So, October 2020: we’re still stuck in houses, and trick or treating looks unlikely to happen. I saw an excellent suggestion online though: rather than trick or treat, why not go on a pumpkin hunt? If everyone puts up pictures of pumpkins in the windows, kids can go for walks and keep their eyes open for all of the pumpkins! I’ve taken this idea a step further, with banners for a ghost, a witch and a pumpkin, and I can’t wait to hang them in the windows for them to be admired.

The Halloween in the Windows banners are perfect for hanging in windows, or on walls. The pattern is written for one basic banner that can be decorated with your choice of three intarsia motifs: a ghost, a pumpkin or a witch. The patterns for the intarsia portions are provided as both charts and written instructions. If you’re not a fan of intarsia, you can knit the banner without any colourwork and use duplicate stitch to add the motif at the end.

Each banner uses a small amount of aran weight yarn in a limited palette, and is perfect for stash-busting, or you could buy the yarn you need and make a few extra Halloween banners for friends and family from your leftovers.

Sizes
One size: 30.5 cm 12.25 in wide x 30 cm 12 in high

Tension
18 sts and 25 rows = 10 cm 4 in in stocking stitch worked flat on 5 mm (US 8) needles after wet blocking, or size needed to obtain correct tension.

Yarn
You will also need aran-weight yarn in the following colours and amounts, depending on which design you are making:

Ghost

• A (black): 130 m (145 yds)
• B (cream): 40 m (45 yds)

Witch

• A (black): 35 m (45 yds)
• B (cream): 60 m (70 yds)
• D (purple): 130 m (145 yds)

Pumpkin

• A (black): 130 m (145 yds)
• C (orange): 55 m (65 yds)
• E (green): 5 m (10 yds)

Needles

• 5 mm (US 8) straight needles

Notions

• Fixed stitch markers x 2
• Tapestry needle
• Bobbins for holding the different yarn colours during colourwork (optional)
• Chart row marker (optional)
• 2 lengths of dowel, 35 cm 14 in in length and 1 cm 0.5 in in diameter
• Hanging thread
• PVA glue (optional)

Pattern notes
The sample is knitted in Paintbox Yarns Simply Aran (aran, 184 m per 100 g ball, 100% acrylic) in 201 Pure Black (A), 202 Champagne White (B), 219 Blood Orange (C), 247 Pansy Purple (D) and 228 Lime Green (E).

Instructions are provided for three designs. For each design, you will need to print out the written instructions for the plain banner (page 3) and either the chart or written instructions for the picture of your choice:
1. Ghost (EASIEST)
a. Chart, page 4
b. Written instructions, pages 5
2. Witch (INTERMEDIATE)
a. Chart, page 6
b. Written instructions, page 7
3. Pumpkin (INTERMEDIATE)
a. Chart, page 8
b. Written instructions, page 9

The pattern is designed to be worked using intarsia for the colourwork portions. If you prefer, you can work the banner in a single colour, then add the colour work at the end using duplicate stitch – the yardages given should be sufficient for you to complete the banner this way. Links to introductions to intarsia and duplicate stitch are provided in the Resources section. You may wish to use a combination of intarsia, stranded colourwork and duplicate stitch to minimise ends.

Pattern edited by Jo Torr.