Because Sometimes You Just Want to Knit a Giant Pillow

One great way to use a lot of yarn at once is to knit big projects on big needles. Whether you use yarn that was already super bulky or make your own fat yarn by combining multiple strands, it’s really fun to see a project fly off your needles like that.

These chunky throw pillows from Knifty Knittings are a couple of such projects. Originally worked in 2 strands Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick, they could just as easily be knit by holding a couple of strands of a different bulky yarn together, or three or more of a worsted weight.

Because they are meant to fit a pillow form, though, you’ll need to check your gauge to make sure your project is going to come out the same size. Or just follow the pattern and make your own pillow form if your size ends up a bit different.

I love the herringbone version, though of course it’s not quite as fast at the Garter or Stockinette options. But any of them would be a lot of fun and add some great, bold knitting to your space.

[Photo: Knifty Knittings.]

Generally I like knitting patterns where I feel like you can use whatever yarn you have (because my stash is big enough and I want to use it, thanks) and make a successful project. This is one of those times when a special yarn makes the process that much easier.

The Floral Bouquet Shawl from Xandy Peters uses a specific extended color pooling yarn from Feisty Fibers, which allows you to place the bobble flowers with increasing frequency as you knit the project.

It starts with a solid color yarn, then the two color yarn is added in, and you make a bobble whenever you encounter the color pops. This would be hard to replicate with other yarn that doesn’t have the extended color pooling built in.

The background of the shawl is ribbed, making the project reversible.

The shawl uses fingering/sock yarn and comes out to be an asymmetrical triangle that’s 54 inches/137 cm long and 36 inches/ 90 cm deep and 60 inches/150 cm across the top edge.

Xandy says the pattern is for intermediate to advanced knitters. Knowing how to work traditional bobbles would probably help, but there’s a great video tutorial for how to work the floral bobbles so you can practice on other yarn or even incorporate the bobbles into other projects.

The bobbles are five-petaled flowers but they also kind of look like starfish to me, which could be fun on a child’s cardigan or other pattern. They’d also be fun on the leg of a sock or around the brim of a hat for extra whimsy.

The pattern includes photo and video tutorials, and written and charted instructions. It also includes tips on what to look for if you choose to use different yarn for the project, and instructions on how to dye your own yarn to use in the project.

If you want to give it a try, you can find the pattern on Ravelry.

[Photo: Xandy Peters]

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