Throw & Cushion Covers Blanket Knitting Pattern

Throw & Cushion Covers in King Cole Forest Aran

What is Being Made

This knitting pattern produces two coordinating home décor items: a large throw blanket measuring 130 cm × 130 cm (51 in × 51 in) and matching cushion covers measuring 46 cm × 46 cm (18 in × 18 in). Both pieces are knitted using King Cole Forest Aran yarn, creating a cohesive set suitable for adding warmth and style to living spaces.

Craft and Techniques

This is an intermediate-level knitting project that employs several fundamental and decorative knitting techniques. The pattern uses cable work as a primary design element, incorporating cable needles to create textured, twisted stitches that form the visual interest of the throw and cushion covers. The foundation of both pieces begins with 2×2 ribbing, a classic elastic stitch pattern that provides structure and helps the finished items maintain their shape.

The pattern incorporates increases and decreases to shape the pieces appropriately. Increases are created using the make 1 technique, which involves picking up the horizontal strand between stitches and knitting into the back of it to add stitches seamlessly. Decreases are worked using purl 2 together (p2tog) to reduce stitch counts where shaping is required.

An additional decorative technique used is knit one stitch below (K1B), which creates texture by inserting the needle into a stitch from the previous row rather than the current row, adding visual depth to the pattern.

Stitches Used

• Knit (k) – the fundamental stitch creating smooth, vertical columns
• Purl (p) – the reverse of knit, creating bumped texture and used extensively in pattern work
• 2×2 Ribbing – alternating knit and purl stitches in groups of two, providing elasticity and structure
• Cable stitches – created using a cable needle to twist groups of stitches over each other, forming the distinctive textured pattern
• Make 1 (m1) – an invisible increase technique for adding stitches
• Purl 2 Together (p2tog) – a decrease that combines two purl stitches into one
• Knit 1 Below (K1B) – a textural stitch worked into the row beneath the current working row

Materials and Tools

The pattern is worked in King Cole Forest Aran, a medium-weight yarn (Aran weight) that provides excellent stitch definition for cable work and textured patterns. The throw requires 5mm knitting needles and is worked to a tension of 18 stitches and 25 rows over 10 cm (4 in) in stocking stitch. The cushion covers use slightly smaller 4.5mm knitting needles and are worked to a tension of 15 stitches and 36 rows over 10 cm (4 in) in pattern.

A cable needle is essential for this project, as it is used to hold stitches temporarily while creating the cable twists that form the decorative pattern elements. Tension adjustment is important – knitters should check their tension swatch and adjust needle size accordingly, using thinner needles if there are fewer stitches than required, or thicker needles if there are more stitches.

This downloadable PDF pattern from King Cole includes detailed row-by-row instructions, abbreviations, and special instructions for completing both the throw and cushion covers as a coordinated set.