Stylish yet durable, this knit cable pillow pattern offers the perfect place to curl up to do homework, prop up and watch tv, or use as a throw for your favorite four-legged friends. Knit two pieces and sew them together for a reversible knit look, or knit one and use fleece, chenille, or minky fabric for the bottom for an even quicker project.
Finished Size: to fit 24″ pillow, 26″ square counting border
Materials: Lion Brand Jeans (r) Yarn (CYCA 4, medium, 100% acrylic, 246 yds/100g), 1 skein each Brand New (A), Stonewash (B), and Faded (C) for each side, so 1 each if you are knitting one side of the pillow, 2 each if you are knitting both sides.
24″ Pillow form
Knitting needles size 7/4.50mm or size needed to obtain gauge
4 st markers
Cable needle
Optional: 25″ square thick home decor fabric like minky, fleece or chenille
Sewing needle and thread to coordinate with fabric
Gauge: 16 sts x 24 rows = 4″/10cm in st st
Abbreviations:
C6F – Cable 6 front – sl next 3 sts to cable needle, hold in front of work (see note about bringing its working yarn with it), k3, k3 from cable needle
K – knit
K2tog – knit 2 together
M1 – make 1 – lift horizontal bar before next st onto left-hand needle (if you are right-handed, left it onto right-hand needle if you are left-handed), k lifted st through back loop
P – purl
Pm – place marker
Slm – slip marker
Ssk – sl each of next 2 sts purlwise, replace them on left-hand needle and k2tog through back loop
St – stitch
Notes:
The colors are carried intarsia style, always bring the new color under the old when changing colors to prevent holes.
All stitches are worked into the same color you are working with.
Even though there are increase and decrease stitches, the stitch count always remains the same.
When working the cable stitches, it creates a neater back if you maintain the use of bobbins throughout, 1 bobbin for each cable leg.
When bringing stitches forward onto the cable needle, bring its working yarn forward too. Bring that yarn behind the work when knitting off the cable needle.
Pillow Top:
First Half:
Border:
With A, cast on 36, with B cast on 35, with C cast on 36. 107 sts
Knit 9 rows, working each color as it presents, making sure to twist the yarn intarsia-style to prevent holes.
Cable Section:
Row 1 (WS): With A, k5, p27, pm, k1, p3, with B, p3, k1, pm, p27, pm, k1, p3, with C, p3, k1, pm, p27, k5.
Row 2 (RS): With C, k31, slm, p1, k3, with B, k3, p1, slm, k27, slm, p1, k3, slm, with A, k3, p1, slm, k to end.
Row 3: With A, k5, p27, slm, k1, p3, with B, p3, k1, slm, p27, slm, k1, p3, with C, p3, k1, slm, p27, k5.
Rows 4 – 5: Rep Rows 2 – 3.
Row 6: With C, k31, slm, p1, C6F with colors as they present, p1, slm, k27, slm, p1, C6F with colors as they present, p1, slm, k to end.
Rows 7 – 11: Rep Row 3, then Rows 2 – 3 twice.
Row 12: With C, k to marker, m1, slm, p1, C6F, with B p1, slm, ssk, k until 2 sts remain before next marker, k2tog, slm, p1, C6F, with A, p1, slm, m1, knit to end.
Row 13: With A, k5, p to marker, slm, k1, p6 with colors as they present, with B, k1, slm, p to next marker, slm, k1, p6 with colors as they present, with C, k1, p to last 5 sts, k5.
Row 14: With C, k to marker, slm, p1, k6 with colors as they present, with B, p1, slm, k to next marker, slm, p1, k6 with colors as they present, with A, p1, slm, k to end.
Rows 15 – 17: Rep Rows 13 – 14 then Row 13 once more.
Rep Rows 12 – 17 for pattern until work measures 12″ from start of pattern (NOT from cast-on edge), ending with a Row 12. Rep Rows 13 – 17.
Count the number of cable crosses you have made so far – I had 11.
Second Half:
Row 1 (RS): With C, k until 2 sts remain before marker, k2tog, slm, p1, C6F with colors as they present, with B p1, slm, m1, k to next marker, m1, slm, p1, C6F, with A, p1, slm, ssk, knit to end.
Rows 2 – 6: Rep Rows 13 – 17 above.
Rep Rows 1 – 6 for pattern until the decrease side section has one fewer cable cross rows than the first section did, ending with a Row 6. In my example, I had 11 cable crosses in my first half, so I repeated Rows 1 – 6 of the Decrease Section until I had made 10 more cable crosses, for a total of 21 cable crosses.
Final Cable Section:
Row 1 (RS): With C, k to marker, slm, p1, C6F, with B p1, slm, k until 2 sts remain before next marker, slm, p1, C6F, with A, p1, slm, knit to end.
Rows 2 – 3: Rep Rows 13 – 14 of Cable Section.
Final Border:
Knit 9 rows with colors as they present; bind off knitwise.
Finishing:
Weave in all ends.
If desired, make a second Pillow Top. Sew them together on three sides, inside the garter stitch borders, with wrong sides facing each other, insert pillow form, sew up the final seam.
Alternatively you can use a durable fabric like fleece, minky or chenille. Cut a piece 25″ square, fold under 1/2″ on all four sides and pin into place inside the garter stitch border. Sew with needle and thread on 3 sides, insert the pillow form, sew up the final seam.