Free Pattern - Chunky Fairisle Cushion

A quick to knit, stylish cushion that would make a perfect housewarming gift. I cheated a little to avoid a jog in the round, so this is perhaps a pattern that fairisle purists should avoid. I didn't steek and I didn't knot new colours to old as I knitted, but knotted them all up pretty firmly at the end to cinch it all together. I also (and this is a major transgression) didn't weave in the fifty odd loose ends, but just trimmed the knots and left them inside the cushion. Please feel free to back away from this pattern in horror, but I think it all looks perfectly fine, and for time-poor knitters it'll certainly do the job! I should mention that I first knitted this up and published the pattern over a decade ago and the cushion is still going strong!

Yarn
Shetland Heather Aran by Jamiesons of Shetland:
2 balls Gingersnap = C1
1 ball Teviot = C2
1 ball Broch = C3
1 ball Natural White = C4
1 ball Sholmit = C5
1 ball Moorit = C6
1 ball Mooskit = C7

Each ball = 101yds / 92m
Measurements
To fit a 50cm x 50cm (20” x 20”) cushion

Needles
One 5mm / US 8 40”/100cm circular needle.

Gauge
15sts x 19 rows = 10cm / 4”

Extras:
One darning needle

Directions
With C7, cast on 144 stitches and join in the round, being careful not to twist the stitches.

Work one of the charts below. I prefer working from a colour chart, but have included a black and white version suitable for black and white printing. Bind off all stitches using C7. I didn't knot in new colours as you would normally do for fairisle knitting. After binding off I knotted ends together in pairs as follows. Turn the cushion cover inside out and work from bottom to top, pull the first pair of loose ends fairly tight and knot them together using a reef knot, then do the same for the second pair you come to, and keep going until all loose ends are knotted together in pairs. Then I just trimmed the loose ends (and felt guilty).

Now, lay the cushion cover out flat with the beginning of the round at the right edge. Join the front and back of the bound off edge together using the joining method in the “techniques” section below.

Block the cushion cover as follows, or using your favourite blocking method. Soak the cushion in cold water with a small amount of mild detergent for at least 30 minutes. Rinse thoroughly, then gently squeeze out as much water as you can. Roll the cushion cover up in a towel and twist it gently to remove some more water. Lay the cushion cover out flat and gently stretch it to 50cm x 50cm (20” x 20”). Leave until completely dry.

Put the cushion pad into the cushion cover and join together the cast on edges, starting from the beginning of the round, in the same way you joined the bound off edge.

Charts

Techniques
Joining bound off and cast on edges
This cushion is knit in the round, sewn up along the top, blocked, a cushion pad inserted, and then sewn up along the bottom. I sewed the top and bottom up as follows:

Lay cushion cover flat, with beginning of round at the right. We will join the first stitch at the front right with the first stitch at the back, then the second stitch at the front with the second stitch at the back etc. until all front stitches are joined to the back stitches.

To do this, thread a darning needle with a long thread in colour C7. Secure the thread to the wrong side of the cushion at the beginning of the round by sewing over one spot a few times. Then bring the needle behind the first stitch at the front from right to left, then behind the first stitch at the back from right to left (as you look at it). Pull the thread tight. Then bring the needle behind the second stitch at the front from right to left, then the second back stitch from right to left, pull the thread tight. Keep going across from right to left until all stitches are joined.

1. Thread needle behind a stitch

2. With the thread loose

3. With the thread pulled tight

4. When it's done!

Written instructions are not ideal, so please watch the video tutorial here: http://newstitchaday.com/how-to-knit-seaming-two-bind-off-edges-together/
They join two pieces of knitting together, whereas we just have the one which we are joining the front and back of, but the principle holds!

Pattern copyright Littletheorem. Do not reproduce in whole or in part without the author's written permission.