Patterns of the month: June 2021

I’ve got something new to share with you today: Pattern of the month! Until the end of June, two of my patterns have 30% off. This offer is exclusive to newsletter subscribers as a big THANK YOU for subscribing. If you’ve been eyeing either of these patterns, now is the time to pick them up! Not on my newsletter? You can sign up here.

This month’s patterns are Palm-tastic Cushion Cover and Hiding in the Bamboo Socks. 

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Palm-tastic Cushion Cover

Want to add a little of the tropics to your living space? You can with this bright and bold Palm-tastic Cushion Cover!

Customise the colours to match your living room – I used candyfloss pink and bright green to make me think of lush tropical beaches, but you might prefer something a little more muted.

I used Paintbox Yarns Wool Mix Aran** for the sample, which is a great value wool/acrylic blend that comes in a huge range of colours. The yarn is both soft and hard-wearing, and it’s machine washable, making it perfect for homewares. Prefer acrylic? Paintbox Yarns Simply Aran** is a 100% acrylic yarn that comes in the same great colour palette, and more pocket-friendly price.

The Palm-tastic Cushion Cover is a nice small project, making it both portable and achievable – sometimes we all need an easy win! Quick projects make perfect gits too.

The pattern includes written instructions for the intarsia portion as well as a chart, so you can choose your preferred way of working.

The Palm-tastic Cushion Cover is knitted in a single strip, starting with a ribbed section, then a stocking stitch panel for the back; the front is knitted in stocking stitch with the palm-frond motif incorporated using the intarsia technique. Finally, the back is knitted, finished with a ribbed section featuring buttonholes to fasten the cushion cover. The side seams are joined using mattress stitch.

Sizes

One size: 43.5 cm x 43 cm (17.25 in square)

Tension

18 sts and 25 rows = 10 cm (4 in) in stocking stitch worked flat on 5 mm (US 8) needles after wet blocking, or size needed to obtain correct tension.

Yarn

Aran-weight yarn in the following colours and amounts:

MC (pale pink): 405 m (445 yds)

CC (green): 145 m (160 yds)

Needles

5 mm (US 8) straight needles

Notions

Tapestry needle

Buttons x 5, 25 mm (1 in)

Bobbins for holding the different yarn colours during colourwork

Chart row marker

Removable stitch markers x 4

45 cm (18 in) square cushion pad

Pattern notes

The sample is knitted in Paintbox Yarns Wool Mix Aran [aran, 180 m (196 yds) per 100 g ball, 50% wool, 50% acrylic] in 849 Candyfloss Pink (MC) and 830 Evergreen (CC).

This pattern was first published as Palm-tastic Pillow in I Like Knitting, June 2019.

This pattern was tech edited by Jo Torr.

Available on:

PayHip

Ravelry

LoveCrafts**

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Hiding in the Bamboo Socks

When I’m out and about, or at home on the sofa watching TV, I like to knit socks that are just one step up from vanilla: socks that have just enough patterning to keep me interested and to mark progress. Hiding in the Bamboo are just that: the socks feature an all-over rib-pattern that is easy to memorize, with just two rows that are different in every ten-round repeat. The socks were inspired by the yarn – the colour made me think of walks round the bamboo plantation in our local botanical garden, where the kids love to hide, before jumping out and shouting ‘boo’ while I hunt for them.

The socks are knitted from the top down using a standard heel flap and gusset construction. The foot length of the socks is adjustable to fit. I’ve written the pattern for 5 sizes, ranging from 13 cm (5.25 in) to 28 cm (11.25 in), so you can make these socks for the whole family.

I knitted my socks in MillaMia Naturally Soft Sock**, which is a great value sock yarn that is hard-wearing and comes in a great range of soft, muted colours. It’s a wool/nylon blend and the added nylon helps to strengthen the sock.

The pattern is written to be needle-neutral and can be knitted using either the magic-loop technique, short circulars or DPNs, depending on your individual preference. The pattern also features helpful hints for beginners.

Sizes

XS (S, M, L, XL)

Finished sock circumferences: 13 (17, 20.5, 24.5, 28) cm [5.25 (6.75, 8.25, 9.75, 11.25) in]; for the best fit, choose a size that is approximately 2.5 cm [1 in] smaller than your foot circumference.

Leg length to heel: 12.5 (15, 18, 20.5, 23) cm [5 (6, 7, 8, 9) in].

Foot length is adjustable.

Tension

32 sts and 44 rnds = 10 cm [4 in] in stocking stitch and worked in the rnd on 2.5 mm (US 1.5) needle(s) after wet blocking, or size needed to obtain correct tension.

Yarn

130 (215, 315, 440, 565) m [145, 240, 345, 485, 620) yds] 4ply-weight sock yarn (yardages are approximate as the amount of yarn used will depend on the length of the foot, which is adjustable).

I would recommend using a dedicated sock yarn that is tightly plied wool and has some nylon content for durability.

Needles

2.5 mm (US 1.5) DPNs, 15 cm [6 in], set of 5, or

2.5 mm (US 1.5) circular needle, at least 80 cm [32 in] in length to work magic loop, or

2.5 mm (US 1.5) circular needle, 22.5 cm [9 in] in length

Notions

Stitch markers x 5

Pattern notes

The sample details are as follows: MillaMia Naturally Soft Sock** (4-ply, 200 m per 50 g ball, 75% wool, 25% nylon) in 522 Laurel. Knitted in size M.

Pattern edited by Jo Torr.

Available on:

PayHip

Ravelry*

LoveCrafts**

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Don't forget, newsletter subscribers get 30% off these patterns until the end of June 2021. Not on my newsletter? You can sign up here.

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