The Whispered Heart Tapestry Cushion: A Free Knitting Pattern for a Textured, Love-Filled Home Accent
The Whispered Heart Tapestry Cushion: A Free Knitting Pattern for a Textured, Love-Filled Home Accent
Knit a stunning, tactile cushion that tells a story of love through a beautifully textured, intarsia heart motif. This pattern combines cozy, chunky yarn with a modern, sculptural design for a truly unique home decor piece. The finished cushion is approximately 18 inches square, fitting a standard 18-inch pillow form perfectly. The front panel features a large, central, textured heart motif in a deep dusty rose color against a soft, heathered oatmeal background, while the back panel is a solid oatmeal color with the same garter stitch border. The result is a plush, inviting square that adds warmth and character to any room.
Materials Needed
- Yarn: Super Bulky weight yarn (approx. 250-300 yards total).
- Main Color (MC): 200 yards of a soft, heathered oatmeal.
- Contrast Color (CC): 100 yards of a deep, dusty rose.
- Needles: US 11 (8.0 mm) circular knitting needles, 24-inch cable, or size needed to obtain gauge.
- Gauge: 10 stitches and 14 rows = 4 inches in Stockinette stitch, after blocking.
- Other: Tapestry needle, stitch markers (2), 18-inch pillow form, optional: zipper or buttons for closure.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Abbreviations
- CO: Cast on
- K: Knit
- P: Purl
- St(s): Stitch(es)
- MC: Main Color (Oatmeal)
- CC: Contrast Color (Dusty Rose)
- RS: Right side
- WS: Wrong side
- pm: Place marker
- sm: Slip marker
Pattern Notes
- The cushion is worked flat in two identical panels (front and back), then seamed together.
- The heart motif is created using the intarsia method. Use separate bobbins or small lengths of yarn for each color block, twisting the yarns at color changes to prevent holes.
- The border is a simple, reversible garter stitch.
Panel (Make 2)
Border
With MC, CO 46 sts.
Work in garter stitch (knit every row) for 6 rows.
Body
Row 1 (RS): With MC, K5 (border), place marker (pm), K36 (center), pm, K5 (border).
Row 2 (WS): With MC, K5, P36, K5.
Begin Heart Motif (Row 3)
Row 3 (RS): K5 (border), slip marker (sm), K18 MC, join CC, K18 CC, sm, K5 MC.
Row 4 (WS): K5 MC, sm, P18 CC, P18 MC, sm, K5 MC.
Heart Chart (RS rows read right to left, WS rows read left to right)
Each square = 1 stitch. MC = Oatmeal (background), CC = Dusty Rose (heart).
Row 5 (RS): K5 MC, sm, K14 MC, K8 CC, K14 MC, sm, K5 MC.
Row 6 (WS): K5 MC, sm, P14 MC, P8 CC, P14 MC, sm, K5 MC.
Row 7 (RS): K5 MC, sm, K12 MC, K12 CC, K12 MC, sm, K5 MC.
Row 8 (WS): K5 MC, sm, P12 MC, P12 CC, P12 MC, sm, K5 MC.
Row 9 (RS): K5 MC, sm, K10 MC, K16 CC, K10 MC, sm, K5 MC.
Row 10 (WS): K5 MC, sm, P10 MC, P16 CC, P10 MC, sm, K5 MC.
Row 11 (RS): K5 MC, sm, K8 MC, K20 CC, K8 MC, sm, K5 MC.
Row 12 (WS): K5 MC, sm, P8 MC, P20 CC, P8 MC, sm, K5 MC.
Row 13 (RS): K5 MC, sm, K6 MC, K24 CC, K6 MC, sm, K5 MC.
Row 14 (WS): K5 MC, sm, P6 MC, P24 CC, P6 MC, sm, K5 MC.
Row 15 (RS): K5 MC, sm, K4 MC, K28 CC, K4 MC, sm, K5 MC.
Row 16 (WS): K5 MC, sm, P4 MC, P28 CC, P4 MC, sm, K5 MC.
Row 17 (RS): K5 MC, sm, K2 MC, K32 CC, K2 MC, sm, K5 MC.
Row 18 (WS): K5 MC, sm, P2 MC, P32 CC, P2 MC, sm, K5 MC.
Row 19 (RS): K5 MC, sm, K0 MC, K36 CC, sm, K5 MC. (Heart is at widest point)
Row 20 (WS): K5 MC, sm, P36 CC, sm, K5 MC.
Decrease the heart to form the top curves
Row 21 (RS): K5 MC, sm, K2 CC, K32 MC, K2 CC, sm, K5 MC.
Row 22 (WS): K5 MC, sm, P2 CC, P32 MC, P2 CC, sm, K5 MC.
Row 23 (RS): K5 MC, sm, K4 CC, K28 MC, K4 CC, sm, K5 MC.
Row 24 (WS): K5 MC, sm, P4 CC, P28 MC, P4 CC, sm, K5 MC.
Row 25 (RS): K5 MC, sm, K6 CC, K24 MC, K6 CC, sm, K5 MC.
Row 26 (WS): K5 MC, sm, P6 CC, P24 MC, P6 CC, sm, K5 MC.
Row 27 (RS): K5 MC, sm, K8 CC, K20 MC, K8 CC, sm, K5 MC.
Row 28 (WS): K5 MC, sm, P8 CC, P20 MC, P8 CC, sm, K5 MC.
Row 29 (RS): K5 MC, sm, K10 CC, K16 MC, K10 CC, sm, K5 MC.
Row 30 (WS): K5 MC, sm, P10 CC, P16 MC, P10 CC, sm, K5 MC.
Row 31 (RS): K5 MC, sm, K12 CC, K12 MC, K12 CC, sm, K5 MC.
Row 32 (WS): K5 MC, sm, P12 CC, P12 MC, P12 CC, sm, K5 MC.
Row 33 (RS): K5 MC, sm, K14 CC, K8 MC, K14 CC, sm, K5 MC.
Row 34 (WS): K5 MC, sm, P14 CC, P8 MC, P14 CC, sm, K5 MC.
Row 35 (RS): K5 MC, sm, K16 CC, K4 MC, K16 CC, sm, K5 MC.
Row 36 (WS): K5 MC, sm, P16 CC, P4 MC, P16 CC, sm, K5 MC.
Row 37 (RS): K5 MC, sm, K18 CC, K0 MC, K18 CC, sm, K5 MC. (Heart is complete)
Row 38 (WS): K5 MC, sm, P36 CC, sm, K5 MC.
Finish Body
Row 39 (RS): With MC, K5, sm, K36, sm, K5.
Row 40 (WS): With MC, K5, P36, K5.
Repeat Rows 39-40 until the panel measures 18 inches from the cast-on edge, ending with a WS row.
Border
Work in garter stitch (knit every row) for 6 rows.
Bind off loosely.
Finishing
Weave in all ends securely. Block each panel to the correct measurements (18 inches square).
Place the two panels with right sides together. Using MC yarn and a tapestry needle, sew three sides together using a mattress stitch or whip stitch. Insert an 18-inch pillow form, then sew the fourth side closed.
Optional: Add a hidden zipper or button closure to one side for a removable cover.
