Berber inspired knit cushion: Add an ethnic touch to your home decor with this design from Mauricette C
Hello everybody! My name is Caroline and I live in Lille, in northern France. I have been knitting since I was 5 years old thanks to my maternal grandmother Mauricette. She taught me how to knit scarves from leftover yarn. I’ll let you imagine what the results were like! Since 2017 I have been creating my knit and crochet patterns under the name of Mauricette C. In fact, this is my second name too and I feel a very special bond with my grandmother because of this. I have created various collections with the support of Katia and have new projects on the go. However, I can´t reveal anything about these at the moment! Meanwhile, I am going to show you how to make a Berber inspired knit cushion. Follow the Berbio Cushion pattern and add an ethnic touch to your home décor with only 6 balls of Winter Washi.
Berber Inspiration
The Berber community has a rich history of craftsmanship. Indeed, this artisan style is often found in interior design in the form of rugs, cushions, ottomans, poufs and baskets. The principal characteristics of these designs are the use of symbols with special meanings. The maxi Berber knit cushion has two symbols: the olive and the eye. In Berber culture the olive evokes calm and bonding energy, whilst the eye represents protection.
Berbio knit cushion
Measurements: 19 5/8” x 27 1/2″ (50 cm x 70 cm)
Materials: 5 balls cream col. 200 and 1 ball black col. 212 of Winter Washi, size 10 (U.S.)/(6 mm) knitting needles, cable needle (optional), size I9 (U.S.)/(5.5 mm) crochet hook, wool sewing needle, scissors and 2 cushion fillers.
Stitches and abbreviations
- K: knit st
- P: Purl st
- SS: Stockinette st
- St(s): stitch(es)
- R: row(s)
- Backwards crochet: This is a decorative or edging stitch. It is worked the same as single crochet but from left to right. Insert the hook in the top of the base stitch and then downwards, wrap yarn over hook, pass through the 1st stitch on the hook, wrap yarn over hook and pass through the 2 stitches left on the hook.
Gauge: Using the size 10 needles in stockinette st: 15 sts x 20 rows = 4×4” (10×10 cm)
Instructions
Read all the instructions before starting to knit. Read the graph from right to left for the right side rows of the work, and from left to right for the wrong side rows of the work.
Graph
□ White box = Using the main colour: knit stitch on the right side of the work, purl stitch on the wrong side of the work.
■ Black box = Using the secondary colour: knit stitch on the right side of the work, purl stitch on the wrong side of the work.
■ Blue box = Relief stitches: Slip 2 stitches purlwise onto a cable needle. Wrap the secondary colour around these two stitches 5 times in an anticlockwise direction. Slip these two stitches back onto the needle and work them.
Back piece of cushion
Using the size 10 needles and Katia Winter Washi col. 200, cast on 80 sts.
Work in stockinette st. When the back piece measures 27 1/2″ (70cm), measuring from the start. Bind (cast off) all the sts.
Front piece of cushion
Using the size 10 needles and Katia Winter Washi col. 200, cast on 80 sts.
Work in stockinette st changing colour (see the Jacquard stitch video) following the graph.
Crochet edging
Match the wrong sides of both cushion pieces together. Take one strand of each of the two Winter Washi colours and work in backwards crochet around the edge to join both sides together. When 3 of the 4 cushion sides have been joined together, introduce the filling inside the cushion cover. To finish, close the last side using backwards crochet.
Congratulations! You now have your very own Berbio knit cushion! Share photos of your Berber style cushion with the hashtags #madewithkatia, #mauricettec and #coussinberbio. If you want to be informed about forthcoming projects visit my Instagram & Facebook accounts.
Text, photos and illustrations © Mauricette C. 2019 – All rights reserved, strictly for personal use. www.mauricettec.com
