Vintage Crochet Cushion {Free Pattern}

Happy Friday! Well today I am feeling quite smug. First, I have actually managed to replicate the House of Fraser cushion cover, secondly I took all the pictures of this post over last weekend and therefore the light is really nice compared to the greyness of today. I am never organised with my posts, smug face on right now!

The cushion cover is now sitting in Baby MiH's room. This is why you are only seeing one chair featuring in all my posts. I do have others (really, not many but I do), but this is the room I am 'working on' the most - as Mr MiH and I will probably spend of time there, so we may as well make it as snug as possible. 

Pattern: my own based on a cover available at House of Fraser (see below)

Yarn: White Merino Silk bought on Etsy (At Bullard Farm)

Crochet hook size: 5.5. mm

Dimensions: to fit a 40 cm x 40 cm cushion (but you can make it bigger)

So here we are.. the pattern.. It is made up of 4 kind of granny squares. So nothing scary or out of the ordinary. Instead of 3 US double crochet stitches in the middle sections you only need one double crochet stitch (so less yarn being used!); and I made it much tighter between the different bunches of stitches. 

Start a granny square. I tend to chain only 3 stitches to make the ring so it is quite small (but I am not very good at being 'tight' with my chain) - I leave up to you to assess what you like. Slip stitch to make a ring. 

Round 1: Then chain 3, 2 double crochet, chain 2, (3 double crochet, chain 2) 3 times, slip stitch to join to the 3rd chain stitch from foundation loop. 

Round 1

Round 2: Chain 3, 2 double crochet sttiches in space, chain 2 to form corner, 3 double crochet stiches in the same space, chain 2, (3 double crochet stitches in next space, chain 2 to form corner, 3 double crochet stitches in same space, chain 2) 3 times, slip stitch to join to the 3rd chain stitch you crocheted at the beginning of the round.

Round 2

Round 3:  Chain 3, 2 double crochet in space, chain 2 to form corner, 3 double crochet in same space, chain 1, (1 double crochet in next space, chain 1, 3 double crochet in next space, chain 2 to form corner, 3 double crochet in same space, chain 1) 3 times, 1 double crochet in next space, chain 1, slip stitch to join to the 3rd chain stitch you crocheted at the beginning of the round.

Round 3

Round 3 close up

Round 4 and more:  You can continue adding as many rounds as you want to your square (I had to do 10 rounds in total to get the exact measurement). Each subsequent round will follow the same basic procedures used in the preceding rounds. You'll start with 3 chain stitches substituting for the first double crochet. In the corners, you will work 2 sets of 3 double crochet stitches separated by 2 chain stitches. Otherwise, you will work 1 double crochet stitch in each space, separated by 1 chain stitches on either side.

Round 4

In starting round 9, you will have to decide whether you will sew the squares together or crochet them together - and which method you are going to use. I decided to crochet them together whilst making round 10.  

Round 9

Lucy at Attic24 has done a great tutorial on crochet granny squares together when they are finished. I used a different method inspired by Lucy's tutorial to make hexagon. You need to start at round 9. To begin, you make a single cluster as before (chain 3, then double crochet twice). Then instead of chaining 2 to make your corner spacing, chain ONE, then replace your second chain space with a slip stitch into the corner space of the adjoining square.Then working into the SAME chain-3 loop, double crochet three times to finish your corner cluster. Now you need to slip stitch into the last double crochet of the adjoining square  to secure the corners. Basically, you have to insert hook into the space, hook the yarn from the back and pull it through to the front. 

You continue to work your way round, forming the square by slip stitching in the double crochet of the existing square and making a double crochet addition to round 10 of the square in the making. I hope this is clear enough.. 

As I mentioned I went for a very tight design here, and this is why you end up with little mountains (the bottom square has already been blocked). So all you need to do is to block the panel now - and then tuck away all these loose ends . 

unblocked panel

It should be a wee bit smaller than your cushion cover, so that when you sew it (by hand) onto the cover, the cushion will also stretch it as well (to make these diagonals show off really). You sew only the 4 panel borders onto edge the cushion cover.  

So here we are, my first crochet pattern. Hope you enjoyed it enough to be inspired to make your own vintage cushion cover! If you need more explanation, don't hesitate to contact me. I will try my best to help out!