Garter Ridge Pillow in Bernat Alize Blanket-EZ - Downloadable PDF

Garter Ridge Pillow in Bernat Alize Blanket-EZ – Free Knitting Pattern Summary

This free, downloadable PDF pattern from Bernat guides knitters through creating a cozy, textured square pillow using the innovative Bernat Alize Blanket-EZ yarn system. The finished pillow measures approximately 20 inches [51 cm] square, making it a satisfying and practical home décor project. Rated Easy, this pattern is an ideal choice for beginner knitters looking to build confidence while producing a polished, professional-looking result.

What Is Being Made

The project is a square cushion cover worked flat and then folded in half with the right side facing out to form the pillow shape. The finished dimensions of approximately 20 inches square make it a standard decorative pillow size, suitable for sofas, chairs, or beds. The construction is straightforward: a single rectangular panel is knitted to approximately 40 inches [101.5 cm] in length, then folded and seamed to create the finished cushion.

The Bernat Alize Blanket-EZ System

What makes this pattern especially beginner-friendly is the use of Bernat Alize Blanket-EZ yarn, a super chunky (weight 6) specialty yarn that comes pre-looped along its length. Rather than using traditional knitting needles or a crochet hook in the conventional sense, the knitter works with the pre-formed loops directly, pulling new loops through existing ones with their fingers or a large hook. This finger-knitting style technique eliminates the need for standard needle sizing and makes the process highly tactile and accessible. The yarn comes in 6.4 oz / 180 g skeins, each yielding approximately 18 yards / 16 meters.

Materials Required

• Yarn: Bernat Alize Blanket-EZ in Thistle (color 37021) – 2 balls required
• Tools: A large tapestry needle or hook for weaving in ends; no traditional knitting needles are required for the main construction
• Gauge: Gauge is noted in the pattern; tension should be checked to ensure the correct finished dimensions

Techniques and Construction Method

The pillow is worked using a loop-pull knitting technique unique to the Bernat Alize Blanket-EZ system. The knitter begins by counting out 25 loops for the foundation row, with the yarn end positioned at the far right and all loops facing upward. The work is never turned; instead, the direction of working alternates row by row, moving from left to right and then right to left, mimicking the back-and-forth motion of traditional flat knitting without the need to physically turn the piece.

• Foundation Row: 25 loops are counted and laid out as the starting base
• Row 1 (left to right): The 26th loop from the working yarn is pulled up through the 25th loop of the foundation row from behind to create a knit stitch; this continues across the row, yielding 25 stitches
• Row 2 (right to left): With the working yarn held in front, the next loop is pulled toward the back through the last stitch worked; this creates the contrasting ridge texture characteristic of garter stitch
• Row 3 (left to right): With working yarn held in back, loops are pulled up from behind through each stitch of the previous row
• Repeat: Rows 2 and 3 are repeated until the piece reaches approximately 40 inches [101.5 cm], ending on a Row 3

Stitches and Stitch Pattern

The primary stitch pattern is a garter ridge effect, achieved by alternating the direction in which loops are pulled through on each row. In traditional knitting, garter stitch is created by knitting every row, producing a fabric with horizontal ridges on both sides. Here, the same visual effect is replicated through the alternating loop-pull method — pulling loops from behind on one row and from the front on the next. The result is a thick, squishy, ridged fabric with excellent loft and texture, perfectly suited to a decorative pillow.