The Odds and the Ends – Stonewashed Cushion Cover

Do you know why I taught myself to crochet? The odds and ends of yarn. The ever increasing yarn stash. Inspired by the post-war thifty chic, I saw that you could something really quite beautiful from all the clashing colours of crochet. It is a journey of learning and self-improvement I have never regretted. But the stash has never really got any smaller. Actually I think it might have increased. Darn.

The first pattern

With my recent Little River Blanket that I designed for Black Sheep Wools, I really tried to use up as much of the 25g ball of wool as I could. However, mindful of the need to leave a little bit of yarn to ensure everyone’s crochet tension was catered for, I left just a little bit of each colour. What to do?

So I made some quick and easy solid granny squares. This is a traditional pattern. You can find it almost in any crochet stitch dictionary. A basic two round square.  I put together eight rows of eight columns and alternated each colour square with a square of Scheepjers Stonewashed Moonstone.

It was quick and easy to make. If you would like to make the squares yourself, feel free to follow the pattern below.

The basic pattern

BASIC SQUARE

Using your chosen yarn with 3.5mm hook, work 4ch and join with a sl st to form a ring.

Round 1:  5ch (counts as 1tr, 2ch), 3tr into ring, *2ch, 3tr; rep from * once, 2tr, sl st into 3rd ch at the beg of round. (4tr clusters). Do not fasten off.

Round 2: Sl st into ch sp, 5ch (counts as 1tr, 2ch), 2tr in same ch sp, 1tr in next 3str,  *(2tr, 3ch, 2tr) into next 3ch sp, 1tr into next 3tr, rep from * twice, 1tr into next 3ch sp, join with a sl st into 3rd of 5ch.

Some Help

I know this standard patterns very well, but if you feel you need to follow a pattern why not look at the fabulous book by Emma Lamb; Crochet Home. I attached each square as I made it. This a very satisfying technique and a cushion cover is a great way to practice before you embark on a blanket. My top advice would be to look at the Youtube tutorial of Sandra Cherryheart. Her tutorials are brilliant and very clear. I tacked the crochet onto an old very plain cushion cover and that means that there is a nice uniformed backing behind the crochet.

Now my cushion has pride of place in our kitchen, but I realise that not everyone has a shabby-chic aesthetic. I find that crochet look particularly good in the garden around this time. Cushions and blankets in a myriad of colours bring comfort and individuality to the outdoor space.

You know what? I am rather thrilled with this last minute odds and ends make. My advice: don’t get hung up on the colour arrangement – let yourself have a bit of fun with a really random pattern. It is easy to overlook the left-overs, but isn’t the magic of craft taking something that would normally be thrown away and creating something beautiful and useful?

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