Mistletoe Bolster Cover in Rowan Felted Tweed - 4086 - Downloadable PDF

Mistletoe Bolster Cover in Rowan Felted Tweed – Pattern Summary

Designed by Georgia Farrell and published by Rowan, the Mistletoe Bolster Cover is a knitted cushion cover shaped to fit a bolster cushion pad measuring 46 cm (18 in) long and 20 cm (7¾ in) in diameter. This project is rated as advanced beginner, making it an excellent step up for knitters who are comfortable with basic techniques and ready to explore colourwork and working in the round.

What Is Being Made

The finished item is a fitted bolster cushion cover, designed to wrap snugly around a standard bolster pad. The cover is worked in the round from end to end, with shaped ends that give it a neat, tailored finish. The Mistletoe name is reflected in the decorative fairisle colourwork pattern that runs along the main body of the cover, giving it a seasonal and textural appeal.

Design Details and Construction

The cover is constructed using double-pointed needles, worked entirely in the round. The shaping at each end is achieved through a series of knit and purl rounds that create a smooth, rounded finish. Once the first end shaping is complete, the knitter moves into the main section of the cover, which features the signature colourwork design.

The main body of the cover is worked entirely in stocking stitch (knit every round when working in the round), with the fairisle pattern introduced across this section. The colourwork chart features an 8-stitch pattern repeat worked 18 times around each round, and a 40-row pattern repeat that is worked a total of three times, followed by one additional repeat of row 1. After the colourwork section is complete, yarn B is broken off and the cover is finished in stocking stitch using yarn A only for a few final rounds before the second end is shaped to mirror the first.

Techniques Used

• Working in the round on a set of four double-pointed needles throughout
• Fairisle colourwork – carrying two colours across each round, following a charted repeat pattern
• Shaping – structured increases and decreases to form the rounded bolster ends
• Joining and breaking off colours as required during the colourwork section
• Reading and following a colourwork chart with both stitch and row repeats

Stitches Used

• Stocking stitch (knit every round) – used throughout the main body and colourwork section
• Purl rounds – used at specific points during the end shaping to create a defined edge or turning ridge
• Knit rounds – used in the transitional rounds between shaping and the main colourwork section

Yarn and Materials

The pattern calls for Rowan Felted Tweed, a popular 50g yarn known for its beautiful tweedy texture and muted, earthy tones. Two shades are used in this design:

• Yarn A – Rage (shade 150): 2 balls required
• Yarn B – Clay (shade 177): 1 ball required

Rowan Felted Tweed is a lightly felted yarn blended from wool, alpaca, and viscose, which gives it a soft halo and excellent stitch definition — qualities that make it particularly well suited to fairisle colourwork, as the slight felting helps the floats sit neatly on the wrong side without puckering.

Needles and Tension

The pattern recommends a set of four 4mm (UK no. 8 / US 6) double-pointed needles. The stated tension is 22 stitches and 30 rows to 10 cm, measured over stocking stitch. Achieving the correct tension is especially important for this project, as the cover needs to fit a specific bolster pad size. Knitters are advised to work a tension swatch before beginning and to adjust needle size if necessary.

Who This Pattern Is For

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