Mystery Cushion Club 2024: post 5, October - the final instalment!
Debbie AbrahamsWELCOME TO THE FINAL INSTALMENT OF THE 2024 MYSTERY CUSHION CLUB! After five months of mystery knitting and lots of exciting challenges along the way, we are now at the end of this year’s project. And in this final instalment alongside the last panel to knit – the Upper Back Panel – the title of the Mystery Cushion is finally revealed!
I have recorded a vid for this blog in which I reveal the title and talk about the inspiration for the design. So before you start reading my tips and advice for this month, why not pop the kettle on, grab yourself a cuppa, and sit back and enjoy my short film..
Mystery Cushion Club 2024 - The Big Reveal! | MCC2024
How To Thread Beads Onto Yarn | MCC2024
How To Bead The Slip Stitch Method | MCC2024
There are two new tech vids this month which show you how to thread beads onto your yarn and knit them in using the slip-stitch method. In addition to these vids you also have full access to all the tech vids in the four previous Mystery Cushion blogs, should you need some guidance:
- NEW! How to thread beads onto your yarn
- NEW! How to bead, the slip-stitch method
- Mattress stitch (vertical) (August blog)
- Mattress stitch (horizontal) (August blog)
- Mattress stitch (sewing a cast-off edge to a selvedge edge) (August blog)
- How to carry yarns up the side of the work (June blog)
- How to bead, the hooking-in method (June blog)
- How to pick up stitches along a cast-off edge (to knit the next square) (June blog)
- Mattress stitch (horizontal) (June blog)
- How to cast on using several colours (June blog)
- How to cable (June blog)
- Block 3, Embossed: how to cross the yarns over when changing colour (June blog)
- How to knit intarsia (June blog)
IF YOU’VE WATCHED MY INTRO VID THEN YOU WILL NOW KNOW THAT THE TITLE OF THIS YEAR’S MYSTERY CUSHION IS...
Découpage
Watch my vlog (link above) to find out more about the design. I talk about the theme and how it inspired this year’s Mystery Cushion.
DUE TO SOME ERRORS IN THE PATTERN INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE UPPER BACK PANEL WHICH WERE ONLY NOTICED AFTER THE BROCHURES FOR MO5 WERE PRINTED, THERE WILL BE A SHORT DELAY IN THEIR DELIVERY. Unfortunately the overseas were posted before the errors were noticed so this means that these members will receive an incorrect version of the mail-out. However, we have had the brochure corrected and reprinted so we will send another brochure – the correct one - to all the overseas members who signed up for printed patterns, and all of the UK members will receive the correct version too.
We sent an email to all our MCC24 members last weekend to explain this, and attached a document for the Upper Back Panel showing where the corrections are in the instructions, so I am hoping that you all received this and have read the document.
Please accept my sincere apologies for this, but be assured that we have been working round the clock to get it sorted.
THERE IS ONE CORRECTION I NEED TO TELL YOU ABOUT THAT WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE REVISED BROCHURE, it's Row 94 on page 8. This row should read: Treacle, K1, [pb, K1] rep to end of row.
THERE IS ONE PANEL TO KNIT THIS MONTH, plus some finishing to do to complete your Mystery Cushion…
UPPER BACK PANEL: Screen Print – intarsia stripe pattern with slip stitch beads and buttonhole band:
On each pattern page there is a list of Pattern notes and tips that are worth reading before you start to knit each block. These bits of advice will help you and give pre-warnings as to what to look out for in the pattern instructions. Also take note of the description under the title of each block as this tells you what the stitch structure is.
UPPER BACK PANEL, SCREEN PRINT: this is the final piece of the panel which is an intarsia stripe pattern with slip-stitch beads, inspired by ‘The Circus’ by Henri Matisse.
Videos to watch for assistance with this square:
- NEW! How to thread beads onto your yarn
- NEW! How to bead, the slip-stitch method
- How to carry yarns up the side of the work (June blog)
- How to pick up stitches along a cast-off edge (to knit the next square) (June blog)
- How to knit intarsia (June blog)
To begin this block you need to pick up stitches from the top edge (cast-off) of the Front Panel. You then knit the striped intarsia sections before finishing at the buttonhole band. It measures 45cm across and approximately 20cm down.
This is a large block that is probably going to take you some time to knit. However, I would suggest that you approach it one section at a time, focusing first on the beaded stripe after the stitches have been picked up and the first intarsia stripe (Chart 1).
I chose to knit this panel using bobbins to keep the yarns separate, but I know that my test knitter preferred long lengths and no bobbins, so it really is up to you how you choose to work. For each chart I used two bobbins and the ball of yarn for the background (in Chart 1 this is Treacle). And for the stripe I used five bobbins (in Chart 1 this is Vermillion). I remember that I had to keep switching the bobbins over when I finished with one and then another needed to be joined in. And it certainly kept me on my toes! But I would say, to a deep breath and work one row at a time – just keep an eye on the row above the one you are working on in case a yarn needs to be carried across – and then you will be fine.
