Difficulty: Confident Beginner. This is the most beginner-friendly design in the Turner Collection, as there is no shaping involved (meaning no increases or decreases). This makes it the perfect choice for your first colourwork project. The most complicated parts of the pattern are the Modified Judy’s Magic Cast On and the Kitchener Stitch/inserting of a zip. However, both of these stages have accompanying video tutorials to guide you through the process.

Design: The Turner Cushion Cover is a square, two-tone cushion cover featuring a variety of geometric motifs. It uses the stranded colourwork (Fair Isle) technique. Faux seams are included around the edge of the cushion (hiding the jog that is created by knitting colourwork in the round).

About the Pattern: The pattern combines written instructions with colourwork charts. Don’t worry if this is your first time using colourwork charts: I have included a video tutorial explaining how to read them.

Construction: To begin working the Turner Cushion Cover, you will cast on using the modified version of Judy’s Magic Cast On. You then work the cushion cover in the round, using the appropriate colourwork chart (each of the five sizes has its own chart). Finally, there are two finishing methods to choose between. The first has you place your stitches on hold after finishing the colourwork chart, so that you can wet block your project. Once the project has fully dried, you then place your cushion insert inside of your cover and seal it in using the Kitchener Stitch. The second finishing method has you cast off in pattern, before wet blocking. You then sew in an invisible zip, before placing the cushion insert inside of the cover.

Sizing: The pattern comes in five sizes, to fit square cushion inserts with a height / width measurement of 35, 40, 45 (50, 55) cm / 14”, 16”, 18” (20”, 22”). The cushion cover is designed to have around 2.5 cm / 1” of negative ease in both height and width (which translates to 5 cm / 2” of negative ease in circumference). To choose your size, measure you cushion insert and pick the corresponding size.

Yarn: There are two recommended yarns for the Turner Cushion Cover. The first is Isager Yarns’ Soft (250 m / 274 yds per 100g). The second is Yarnsmiths’ Merino DK (220 m / 240 yds per 100g). However, most standard DK-weight yarns can be used.

Sample 1 uses Isager Yarns’ Soft in the shade E7S for the MC and E6S for the CC.

Sample 2 uses Yarnsmiths’ Merino DK in the shade 3204 Country Green for the MC and 3061 Linen for the CC.

You will need approximately 242, 311, 404 (525, 683) m / 265, 340, 442 (574, 747) yds of your MC, and 170, 228, 308 (415, 561) m / 186, 249, 337 (454, 613) yds of your CC.

Gauge: The gauge for the Turner Cushion Cover is 23 stitches x 33 rows per 10 cm / 4”.

You should achieve this gauge when knitting the colourwork design and working in the round. Please block your swatch, to ensure that your gauge is accurate. Any of the colourwork charts can be used for working your gauge swatch.

Techniques: This pattern uses the Modified Judy’s Magic Cast On. You will need to read colourwork charts and knit in Magic Loop. Depending on your finishing method, you will either use the Kitchener Stitch, or you will Bind Off In Pattern and sew in a zip.

The yarn used in sample 2 was received free of charge from Wool Warehouse, as part of their promotional launch of Yarnsmiths’ new 100% wool yarns (Yarnsmiths is Wool Warehouse’s in-house brand). The yarn was given without any contractual obligation to share, and this design is in no way affiliated with Yarnsmiths or Wool Warehouse.