Rowan Buckland Cushion Homeware Knitting Pattern

Rowan Buckland Cushion by Martin Storey

What is Being Made

The Rowan Buckland Cushion is a knitted homeware project designed to fit a 40 cm (16 inch) square cushion pad. This is a decorative cushion cover created using the knitting craft, suitable for adding texture and color to home interiors.

Techniques Used

This cushion is constructed using several key knitting techniques:

• Bottom-up construction: The cushion pieces are knitted from the cast-on edge upward to the final measurements
• Worked flat: Both the front and back panels are knitted on straight needles in flat rows rather than in the round
• Striped colorwork: The design incorporates a repeating stripe sequence using two contrasting yarn colors (Cream and Lea) to create visual interest
• Seamed assembly: The front and back panels are joined together using either backstitch or mattress stitch, with the cushion pad inserted before closing the final seam

Stitches Used

The Buckland Cushion is worked primarily in stockinette stitch (abbreviated as st st), which creates a smooth, classic knitted fabric with a flat appearance on the right side and bumpy texture on the wrong side. This fundamental stitch is worked in alternating knit and purl rows when working flat.

Materials and Specifications

Yarn: The pattern calls for Rowan Softyak DK yarn in two colors. Cream (shade 230) requires 3 x 50 gram balls, while Lea (shade 236) requires 2 x 50 gram balls. The DK weight provides a medium thickness suitable for a structured cushion cover.

Needles: One pair of 4mm (US size 6) needles are used throughout the project for casting on, working the main fabric, and casting off.

Additional Materials: A 40 cm (16 inch) square cushion pad is required as the interior form for the finished cover.

Stripe Sequence and Pattern Details

The cushion features a structured color pattern that repeats as follows: rows 1 to 10 are worked in yarn B (Lea), followed by rows 11 to 20 in yarn A (Cream). This sequence creates distinct horizontal stripes across the knitted fabric. The front panel is worked for 70 rows in the stripe sequence, then continues in solid Cream yarn only until the piece reaches 40 cm in length. The back panel follows the same stripe sequence for 70 rows, with the final rows worked in yarn B before continuing in yarn A only to complete the 40 cm measurement.

Tension: The pattern specifies a gauge of 22 stitches and 30 rows over 10 cm in stockinette stitch, and 26 stitches and 28 rows over 10 cm in the patterned striped stockinette stitch, both measured using 4mm needles. Achieving correct tension is essential for the finished cushion to fit the 40 cm pad properly.

Construction and Finishing

Once both the front and back panels are complete, they are pressed according to standard finishing instructions. The two panels are then joined along three sides using either backstitch or mattress stitch (a seaming method that creates an invisible seam). The cushion pad is inserted through the open fourth side, and that final seam is closed to complete the project.