Designer’s email: blondechickenboutique@gmail.com

Designer's website: http://www.BlondeChickenBoutique.com
http://staralee.blogspot.com

My mom is a quilter with many half finished log cabin quilts on her sewing table. They’ve always inspired me, but, overwhelmed at all the work involved in a quilt, I never considered making one myself. The thought of knitting a log cabin was first introduced to me by MasonDixonkitting.com. I was immediately inspired to cover one of my old couch pillows, one stained from too many coffee spills.

I had a few standards: the pillow must match the couch (fine blue pinstripes), look fresh and untraditional, be fun to knit and include all the leftover hand dyed scraps I had lying about. This pillow is what came of it; slightly funky with it’s off centered squares but with a more subdued back. I wanted to be able to remove the case so I could wash out the inevitable coffee stains, so I made the back an overlapping flap, which can be buttoned down, laced up or just left to flap in the breeze!

This pattern is a: Knit Pattern

Skill Level: Easy

Credits: All photos taken by Tara Swiger

Materials:

Yarn:

This pattern can be modified by changing colors in different places or creating different sized strips. If using your scrap yarns and changing colors frequently, you’ll need about 500 yds of worsted weight yarn.
This pattern is written for 450 yds and 5 colors
Color A: 100 yds
Color B: 25 yds
Color C: 100 yds
Color D: 100 yds
Color E: 150 yds

I used a selection of my hand painted yarns, which you may buy in kit form for this pattern here.

Yarn Substitute:

Knit Picks Shine Worsted (6 skeins), Andean Silk (5 skeins), or Lamb’s Pride Worsted (3 skeins, more if you want to change colors where the pattern indicates).
If using your own scrap yarns, keep in mind that all yarns need to get the same gauge.

Knitting Needles and Crochet Hooks:

Crochet Hook(s): US # 8 / 5.0mm

Knitting Needles:

US# 8 / 5. 0 mm, 24” circular (although you could use straits or a shorter circ, I found this length held the weight)

Notions and Accessories:

A pillow (any size square is fine, but this pattern is for a 17”x17” pillow)

Size:

To fit a pillow 17in x 17in. However, this pattern is easily modified to fit any size square pillow.

How to Log Cabin (This explains the basics of what you’ll be doing in the pattern)::

Knit a square in garter stitch by knitting twice as many rows as stitches cast on. BO this will be the right side. Do not cut yarn, leave the last loop on your needle, turn the square so the left side is now parallel with your knitting needle. Pick up stitches from the rows: one for every garter ridge (2 rows of knitting). Knit for as many rows as you like (at least 4). BO on right side. Turn work again in the same way, pick up stitches and knit the same number of rows. Turn, pick up stitches, knit rows. You will soon see you are picking up stitches from the side of the rows your just made and then from the square. To create an even square you should make each strip in a round of strips the same number of rows.

Gauge: 16.5 stitches / 33 rows = 4 inch (10 cm) in garter stitch

Design Notes:

First, read through the log cabin instructions above and practice on a small square. It’s not difficult, but you need to actually do it in order to get it. Once you understand the basic principles you can alter it however you like.
I made my pillow untraditional by creating off-center squares and not knitting each strip the same width. You can certainly make yours more traditional by changing colors for every strip or by knitting each side in various shades of the same color. This pattern can easily be adapted for a smaller or bigger pillow, just add fewer (or more) strips to the log cabin section. You can also use as few or as many colors as you like. For more log cabin ideas, check out the book Mason-Dixon Knitting, Kaffe Fassett’s quilting books or any of the other numerous log cabin knitters!

Construction:

This cover is all one piece, the only finishing is to crochet the edges. You create this one piece by knitting the front section, continuing with one back flap. Then you pick up stitches from the other side and knit the second back flap.

Pattern:

Log Cabin:
Center Square:
With Color A, CO 25 sts. K 50 rows (25 garter ridges). BO (this will be the RS, always BO on RS).
1rst round, with Color B:
Turn square, Pick up 25 sts. K 7 rows (4 garter ridges). BO.
Turn square, pick up 29 sts. K 7 rows (4 garter ridges). BO.
Turn square, pick up 33 sts. K 7 rows (4 garter ridges). BO.
Turn square, pick up 41 sts. K 7 rows (4 garter ridges). BO.

2nd round (from here on out, pick up the stitches as you did before, don’t worry about the exact number, it’ll all work out!):
Strips 1 & 2 (Color C): K 9 rows (5 garter ridges). BO.
Strips 3 & 4 (Color D): K9 rows ( 5 garter ridges). BO.

3rd round:
Strips 1 & 2 (Color D): K 9 rows (5 garter ridges). BO.
Strips 3 & 4 (Color C): K9 rows (5 garter ridges). BO.

4th round (Color E):
Knit 11 rows (6 garter ridges) for each strip. BO for every strip except the last.

Start 1st Back Flap: Instead of BO last strip, we’ll be creating a turning row, which will start the back flap.
Turning Row (RS): Purl.
(WS): Knit
At this point do whatever you like. I alternated St st and Rev St st section and randomly changed colors. Work this flap until it is 12“ ( 30.5 cm) (if you’re making a different size pillow, make this flap about 3/4th the total size of pillow). Knit the last 4 rows in garter stitch so it won’t roll up. BO.

 

 

 

 

2nd Back Flap: With WS facing, pick up sts along the edge opposite of the previous flap. Picking up on the WS will give you a turning row. For this flap I knit a large section of Rev St st alternating colors every row. Work until this flap measures 12” (30.5cm). K 4 rows in garter st. BO

Woo! Your pillow is almost finished!

 

 

Finishing:
I chose to crochet my flaps together. You could seam it up with the mattress stitch, lace them up with ribbons or button them or whatever you like.

To crochet the pieces together, fold up the first flap at the turning row. Start at one corner, single crochet the front and this first flap to the bottom of the flap. Fold over the 2nd flap and SC it to the front at the point it overlaps the bottom of the first flap. Do the same to the other side, starting with the first flap.

Now the second flap will hang over the first flap, giving you enough room to slip in your pillow! If you find this flap gaps, you can lace it up, stitch it down or button it closed!

Now go take a rest with your new pillow!

Meet the Designer:

Tara Swiger has been knitting obsessively for almost 2 years, after teaching herself from a book. She has worked as a manager in a pottery studio, as a yarn store employee and is currently devoting herself to BlondeChickenBoutique.com, where she hand paints organic and fair trade yarn. With a nickname like “Blonde Chicken” you know she’s silly and slightly odd, a fact her husband and 2 cats will readily agree to. Tara can be found knitting on the road as she and her family are moving from Dayton, OH to Johnson City, TN. If you have tips on good yarn stores in that area, Tara’s desperate to settle in, so drop her a line!