Dilettante Cushion Cover

Dilettante Cushion Cover by Sharon Slarke

What is Being Made

The Dilettante Cushion Cover is a warm, woollen cushion cover designed to fit a 30cm (12 in) x 40cm (16 in) cushion insert. This intermediate-level knitting project creates a decorative cushion cover featuring traditional stranded colorwork in a jacquard design. The finished piece measures 30cm (12 in) x 40cm (16 in) and is suitable for home décor applications where a handmade, artisanal cushion cover is desired.

Knitting Techniques Used

The Dilettante Cushion Cover employs several key knitting techniques to achieve its finished structure:

• Knitting in the Round: The cushion cover is knitted in the round using circular needles, which creates a seamless tubular fabric and allows for continuous colorwork patterning without interruption.
• Stranded Colorwork: The jacquard design is created using the stranded colorwork technique, where two colors of yarn are carried across the back of the work and picked up as needed to create the pattern on the front. This traditional method produces a double-thickness fabric with excellent insulation properties.
• Three Needle Bind Off: One end of the cushion cover is joined using a three needle bind off, a technique that simultaneously binds off two sets of live stitches while grafting them together, creating a strong, neat seam.
• Seaming: A single seam is required at one end of the cover to close the opening after the cushion insert or stuffing is inserted.

Stitches Used

The primary stitch structure for this project is the Jacquard Stitch, a form of stranded colorwork knitting that creates a patterned fabric using two colors of yarn worked in stockinette stitch. The jacquard pattern is worked over the course of knitting the cushion cover in the round, with the pattern repeating to create the overall design. The gauge for this stitch is 29.5 stitches and 29 rows to 10cm (4 in) when blocked, which is important to check before beginning the project to ensure the finished cushion cover meets the specified dimensions.

Materials and Yarn

The Dilettante Cushion Cover is designed to be knitted using 4 ply yarn, specifically Jamieson & Smith 2 Ply Jumper Weight (100% Shetland Wool), though any fingering or 4 ply weight yarn may be substituted. The yarn is worked from two color balls:

• 2 balls of dark yarn (Shade 87mix)
• 2 balls of light yarn (Shade 9144)

Each ball contains approximately 25g and 115m (126 yds) of yarn. The use of Shetland wool provides warmth, durability, and the traditional aesthetic associated with colorwork knitting. Knitting needles required include a 40cm (16 in) circular needle in 3.75mm size for the main knitting, plus one straight 3.75mm needle for the three needle bind off. The cushion cover is filled with either a 30cm (12 in) x 40cm (16 in) cushion insert or loose stuffing; the sample was made using 500g of pure wool fleece stuffing.

Difficulty Level

This project is rated as intermediate difficulty, making it suitable for knitters who have mastered basic knitting techniques and are ready to tackle the added complexity of stranded colorwork. Knitters should be comfortable working in the round with circular needles and managing multiple colors of yarn simultaneously while maintaining consistent gauge and tension throughout the jacquard pattern.