Mrs Claus

Mrs Claus Cushion Knitting Pattern by Amanda Berry

Project Overview

The Mrs Claus cushion is a charming knitted decorative pillow featuring a festive character design. This intermediate-level knitting project is constructed from three separate knitted pieces that are assembled together: a front panel, a back panel, and a hair bun detail that is knitted separately and sewn onto the top of the cushion. The finished cushion is stuffed with toy filling to create a soft, three-dimensional decorative piece perfect for holiday décor.

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a knitted cushion featuring a Mrs Claus character face. The design incorporates multiple yarn colors to create the facial features and details of the character. The cushion is completed with embellishments including black button eyes and pink felt fabric circles for the cheeks, adding dimension and personality to the finished piece.

Knitting Techniques Used

• Intarsia colorwork: The pattern employs intarsia technique for color changes, requiring the use of bobbins to manage multiple yarn colors within rows. This method allows for detailed, multi-colored designs without carrying yarn across the back of the work.
• Shaping and decreasing: The pattern includes decreases such as knit two stitches together (k2tog) to shape the cushion pieces as needed.
• Seaming: Pieces are sewn together using a darning or tapestry needle, creating a finished cushion structure.
• Single crochet: A crochet hook is used for finishing details, though the primary construction is knitted.

Stitches and Abbreviations

The pattern uses standard knitting abbreviations including k for knit stitch and k2tog for knit two stitches together, a basic decrease technique. The primary stitch structure is based on knit stitches, with the pattern worked on single pointed needles.

Materials Required

Yarn: The cushion is made from acrylic DK yarn (double knitting weight, also known as light worsted weight or 8 ply). Up to 35 grams of yarn is needed in each of six coordinating shades: Dark Green, Pale Green, Cream, Dark Purple, Red, and White. The DK weight yarn provides good stitch definition for the intarsia colorwork design.

Needles and Notions: A pair of 3.5mm (US size 4) single pointed needles with a minimum length of 20 centimeters is required for the main knitting. A 3.5mm (US E/4) crochet hook is needed for finishing details. Additional notions include a darning or tapestry needle for seaming the pieces together, 200 grams of toy filling for stuffing the cushion, two 6mm diameter black buttons for eyes, pink felt fabric circles for cheeks, and bobbins for managing the intarsia colorwork.

Difficulty Level

This pattern is rated as intermediate difficulty. The combination of intarsia colorwork, multi-piece construction, and assembly techniques makes it suitable for knitters with some experience beyond basic stockinette stitch and simple shaping.

Designer Information

This pattern was designed by Amanda Berry. The pattern is copyrighted 2014 by Amanda Berry and is available as a downloadable PDF format for independent crafters and designers.