Win, Win, Win - The Love and Kisses Cushion Christmas Tutorial

I am just a bit excited, last week I got a package through the post... it contained three balls of Debbie Bliss Donegal Tweed Luxury Aran.  A couple of weeks ago, there was a post on Totally Tutorials asking for volunteers to create something, along with a pattern for how it was made for Abakhan, do take a look at their site because the wool has been a joy to work with and comes in lots of fab colours.  

Now dear reader, I thought I can do that... I can knit, I am sure I can think of something... after all knitting is just sticks, string and a bit of counting when you take it down to basics.  So I started planning, not enough for a sweater but too much for a hat, not quite sufficient a vest... possibility of a sock and a half, now I know everyone has one foot smaller than the other but really?

Then it came to me, perhaps a bag that could be felted with a real show off collection of cable techniques but honestly this wool is just too nice to felt, it needs to be stroked.  I remembered some of the squares that we had knitted and crocheted for the Mumsnet blankets, hearts for love are really popular but if you have love, you must have kisses which is how this cushion was inspired... 

You will find on the front of the cushion hearts and kisses picked out in bobbles, 

on the back a little suprise in the shape of another textured heart ,

and it all closes with a twisted rib button band which gives a nod to the cables of its Aran antecedents.  If you think that the buttons look rather lovely, you are so right, I used some of the fabulous buttons from Incomparable Buttons... actually I have a stash of these little beauties which I thin always raise the game when you use them.

Now if you are wondering why there are three wins in the title, whip down to the end of the post and you will see who the winners of the bowmaker are from last week's post.  So let's get started, you will easily finish this before Christmas, in fact if you have children going off to college or Uni, you really do have time to make this for them before Fresher's week starts.  Crack on, you will need:

1 pair of 5mm needles
3 ball of Debbie Bliss Donegal Tweed Luxury Aran
2 large buttons
Scissors and a bodkin or tapestry needle
14" cushion pad

Abbreviations:

K = Knit or garter stitch
P = Purl
Sts = Stitches
M1B - Make one bobble, knit into the front of the stitch, purl into the front of the stitch, knit into the back of the stitch (three stitches), turn work around and purl just these three stitches, turn work around again so that the front is facing you, knit one, knit two together and pass the first stitch from the bobble over the knit two together stitch (one stitch)

Cast on 54 stitches.

Row 1 - K2, p2 to the end, k2 remaining stitches (this is the reverse side of your work)
Row 2 - P2, K into the second stitch and then K into the first stitch, (this creates your twisted rib which looks like a mock cable stitch) Repeat until the last 2 stitches, P2
Repeat these two rows 3 more times and knit row 1 again (9 rows in total)

Row 10 - With the right side facing, K25,  (K1, P1) twice, K25
Row 11 - P25 sts, P1, K1 twice, P25 stitches
Repeat rows 10 and 11

Row 14 - K12, M1B, K12, (K1, P1) twice, K2, M1B, K7, M1B, K3, M1B, K7, M1B, K2
Work all odd rows as Row 11
Row 16 - K10, M1B, K3, M1B,  K10, (K1, P1) twice, K4, M1B, K3, M1B, K7, M1B, K3, M1B, K4
Row 18 - K8, M1B, K7, M1B,  K8, (K1, P1) twice, K6, M1B, K11, M1B, K6
Row 20 - K6, M1B, K11, M1B,  K6, (K1, P1) twice, K4, M1B, K3, M1B, K7, M1B, K3, M1B, K4
Row 22 - K4, M1B, K15, M1B,  K4, (K1, P1) twice, K2, M1B, K7, M1B, K3, M1B, K7, M1B, K2
Row 24 - K2, M1B, K17, M1B,  K2, (K1, P1) twice, K to the end
Row 26 - K2, M1B, K17, M1B,  K2, (K1, P1) twice, K2, M1B, K7, M1B, K3, M1B, K7, M1B, K2
Row 28 - K2, M1B, K17, M1B,  K2, (K1, P1) twice, K4, M1B, K3, M1B, K7, M1B, K3, M1B, K4
Row 30 - K2, M1B, K9, M1B, K9, M1B, K2, (K1, P1) twice, K6, M1B, K11, M1B, K6
Row 32 - K4, M1B, K5, M1B, K3, M1B, K5, M1B, K4, (K1, P1) twice, K4, M1B, K3, M1B, K7, M1B, K3, M1B, K4
Row 32 - K6, M1B, K1, M1B, K7, M1B, K1, M1B, K6, (K1, P1) twice, K2, M1B, K7, M1B, K3, M1B, K7, M1B, K2

Row 34 - K25 sts,  (K1, P1) twice, K25 sts
Row 36 - - K25 sts,  (K1, P1) twice, K25 sts
Row 38 - K1, P1 to the end
Row 39 - P1, K1 to the end

