Whit's Knits: Mood Pillow
February 5,2008 purl bee
I like this pillow because it's about as moody as I am. Sometimes I prefer the fun and funky ozark Handspun side, and sometimes I just want the more clean and traditional sheep shop side. Both sides are easy enough for almost anyone to knit with simple stitch patterns and forgiving sewing (Ozarks is great at hiding mistakes...).
The only hard part is wrestling it from the territorial clutches of your cat! Good luck! --Whitney
· 3 skeins of ozark Handspun, 50% wool and 50% mohair (this color is Pumpkin) 3 skeins of sheep Shop Number Two, 100% pure wool (this is color Tangerine) · An 18-inch x 18-inch pillow form · US size 15 needles (these are 12-inch Lantern Moon needles made out of ebony) ·US size 9 needles (Lantern Moons again) ·A tapestry needle for finishing
Gauge
3.25 stitches = 1 inch in Fluffy Brioche Stitch with Sheep Shop 2 and US size 9 needles 1.75 stitches = 1 inch in Garter Stitch with Ozark Handspun and US size 15 needles
The Ozark Side
This yarn has so much personality and whimsy that this side is knit in a simple garter stitch, allowing the yarn to do the talking! h Ozark Handspun and #15 needles, cast on 28 stitches. Slip l as if to knit, knit to end of row. Repeat this row until piece measures 17-inches. Bind off loosely and weave in the ends.
The Sheep Shop Side This side is knit in the Fluffy Brioche Stitch. However, because we're using pretty small needles for the yarn, you'll notice it's not actually so fluffy, more like sturdy. Ilearned this stitch from, where else?, Barbara Walker's You may want to isolate yourself in a quiet place for the first inch or two of this pattern. Although the knitting is very easy (no p3tog's!), the rhythm is a little tricky. So... Cast on 56 stitches loosely (or with a needle 1 or 2 times bigger than the one you're knitting with). Row 1 (wrong side): \*Yo, sl 1, Kl, repeat from \* to end of row. Here's how you start a row with a yarn over.
Row 2 (right side): \*K1, K2tog (the yo and the slip stitch of the previous row), rep from \* to end. Row 3: K1,\*yo, sl 1,k1, rep from \* to last stitch, K1. Row 4: K2,\*K2tog, K1, rep from \* to end. Repeat these 4 rows until the piece measures 17 inches Bind off on a right side row very loosely (or with a needle 1 or 2 sizes bigger). Leave a long tail (around 36") so you can use it for the next step.
Assembling
Thread the Sheep Shop tail onto a tapestry needle. Line up the selvedge edges of the two squares, right side up.Anchor the corner by sewing from the Sheep Shop side to the Ozark side and back to the Sheep Shop side.
I will show you how I sewed up the seams, but don't worry too much if you can't find exactly where in the knitting I inserted my needle. The most important thing is to find a neat way to sew the seams and then to be consistent in that method. For the Ozark side, I sewed under the horizontal bar right on the edge of the selvedge.
And for the Sheep Shop side, I sewed under the big diagonal stitch, making sure to pick up both that stitch and the horizontal one beneath it.
There are probably a few more Sheep Shop stitches than Ozark ones, so every now and then sew into the same stitch twice on the Ozark side. (I did this 4 times.)
Continue onto the next side which should be the two cast on edges. To sew them together insert your needle just below the edge under the V of the knit stitch.
Sew from one side to the other, but because there are exactly two times as many Sheep Shop stitches as Ozark's, skip 1 Sheep Shop stitch for every Ozark stitch. Sew up the second selvedge almost like the 1st side, except there aren't any long diagonal stitches on this edge of the Sheep Shop. Instead, sew under the purl bump right along the edge, skipping every other bump and occasionally going into the same Ozark stitch twice.
Once all three sides are sewn, you get to put the pillow into its new home!
Sew up the final side exactly how you did the opposite side (sewing under the knit stitches). Weave the tail into the inside of the pillow. And ta da!