There is a repeated section on each of the charts, which is defined by a bold stripe which you can see between stitches 47 and 48. This means that on all RS rows you are working from right to left across the chart, knitting stitches 1-47 twice, then stitches 95-110. And on all WS rows you are working from left to right across the chart, purling stitches 110-95, then repeating stitches 47-1 twice. It advises in the pattern instructions to place a marker between stitches 47 and 48 and 94 and 95 to mark out where the repeats are. My test knitter found this extremely helpful when working from the charts.
It is also worth pointing out that there is an increase in the middle of Row 1 on each of the charts which is NOT shown on any of them. This instruction is included in the written instructions for Rows 9-25, Rows 34-50 and Rows 59-75.
If you need some guidance as to how to knit neat buttonholes, then this link to a tech vid from the September blog for MCC21 will help you:
https://debbieabrahams.com/blogs/news/mystery-cushion-club-2021-post-4-september
Have fun everyone knitting this final panel!
FINISHING INSTRUCTIONS ARE ON PAGE 9 OF THE OCTOBER MAIL OUT. Before sewing the Lower Back Panel into place you will need to sew the side seams of the Upper Back Panel to the Front Panel.
I began sewing the Upper Back Panel to the Front Panel beginning at the top (where the stitches are picked up from the Front Panel), finishing at the buttonhole edge. The buttonholes should line up (or be very close to) the top of Block 2 on the Front Panel, which is approximately 22.5cm down from the top of the Front Panel – note that this is NOT at the halfway point of the Front Panel.
These images show where the buttonhole-band meets the Front Panel to give you some guidance:
I used Mattress stitch to sew together the side seams and used one of the Alpaca Soft DK yarns or the Debbie Abrahams yarn from your kit - choose whichever colour you have plenty of. It doesn’t matter which one you use as Mattress stitch is an invisible seam and it won’t be seen. Don’t use Felted Tweed as this could break when pulling up to close the seams.
There is a tech vid for Mattress stitch (vertical) in the August blog if you need a reminder of the technique.
Next sew the Lower Back Panel into place, beginning at the bottom edge and finishing at the garter stitch edging at the top. The tension of the blocks on the Front Panel are different to the Lower Back Panel so make sure that you ease the two pieces of knitting together evenly, finishing with the upper edge tucked under the Upper Back Panel.
I would suggest that you mark out the position of six buttons on the Lower Back Panel before sewing them on. You need to make sure that they correspond to the buttonholes on the Upper Back Panel. You can use the images of the completed cushion in the mail-out to help you position them and place them in whichever sequence you prefer.
Finally, you need to stuff your cushion-cover with the correct size pad. It is advisable to take your completed cushion-cover to the shop when you purchase your pad to check that you choose the right size. I used a 45cm x 35cm cushion-pad for my cushion-cover, however, if you did not match the given tension in the pattern instructions then you might find that you need either a bigger or smaller pad than this. But that won’t matter – your cushion-cover will look stunning whatever size pad you use!
After you’ve completed all these steps your 2024 Mystery Cushion is finished and ready to enjoy! Well done for getting to the end of this year’s project, it’s a fabulous achievement and you should feel very proud of yourself for completing such a challenging piece of work!
IF AFTER COMPLETING YOUR 2024 MYSTERY CUSHION YOU FANCY EMBARKING ON ANOTHER ‘MYSTERY’ KAL, THEN WHY NOT SIGN UP TO OUR 2025 MYSTERY BLANKET CLUB?!? A massive thank you goes out to everyone who has already signed up, your support is very much appreciated. And for those of you who have not signed up yet, you have until the end of December to decide.
So what’s in store for 2025?
Debbie is thrilled to be collaborating with Rowan Yarns for this project and has selected some of the most popular yarns in their premium collection for this blanket including Felted Tweed, Soft Yak and Summerlite DK. The colour palette is soft and soothing with a focus on shades of powder blue, silver grey, soft sand and white. It’s a gentle mix of colours, knitted up into forty-nine squares of fascinating stitch structures, cables, stripes, fairisle and intarsia, and there are plenty of beads in it too, giving the blanket an extra sparkle!
The full knitting kit with everything in it that you need to knit the whole blanket is delivered directly to your doorstep, making it a convenient and easy way to participate in the project. And with patterns for five to six squares emailed to you each month over a ten-month period, the Mystery Blanket provides you with enough knitting for a whole year!
There will be a choice of two options for the trickier squares (fairisle and intarsia), enabling both novice and experienced knitters to participate in this unique knitting experience.
Monthly tech vids in a dedicated blog give you all the help and support you need as you work your way through the forty-nine squares, enabling knitters of all abilities to take part. It’s a great way to learn new knitting skills!
The finished size of the blanket is approximately 135cm x 135cm.
What does my membership include?
Each member receives ten sets of monthly emailed patterns and two parcels containing over thirty balls of premium quality yarn and embellishments to knit and assemble a blanket. The kit will be posted in two halves with the first one delivered in February, followed by the second one in May.
You can add to your membership ten sets of printed patterns for an additional cost.
