Sailor Cushion

Free Cushion Knitting Pattern

Learn to knit a cozy cushion with the short row technique. The cushion is made from two identical squares, each shaped by short rows. The colorwork alternates between a main color (MC) and a contrast color (CC) in the second part of each square, with the option to vary the main color for each square. This pattern is a great way to learn the short row technique and creating a stylish home accessory.

Skills Required/Techniques Used:
---Knit, cast on & bind off
---Short Rows

Finished measurements: 16” x 16” (40 cm x 40 cm)

Materials: Red Heart (affiliate link) Super Saver 100% acrylic yarn, aran weight, 333 m (364 yds)/198 g, Color White – 1 skein. (CC)
Red Heart (affiliate link) Super Saver 100% acrylic yarn, aran weight, 333 m (364 yds)/198 g Color Royal – 1 skein. (MC)

Needles: US #8 (5.0 mm) straight

Gauge: 14 sts x 30 rows = 4" x 4" (10 cm x 10 cm) in garter st.

Notions: yarn needle

Abbreviations:
k - knit
p - purl
RS - right side
WS - wrong side
w&t - wrap and turn
St, sts – stitch, stitches
Sl - Slip 1 stitch knitwise
catch strands – slip wrapped stitch to the right needle, insert left needle under the wrap(s) and into stitch, transfer wrap(s) and stitch to the left needle as one, knit wrap(s) and stitch together

Pattern Notes:

Garter st in rows: all rows knit

Chain Selvedge: the selvedge/edge stitches are worked as follows: slip the first stitch in knitwise and purl the last one.


Short Overview of the Pattern:

The cushion is made of 2 separate squares, that are then sewn together. Each square is shaped by the short rows. The first half of the square is worked by decreasing short rows, with 1 stitch step. The second half of the square is worked by increasing short rows with 1 stitch step and an alternating of MC and CC yarns every 2 rows (1 ridge).

Cushion

With MC yarn cast on 60 sts.

Row 1 (RS): Using MC, sl, k56, w&t. (58 sts)

Row 2 (WS) and all WS rows: knit.

Row 3: Using MC, sl, k55, w&t. (57 sts)

Row 5: Using MC, sl, k54, w&t. (56 sts)

Row 7: Using MC, sl, k53, w&t. (55 sts)

Row 9: Using MC, sl, k52, w&t. (54 sts)

Row 11: Using MC, sl, k51, w&t. (53 sts)

Row 13: Using MC, sl, k50, w&t. (52 sts)

Row 15: Using MC, sl, k49, w&t. (51 sts)

Row 17: Using MC, sl, k48, w&t. (50 sts)

Row 19: Using MC, sl, k47, w&t. (49 sts)

Row 21: Using MC, sl, k46, w&t. (48 sts)

Row 23: Using MC, sl, k45, w&t. (47 sts)

Row 25: Using MC, sl, k44, w&t. (46 sts)

Row 27: Using MC, sl, k43, w&t. (45 sts)

Row 29: Using MC, sl, k42, w&t. (44 sts)

Row 31: Using MC, sl, k41, w&t. (43 sts)

Row 33: Using MC, sl, k40, w&t. (42 sts)

Row 35: Using MC, sl, k39, w&t. (41 sts)

Row 37: Using MC, sl, k38, w&t. (40 sts)

Row 39: Using MC, sl, k37, w&t. (39 sts)

Row 41: Using MC, sl, k36, w&t. (38 sts)

Row 43: Using MC, sl, k35, w&t. (37 sts)

Row 45: Using MC, sl, k34, w&t. (36 sts)

Row 47: Using MC, sl, k33, w&t. (35 sts)

Row 49: Using MC, sl, k32, w&t. (34 sts)

Row 51: Using MC, sl, k31, w&t. (33 sts)

Row 53: Using MC, sl, k30, w&t. (32 sts)

Row 55: Using MC, sl, k29, w&t. (31 sts)

Row 57: Using MC, sl, k28, w&t. (30 sts)

Row 59: Using MC, sl, k27, w&t. (29 sts)

Row 61: Using MC, sl, k26, w&t. (28 sts)

Row 63: Using MC, sl, k25, w&t. (27 sts)

Row 65: Using MC, sl, k24, w&t. (26 sts)

Row 67: Using MC, sl, k23, w&t. (25 sts)

Row 69: Using MC, sl, k22, w&t. (24 sts)

Row 71: Using MC, sl, k21, w&t. (23 sts)

Row 73: Using MC, sl, k20, w&t. (22 sts)

Row 75: Using MC, sl, k19, w&t. (21 sts)

Row 77: Using MC, sl, k18, w&t. (20 sts)

Row 79: Using MC, sl, k17, w&t. (19 sts)

Row 81: Using MC, sl, k16, w&t. (18 sts)

Row 83: Using MC, sl, k15, w&t. (17 sts)

Row 85: Using MC, sl, k14, w&t. (16 sts)

Row 87: Using MC, sl, k13, w&t. (15 sts)

Row 89: Using MC, sl, k12, w&t. (14 sts)

Row 91: Using MC, sl, k11, w&t. (13 sts)

Row 93: Using MC, sl, k10, w&t. (12 sts)

Row 95: Using MC, sl, k9, w&t. (11 sts)

