Sunday's Child - Elmer the Cushion
Straight from the hook to the camera for this baby, as I put the finishing touches on it just today. I'm feeling a little pleased with myself over this one. I a-d-ore it!
That picture above is the part I love best. The part where I have lovely piles of hooky lying around in a splendid assortment of colours, be it circles, hexagons, or as in this case, lots of tiny baby squares. It's almost better than the finished article sometimes, seeing those piles.
This time though I'm very happy to see what those piles have come together to become, although I wasn't at all certain when I first started sewing. Even now I do love to see those squares sitting together with their edges all turned up, looking pretty and full of texture.
Their sewn up counterparts are naturally flatter, which took me a while to adjust to, but lookie at the oh-so beautiful patchwork effect. That's a very compelling argument for the flatter version to me!
You will maybe remember my over excitement at the colour scheme for the Niffy 50's Ripple Blanket that I made not long ago. Well, I just haven't been able to get those colours out of my obsessive little head and decided that I needed more of the same. I had 'The Vision' of the cushion I wanted soon after I'd finished the blanket. So, having used up a lot of the yarns for the blankie, I made some more selections from stash and turned up a very similar but slightly more muted version using my mounting collection of Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino, with a few others thrown in:
Debbie Bliss Cashmerino, unless stated otherwise:
1. Maroon - 037
2. Baby Blue - 02
3. Dusty Rose - 054
4. Rico Essentials Merino, Mint - 45
5. Spring Green - 002
6. Primrose - 001
7. Duck Egg - 031
8. Rico Baby Classic DK, Petrol - 9725
9. Rowan Wool Cotton, Goldilocks - 971
10. Rowan Pure Wool, Enamel - 013
11. Bubblegum Pink - 006
12. Cantaloupe - 052
It took me a little while to get a square shape that I was happy with. I didn't want the holes in the corner that you usually get with these squares but a few merry hours tinkering around got me want I wanted and I was off.
For the first time, I also crocheted the back of the cushion. Normally I don't bother as I am lazy soul and don't want to waste my time doing a load of hooky or knitterly stuff that won't really be seen. Usually I cut up a jumper, or sew myself a cushion backing and finish it off this way, but to be honest it takes me so long procrastinating over digging out suitable material, cutting it to size and then, eventually, sewing it together that I found making this hooky backing a breath of fresh and quick air! Crocheted cushion backs - this may be the way forward!
Time we had a good look at the end result I think...
The button collection came into good use here!
I've just been handed a cup of tea and the biscuit tin isn't far away, time for me to go and snuggle with Elmer the Cushion!
S x