Using Up The Yarn Stash On More Big Knitting

Big knit cushion after felting

Everyone who likes to knit or crochet has a yarn stash. I decided to use up some of mine on another big knit project.   And yes, it was a cushion!  And an especially simple one this time - no dyeing involved!  

Selected yarns

I selected my yarns so together they would be thick enough to knit up on my 25mm needles.  (Take a look at my blogpost http://hippystitch.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/more-big-knitting-textured-cushion.html if you want to have a look at my needles.)  I chose 8 yarns.  As alot of my stash no longer has labels on, I can't give you specific details but I think they were roughly as follows 3 balls of chunky, 3 balls of double knit, a fine mohair that knits up like double knitting and a 4ply (?) - all in greys, blacks and cream.  They look like this and the penny at the bottom gives you some idea of scale.

I cast on 18 stitches and knitted in garter stitch.  Here it is in progress ...

Big knitting in progress

The overall colour is a rather pleasing melange.  I had to add another ball of mohair, more chunky cream and grey and more double knitting in grey and black to complete the project.

Finished big knitting measures approx. 39cm x 100cm

When it was stitched up (I use a 20mm crochet hook for this) and filled the finished item looked like this ..

Finished big knit cushion

It looked good but was rather loose and stretchy. As most of the yarns were either 100% wool or had a very high wool content I decided to felt it a little (wash the cushion on a high temperature).  The finished post felting size was approx 32cm square.  The cushion area had shrunk by about a third.  The felting process gives it that slightly fuzzy look but it has become a much denser fibre. Better - but some of the pleasing definition of the garter stitch has been lost.

Fuzzy felt

It's a very easy project and uses up a lot of yarn - make sure you have substitutes if some yarns are likely to run out - they don't have to be the same colour but it would be helpful if thay are the same thickness if you want to maintain an even knit.  In fact changing colours as you go along would produce an interesting result - why not try it?