Hudson's Bay Blanket Inspired Pillows: A Simple Knitting Pattern for Total Beginners

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by Robin






Maybe for some, but for us this two-bedroom disaster is a DIY lovers dream come true.  Plus, it came fully stocked with so many things.  All the things.  No really.  ALL the things - there's a windmill that's a pig in overalls riding a tractor.  Clearly, some of the stuff is not worth keeping.


Some stuff we're hanging onto, though.  The couch and chairs in the living room, for example.  The couch is red, not something that I'd choose myself, but it's good quality and it's the BEST couch for cuddling.  The chairs are dark blue lazy boys.  The colour isn't bad, and we figure, where else can you lounge in lazy boys if not in your mobile home in the woods?


My dilemma was this - how do I decorate with a red couch and navy blue chairs?  If we were American this would be immediately clear: red, white and blue!  Stars!  Stripes!  Uncle Sams!  But, we're Canadians and that palette doesn't naturally speak to us.


The look I'm going for our vacation home is "vintage cabin in the woods".  (You can check out my Mobile Home Makeover Pinterest Board to get the idea.)  I was a little baffled, what could I use to tie the blue chairs and red couch together with a vintage cabin theme?  I really thought about this longer than anyone ever should.  Then it dawned on me!


Hudson's Bay Blankets!  Vintage.  Cabin-y. With red and blue (and other colours to play with).  And truly Canadian!  But, real Hudson's Bay Blankets are dang expensive.  Even used they are way too much for me, besides being nearly impossible to find.





So here's how I knit some Hudson's Bay blanket inspired Pillows.  And I'm pretty sure you can too because they are a true beginner project.

This pillow is magical - it can even make this lumpy old lazy boy look good.

Materials:

• Yarn.  I used Loops & Threads Charisma yarn from Michaels, in 5 colours:
• "Off White" (2 balls) per pillow 
• "Dark Blue" (1/3 ball) 
• "Yellow" (1/3 ball)
• "Red" (1/3 ball) 
• "Forest" (1/3 ball)
• 8mm needles
• 16"x26" Ikea pillow insert (or make your own) 

Pattern:

This whole pattern is done in stocking stitch, i.e. knit a row, purl the next, knit a row, purl the next...)

1.  In cream, cast on 120 stitches.
2.  In stocking stitch (i.e. knit one row, purl one row and repeat) knit 10 rows.
3.  Switch to blue yarn, stocking stitch for 8 rows.
4.  In cream yarn, stocking stitch for 8 rows.
5.  Switch to yellow yarn, stocking stitch for 8 rows.
6.  In cream yarn, stocking stitch for 8 rows.
7.  Switch to red yarn, stocking stitch for 8 rows.
8.  In cream yarn, stocking stitch for 8 rows.
9.  Switch to green yarn, stocking stitch for 8 rows.
10.  In cream yarn stocking stitch for 27 rows.
11.  Cast off.
12.  Fold in half lengthwise, sew two sides.  Insert pillow form.  Sew shut.

Doesn't she look cute with all her camp blanket friends?

Cost:

I made three of these pillows.  That took 6 balls of cream and 1 ball of each colour.  I bought all the yarn on sale for $2.99 a ball.  So, with tax it was just over $30 to make three - and about $10 each!








I'm always looking for no-brainer knitting projects - do you have a favourite to share?