Cushion Love.

I've never really had an urge to make cushions much. Lindsey from The Bank (mwahahaha) makes tonnes of beautiful cushions and really enjoys them but me? Not so much. I made one for my sister for the Christmas before last:

And I made two odd shaped ones when I very first started knitting out of stitch patterns I found in the Stitch 'n' Bitch book which have never been photographed. Maybe I will, to prove that I was once a terrible knitter...

But, dear blog readers, I am ill. In a particularly horrid way. And I think it's affected my brain in a way that makes me want to not only knit cushions, but in... dun dun duhhhhhhhhhhhhn... fashion yarn!

 

You've got to admit that that's the most perfect thing you've ever seen. So fluffy, so blue, so purple, so fat, so full of soft. Ahhhh. I want to go back to bed and sleep all over it. But instead I've brought it into the shop to inspire you lovely lot. Aren't I good to you? It's already sold two cushion's worth of yarn so I think I did the right thing. ;)

Thing about cushions is, a bit like scarves and socks, you have free reign to go a bit mental. Not that I did on this. But they really are the perfect canvas to try out stitch patterns and yarn that you wouldn't use elsewhere or that you're not sure that you can do. They're like a big and useful swatch. Better than a scarf because you don't have to think about the back side of it and you can use it all year round and the only people that will see cushions are the ones you invite into your lair. Better than socks because they don't have to fit or be comfortable under your feet. You can find cushion inners in all sorts of sizes, or make your own from an old bedsheet/pillow case, some stuffing and some very basic sewing, or - and this is the lazy girls' way - just bloody stuff the cushion cover with no cotton fabric in between! IMAGINE THAT SLATTERNLY BEHAVIOUR! 

The yarn I used was the one featured in the blog yesterday - the King Cole Romano Chunky. I realised though that I didn't give you the proper deets - not firing on all cylinders you see (not even the usual half a cylinder!). So here they are:

King Cole Romano Chunky: 50g balls, recommended 8mm needle, 62% polyamide, 25% wool, 13% polyester. 65yards. 60 metres. Hand wash only (bugger that - I'll be gentle machine washing that but don't blame me if it all falls apart...).

 

It's a sort of self-striper but with textures - one's really fluffy (that's the seriously soft bit), one's a bit ribbony and shiny and one's thick and thin and a bit wooly with different colours in. I couldn't work out a pattern to the stripes though like you can with say, the Riot DK, it all seemed to be a bit random which worked really well for me and made me very happy. 

And, because I've been asked, here's a very basic pattern for the cushion that I made...

THE BEST CUSHION IN THE WORLD EVAH!

• I used five balls of King Cole Romano Chunky because I can't think straight at the moment but I think four would be a much better idea and you'll see why in the pattern....(Although, Lindsey has just very rightly pointed out that since you get five balls for £6 you basically get one free so you might as well get the five and have a spare.... orrrrrrrr... get 20 balls and have a whole spare cushion! Haha. You can if you want though, I'm not laughing at you, just my evil genius capitalist plan.)
• I used 5.5mm needles because that's all I had but I think I'd use 6mm needles just because it'd be easier on the hands and come a little bigger. But deffo no as big as 8mm because then you'll be able to see the inner/stuffing through the fabric. 
• A sewing up needle and some complementary coloured smooth yarn for sewing up.
• A cushion inner that fits your squares or a load of stuffing (about twice as much as you think). My inner measures 18" by 18" I think but my finished squares were more like 15" across - I like a tight cushion cover - your mileage may vary. 

Pattern (you'll feel sick that I even called this a pattern....):

Squares (Make Two):

Cast on 3 stitches.

Row 1: Kfb into the first stitch, knit to the end (one stitch increased).
Repeat row one until you're just about to run out of ball one, as in you haven't got enough left to complete the row.

Row 2: k2tog, knit to the end (one stitch decreased).
Repeat row two until you have three stitches left, cast off.

You should have the littlest bit of wool left because k2tog takes minutely less yarn to work than a kfb - so you shouldn't run out. :)

Sewing up:

Use your complementary colour to sew up three of the sides, insert your inner or you stuffing and sew up the final side. Sew in your ends. Enjoy.

Good yeah? Even a newbie or a very poorly LYSO can make this. Get to it.

And remember, the yarn isn't on the internet so call us on (0115) 9474239 or come into the shop if you want some. First come, first served, and this won't last forever.

Love Eleanor. xxxx