Check Cushion Cover

Check Cushion Cover by Sian Brown

Project Overview

This is a beginner-friendly knitted cushion cover measuring 45 x 45 cm, designed by Sian Brown. The project combines simple stocking stitch with a charted check pattern on the front, creating a modern geometric design. The finished cover features a practical button-closure overlap at the back, making it easy to insert and remove a standard cushion pad.

What is Being Made

A square cushion cover with decorative check pattern worked in chunky yarn. The design includes a knitted back panel, a patterned front panel, and an overlapping closure system secured with buttons. This is an ideal project for creating home décor accessories or gifts.

Techniques Used

• Chart reading: The front features a charted pattern where right-side rows are read right to left and wrong-side rows are read left to right, a standard technique in colorwork and texture knitting
• Stocking stitch: The primary fabric structure used for both back and front panels
• Reverse stocking stitch: Used as a turning row to mark the transition between sections
• Ribbing: Applied as an edging technique on the back panel for texture and structure
• Overlapping closure: A practical construction method where one section overlaps another, secured with buttons for easy access to the cushion pad
• Tension gauge work: Essential for achieving the correct finished dimensions

Stitches Used

• Knit stitch (k): Forms the primary fabric
• Purl stitch (p): Creates texture and reverse stocking stitch effects
• Ribbing (k1, p1): Used in alternating rows to create an elastic, textured edge on the back panel
• Chart pattern: A repeat pattern worked across the front using combinations of knit and purl stitches to create the check design

Materials and Specifications

Yarn: Rico Essentials Alpaca Blend Chunky, a blend of 30% wool, 50% acrylic, and 20% alpaca. The project requires 4 balls of Turquoise (color 017). Each ball contains 90 meters and weighs 50 grams, making this a chunky-weight yarn ideal for quick knitting and a soft, luxurious finish.

Needles: Size 6mm needles are used throughout the project.

Notions: One 45 x 45 cm cushion pad and 6 buttons for the closure system.

Tension and Sizing

The pattern is worked to a tension of 15 stitches and 18 rows over a 10 x 10 cm (4 x 4 inch) square in stocking stitch using 6mm needles. Achieving this tension is crucial for the finished cushion cover to fit a standard 45 x 45 cm cushion pad correctly.

Construction Details

Back Panel: Cast on 70 stitches and begin with 4 rows of knit-purl ribbing (k1, p1 alternating) to create a textured edge. Continue in stocking stitch until the back measures 35 cm from the cast-on edge, finishing on a right-side row. A wrong-side knit row marks the turning point.

Front Panel: Also cast on 70 stitches and begins with a purl stitch on each edge. The charted check pattern is worked across the center stitches, with the pattern repeat continuing until the front measures 45 cm. A reverse stocking stitch row marks another turning point for structure.

Overlap and Closure: An overlapping section is worked in stocking stitch for 10 cm, creating the button-closure system that allows the cushion pad to be inserted and removed easily. Six buttons secure the overlap.

Difficulty Level

This project is rated as beginner-friendly, making it suitable for knitters new to cushion construction. While it involves chart reading and multiple techniques, each element is straightforward and builds foundational skills in garment assembly and finishing.