Dalarna Cushion Cover - Cushion Knitting Pattern in MillaMia Naturally Soft Merino

Dalarna Cushion Cover – Knitting Pattern in MillaMia Naturally Soft Merino

The Dalarna Cushion Cover is a beautifully crafted, square knitted cushion cover designed to fit a 35cm × 35cm (13¾in × 13¾in) cushion pad. Published by MillaMia, this downloadable PDF pattern is rated Experienced / Advanced and showcases a striking Fair Isle colourwork design inspired by traditional Scandinavian textile motifs. The finished cover measures 34cm × 34cm (13½in × 13½in), giving a neat, snug fit over the pad. With its bold geometric repeats, vibrant colour palette, and button fastening at the back, the Dalarna Cushion Cover makes an eye-catching addition to any interior.

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a single knitted cushion cover worked in two main sections — a decorative Fair Isle front panel and a plain stocking stitch back panel with a button-band opening. Five buttons secure the back closure, making the cover easy to remove for washing or to swap over a cushion pad. The design is entirely worked flat in rows and then seamed together to form the finished cover.

Techniques Used

• Stranded colourwork (Fair Isle method): The front of the cushion is worked using the classic Fair Isle technique, in which multiple yarn colours are carried across the wrong side of the fabric. Yarns not currently in use are stranded and woven under and over the working yarn every 3 or 4 stitches to prevent long, loose floats and to keep the fabric stable and even.
• Worked flat: All sections — front and back — are knitted back and forth in rows rather than in the round, making this pattern accessible to knitters who prefer straight needles.
• Seamed construction: The front and back panels are joined using seaming, giving the cushion a clean, structured finish with neat edges.
• Buttonhole technique: The back panel incorporates a button band with five buttonholes, worked using a yarn twice round needle (y2rn) method referenced in the abbreviations, creating neat, functional openings sized for approximately 15mm (⅝in) buttons.
• Chart reading: The Fair Isle pattern is worked from a written chart. Odd-numbered rows are knit rows read right to left, and even-numbered rows are purl rows read left to right — a standard convention for flat colourwork knitting that experienced knitters will find familiar.
• Stripe sequences: In addition to the main Fair Isle chart, the pattern incorporates simple stripe sections worked in stocking stitch, adding rhythm and structure to the overall design.
• Blocking and finishing: The pattern advises careful attention to tension and blocking to achieve a perfectly even square shape, which is especially important when combining Fair Isle sections with plain stocking stitch.

Stitches Used

• Stocking stitch (st st): The foundational stitch of the pattern, used for both the plain sections of the front and the entire back panel. Worked as knit on right-side rows and purl on wrong-side rows.
• Fair Isle pattern stitch: An 11-stitch pattern repeat is worked across the front, with the first and last stitches acting as selvedge stitches. The repeat is worked 8 times across the 90-stitch cast-on.
• Knit (k) and Purl (p): Standard knit and purl stitches form the basis of all sections.
• k2tog (knit two together): A right-leaning decrease used in shaping.
• skpo (slip one, knit one, pass slipped stitch over): A left-leaning decrease used to balance shaping.
• y2rn (yarn twice round needle): Used to create the buttonholes in the back button band.
• tbl (through back of loop): Used in specific decrease or finishing contexts as noted in the abbreviations.