While I’m not the most (or even third most) creative person in our design office (there are four of us, in case you’re wondering), I do enjoy a pattern that allows for a bit of customization. Sutton, a simple, single-crochet bolster pillow from our new collection is the perfect example. When I first saw the sample, I saw a blank slate with endless possibilities. My mind kind of went wild thinking of the modifications I could make to personalize pillows for myself and pretty much everyone I know.
I’ve tried to narrow it down to a few of my favorites for the purposes of this post and our Berroco Home Crochet & Knit-Along.
Download a copy of the free pattern and see if any of these modifications capture your imagination.
If you want to keep it simple, you can crochet the pattern as is and embellish it in a variety of ways after.
Embellishments
– sew a fancy button to either end
– crochet an oversized flower (I used Cult of Crochet’s Flower Headband pattern.)
– add an interesting band in the middle
(I made up a simple filet crochet pattern in Berroco Cosma, but you could use colorwork, texture, even a scrap piece of fabric.)
Thick Stripes
– 2 colors
– work pattern as instructed, changing colors every 2 rows
Thin Stripes
– 2 colors
– work pattern as instructed, changing colors every row
This might not be everyone’s style, but whimsical designs always make me smile.
Watermelon
– 3-4 colors
– in red, work first six rows as instructed
– in white, work row 7
– in green(s), work row 8, optional: sc dark green, 2 sc light green
I didn’t get to work on the body for this one because I realized after the fact that one of the greens I was using had been discontinued (Yes, it happens to us, too!). You could continue alternating greens as with row 8, use one green, or I had contemplated working the body in rows and seaming the pieces. I might pick a new green and try again later.
Birch Log
– 2-3 colors of Berroco Inca Tweed, held double on a size L hook
(you could still use Peruvia Quick, but I thought the tweed made it look more like bark)
– I used four hanks of the white (MC), 2 of the tan (CC1) and 1 of the dark gray (CC2)
(I really only crocheted 8 rounds from the second 2 hanks of the MC so you could get away with just 2 hanks, unless you want to use white for the ends as well. I also only just discovered that this tan shade is discontinued, but I think the light gray shade, Andes #8915, would look nice, too, and more like the sample pillow.)
– with CC1, work first 5 rows as instructed
– with CC1, work every other stitch increase for row 6 (36 stitches), sc crochet in each stitch for row 7
– with MC, work every third stitch increase for row 8 (48 stitches)
*before you decrease and stuff*
– with CC2, add a mix of straight lines and knots with crochet slips stitches around body of pillow
Texture & Color
– 4 colors
– work white, work row 1, remove hook (but don’t cut white), add orange and make one large bobble by single crocheting in front loop of each stitch (6 total) and pulling loop through first single crochet (leave tail to weave)
– continue with white, work row 2 as instructed and row 3 through the back loops, remove hook
– with pink, work 2 dc in front loop of first stitch, ch 2, skip next stitch and repeat around (6 groups of 2 dcs)
– continue with white, work row 4 as instructed, work row 5 single crocheting pink chains and tops of double crochets together with corresponding white single crochets
– continue with white, work row 6 as instructed
– attach gray, work row 7 as instructed, making every other single crochet in the previous row
– change back to white, work row 8 as instructed
My instructions are rough, so if you find anything confusing, please let me know. I’m happy to clarify!
To finish, I wanted to share my first (hopefully of many) completed Sutton!
Are you considering crocheting Sutton? Would you keep it as is or add your own modifications?