This is a free pattern that is available for download from 18 November 2019.

The idea for Chloe’s Cushions came when I was designing Gardener’s Prayer Handwarmers and Gardener’s Prayer Hat. Swatching and experimenting with the yarn resulted in a collection of fluffy yarn ends and ripped swatches. They smelled and felt so good that I felt that it was a waste to throw them away.

I remembered buying pin cushions for a friend in Kyoto. The maker of the pin cushions said that his pin cushions were filled will sheep wool. The lanolin in the wool would keep needles rust-free.

Inspired by the idea, I made up these small square cushions to create my own pin cushions using lanolin-rich Nutiden.

I’m happy to publish the 3 designs as free patterns. If you are new to Nutiden, you may find these patterns useful for getting to know the yarn when used in colourwork. They work great as patterns for making quick swatches knitted in the round that also end up as useful pin cushions.

Chloe is a beautiful name that means “blooming” and also refers to the young shoots of plants.

There are 3 designs, written in colourwork charts.

Each square cushion begins with provisional cast on and is worked in the round. 3-needle Bind Off closes one end of the cushion. The cast on stitches are then picked up. You can fill the cushion with fleece, yarn ends or recycled yarns from old swatches. The cast on edge is closed with 3-needle Bind Off.

YARN

Höner och Eir Nutiden (100% Swedish wool, single ply pre-yarn)

Yarn is held single.
Approximately 10 g in total weight for a one pin cushion.

NEEDLES

One set of 2.75 mm / US 2 dpns or your preferred needles for working small circumferences in the round.
If you are using circular needles, you will also need an additional needle in the same size for 3-Needle Bind Off.

MEASUREMENT

10 cm x 10 cm / 4” x 4”

NOTIONS

1 stitch marker, tapestry needle, waste yarn for provisional cast on (preferably of a slightly heavier yarn weight than your working yarn, smooth and will not felt with your working yarn)

GAUGE

Gauge is not important, but just for your information, the samples are knitted with a gauge of 27 sts and 29 rows = 10 cm / 4” in colourwork chart with 2.75 mm / US 2 needles

Please do not sell the pattern nor any product made from the pattern. You may adapt the pattern for your own use. Kindly reference your work to the pattern. Thank you and enjoy knitting!