; use the needles that suit the yarn

Cast on 3 sts onto one DPN

Kfb of each st, using a separate DPN for each st you knit into. You will end up with 2 sts on each of three DPNs (6)

Join for knitting in the round

*Kfb, K1, repeat from * to end (9)

*Kfb, K2, repeat from * to end (12)

*Kfb, K3, repeat from * to end (15)

K 10 - 12 rounds, until the piece measures approx. 1.5 inches

Kfb of every st (30)

*Kfb, K1, Kfb, K3, Kfb, K3, repeat from * to end (39)

Bind off and weave in ends

Use a bit of scrap yarn or embroidery thread for the eyes

This ghost had 12 rounds of knitting in the body

This ghost had 10 rounds of knitting in the body, just a bit shorter/cuter?