Hold onto Summer with a Beach Hut Cushion

This is one of those projects I could see people in both the Northern Hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere getting behind right now.

If you’re in the part of the world where summer is ending soon, you might want to hang onto that feeling a little bit longer with a cheery project like this that can make you smile through the cooler days.

And if you’re in the part of the world that is waiting impatiently for summer to come along, this is the perfect little bit of home decor to stitch up as you anticipate the arrival of warm temperatures.

Of course if you live in a beachy area or have a beach house, this is ideal decor any time of year. It would also be fun in a kids’ reading nook.

The beach hut cushion is a free pattern from Prima, and it’s about 46 by 31 cm (or 18 by 12 inches, give or take a little). Since you probably won’t find a pillow form that shape you can stuff it with batting or make your own pillow to slip inside this fun case.

It’s worked with DK weight yarn in four colors, but of course you can change up the colors as you like to make a beach hut that’s just to your liking.

The front and back of the pillow are each worked flat, and both sides are the same other than adding the door applique to the front of the pillow. The pieces are stitched together with an I-cord edging, though you could just sew them together in whatever way you like if you’d rather.

This pillow is super cute and easy to make, and it’s sure to bring a smile to your face whatever the weather outside.

You can get the free pattern for this sweet and colorful knit cushion from Prima.

[Photo: Prima]

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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