DANDELLION CUSHION
Impress your visitors with Esme Crick’s elegant dandelion cushion
YOU WILL NEED
■ King Cole Cotton Soft DK (100% cotton, 100g/210m) 3 balls of French Navy (741)
■ King Cole Giza Cotton 4ply (100% cotton, 50g/158m) 1 ball of Sky (2419)
■ A 3.5mm (US E/4) hook
■ Cushion pad, 50x30cm
■ 75 white beads
For yarn stockists contact King Cole 01756 703670 www.kingcole.com TENSION
17 sts over 19 rows measures 10x10cm (4x4in) over dc st
MEASUREMENTS
To fit 50x30cm (19 x11 in) cushion pad
ABBREVIATIONS
bobble (Worked on WS of work to appear on RS) Yrh, insert hook st indicated, yrh and pull up loop, (yrh, insert hook into same st, yrh and draw up loop) 3 times, yrh, draw through all 9 loops on hook
French knot Pull needle up through the fabric to RS, hold the yarn close to the fabric taut and position needle in front of yarn, wrap yarn around needle 2 times, pass the needle back through to the WS leaving the knot on the RS
chain st Pull needle up through the fabric to the RS, *insert needle back through to the WS next to where it came up leaving a small loop on the RS, insert needle back up to RS approx 0.5cm from last st, bring needle up through the small loop from last st and gently pull to tighten loop; repeat from * as directed
For a full list, see page 92 Hooked up in rich navy, this cushion is as stylish as it is simple – a testament to streamlined design. A bobbled border acts as a picture frame for the dandelion embroidery – or, if you don’t fancy dandelions, you could try a different flower.
NOTES
All bobble sts are worked on WS rows; push the bobble out to the RS to make them visible. The Cushion is made up of two Panels. Both Panels are worked from left to right across, so each row will sit vertically on the finished Cushion. This will help when working the embroidery onto the Front Panel.
DANDELION CUSHION
FRONT PANEL
Using French Navy, ch58.
Row 1 (RS) Dc in second ch from hook, dc in each ch to end, turn. [57 sts]
Rows 2-5 Ch1 (does not count as st throughout), dc in each st across, turn.
Row 6 Ch1, dc in first 5 sts, (bobble in next st, dc in next st) 24 times, dc in last 4 sts, turn.
Row 7 Ch1, dc in each st across, turn.
Row 8 Ch1, dc in first 5 sts, bobble in next st, dc in next 45 sts, bobble in next st, dc in last 5 sts, turn.
Repeat Rows 7-8 until Panel measures 47cm.
Next row As Row 6
Repeat Row 7 another 5 times. Fasten off.
BACK PANEL
Using French Navy, ch58.
Row 1 (RS) Dc in second ch from hook, dc in each ch to end, turn. [57 sts]
Row 2 Ch1 (does not count as st throughout), dc in each st across, turn.
Repeat Row 2 until Back Panel is the same size as Front Panel. DANDELION DESIGN
Use Sky for all embroidery and refer to the images for guidance.
Chain st or surface crochet 5 stems across the Front Panel. Vary the lengths of the stems, making sure they are evenly spaced across the Front Panel.
Leave a 3-st gap from the top of each stem, then work a French knot; this is the centre of the Dandelion.
Make small straight sts working from the centre of the Dandelion out, leaving a small gap between the sts and the French knot. Sew 15 small beads around the outside of each Dandelion.
TO FINISH
Weave in all ends and block to measurements. Place panels together, RS facing out.
Join French Navy into any corner and join the Panels, working through sts on both Panels, as follows:.
Round 1 Ch1, *(dc, ch2, dc) in corner, dc evenly along to next corner**; repeat from * twice more, insert cushion pad, repeat from * to ** once more, ss to first dc to join.
Fasten off and weave in ends.