Colorful Pillows
Two Colorful Pillows
An exploration of pattern and color
These two pillows were designed to make playing with the infinite options of color and pattern available to Fair Isle knitters even more fun. The first pillow is, quite simply, a large swatch. The second pillow makes the predominantly horizontal effect of two-color stranded knitting bend around a central square.
16” Sampler Pillow
Using a 16” circular needle and Shetland jumperweight wool yarn, cast on 118 stitches (109 for the pillowcase + 9 for the steek). This number of stitches should result in a 16” pillow at approximately 7 stitches per inch. If you know that your gauge is different, recalculate the cast on number. And see the note on Needle Size if you aren’t sure what size needle to use. Join, being careful not to twist. Pull out all your knitting books and bookmark the charts that have always interested you. Choose one, set out some colors that you think might look good, and start knitting! Step back to take a look—did that one turn out the way you had hoped? Be sure to keep records of what you did—you will probably fall in love with at least one of your colorways and want to design a garment around it. Now try another pattern. It’s a good idea to alternate pattern sizes and colors, and maybe find a very large one for the center, but the overall effect we are aiming for is one of folkloric exuberance. Try not to get too judgmental or worried. When the knitting measures about 15.5”, cast off. Stabilize your Needle Size steek by machine stitching or crocheting, cut it open, and block your pillow cover to 16” square (not counting the steek stitches). You can now add a decorative IThe issue of gauge and needle cord trim or any other edging you’d like. size can be confusing. Gauge Attach to a pillow cover (I sewed mine is the number of stitches and by hand using sewing thread—there rows per inch in the knitted are many ways to construct a pillow, fabric. Some knitters need an though!). American size
An exploration of pattern and color
These two pillows were designed to make playing with the infinite options of color and pattern available to Fair Isle knitters even more fun. The first pillow is, quite simply, a large swatch. The second pillow makes the predominantly horizontal effect of two-color stranded knitting bend around a central square.
16” Sampler Pillow
Using a 16” circular needle and Shetland jumperweight wool yarn, cast on 118 stitches (109 for the pillowcase + 9 for the steek). This number of stitches should result in a 16” pillow at approximately 7 stitches per inch. If you know that your gauge is different, recalculate the cast on number. And see the note on Needle Size if you aren’t sure what size needle to use. Join, being careful not to twist. Pull out all your knitting books and bookmark the charts that have always interested you. Choose one, set out some colors that you think might look good, and start knitting! Step back to take a look—did that one turn out the way you had hoped? Be sure to keep records of what you did—you will probably fall in love with at least one of your colorways and want to design a garment around it. Now try another pattern. It’s a good idea to alternate pattern sizes and colors, and maybe find a very large one for the center, but the overall effect we are aiming for is one of folkloric exuberance. Try not to get too judgmental or worried. When the knitting measures about 15.5”, cast off. Stabilize your Needle Size steek by machine stitching or crocheting, cut it open, and block your pillow cover to 16” square (not counting the steek stitches). You can now add a decorative IThe issue of gauge and needle cord trim or any other edging you’d like. size can be confusing. Gauge Attach to a pillow cover (I sewed mine is the number of stitches and by hand using sewing thread—there rows per inch in the knitted are many ways to construct a pillow, fabric. Some knitters need an though!). American size