Saturday 1 September 2012

Aran Cushions - Part 1

I have a bit of a problem. Too many things to knit, crochet, sew and bake but really I ought to do other stuff some of the time, unfortunately. Part of the problem is that the girls now want me to make some things for them too, which is very flattering, but the list grows! Perhaps my knitty knotty obsessions are not as fuddy duddy as they had previously led me to believe.
cabled cushion
Raspberry Aran Cushion
L, the middle one, has also hampered me, in a very nice way, she is home from university over the summer and when she isn't serving cheese on the deli counter of a well-known supermarket to earn pennies for next year, she is sewing. L is studying 3D Design (Product and Furniture) up at Northumbria in term time, not textiles. Since I gave her my refurbished sewing machine at the start of the summer break (thank goodness we have a proper sewing machine shop that does servicing and repairs) it has been permanently up on the dining room table, I dare not get mine out too until she is back up north for the start of Year 2. She has made some beautiful cushions, the owl one was a present that she has now sent to a friend for her birthday, but I photographed with my rainbow ripple.
Attic 24 neat ripple
applique owl
Owl Cushion close up
The red patchwork one she was not as happy with and I love it, so I have acquired it by default!
patchwork
Patchwork Floor Cushion
Reverse of patchwork floor cushion
The large patchwork one is her most recent creation, and she likes the stripy back better. The cream and pink linen stripe one was a bargain somewhere, and the raspberry Aran creation was me finally doing some knitting again.
Cushion Collection for a student!
I found a pattern on Ravelry she approved of, and L chose some Stylecraft Chunky in Raspberry. I adapted the pattern and added another pattern repeat to fit a 40cm cushion pad, so a cast on of 72. I used my new Knit Pro circular needles that I had for Christmas!
aran patterns
Cable Close Up
L didn’t want any buttons or ugly closures, they dig in when in serious lounging mode, so I just knitted a 100cm length, finishing with a few rows of K2P2 rib.  The sewing up was the hardest bit, keeping it straight and at times catching in 3 layers and hoping I had worked the structure out correctly. Phew it did!
Finished Raspberry Aran Cushion
Now she has commissioned a 60cm floor cushion in Fondant and Cream, with a bobble pattern, to go with all her other cushions, student digs were not this posh 25 years ago! Hence the plural in "cushions" in the title, and the need for a Part 2!!

RASPBERRY ARAN CUSHION finished 19th August 2012, it took me a couple of weeks mixed in with other projects!

FINISHED SIZE: 40cm square

YARN: 3x100g Stylecraft Special Chunky Raspberry 1023.

NEEDLES: 6mm

PATTERNS: Based on this cabled cushion pattern, I will write up my adaptation soon!

KNITTY HAPPY INDEX: 8/10
knitted cushion
PS I scheduled this to post last week whilst I was away and Blogger didn't obey, so with no thanks to naughty Blogger here is my post better late than never!!

11 comments:

  1. Ah! They are all so lovely! What a clever pair you are! Love the cables, I taught my sister to cable a few weeks ago and it has given me an "itch" to cable something myself. If only I didn't have quite so many projects already!!
    Karen xx

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  2. What a compliment to you that your daughter is following in your footsteps! Gorgeous things, both of you! ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  3. Your daughter's cushions are fab, that owl applique is so neat. I wish my daughter wanted to craft with me! I haven't tried cabling yet but your cushion makes me want to! x

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  4. What a great mix of pillows! Love the knit cable and the patchwork! And the raspberry color is scrumptious!!!

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  5. All very beautiful. I always love cables, so your knitted cushion is great and isn't your daughter a clever stick too? Such beautiful work, both of you :)

    S x

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  6. Love the Raspberry Aran Cushion, I made a lime green one similar a few years ago when I saw how much they were in the shops! I'd snap up the patchwork one too, just beautiful.

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  7. Your daughters sewing is really good, even the patchwork one, I bet you were pleased to acquire it :D

    Love the knitted cushion too, another project to add to the "do do" list... :)

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  8. Fiona, I wish I could sew like that *sigh* my sewing is sooo wonky that I gave it up. Well, I may have a second try once I figured out why my machine is making knotty spots...

    Your Raspberry Aran Cushion looks gorgeous! I started one like that in Burnt Orange, but it's hibernating now as I have to finish a blanket for my goddaughter (and of course there are the ripple and the Giant Granny Patch as well....)

    Thank you for putting me on your blog list, you made my day!

    maree x

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  9. You have one talented daughter there, Fiona, you must be so proud. I absolutely adore that owl cushion, I want one too! Your daughter is lucky to have such a talented mum too, your aran cushion is gorgeous:)

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  10. Well join the club then Fiona....I'm just losing control of all the WIPs I've got and I am going to have to get quite stern with some members of the family and tell them to let up....I just can't do it all.
    I absolutely love the array of colours that you've made those cushions in and the different styles.
    The Owl cushion is tops!

    keep well
    Amanda :-)

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  11. I was looking around Ravelry for ideas on what to do with odd balls of Chunky yarn - saw your lovely cushion and followed the trail back to your blog.
    Lots of nice things to see here so I have become your newest follower :)

    Margaret

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Comments are very welcome, thank you for reading!

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