http://www.crochetnow.co.uk | 33Designer sketchbook
http://www.crochetnow.co.uk | 33DK 2mm-5.5mm
★★★ Adventurous
Yarn used
You favourite DK-weight yarn in colours to
suit your design
A large cushion will need up to 600g in a
base colour (DK held double), 100g for the
border, and oddments of yarn in a variety of
weights for embellishments
Various scrap aran and chunky yarns in
your favourite colours for embellishments
Ellen’s picks
Scheepjes Colour Crafter, My Boshi,
Phildar Looping (held single)Hooks used
2mm, 3mm, 4mm,
5mm, 5.5mmOther supplies
tapestry needle
cushion pad in preferred size (pictured
50cm square)Your design
When you are doing freestyle crochet, it is
not so much about counting and following a
pattern, but more about following your heart
and making choices you love. These choices
include colour, yarn choice and decoration
choices. So, have a think, What will you
be using the #polleviecushion for? A
statement piece? To use in your living room?
A gift? In one of the childrens' rooms?
Do you have certain décor to match?
What kind of style suits you? Are you
more romantic or more pronounced and
colourful? Do you have an idea in mind? You
could look at these cushions for inspiration,
or head online for more! I use a lot of acrylic
yarn, partly because of the weight and the
number of brighter colours that are available.
Moreover, the colours on acrylic are less
sensitive to discoloration in the sun. Cotton
is also recommended for this project for
its durability.
Freestyle Crochet
This tutorial is based on freestyle crochet,
which means that not everything has been
worked out in a pattern with the exact
number of stitches.
Start crocheting
Cushion Base (make 2)
Row 1: With the pillow in front of you,
5.5mm hook and holding chosen DK
double, chain a length the size of the
width of the pillow. Pull the chain tight
along the bottom to measure, because
when you crochet the first line of dc it will
stretch and become longer.
Row 2: Starting in 2nd ch from hook, dc
back along the length of the chain. Turn.
Row 3: 1 ch (doesn’t count as st), dc
across. Turn.
Rep Row 3 until you have worked a square
that it tall enough to cover the front of
your cushion.
Fasten off.Decoration
Now it’s time to decorate your cushion
cover! This is easier to do before the case
is assembled. For truly textured flowers,
you can use different yarns, thicknesses,
and varieties for a lot of interest. Adjusting
which hook you use as well will play with
finished effects. I’ve shared some basic
flower designs here, be sure to play with
different yarns and thicknesses.Lotus Flower
Rnd 1: With 5mm hook and aran or chunky
yarn, chain 4, join to work in the rnd,
8 dc, join with sl st. 8 sts
Rnd 2: 3 ch, 1 tr in same st, [2 tr in next st]
7 times, join with sl st. 16 sts
Rnd 3: [4 ch, miss 1 st, sl st] 8 times.
8 petals
Rnd 4: *[1 dc, 1 tr, 1 dtr, 1 tr, 1 dc] in next
4ch-sp; rep from * to end.
Fasten off. Fold petals forward and re-
join yarn between two petals at back
of work.
Rnd 5: *5 ch, sl st between next 2 petals;
rep from * to end. 8 petals
Rnd 6: *[1 dc, 1 tr, 2 dtr, 1 tr, 1 dc] in next
5ch-sp; rep from * to end.
Fasten off. Flatten all petals and re-join yarn
around any st from Rnd 1 (you will now be
working on top of the flower, crocheting
inner petals).
Rnd 7: [3 ch, miss 1 st, sl st] 4 times.
4 petals
Rnd 8: *[1 dc, 1 tr, 1 dtr, 1 tr, 1 dc] in next
3ch-sp; rep from * around.
Fasten off and weave in ends.Roses
With 3mm hook and green DK yarn, chain 24.
Row 1: Starting in 2nd ch from hook,
23 dc. Turn.
Row 2: [2 ch, 1 tr in same st, 1 tr, 2 ch, sl st
in same st as previous tr, 1 sl st] 4 times,
change to red or colour for rose, [2 ch, 1
tr in same st, 1 tr, 2 ch, sl st in same st as
previous tr, 1 sl st] to end.
Fasten off. Roll up colour petals and secure
with small stitches, then roll up leaves and
attach with small stitches.Small Flowers
Rnd 1: With 5mm hook, yellow chunky or
aran yarn and working into magic ring, 6
dc, join with sl st. 6 sts
Fasten off, join next colour in any st.
Rnd 2: [2 ch, 1 tr in same st, 2 ch, sl st in
same st as previous tr, 1 sl st] 6 times.
6 petalsLeaf
With 3mm hook and green yarn, chain 11.
Rnd 1: Starting in 2nd ch from hook, 1 dc,
3 tr, 2 dtr, 3 tr, [1 dc, 1 ch, 1 dc] in last ch,
rotate to work along bottom of ch, 3 tr, 2
dtr, 3 tr, 1 dc in last ch. Fasten off.Sew your chosen decertations to one
side of your Cushion Cover, and sew both
sides of cushion together, enclosing your
chosen cushion.Edging
Use a hook as recommended by your
chosen yarn label for this pattern.
Rnd 1: With chosen hook and yarn, join in
first corner st with 1 dc, *miss 1 st, 6 tr in
next st, miss 1 st, sl st; rep from * around
end of cushion.
Fasten off.Crochet your way
Ellen’s original pattern for these
cushions includes plenty more tips,
and step-by-step guides, everything
you need to crochet your own unique
creation! In this pattern, we’ve given
you just what you need to make the
cushions pictured, but if you want to
learn more about colour, composition,
and freestyle crochet, be sure to visit
http://www.bypollevie.com