Hello there and welcome to Part 10 of the Making Stitches 2025 CAL!

My word, how are we at October and the tenth month already? That’s madness!

I spent quite a while mulling over what to use as the inspiration for my October square and couldn’t resist some autumnal colours – it was really hard to think ‘autumn’, when we were in the midst of some warm sunny September days! I also wanted to give a nod to Halloween, but without going down the spooky black white and orange theme. So here we are with a large pumpkin at the centre of our October square and some autumn leaves in the border.

The whole point of this CAL is to be a stash buster project to help you get rid of some of your odds and ends of yarn left over from previous projects. I am certainly using it for that purpose!

I have made my squares using my own stash of Stylecraft Special DK yarns and I have included the names and numbers of the shades I’ve used in case you want to replicate what I have done exactly, but you can use any yarn you like. The only thing you need to do is make sure it’s all the same weight, ie all DK or all Aran or whatever yarn you choose, and if you are making the whole project along with me, make sure all your squares are made using the same weight and the same size of crochet hook to make sure they all measure the same size so they can be joined together easily at the end.

Here’s the pattern for my October Pumpkin Making Stitches 2025 CAL square!

October : Pumpkin Square

I used Stylecraft Special DK in:

(A) Spice (1711)

(B) Parchment (1218)

(C) Teal (1062)

(D) Meadow (1065)

(E) Copper (1029)

(F) Gold (1709)

Size 4mm crochet hook

Scissors

Stitch Marker

Yarn Needle

Abbreviations (in UK terms): blo = work in back loop only, ch = chain, dc = double crochet, dtr = double treble crochet, fyo = final yarn over, htr = half treble crochet, mc = magic circle / magic ring, rep = repeat, slst = slip stitch, st = stitch, tr = treble crochet.

To make the square:

Using Yarn A, make a MC.
Round 1 Ch3 (counts as a st), 11 tr into MC. Slst into top of ch2 to close the round. Pull the central yarn tail tight to close MC. (12tr)

Round 2 Ch3 1tr in same st, (2tr into next st) rep around. Slst into the top of the ch2.   (24tr)

Round 3 Ch1, (2dc in next st, 1dc in next st, 2htr in next st, 1htr in next st, 2tr in next st, 1tr in next st, 2tr in next st, 1tr in next st, 2htr in next st, 1htr in next st, 2dc in next st, 1dc in next st) rep. Slst into top of ch2 changing to Yarn B in fyo. (36 tr)

Round 4 Work in the blo in this round Using Yarn B & working into blo, ch3, (2tr in next st, 1tr in next st, 1tr in next st, 2htr in next st, 1htr in next st, 1htr in next st, 2dc in next st, 1dc in next st, 1 dc in next st, 2dc in next st, 1dc in next st, 1dc in next st, 2htr in next st, 1htr in next st, 1htr in next st, 2tr in next st, 1tr in next st, 1tr in next st) rep. Slst into top of Ch3.(48 sts)

Round 5 Ch1, (2dc in next st, 1dc in next 3 sts) rep around. (60 dc)

Round 6 Ch1 (does not count as a st) (1dc in next 3 sts, 1htr into next 2 sts, 1tr into next 2 sts, dtr + 2ch = dtr into next st, 1tr into next 2 sts, 1htr into next 2 sts, 1dc into next 3 sts) repeat around. Slst into top of 1st dc to close round. Fasten off and cut yarn. You now have a square. (64 sts)

To make the border:

Round 7 Work in blo in this round Join C into any st, ch1 work 1dc into every st around and 1dc + 2ch + 1dc into every corner space. Slst into top of 1st dc to close round. Fasten off and cut yarn. (72 dc)

Round 8  Work in blo in this round Join Yarn D in final st of one of the sides of Round 7, Ch4 (counts as 1dtr), work 1dtr 2ch 1dtr into the corner chain space. (1dtr in next st, 1tr in next st, 1htr in next st, 1dc in next 3 sts, 1htr in next st, 1tr in next st, 1dtr in next 2 sts, 1tr in next st, 1htr in next st, 1dc in next 3 sts, 1htr in next st, 1tr in next st, 1dtr in next st, 1dtr 2ch 1dtr into corner space) rep around following the pattern until you reach the start of the round, slst into to the top of the ch4. (80 sts)

Round 9 (Please note slsts are worked through both loops, other sts are worked in blo in this round) 1slst into next st, 1dc 2ch 1dc in corner space, 1slst into next st changing to yarn E with fyo. With Yarn E and working in the blo, 1dc in next st, 1htr in next st, 1tr in next 3 sts, 1htr in next st, 1dc in next st changing back to Yarn D with fyo. 1slst in next 2 sts changing to Yarn F in fyo of 2nd st. With Yarn F and working in the blo, 1dc in next st, 1htr in next st, 1tr in next 3 sts, 1htr in next st, 1dc in next st changing back to Yarn D with fyo. Repeat this pattern around. No need to slst into the first stlst on this round. (88 sts)

Round 10 Rep Round 9. (96 sts)

Round 11 Rep Round 8. Fasten off and break yarn. (104 sts)

Round 12 Work in the blo on this round. Ch1, 1dc in every st around, 1dc + 2ch +1dc in the corners spaces, slst into the top of ch1, fasten off and break yarn. (112 sts)

Round 13 Rep Round 12. (120 sts)

Then, with Yarn E, surface crochet around the pumpkin and add its stripes. Then, with Yarn D, surface crochet (or chain embroidery st) the spirally tendril & pumpkin stalk. Weave in all your ends and your October Making Stitches 2025 CAL is complete!

Whatever you are caught up to this month, I hope October is kind to you.

Happy hooking!

Lindsay x