Way back in the mists of time, on this blog, I had posted about a cushion cover I had knit from my handspun.  The handspun was from balls of roving purchased from someone at WI Sheep & Wool Festival, perhaps 4-5 years ago.  It turned out to be possibly the worst roving I've ever purchased, full of second cuts, knots, very poorly carded.  Needless to say, I will never purchase from that individual again.

It was difficult to spin, but I had a financial investment in it so I was determined to spin it up, even though it turned out to be less than wonderful yarn.  Then the question was, what will I do with it?

Completed handspun/handknit cushion.

I decided to knit a cushion cover, no pattern, just cast on, try to get the overall size I wanted (16") and make it up as I went along.  Keeping it very simple, I simply varying size "blocks" of garter and stockinette stitch for the front.  The back was garter stitch only, to the top of the cushion, then stockinette for the foldover flap, buttonholes knit in, guestinating their placement.  The front and back were single crocheted together.

Someone back then, on Facebook, had written about buttons on Etsy, made by Tracy Willans (http://soewnearth.blogspot.com).  I took a look, and ordered one set; five were the size I needed, and one larger for embellisment on the front of the cushion.  I contacted Tracy recently, she is no longer making buttons, but referred me to Jillipop with whom Tracy had shared studio space.  Jilli also makes buttons and might have something similar.  (http://jillipop.blogspot.com)



Pottery buttons by Tracy Willans.

I had the knitting done, but it languished, kept in a basket on a shelf.  Why?  I had no pillow form, and sadly, did nothing about looking for one.  A few weeks back, I stopped into the local quilt shop, and walking further back in the shop, there were shelves of pillow forms!  One 16" form and one yard of gray cotton went home with me, and still, it sat.

Last week, the day of our guild meeting, I decided to get the cushion finished and take that night.  A quick wash/dry/ironing of the fabric, determine sizes to cut pieces to make an envelope pillow cover for the form, and "sew" the buttons on, and it was done.  (The wrinkles are from being inside the completed cushion cover.  Photo quality is poor as the sun was setting when I realized I needed a photo.)



Envelope cushion cover.

Is it perfect?  No, far from it!  I want the flap to lay flat, it curls up.  I need to relocate the large button, moving it up as where it is now positioned makes it difficult to see.  I will be sampling ways of knitting a flap that will lay flat.    

Yes, I have more of that yarn, below, natural grays light to dark.
This may be the project I take with me to work on during flights to and from another weaving class as VavStuga.

More of the same yarn for another cushion.

Last year, I took knitting on the flight, a circular needle with bamboo ends.  I'm wondering how the airlines will feel about straight bamboo needles?  Or I could work out knitting it all in one piece on a circular needle.  The problem?  I am forever losing my beaded markers!