Free Double-Knitted Halloween Potholder Pattern

Halloween originated over 2,000 years ago and has its roots in the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, which marked the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter. Back then, people believed that on this night the boundary between our world (the world of the living) and the world of spirits was very thin, so they dressed up to stop the spirits from recognizing them.

So that explains why we dress up for Halloween today, but I always wondered what pumpkins have to do with Halloween.

This tradition comes from the Irish legend of Jack O'Lantern. Jack was a greedy man who tricked the Devil twice, and when he died, he was apparently allowed into neither Heaven nor Hell. Instead, the Devil gave him a piece of glowing coal, which Jack placed inside a hollowed-out turnip to light his way. That's why people in Ireland used to carve and light turnips to keep evil spirits away.

It wasn't until the tradition reached America that turnips were replaced with pumpkins, as they were much bigger and easier to carve. Most of the Halloween traditions we know today, such as going from house to house and saying "Trick or Treat," also come from America.

So, now that we know where Halloween traditions come from, let's bring a little of that spooky fun into our knitting. These Halloween potholders are worked using the double knitting technique, making them both decorative and practical.

I have created two Halloween designs: a Jack-o'-lantern pumpkin potholder, which my son thinks is super cool and perfectly spooky, and a cute little ghost. Together, they look perfect in my kitchen, adding just the right touch of Halloween and bringing us into the cosy autumn spirit.

Size of the Potholders:
Approx. 20 x 20 cm 

Material needed for these potholders:
Knitting needles 4 mm and 3.5 mm
Crochet hook 3.5 mm
30 gr Cotton Aran yarn in 2 Colours for each design.

Gauge:
Is not that important as it just will affect the finished size

Abbreviations: (I use US Terms)
St: Stitch
E: Edge Stitch (At the beginning of the row, both strands are slipped together, and at the end of the row, both strands are knitted together)
M: Main Colour (Work the Main Colour of this side knit and the contrast Colour purl)
C: Contrast Colour (Work the Contrast Colour of this side knit and the Main Colour purl)

I find that these potholders knit up really quickly once you’re familiar with the technique.
This pattern assumes basic knowledge of double knitting. If you’re not that familiar with it yet, feel free to check out this blog post:
https://www.crazypatterns.net/de/blog/3627/free-pattern-for-a-starfish-potholder-dishcloth-washcloth

I also have a blog post here that explains how to hold the yarn in a little more detail:
https://www.crazypatterns.net/de/blog/5123/free-double-knitting-pattern-summer-storm-potholders-and-how-to-hold-the-yarns-in-double-knitting


Design A: The Halloween Pumpkin



Let’s start
Cast on 36 stitches with both threads held together with the 4 mm knitting needle. Switch then to the 3.5 mm needle.

1. Row:
1 E, 34 M (as the stitches were cast on together, they might not be in the correct order and need to be worked separately, just make sure to work them in the right order) 1 R ( 36 St)

