A few weeks ago, we posted about a pattern for a DIY knitted pouf. We have a lot of crafty folks in the Apartment Therapy community who were excited to try their hand at this project. Apartment Therapy reader Charlyne sent us these pictures of her own pouf and gave a few tips...
Charlyne's main piece of advice for any pouf knitters, is to be careful not to tie the seam too tightly, otherwise there will be a bit of an indent in the side of the pouf. (This might not sound serious, but that indent can make your pouf look more like a baby's bottom than a sea urchin!) Rather than stuffing the pouf with a duvet, as recommended in the instructions, Charlyne used what she had on hand, and bundled the stuffing from old throw pillows into a square of fabric.
Great job Charlyne! Did anyone else attempt the knitted pouf? Post a link to your project in the comments below!
Pouf Pattern available for free on Pickles
© 2009 Apartment Therapy
Looks great! This is tops on my list of things to do... but first I have to move from Denver to Chicago next week. We'll see how long it takes me to get it done!!!
view thelittlestmonster's profile
I want to make one of these so badly but I don't know how to knit. Do you think it would look absolutely terrible crocheted? Or perhaps there is some other technique I am overlooking - maybe sewing one out of a knitted fabric?
view prometheanne's profile
How long did it take you, Charlyne? It looks great!
view Splomo's profile
prometheanne - try youtube for knitting how-to videos. I was able to teach myself to knit with the help of youtube in about a day. This looks simple enough for a basic basic basic knitter to pull off.
view ShopgirlCA's profile
Thanks! It took me about 8 - 10 hours to do, and I'm not a knitter by any measure... the last time I did any knitting was a scarf 5 or 6 years ago, so I had completely forgotten how to do even start. I did exactly what ShopgirlCA recommended, checked out basic how-to youtube vids to refresh my memory =) Very easy to make!
view charlyne_e's profile
I think this would have a tendency to look a little ratty in short order if knit out of yarn, but from some kind of rope or maybe even macrame cord (does that still even exist?) Now you might have something. Might even be usable outside!
view splatgirl's profile
prometheanne - I too am a crocheter who doesn't knit, and I think it would look cute in crochet as well. It appears to be a basic rectangle which is easy enough. You may have to experiment a bit with hook sizes and different stitches to get a similar drape - but I think this pouf could be very doable in crochet, or even Tunisian crochet.
view UdonNoodles's profile
I love the storage unit--can you tell me where you found something like this??
view corts's profile
I haven't looked at the instructions yet, but if I were to attempt to crotchet this I'd start experimenting with a ch of X stiches, dividing X by 8, then for the first half I've increase stitch heights, then decrease them for the seond 1/2. So 1/8 in sc, then 1/8 in hdc. 1/8 in dc, 1/8 in trc. Then another 1/8 in trc, 1/8 in dc, 1/8 in hdc, 1/8 in sc. I think you'd get a fabric that expanded in the middled and then curved around on itself. And I'd work in back loops only.
view kushkush's profile
Is it me or is the link to the pattern not working ?
I also think it would be pretty in crochet. Basically, you could even work it out of a magic ring, as in amigurumi. No need to sew, the pouf would be in one piece.
view Loora's profile