Since it is almost Halloween, I thought I should see what I could come up with for my tatting. I had some orange crochet thread that I bought really cheap. I never thought I would have a reason to use it, but this ended up being the perfect opportunity. I wanted to make a pumpkin pin, but, when I was done, it didn't seem like pin material, so they became earrings!

Step 1: What You Need

What you need to make these is pretty standard for tatting projects.

Orange Crochet Thread size 10
Green Crochet Thread size 10
Tatting Needle size 5
Cross stitch needle (I always use that to hide my ends because it is easier for me to use-it is different from a regular sewing needle in that it is not sharp and has a bigger eye)
Earrings (2)
Scissors

For optional step 7:
Iron
Spray Starch

Step 2: Getting Started With Your First Ring

Tat four double stitches, a picot, and four more double stitches, close it and knot. I had a tail of about twenty inches and it was a pretty decent length.

R 4-4 cl. K.

Step 3: Second Ring

Tat ten double stitches, attach to the picot of the first ring, continue with ten more double stitches, put your needle through where you started the first ten double stitches, close it, and knot.

10, connect to picot, 10, connect to start cl. k.

Step 4: Third and Forth Ring

For your third ring, tat twenty double stitches, connect to the top of the second ring in about the same spot where the second ring met the first picot (as shown in picture one), tat twenty more double stitches, connect to where you started the third ring, close it, and knot.
For the forth ring, you assemble it the same as the previous except it is forty double stitches, connect, and forty more double stitches. Connect to where you started, close it, double knot, and hide your ends.

20, connect to top, 20, connect to start cl. k.

40, connect to top, 40, connect to start cl. double k., hide ends, and cut.

Step 5: Adding Leaves

Now take your green thread and pick which will be the top of your pumpkin. Thread your green thread through the top of the orange, wherever you can get it through. Tat a ring of eight double stitches, close it and knot. It is just like you are the project, except it is hooked on to your pumpkin.

Do two more rings until you have three. Try to guide them so they lay one next to the previous.

After I finished my third leaf, I threaded my needle through where I began the first ring and knotted it so the rings would sit together nicely and so my vine would come out of where the leaves generally all meet. Do not cut. We will continue from here in the next step.

R 8 cl. k.
R 8 cl. k.
R 8 cl. k.

Step 6: Stem Vine

The vine is the easiest part of this project.

From where you left off from the three leaves, tat eight double stitches, close it and knot. Tat a ring of eight double stitches, close it and knot. Tat eight double stitches, close it and knot. Tat a ring of eight double stitches, close it and double knot it. Hide the ends and trim the excess.

Your pumpkin is done!

8 cl. k.
R 8 cl. k.
8 cl. k.
R 8 cl. double k.

Step 7: Optional Ironing and Starching

With my tatting, I like to spray starch it and iron it.

Iron first. Try to get all of the parts of it to lay the way you want, i.e. the three leaves sitting on the top of the pumpkin and the loops of the pumpkin lying nice and rounded.

Then spray starch it. I use Faultless Heavy Starch, but you can use what you like. This doesn't make it stiff, but it helps it sit more the way you want it to. Spray it while it is laying on some spare paper or cardboard and then lay it to dry on white paper. Make sure your hands are clean, or dirt will transfer to the wet tatting. After it dries, iron it again and shape it.

Step 8: Connecting the Earring

Usually I use a jump ring to connect anything to my tatting, but in order for the earring to hang right, I went without one this time.

Open up the loop on the bottom of your earring (if you are using the type of earring I am) and slip it into the second leaf on the vine. You don't have to connect it here; I chose to connect here instead of the final leaf so the end of the vine would hang down a bit and not just go straight up.

Close off your earring and you are done. Make sure the point of the earring is facing the back of the pumpkin; this will ensure the earring will face out, away from you.