PUMPKIN BOOKMARK © 2018 Kathryn Doubrley, The Answer Lady YARN, GAUGE, SIZE AND MACHINE A two bed machine is essential but it may be any brand or gauge. You will need to learn the full fisherman's rib settings for your machine. Most machines can accomplish it even if the manual doesn’t say so. To make it, we set one bed to knit every stitch going left and tuck every stitch going right. The other bed does the reverse. There is a chart about making full fisherman’s rib on many models and brands of machines that may be downloaded for free on the Every Which Way Cables page at www.theanswerlady.com The chart doesn’t include Superba settings so here they are: Depress the circular knitting key and the tuck key Simultaneously on both carriages. There is also a video on my YouTube channel: theanswerladyknits about fisherman’s rib on Superbas Select two yarns: an orange one for the pumpkin that is somewhat thicker than the green one for the trim. For the sample, the green yarn is 2 strands of 2/24 run together and the orange is Tamm Bebe. This is equivalent to a fingering or #1 weight green yarn and a sport or #2 weight orange yarn, which is the recommended combination for standard gauge machines including Superba and Passap. For mid-gauge machines, I suggest #2 green and #3 orange. For bulky machines, I suggest #3 green and #4 orange. The directions for all gauges are the same. The size of the bookmark itself will vary with gauge. Swatch to find the best stitch sizes to use for your selected yarn. The green yarn should be knitted at 1-2 whole numbers smaller than the orange yarn. Green yarn will only be knitted in knit 1, purl 1 rib. Orange yarn will be knitted in full fisherman’s rib. KNIT THE BOOKMARK Set up for 1 X 1 rib across a total span of 18 needles. Set the needles so that one in work on the ribber alternates with one in work on the knitter. Alternate needles on each bed are out of work. When casting on, leave a 24” yarn tail. At a very small stitch size, with both beds set for normal knitting, knit 1 row. The yarn should zigzag from bed to bed. Hang the comb and weights. Increase to the stitch size for fisherman’s rib and set the carriages for circular knitting. One bed should knit going one way, the other going the other way. Knit 2 rows. Cast on is complete. Change to fisherman’s rib settings. Knit 22 rows on the row counter. You may increase the row count for a taller pumpkin if desired. Change to green yarn and the stitch size for it. Change to plain knitting settings on both beds. Knit 1 row. *Decrease 1 stitch on each side of each bed by moving the edge stitch over to the next needle on the same bed that is in work. Place all 4 empties out of work. Knit 1 row. Repeat from * until 3 needles are in work on each bed. Knit plain ribbing on the remaining needles until the length of bookmark cord that you prefer has been knitted. Transfer each edge stitch on each bed to the center needle. Knit 1 row. Snip the yarn and pull the tail through both remaining stitches. Knot it, then weave the end into the cord. At the cast on end, use a yarn needle or a latch tool to pull the initial yarn tail through the cast on. Use it to gather the bottom of the pumpkin in until it forms the shape you like. Use the remainder of the yarn tail to single crochet into the cast on, working around the gathering yarn so as to stabilize the bottom of the pumpkin. Weave in the remaining yarn tails.