Pumpkin patch

We've grown some rather hefty pumpkins at work - the one above is 22kg or over 49lbs and I was inspired to have some at home - but smaller and quicker and easier to 'grow'. 

Then having made one, fancied another, then a third and now four mini-kins along the line I wondered if you'd like to have your own 'pumpkin patch' of mini-kins too!

This is not so much a tutorial as a ... this is sort of how I made them, hope it helps you make them too!

You'll need:

Some suitably coloured yarn (I used quite a thick ply carpet wool)
Scissors and crochet hook or large tapestry needle
A card roll - I used the inner of a silver foil roll, but loo rolls, kitchen towel roll would work just as well.
Mug of tea or coffee or something stronger.....

I cut the card roll into 2cm/1 inch lengths, then snipped a notch in one side to tag the yarn in to. Wrap the yarn round until the card is hidden and the centre almost filled (this is where the tapestry needle or crochet hook come in handy).

When I reached a nicely full mini-kin, I knotted the thread leaving one upward to form the stalk and the other I tucked in and out of sight. The stalk yarn I then trimmed a little shorter.

It was at this point I thought I would add a little bit of green yarn as foliage, tying it around the 'stalk' then knotting it to give a quirky texture - voila !

I might just have to make some more - I can feel a garland of mini-kins being added to the pumpkin patch!

Post script: Thursdays are my 'work at home day' - where I have to pretend to like housework.... the weather has not been that conducive to gardening so in the absence of my usual entertainment - I have crafted (but with a gardening theme!!)🎃🎃