Duke Argyll Blanket & Cushion in West Yorkshire Spinners - DPB0243 - Downloadable PDF

Duke Argyll Blanket & Cushion Knitting Pattern by Jenny Watson – West Yorkshire Spinners

The Duke Argyll Blanket & Cushion is a stunning knitting pattern designed by Jenny Watson and published by West Yorkshire Spinners. Available as a downloadable PDF, this pattern produces two coordinating home accessories: a generously sized blanket and a matching cushion, both featuring the classic Argyll diamond motif that gives this design its distinguished, heritage-inspired character. The finished pieces make an elegant addition to any living space and would suit a confident knitter looking to develop or showcase their colourwork skills.

What Is Being Made

This pattern covers two separate but complementary projects:

• Duke Argyll Blanket – a substantial, cosy throw worked in the iconic Argyll diamond pattern, ideal for draping over a sofa or armchair.
• Duke Argyll Cushion – a coordinating cushion cover worked in the same colourwork design, creating a cohesive, polished look when displayed alongside the blanket.

Together, these two pieces form a classic home décor set with a timeless, country-house aesthetic rooted in traditional Scottish Argyll design heritage.

Techniques Used

This pattern is rated advanced in difficulty, reflecting the colourwork techniques required to achieve the Argyll diamond motif. Knitters will need to be comfortable with the following techniques:

• Fair Isle – working with two or more colours in a single row, with the unused yarn stranded loosely across the wrong side of the fabric. The pattern specifically instructs that stranded yarns should be kept loose to maintain correct tension and fabric drape.
• Intarsia – when stranding becomes impractical across longer colour sections, a separate ball of yarn is used for each colour area. The yarns are twisted around one another at colour joins on the wrong side to prevent holes forming between sections.
• Working from a chart – the Argyll motif is presented as a colourwork chart. Right side (RS) rows are read from right to left, and wrong side (WS) rows are read from left to right, following standard knitting chart conventions.
• Making one stitch (m1) – an increase worked by picking up the loop between the last and next stitch and working into the back loop to avoid a hole.
• Slipping stitches knitwise (sl1) – used at specific points within the pattern for neat stitch manipulation.

Stitches Used

The pattern draws on a focused set of knitting stitches and techniques:

• Stocking stitch (st-st) – the foundation fabric of both projects, formed by alternating one knit row and one purl row when working flat in rows.
• Knit (K) and Purl (P) – the fundamental stitches used throughout.
• Colourwork patterning – the Argyll diamond motif is created by working knit stitches in multiple colours across the row, following the chart, using Fair Isle stranding and Intarsia techniques as appropriate.
• Make one (m1) – an increase stitch used within the shaping of the pattern.

Materials – Yarn, Needles, and Tension

The pattern is designed to be knitted in West Yorkshire Spinners Aran weight yarn, worked on 5mm (US 8) needles. The recommended tension is 18 stitches over 10cm / 4 inches in stocking stitch, which knitters should check carefully before beginning, particularly given the advanced colourwork involved.

• Yarn weight: Aran
• Needle size: 5mm / US 8
• Yarn quantity: Each 100g hank of West Yorkshire Spinners Aran yields approximately 166 metres / 182 yards
• Tension: 18 sts to 10cm / 4 inches in stocking stitch

Because the Argyll pattern uses multiple colours simultaneously, knitters will need several separate balls or hanks of yarn in their chosen col