2. Row:
1 E, 34 M, 1 E (36 St)

3. Row:
1 E, 14 M, 6 C, 14 M, 1 E (36 St)

4. Row:
1 E, 10 M, 14 C, 10 M, 1 E (36 St)

5. Row:
1 E, 7 M, 20 C, 7 M, 1 E (36 St)

6. Row:
1 E, 6 M, 22 C, 6 M, 1 E (36 St)

7. Row:
1 E, 5 M, 24 C, 5 M, 1 E (36 St)

8. Row:
1 E, 4 M, 26 C, 4 M, 1 E (36 St)

9. Row:
1 E, 3 M, 6 C, 5 M, 6 C, 5 M, 6 C, 3 M, 1 E (36 St)

10. Row:
1 E, 3 M, 4 C, 7 M, 6 C, 7 M, 4 C, 3 M, 1 E (36 St)

11. Row:
1 E, 2 M, 4 C, 9 M, 4 C, 9 M, 4 C, 2 M, 1 E (36 St)

12. Row:
1 E, 2 M, 3 C, 24 M, 3 C, 2 M, 1 E (36 St)

13. Row:
1 E, 1 M, 4 C, 24 M, 4 C, 1 M, 1 E (36 St)

14. Row:
1 E, 1 M, 4 C, 6 M, 4 C, 4 M, 4 C, 6 M, 4 C, 1 M, 1 E (36 St)

15. Row:
1 E, 1 M, 4 C, 2 M, 8 C, 4 M, 8 C, 2 M, 4 C, 1 M, 1 E (36 St)

16. Row:
1 E, 1 M, 4 C, 2 M, 8 C, 4 M, 8 C, 2 M, 4 C, 1 M, 1 E (36 St)

17. Row:
1 E, 1 M, 4 C, 1 M, 22 C, 1 M, 4 C, 1 M, 1 E (36 St)

18. Row:
1 E, 1 M, 4 C, 1 M, 22 C, 1 M, 4 C, 1 M, 1 E (36 St)

19. Row:
1 E, 1 M, 32 C, 1 M, 1 E (36 St)

20. Row:
1 E, 1 M, 32 C, 1 M, 1 E (36 St)

21. Row:
1 E, 1 M, 32 C, 1 M, 1 E (36 St)

22. Row:
1 E, 1 M, 13 C, 6 M, 13 C, 1 M, 1 E (36 St)

23. Row:
1 E, 1 M, 14 C, 4 M, 14 C, 1 M, 1 E (36 St)

24. Row:
1 E, 1 M, 14 C, 4 M, 14 C, 1 M, 1 E (36 St)

25. Row:
1 E, 1 M, 15 C, 2 M, 15 C, 1 M, 1 E (36 St)

26. Row:
1 E, 1 M, 15 C, 2 M, 15 C, 1 M, 1 E (36 St)

27. Row:
1 E, 1 M, 5 C, 6 M, 10 C, 6 M, 5 C, 1 M, 1 E (36 St)

28. Row:
1 E, 1 M, 5 C, 6 M, 10 C, 6 M, 5 C, 1 M, 1 E (36 St)

29. Row:
1 E, 2 M, 5 C, 4 M, 12 C, 4 M, 5 C, 2 M, 1 E (36 St)

30. Row:
1 E, 2 M, 5 C, 4 M, 12 C, 4 M, 5 C, 2 M, 1 E (36 St)

31. Row:
1 E, 3 M, 5 C, 2 M, 14 C, 2 M, 5 C, 3 M, 1 E (36 St)

32. Row:
1 E, 3 M, 5 C, 2 M, 14 C, 2 M, 5 C, 3 M, 1 E (36 St)

33. Row:
1 E, 4 M, 26 C, 4 M, 1 E (36 St)

34. Row:
1 E, 5 M, 24 C, 5 M, 1 E (36 St)

35. Row:
1 E, 6 M, 22 C, 6 M, 1 E (36 St)

36. Row:
1 E, 7 M, 20 C, 7 M, 1 E (36 St)

37. Row:
1 E, 10 M, 14 C, 10 M, 1 E (36 St)

38. Row:
1 E, 14 M, 5 C, 15 M, 1 E (36 St)

39. Row:
1 E, 16 M, 3 C, 15 M, 1 E (36 St)

40. Row:
1 E, 15 M, 3 C, 16 M, 1 E (36 St)

41. Row:
1 E, 11 M, 2 C, 2 M, 3 C, 16 M, 1 E (36 St)

42. Row:
1 E, 17 M, 5 C, 12 M, 1 E (36 St)

43. Row:
1 E, 13 M, 3 C, 18 M, 1 E (36 St)

44. Row:
1 E, 34 M, 1 E (36 St)

45. Row:
1 E, 34 M, 1 E (36 St)

46. Row:
1 E, 34 M, 1 E (36 St)

47. Row:
1 E, 34 M, 1 E (36 St)

48. Row:
1 E, 34 M, 1 E (36 St)



Binding off
To bind off, I first work the edge stitch pair together as usual. After that, I work the stitch pairs one at a time and pass the previously worked stitch pair over the new one.

After the edge stitches, work as follows:
Knit 1 stitch, purl 1 stitch, then pass the previous stitch pair over.
Again, knit 1 stitch, purl 1 stitch, then pass the previous stitch pair over.

Continue like this across the entire row. At the end of the row, work the final edge stitch pair together and finish the bind-off row. Do not cut the yarns yet.

Using both yarns held together and a 3.5 mm crochet hook, chain 17 stitches. Then attach the chain to its starting point with a slip stitch. This creates the hanger for the potholder.

Design B: The Halloween Ghost



Let’s start
Cast on 36 stitches with both threads held together with the 4 mm knitting needle. Switch then to the 3.5 mm needle.

