Tweed

Tweed Cushion by Paola Albergamo

What Is Being Made

Tweed is a decorative knitted cushion cover measuring 40 x 40 cm (16 x 16 inches). This project creates a finished pillow with a distinctive basketweave surface pattern that combines two complementary knitting techniques to achieve visual texture and depth.

Craft and Primary Technique

This is a knitting project designed as a beginner-friendly introduction to two-color brioche knitting. The pattern is specifically structured as a didactic (teaching) design, making it an excellent choice for knitters who want to learn brioche stitch fundamentals without the complexity of shaping. The cushion is worked flat on needles rather than in the round, simplifying the brioche learning process.

Stitches and Stitch Techniques

The Tweed cushion combines two primary stitches to create its basketweave appearance:

• Brioche Stitch: The pattern features two-color brioche worked flat, which creates the characteristic elongated, textured appearance brioche is known for. The brioche stitches used include brioche knit (brk) and brioche purl (brp), both of which involve knitting or purling a slipped stitch together with its yarnover from the previous row.
• Garter Stitch: Combined with the brioche sections to form the overall basketweave pattern.

The pattern uses no increases or decreases, relying entirely on plain two-color brioche stitch worked flat. This straightforward stitch structure makes it accessible for intermediate knitters while maintaining visual interest through color and texture.

Materials: Yarn and Needles

The Tweed cushion pattern calls for Rowan Valley Tweed, a 100% wool yarn in sport weight (4-ply). The pattern requires three skeins total:

• 1 skein in colorway 111 Gryke (Light Color)
• 1 skein in colorway 107 Wolds Poppy (Dark Color 1)
• 1 skein in colorway 105 Gordale (Dark Color 2)

Each skein of Rowan Valley Tweed contains 226 yards (207 meters) per 50 grams. While specific needle sizes are not included in the provided pattern excerpt, sport weight yarn typically works well with needles in the US 4-6 range. Knitters should refer to the complete pattern for exact needle specifications and any additional finishing materials needed for the cushion construction.

Difficulty Level

This pattern is rated as intermediate difficulty, though it is specifically designed as a beginner brioche project. The intermediate rating reflects the brioche stitch technique itself, which requires understanding how to work with slipped stitches and yarnovers in combination. However, the absence of shaping, color changes beyond the brioche structure, and the flat construction make this an ideal stepping stone for knitters expanding their stitch repertoire.

Pattern Format

Tweed is available as a downloadable PDF pattern, allowing immediate access to the complete instructions, stitch abbreviations, and finishing details needed to complete the project.