My "plain" knitted stuffed pumpkin.
Late last summer I was working on designing a knitted stuffed pumpkin. My thought was to have it set out as part of our autumnal decorations.1 I couldn’t decide if I wanted to add a little green leaf to the pumpkin as a decorative detail to make it look less “plain,” so I decided to enlist some help.
I posted a poll asking readers for their opinions on whether I should include a leaf with my knitted pumpkin, and if so whether the leaf should be smaller or larger. I included photos of the pumpkin alone, with the small leaf, and with the large leaf so people could see the possibilities. I received votes via the website poll as well as through e-mail, and the pumpkin with large leaf won the vote.
The winner: pumpkin with large leaf!
I also received some great comments along with the votes from my especially detail-oriented and analytical family and friends. I not only appreciated these comments but was amused by them as well because they addressed the exact issues I was struggling with and the reason I asked for input.
My father-in-law pointed out the facts that an actual pumpkin leaf would be quite large, that the pumpkin would not retain its leaf once picked, and that by the time a pumpkin is picked the leaves are usually dried and brown. I was aware of these facts, having had the incredible good fortune of growing up with a grandpa who planted pumpkins every year and getting to hand-pick my Halloween pumpkins annually. I really liked the simple, no-leaf pumpkin but was worried that it was too plain, and since pumpkins are often depicted with leaves (albeit an unnatural depiction) I thought people might “expect” a leaf.
A good friend, who’s a knitter as well, likewise pointed out that actual pumpkin leaves are really large and generally not attached to the pumpkin. She also noted that the leaves tend to be more olive in color rather than the green I used. When choosing a green yarn, I went for the brighter green just because I liked it better than the darker greens and I didn’t want the leaf to look too drab. The orange and brown were muted colors, so I wanted something brighter, that would add a little color to the whole.
I completely concede that the leaf is not realistic, in shape, color, and the fact that it’s there. But I do like the little detail and the pop of color a leaf adds, so I’m including instructions to make both the smaller leaf and larger leaf with my pumpkin pattern and you can choose for yourself:
Thanks again to all of you who participated in my pumpkin poll and sent me such thoughtful comments!
- My daughter thought playing with it as a toy was a much better idea, so it didn’t remain on display for long. [↩]