1. Row:
1 E, 34 M (as the stitches were cast on together, they might not be in the correct order and need to be worked separately, just make sure to work them in the right order) 1 R (36 St)

2. Row:
1 E, 34 M, 1 E (36 St)

3. Row:
1 E, 34 M, 1 E (36 St)

4. Row:
1 E, 34 M, 1 E (36 St)

5. Row:
1 E, 34 M, 1 E (36 St)

6. Row:
1 E, 34 M, 1 E (36 St)

7. Row:
1 E, 34 M, 1 E (36 St)

8. Row:
1 E, 1 M, 4 C, 9 M, 6 C, 9 M, 4 C, 1 M, 1 E (36 St)

9. Row:
1 E, 1 M, 4 C, 8 M, 8 C, 8 M, 4 C, 1 M, 1 E (36 St)

10. Row:
1 E, 1 M, 5 C, 6 M, 10 C, 6 M, 5 C, 1 M, 1 E (36 St)

11. Row:
1 E, 1 M, 6 C, 4 M, 12 C, 4 M, 6 C, 1 M, 1 E (36 St)

12. Row:
1 E, 1 M, 32 C, 1 M, 1 E (36 St)

13. Row:
1 E, 1 M, 32 C, 1 M, 1 E (36 St)

14. Row:
1 E, 1 M, 32 C, 1 M, 1 E (36 St)

15. Row:
1 E, 1 M, 32 C, 1 M, 1 E (36 St)

16. Row:
1 E, 1 M, 32 C, 1 M, 1 E (36 St)

17. Row:
1 E, 2 M, 30 C, 2 M, 1 E (36 St)

18. Row:
1 E, 3 M, 28 C, 3 M, 1 E (36 St)

19. Row:
1 E, 3 M, 28 C, 3 M, 1 E (36 St)

20. Row:
1 E, 3 M, 28 C, 3 M, 1 E (36 St)

21. Row:
1 E, 3 M, 28 C, 3 M, 1 E (36 St)

22. Row:
1 E, 3 M, 28 C, 3 M, 1 E (36 St)

23. Row:
1 E, 3 M, 28 C, 3 M, 1 E (36 St)

24. Row:
1 E, 3 M, 28 C, 3 M, 1 E (36 St)

25. Row:
1 E, 3 M, 11 C, 6 M, 11 C, 3 M, 1 E (36 St)

26. Row:
1 E, 3 M, 10 C, 8 M, 10 C, 3 M, 1 E (36 St)

27. Row:
1 E, 3 M, 9 C, 10 M, 9 C, 3 M, 1 E (36 St)

28. Row:
1 E, 3 M, 8 C, 4 M, 4 C, 4 M, 8 C, 3 M, 1 E (36 St)

29. Row:
1 E, 3 M, 28 C, 3 M, 1 E (36 St)

30. Row:
1 E, 3 M, 28 C, 3 M, 1 E (36 St)

31. Row:
1 E, 3 M, 28 C, 3 M, 1 E (36 St)

32. Row:
1 E, 3 M, 28 C, 3 M, 1 E (36 St)

33. Row:
1 E, 3 M, 28 C, 3 M, 1 E (36 St)

34. Row:
1 E, 3 M, 7 C, 4 M, 6 C, 4 M, 7 C, 3 M, 1 E (36 St)

35. Row:
1 E, 3 M, 7 C, 4 M, 6 C, 4 M, 7 C, 3 M, 1 E (36 St)

36. Row:
1 E, 3 M, 7 C, 4 M, 6 C, 4 M, 7 C, 3 M, 1 E (36 St)

37. Row:
1 E, 3 M, 7 C, 4 M, 6 C, 4 M, 7 C, 3 M, 1 E (36 St)

38. Row:
1 E, 4 M, 6 C, 4 M, 6 C, 4 M, 6 C, 4 M, 1 E (36 St)

39. Row:
1 E, 5 M, 5 C, 4 M, 6 C, 4 M, 5 C, 5 M, 1 E (36 St)

40. Row:
1 E, 5 M, 6 C, 3 M, 6 C, 3 M, 6 C, 5 M, 1 E (36 St)

41. Row:
1 E, 6 M, 22 C, 6 M, 1 E (36 St)

42. Row:
1 E, 6 M, 22 C, 6 M, 1 E (36 St)

43. Row:
1 E, 7 M, 20 C, 7 M, 1 E (36 St)

44. Row:
1 E, 10 M, 14 C, 10 M, 1 E (36 St)

45. Row:
1 E, 34 M, 1 E (36 St)

46. Row:
1 E, 34 M, 1 E (36 St)

47. Row:
1 E, 34 M, 1 E (36 St)

48. Row:
1 E, 34 M, 1 E (36 St)

The bind-off and hanger are worked in the same way as described for the first design.



I hope you enjoyed my pattern, If you knit this pattern, I would appreciate a comment how you got along and if you upload a photo of your make on Instagram, please don’t forget to tag and follow me @_lovelyyarns