I was very a-moose-ed with this free knitting pattern from the Yarnspirations Canada 150 Lookbook, so I knit one up to celebrate the majestic moose in all of its Canadian glory!
This 20" x 20" (58.8 cm x 58.8 cm) cushion uses Bernat Maker Home Dec Yarn which happens to be one of my faves. I love it because it creates amazingly smooth stitches with awesome definition and it is thick and durable, so it knits up quickly!
One side of the pillow is cream with red and the reverse is red with cream (this way you only need one ball of each colour to finish the project!)
Once I finished knitting both sides I buckled down for a good ole blocking. I know that not everyone does this, and I don't always do it for every project I work on, but I find when you are working with Intarsia knitting a good soak makes the stitches sit much more evenly.
I even use a tapestry needle to grab each individual stitch and adjust the gauge until it looks exactly like I want it to.
Check out those crisp edges, corners, and stitches! Now it's time for assembly (for a cushion it is pretty easy, just stitch three sides together, stuff it, and then seam up the fourth side.)
To seam the vertical sides of the cushion I used an invisible vertical seam.
How-To: Using a tapestry needle and a piece of Bernat Maker Home Dec in a corresponding colour to the cushion work with the sides of the cushion lined up stitch-by-stitch:
+ Insert the needle under the horizontal bar between the first and second stitches.
+ Insert the needle under the corresponding horizontal bar between the first and second stitches on the other piece.
+ Continue in this manner, working from side to side, and pulling the yarn taught.
+ Check out your awesome invisible seam!
To seam the horizontal sides of the cushion I used an invisible horizontal seam stitch.
How-To: Using a tapestry needle and a piece of Bernat Maker Home Dec in a corresponding colour to the cushion work with the bound-off edges of the cushion lined up stitch-by-stitch:
+ Insert the needle up through the center of one stitch on the first piece.
+ Insert the needle under a full stitch on the second piece.
+ Insert the needle back through the center of the the same stitch on the first piece and up through the center of the next stitch.
+ Continue in this manner, working stitch by stitch, and adjusting to tension on your yarn to create a row of stitches that are the same gauge as the rest of your cushion.
+ Check out your awesome invisible seam!
Be sure to post your amazing creations to Instagram and tag me @midknits #midknitsmakers. I would love to see your makes!
Get the free Very Amoosing Knit Pillow pattern from the Yarnspirations Canada 150 Lookbook!
Happy Knitting,
Erin