Row 97: Using MC, sl, k8, w&t. (10 sts)

Row 99: Using MC, sl, k7, w&t. (9 sts)

Row 101: Using MC, sl, k6, w&t. (8 sts)

Row 103: Using MC, sl, k5, w&t. (7 sts)

Row 105: Using MC, sl, k4, w&t. (6 sts)

Row 107: Using MC, sl, k3, w&t. (5 sts)

Row 109: Using MC, sl, k2, w&t. (4 sts)

Row 111: Using MC, sl, k1, w&t. (3 sts)

Row 113: Using CC, sl, k1, catch strands, w&t. (4 sts)

Row 115: Using MC, sl, k2, catch strands, w&t. (5 sts)

Row 117: Using CC, sl, k3, catch strands, w&t. (6 sts)

Row 119: Using MC, sl, k4, catch strands, w&t. (7 sts)

Row 121: Using CC, sl, k5, catch strands, w&t. (8 sts)

Row 123: Using MC, sl, k6, catch strands, w&t. (9 sts)

Row 125: Using CC, sl, k7, catch strands, w&t. (10 sts)

Row 127: Using MC, sl, k8, catch strands, w&t. (11 sts)

Row 129: Using CC, sl, k9, catch strands, w&t. (12 sts)

Row 131: Using MC, sl, k10, catch strands, w&t. (13 sts)

Row 133: Using CC, sl, k11, catch strands, w&t. (14 sts)

Row 135: Using MC, sl, k12, catch strands, w&t. (15 sts)

Row 137: Using CC, sl, k13, catch strands, w&t. (16 sts)

Row 139: Using MC, sl, k14, catch strands, w&t. (17 sts)

Row 141: Using CC, sl, k15, catch strands, w&t. (18 sts)

Row 143: Using MC, sl, k16, catch strands, w&t. (19 sts)

Row 145: Using CC, sl, k17, catch strands, w&t. (20 sts)

Row 147: Using MC, sl, k18, catch strands, w&t. (21 sts)

Row 149: Using CC, sl, k19, catch strands, w&t. (22 sts)

Row 151: Using MC, sl, k20, catch strands, w&t. (23 sts)

Row 153: Using CC, sl, k21, catch strands, w&t. (24 sts)

Row 155: Using MC, sl, k22, catch strands, w&t. (25 sts)

Row 157: Using CC, sl, k23, catch strands, w&t. (26 sts)

Row 159: Using MC, sl, k24, catch strands, w&t. (27 sts)

Row 161: Using CC, sl, k25, catch strands, w&t. (28 sts)

Row 163: Using MC, sl, k26, catch strands, w&t. (29 sts)

Row 165: Using CC, sl, k27, catch strands, w&t. (30 sts)

Row 167: Using MC, sl, k28, catch strands, w&t. (31 sts)

Row 169: Using CC, sl, k29, catch strands, w&t. (32 sts)

Row 171: Using MC, sl, k30, catch strands, w&t. (33 sts)

Row 173: Using CC, sl, k31, catch strands, w&t. (34 sts)

Row 175: Using MC, sl, k32, catch strands, w&t. (35 sts)

Row 177: Using CC, sl, k33, catch strands, w&t. (36 sts)

Row 179: Using MC, sl, k34, catch strands, w&t. (37 sts)

Row 181: Using CC, sl, k35, catch strands, w&t. (38 sts)

Row 183: Using MC, sl, k36, catch strands, w&t. (39 sts)

Row 185: Using CC, sl, k37, catch strands, w&t. (40 sts)

Row 187: Using MC, sl, k38, catch strands, w&t. (41 sts)

Row 189: Using CC, sl, k39, catch strands, w&t. (42 sts)

Row 191: Using MC, sl, k40, catch strands, w&t. (43 sts)

Row 193: Using CC, sl, k41, catch strands, w&t. (44 sts)

Row 195: Using MC, sl, k42, catch strands, w&t. (45 sts)

Row 197: Using CC, sl, k43, catch strands, w&t. (46 sts)

Row 199: Using MC, sl, k44, catch strands, w&t. (47 sts)

Row 201: Using CC, sl, k45, catch strands, w&t. (48 sts)

Row 203: Using MC, sl, k46, catch strands, w&t. (49 sts)

Row 205: Using CC, sl, k47, catch strands, w&t. (50 sts)

Row 207: Using MC, sl, k48, catch strands, w&t. (51 sts)

Row 209: Using CC, sl, k49, catch strands, w&t. (52 sts)

Row 211: Using MC, sl, k50, catch strands, w&t. (53 sts)

Row 213: Using CC, sl, k51, catch strands, w&t. (54 sts)

Row 215: Using MC, sl, k52, catch strands, w&t. (55 sts)

Row 217: Using CC, sl, k53, catch strands, w&t. (56 sts)

Row 219: Using MC, sl, k54, catch strands, w&t. (57 sts)

Row 221: Using CC, sl, k55, catch strands, w&t. (58 sts)

Row 223: Using MC, sl, k56, catch strands, k 1. (60 sts)

Bind off all stitches.

Knit 1 more square.


Connecting the panels:

Layout the squares RS to RS and sew them together on 3 sides. Staff the cushion with the staffing of your choice. Hand sew the 4th side.

Finishing:

Weave in all yarn ends.

Have fun!