Debbie Bliss Tiger Cushions Knitting Pattern

Debbie Bliss Tiger Cushions

Project Overview

The Debbie Bliss Tiger Cushions pattern features a striking tiger paw print design worked as a knitted cushion cover. This advanced-level project creates a finished 40 x 40cm (16 x 16 inch) square cushion cover using intarsia colorwork techniques combined with seaming and button closures. The design showcases a bold tiger paw print motif in contrasting colors against a solid background, making it an eye-catching home décor accent piece.

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a complete cushion cover designed to fit a standard 40 x 40cm square cushion pad. The cover is constructed as a single knitted piece that is later folded and seamed to create the finished cushion shape. The design features a prominent tiger paw print pattern created through intarsia colorwork, with a functional button-fastened back flap for easy insertion and removal of the cushion pad.

Knitting Techniques Used

Intarsia Colorwork: The tiger paw print design is worked using the intarsia technique, which involves using separate small balls of yarn for each distinct color area. This method creates a clean, professional appearance on the finished fabric by twisting yarns at color changes to avoid holes and gaps in the knitted surface.

Flat Construction: The entire cushion cover is worked flat on straight needles rather than in the round, allowing for straightforward pattern reading and execution. The piece begins with a moss stitch border, transitions into stockinette stitch for the main body, incorporates the charted intarsia design, and concludes with additional stockinette stitch sections and a moss stitch finishing border.

Seaming and Assembly: After knitting is complete, the cover is folded along designated ridge rows to create the cushion shape. The side seams are joined using standard seaming techniques, and three buttons are sewn onto the cover to create a functional closure system for the back flap, enabling easy access to the cushion pad.

Shaping Elements: The pattern incorporates strategic increases and decreases, including a center increase during the initial stockinette section and paired decreases combined with yarn-over buttonholes in the final rows. These shaping techniques ensure proper fit and functionality of the finished cushion cover.

Stitches Used

• Moss Stitch: A textured, reversible stitch created by alternating knit and purl stitches (K1, P1 pattern). Used for the decorative borders at the beginning and end of the cover, providing a finished edge and visual interest.
• Stockinette Stitch (St st): The primary stitch throughout the main body of the cushion cover, created by alternating knit rows on the right side with purl rows on the wrong side. This smooth, classic stitch provides an ideal canvas for the intarsia colorwork design.
• Ridge Rows: Knit rows worked on the wrong side to create visible horizontal ridges that serve as fold lines for shaping the cushion cover into its final form.
• Yarn-Over Buttonholes: Created using yarn-round-needle (yrn) increases paired with two-together decreases (p2tog and p2tog tbl) to form functional buttonholes for the back flap closure.

Materials and Specifications

Yarn: The pattern uses Debbie Bliss Rialto Aran yarn, a medium-weight wool blend. Four 50g balls of Ginger 6 (color A) form the main cushion color, with one 50g ball of Black 1 (color B) used for the tiger paw print intarsia design. Rialto Aran is a smooth, versatile yarn suitable for colorwork projects.

Needles: The pattern requires two sizes of 4.50mm (US 7) and 5mm (US 8) knitting needles. The smaller needles are used for the moss stitch borders to create a tighter, more defined edge, while the larger needles are used for the main stockinette stitch body to achieve the correct gauge and fabric drape.

Additional Materials: Three buttons are required for the cushion cover closure system. A 40 x 40cm (16 x 16 inch) square cushion pad is needed as the interior form for the finished cover.

Gauge and Tension

The pattern specifies a tension of 18 stitches and 24 rows to 10cm (4 inches) over stockinette stitch using 5mm (US 8) needles. Achieving correct gauge is essential