This is a
great stashbusting project - use bright colours with black or white
for a 60s look, and more subtle shades for a 50s feel. The pattern is
for a cushion 18” in diameter, but you can easily adjust the size –
see note at end.
Materials:
100g
DK in colour 1 – used for the back and the narrow stripes
separating the colour segments
40g
DK in each of 2 more colours. If you want to use 3 colours, allow 30g
of each. 6 colours will need about 15 g and so on. You could even
make each segment a different colour, to use up all those tiny balls
of yarn! I used yarn from my 100% acrylic stash, which is mainly
Hayfield Bonus DK and Woolcraft New Fashion DK.
Pair
UK 9/3.75 mm straight needles.
3.5 mm crochet hook.
10”
or 12” zip to match back colour.
18”
round cushion pad.
Measurements:
Finished
diameter approximately 17” (to fit an 18” diameter cushion pad).
Tension:
22
sts and 44 rows to 4”/10 cm over garter stitch.
Abbreviations:
| K | knit | C1 | colour 1 |
| st(s) | stitch(es) | C2 | colour 2 |
| g st | garter stitch (every row K) | C3 | colour 3 |
| dc | double crochet | sl st | slip stitch (crochet) |
Front:
Using
C1, cast on 48 sts.
*Break
off C1 and join in C2. K to last 3 sts, turn and K to end.
Next
2 rows: K to 3 sts less than previous rows, turn and K to end.
Repeat
last 2 rows, reducing the number of sts worked each time by 3, until
the rows K3, turn, K3 have been worked. Break off C2.
Join
in C1 and K 2 rows across all sts.
Repeat
from * using C3. Continue as picture until 18 segments in all have
been worked, ending with K3, turn,K3 (ie do not knit the 2 full rows
in C1).
Join
in C1, K 1 row and cast off loosely (use a needle 1 or 2 sizes
larger).
Back:
Make
exactly as for front, using C1 throughout. You can make the back to
match the front, but you will need to knit the coloured segments in
reverse order to make the edges match up – this matters more when 3
or more colours are used.
Finishing:
Note: For US readers, dc (double crochet) in the UK is the same as single crochet in the US
For
each piece, with right sides together, oversew seam fairly loosely.
At centre, weave yarn through the row ends, draw up tightly and
stitch to secure. Press seams lightly according to ball band
instructions.
On
the back piece, with RS facing you and starting at the seam, work 1
dc into each “knot” at the row ends, thus working 1 dc for every
2 rows of g st. Work until row of dc is about ¾”
shorter than the zip you are using.
Place
front and back pieces wrong sides together, lining up the seams. With
RS of front facing you, work a row of dc into the front piece to
correspond with the dc on the back.
Pin
the two pieces wrong sides together, lining up the full rows at the
end of each segment, and continue to work dc as before, working
through both
layers. When the round is complete, work 1 sl st into the start of
the crochet round and fasten off.
Insert
zip, stretching work slightly to fit. Insert cushion pad.
Variations:
The
rust and grey cushion measures 24” across and required 63 sts to be
cast on. To make cushions in different sizes or using other yarn
thicknesses, simply multiply the radius (half the diameter) you want
by the number of sts per inch, ensuring that the number you cast on
can be divided by 3.
The
rainbow cushion is worked slightly differently: after casting on the
first colour, work 2 rows across all sts then reduce by 3 sts per 2
rows as before until 3 are left. Change colours at this point,
starting the next colour by working 2 rows across all sts.