Row 40 - K1, P1 to the end
Row 41 - P1, K1 to the end
Row 42 -  K25,  (K1, P1) twice, K25
Row 43 - P25 sts, P1, K1 twice, P25 stitches
Row 44-  K25,  (K1, P1) twice, K25
Row 45 - P25 sts, P1, K1 twice, P25 stitches

Row 46 - K2, M1B, K7, M1B, K3, M1B, K7, M1B, K2, (K1, P1) twice, K12, M1B, K12
Work each odd row as row 45
Row 48 - K4, M1B, K3, M1B, K7, M1B, K3, M1B, K4, (K1, P1) twice, K10, M1B, K3, M1B,  K10
Row 50 - K6, M1B, K11, M1B, K6, (K1, P1) twice, K8, M1B, K7, M1B,  K8
Row 52 - K4, M1B, K3, M1B, K7, M1B, K3, M1B, K4, (K1, P1) twice, K6, M1B, K11, M1B,  K6
Row 54 - K2, M1B, K7, M1B, K3, M1B, K7, M1B, K2, (K1, P1) twice, K4, M1B, K15, M1B,  K4
Row 56 - K25, K2, (K1, P1) twice, K2, M1B, K17, M1B,  K2, (K1, P1) twice, K2, M1B, K17, M1B,  K2
Row 58 - K2, M1B, K7, M1B, K3, M1B, K7, M1B, K2, (K1, P1) twice,  K2, M1B, K17, M1B,  K2
Row 60 - K4, M1B, K3, M1B, K7, M1B, K3, M1B, K4, (K1, P1) twice,  K2, M1B, K17, M1B,  K2
Row 62 - K6, M1B, K11, M1B, K6, (K1, P1) twice, K2, M1B, K9, M1B, K9, M1B, K2

Row 64 - K4, M1B, K3, M1B, K7, M1B, K3, M1B, K4, (K1, P1) twice, K4, M1B, K5, M1B, K3, M1B, K5, M1B, K4
Row 66 - K2, M1B, K7, M1B, K3, M1B, K7, M1B, K2, (K1, P1) twice, K6, M1B, K1, M1B, K7, M1B, K1, M1B, K6
Row 68 - K25, K2, (K1, P1) twice, K25
Row 70 - K25, K2, (K1, P1) twice, K25

Work 4" in stocking stitch.

Row 1 - (right side facing) K19, P3, K9, P3, K20 
Row 2 - P19, K5, P7, K5, P to end of row
Row 3 - K18, P7, K5, P7, K to end of row
Row 4 - P17, K9, P3, K9, P to end of row
Row 5 - K16, P11, K1, P11, to end of row
Row 6 - P15, K25, P14
Row 7 - K15, P25, K14
Row 8 - P15, K25, P14
Row 9 - K15, P25, K14
Row 10 - P15, K25, P14
Row 11 - K16, P23, K15
Row 12 - P17, K21, P16
Row 13 - K18, P19, K17
Row 14 - P19, K17, P18
Row 15 - K20, P15, K19

Row 16 - P21, K13, P20
Row 17 - K22, P11, K21
Row 18 - P23, K9, P22
Row 19 - K24, P7, K23
Row 20 - P25, K5, P24
Row 21 - K26, P3, K25

Row 22 - P27, K1, P26

Work 5 1/2" in stocking stitch.

With reverse side facing work as follows:


Row 1 - K2, p2 to the end, k2 remaining stitches (this is the reverse side of your work)
Row 2 - P2, K into the second stitch and then K into the first stitch, (this creates your twisted rib which looks like a mock cable stitch) Repeat until the last 2 stitches, P2

Repeat these rows twice and work row 1 (7 rows worked in total)

With right side facing, work 14 stitches as row 2, cast off 6 sts, work 14 stitches in pattern, cast off 6 sts and  work remaining sts in pattern.

Next row, work 14 sts in pattern, cast on 6sts, continue to work in pattern across next 14 sts, cast on 6 more sts, work across 14 remaining sts in pattern (54 sts)

Work 4 more rows in pattern (row 2 then row 1 twice).

Cast off 54 stitches.

To make up, place right sides together, lay the end with the buttonholes just where the pattern starts and fold the button band so it lies over the top of the button band.  Now sew down each side with a mattress stitch.

Turn inside out and sew buttons in place on the button band and pop your cushion into your cushion.

And there you have it, your cushion made with love and kisses, courtesy of Abakhan.  I am also going to do a chart version of this pattern in a PDF format, if you find it easier to work from a chart, please drop a note to my email address which is in the paragraph below.

Right, so drum roll the winners of the bow maker are: Adaliza and Kathy Said...  I have sent a note to Adaliza but if Kathy said could drop me a note to roslet@hotmail.co.uk, I will be able to send the bowmaker to her.

Finally... yes, it is Handmade Monday time, so let's go and see what has been happening in the big wide world of crafting... and if you have not seen it, go take a look at this month's Craftseller which features a great article by Wendy Massey, who hosts Handmade Monday, on how to get the most out of your craft blog.