Cables & Knots Pillow Cushion Knitting Pattern

Cables & Knots Pillow Cushion Knitting Pattern

Project Overview

The Cables & Knots Pillow is an intermediate-level knitting project designed by Patty Nance for Cascade Yarns. This decorative cushion features a sophisticated combination of cable work and contrasting knotted embellishments. The finished pillow measures 15 ½ inches by 16 ½ inches, making it an ideal accent piece for home décor or a thoughtful handmade gift.

Materials and Tools Required

Yarn: Cascade 220 Wool, a 100% Peruvian Highland Wool yarn with 220 yards per 100-gram skein. The pattern calls for 2 skeins in color #8834 pink (main color), 2 skeins in color #8010 off-white (contrasting color), and approximately 25 yards of another contrasting color for waste yarn.

Needles and Notions: One pair of size 8 (5mm) straight needles, one 60-inch size 8 circular needle, two size 8 double-pointed needles, a cable needle, and a size F/5 (4mm) crochet hook. Additional supplies include fiberfill stuffing, a tapestry needle, safety pins, and a stitch marker.

Gauge: The pattern requires 24 stitches and 26 rows to measure 4 inches in the honeycomb cable pattern, worked on size 8 needles.

Knitting Techniques and Stitches

This project employs several intermediate knitting techniques that create visual interest and textural depth. The primary stitch pattern is the honeycomb cable pattern, which repeats over a multiple of 8 stitches plus 6 stitches.

The honeycomb cable pattern features two main cable maneuvers:

• 4-stitch right cable (4-st RC): Slip 2 stitches to a cable needle and hold to the back, knit 2 stitches, then knit 2 stitches from the cable needle. This creates a cable that twists to the right.
• 4-stitch left cable (4-st LC): Slip 2 stitches to a cable needle and hold to the front, knit 2 stitches, then knit 2 stitches from the cable needle. This creates a cable that twists to the left.

The 8-row honeycomb cable pattern alternates between cable rows and knit rows. Row 1 (the right-side row) establishes the pattern with alternating right and left cables separated by purl stitches. Rows 2 and all wrong-side rows reverse the stitch definition, with knit stitches on the wrong side and purl stitches on the right side to create the reverse stockinette borders. Rows 3 and 7 feature stockinette knit stitches between the purl borders. Row 5 shifts the cable placement, working left cables and right cables in the opposite sequence to create the interlocking honeycomb effect. This 8-row repeat is worked continuously to create the all-over cable texture on both the front and back panels.

Construction Method

The pillow is constructed using a distinctive two-part assembly process that combines traditional knitting with decorative knotwork.

Pillow Panels: Both the front and back of the pillow are worked flat in the honeycomb cable pattern using straight needles. The all-over cable design creates a textured, dimensional surface on both sides of the finished cushion.

I-Cord Knotted Embellishment: Three-stitch I-cord is worked using double-pointed needles in the contrasting off-white color. The I-cord lengths are knotted at 1-inch intervals, creating individual knots. These knotted I-cords are then woven through the vertical cables of the honeycomb pattern so that each "hole" in the honeycomb grid is filled with a contrasting colored knot. This technique adds a decorative, three-dimensional element that contrasts beautifully with the main color.

Assembly and Finishing: The two pillow panels are joined together by picking up border stitches through both layers simultaneously. The pillow is stuffed with fiberfill when the pickup process is nearly complete, ensuring even distribution of filling. Once all border stitches are picked up, the work continues in the round using the circular needle. The final row of stitches is secured by grafting to the back side of the pickup stitches, creating an invisible seam that finishes the pillow professionally.