Each member that signs up will receive a unique code for a 10% discount off items purchased in our online shop (except Mystery products), with an unlimited expiry date. So that’s 10% off all our beads, yarn, kits and books purchased in one transaction.
Download pattern option
We are offering the option of ten sets of patterns as monthly downloads (no knitting kit) enabling you to use yarns and beads from your own stash to knit the blanket. The list of yarns and beads for the first part of the kit will be released a week before the project begins.
Choose to spread the cost of your payment
If you would prefer to pay in instalments, we have a payment system in place called Splitit which enables you to choose to make your payment between 2-4 months. Simply select this option at checkout when you make your first payment and then your remaining payments will be taken automatically from your account.
What happens after I’ve purchased my Mystery Blanket membership?
When you have completed your payment, you will be sent an automated email to confirm that your transaction has been processed successfully (please note that it says that your order is being processed to send to you, however, the first parcel will not be posted until mid-end January).
Before making your payment, please read the Terms and Conditions for the Mystery Blanket Club. You will find a link to these at the foot of the Home page. Please note that if you make your payment you are agreeing to these Terms and Conditions.
When your payment has been made you will sent a confirmation email confirming your package and your membership number. If you do not receive this within twenty-eight days, please contact us and we will re-send it to you: sue@debbieabrahams.com
Need to know a bit more?
You can read more about the Club and how it runs by visiting the FAQs page on our website.
IF YOU FEEL THE NEED FOR A FESTIVE TREAT (OR A BOOST TO YOUR BEAD STOCKS!), THEN YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN THESE EXCITING PROMOTIONS AND NEW KIT LAUNCHES:
- Available now! Festive Mystery Knit Boxes – the perfect idea for a gift or a treat for yourself. Debbie’s Mystery Box includes ten mystery gifts including a brand-new festive knitting kit. With only 120 boxes available, you would be wise to grab one of these as soon as you can before they sell out.
- From Saturday 26th November: our festive kits 10% discount promotion begins! You can grab yourself a festive kit at a discounted price for a limited period (offer excludes Festive Mystery Knit Boxes), PLUS we are offering the same discount off all our Debbie Abrahams beads in all colours and both sizes. Offer ends on the 8th November 2024.
- From Saturday 26th November: get yourself prepped and ready for the colder months ahead with our new ‘Rockin’ Around Mitts’ kit and ‘Star of Wonder Bunting’ kit (last year’s Festive Mystery Knit Box kit). Both are available to buy at the same discounted price as the beads and festive kits. Offer ends on the 8th November.
THIS IS A REMINDER ABOUT OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS, which can be hugely beneficial if you want to keep up to date with all my latest news or join a Debbie Abrahams group:
Ravelry: Debbie Abrahams Handknit
Facebook: Debbie Abrahams Mystery Knitters
Facebook: Debbie Abrahams Handknits (our own FB page)
Instagram: debbieabrahams_knitting
Pinterest: debbieabrahams@debbieabrahamsk
The Facebook and Ravelry groups are great communities to be part of, especially if you are out there knitting on your own and need a bit of advice or encouragement. They are brilliant for technical support too and there are many very experienced knitters in both groups who are only too happy to help with queries about the projects. They are both free to join and a lot of fun to be part of, so why not join today!?!
OUR FINAL MYSTERY CLUB MEETING OF 2024 WILL TAKE PLACE ON WEDNESDAY 6TH NOVEMBER IN NOTTINGHAM AT YARN LOFT! I am looking forward to seeing some of you there with your blankets and cushions as we reach the final stage of both projects.
Join us for a couple of hours of lively knit and chat while Doreen the owner of Yarn Loft keeps us going with hot drinks and a cake. The meeting begins at 4pm and finishes at 6pm.
Yarn Loft is at 118 Hucknall Road, Carrington, Nottingham, tel number 07825 702433, web site: www.yarnloft.co.uk. To cover the costs of hosting the meeting there is a small sub to pay (£3.00), which can be paid to Doreen on the day.
See you there!
2024 MEMBER GALLERY! I have a huge confession to make about the 2023 Member’s Gallery – which never actually got published on my website. In a moment of madness I deleted in error from my computer the whole folder I had created with the emails and images in it of all your lovely projects. And with my very limited technical skills, unfortunately I was unable to retrieve it. So I apologise profusely for this and ask that if you have any images of your lovely ‘Debbie’ projects that you want to send in – both mystery projects and other Debbie or Debbie-related projects you have completed over the past twelve months - please email them to me at: debbie@debbieabrahams.com. And I promise to keep them safe until I launch the Member’s Gallery for 2024 in January – just before we embark on the next Mystery Blanket adventure at the beginning of February. I can’t wait to see what you’ve created this year!
Thank you for joining me on this year’s Mystery Cushion adventure and for being such fabulous members! It’s been a challenging project this year, but at the end of it you will have a unique and very special addition to your home décor to sit back to enjoy! If you are going to join me next year for my next Mystery KAL, then we’ll catch up in the new year when my 2025 Mystery Blanket begins – I can’t wait! Have a fabulous Autumn and keep happy and inspired until our paths cross again, Debbie xx
