Ridge Swing Pillow

While working on my Ridge Swing Cardigan, I realized I needed a birthday gift for my boyfriend's step-mom. I decided to make her a pillow but after looking through patterns for a while the only one I really liked was the Basketweave Pillow but I didn't think I'd have time to make it. Then it occurred to me, why not use the ridge pattern from the cardigan? She likes bright colors so I got out a ton of yarn and worked the ridge pattern changing colors every row.

I intended the pillow to be square but I made a mistake. I increased to the size I wanted and then decreased back down the other side. This made it a bit more rectangular than square. I should have (and will in the future) gone with two triangles joined to make a square. But I'd already done all that color change work! So I just made the back the same way - increased up and decreased back down. Then I realized that, while I'd made them both the same, they needed to face opposite directions to be a front and back. So they wouldn't line up! Ugh! It was too late to do anything about it so I just kept going, hoping I could hide some of the mistake in the way I stuffed or flattened it.

I had a couple of pillows lying around that I'd been meaning to throw away so I cut one open and used the stuffing from it, which was really soft. My son enjoyed helping me during this part. If I'd had more time I would have added a lining (and again, in the future I will) but the stuffing can't be seen and doesn't seem to be coming out. All the sides lined up perfectly but there was a huge bulge in the middle of each side (and going different directions) that caused the pillow to twist in a way that could not be hidden by any amount stuffing or flattening.

So oh well, I learned a lot making this project and despite its wonkiness it still came out really cute. It was fun to make and I plan to do more pillows now that I know what I did wrong. I'd like to make her another one to replace it because it really is a little silly but I'm not looking forward to that much color striping again any time soon. I may make her another colorful pillow using a different design, possibly yoyos with a white lining. She said it had character and she loved it. It was definitely a learning experience.

I used an I hook and the back is made with Caron One Pounder in "Taupe". The front, obviously, is every worsted weight yarn I could find.

Front:



Back: