Torfinn Cushion in Rowan Softyak DK - Downloadable PDF

Torfinn Cushion Knitting Pattern by Arne & Carlos in Rowan Softyak DK

The Torfinn Cushion is a decorative knitted cushion cover designed by the celebrated duo Arne & Carlos and published by Rowan (pattern reference ROWEB-03664-UK). Available as a downloadable PDF, this intermediate-level knitting pattern produces a striking cushion cover worked in colourwork, making it an excellent project for knitters who are comfortable with basic techniques and ready to explore more intricate patterning. The design is offered in multiple colourway versions, each giving the finished cushion a distinct character while using the same construction method.

Versions and Colourways

The pattern includes at least three distinct colour versions, allowing knitters to personalise their finished cushion to suit their home décor. Each version uses a carefully curated palette of shades from Rowan Softyak DK.

Version A

• A – Coast 248: 2 x 50gm balls
• B – Lantana 246: 1 x 50gm ball
• C – Tuscan Red 253: 1 x 50gm ball
• D – Pampas 235: 1 x 50gm ball
• E – Albany 255: 3 x 50gm balls

Version B

• F – Seagrass 249: 2 x 50gm balls
• G – Heath 238: 2 x 50gm balls
• H – Prairie 233: 3 x 50gm balls

Version C

• A – Coast 248: 2 x 50gm balls
• B – Lantana 246: 1 x 50gm ball
• C – Tuscan Red 253: (quantities as per pattern)

Yarn: Rowan Softyak DK

All versions of the Torfinn Cushion are knitted in Rowan Softyak DK, a beautifully soft DK weight yarn that blends natural fibres to create a fabric with a subtle, matte finish and a wonderfully gentle handle. Softyak DK is well regarded for its ability to showcase colourwork patterns with excellent stitch definition, making it particularly well suited to a design like this one, where the interplay of colours is central to the visual impact. The yarn is sold in 50gm balls, and the number of balls required varies by colour and version as detailed above.

Needles

The pattern calls for 4mm (US 6) knitting needles for both the front and back panels of the cushion cover. This needle size is standard for DK weight yarn and will produce a firm, well-structured fabric appropriate for a cushion cover that needs to hold its shape over time.

Construction and Techniques

Front Panel – Colourwork Chart

The front of the cushion is the showpiece of the design, worked from a colourwork chart spanning 135 rows in total. Knitters work through all 135 rows of the chart, ending with the wrong side (WS) facing for the next row before casting off purlwise on the wrong side. Chart-based colourwork of this kind typically involves carrying multiple yarn colours across the back of the work — a technique known as stranded colourwork or Fair Isle-style knitting — which creates the characteristic geometric or pictorial motifs associated with Scandinavian-inspired knitwear. Arne & Carlos are internationally renowned for their Nordic and folk-art inspired colourwork designs, and the Torfinn Cushion reflects this aesthetic tradition.

Back Panel – Plain Stocking Stitch

The back of the cushion cover is worked in plain stocking stitch (stockinette), providing a neat, smooth reverse that complements the