Cosmos flower cushion pattern; on our way to Andong

I am so excited to announce my first crochet pattern for the Cosmos flower cushion is now available on Ravelry and Etsy. It’s an easy, customizable pattern that uses one skein of DK yarn for the main flower. Examples shown use Lion Brand Mandala Sparkle (in Nova; see skein above) and Stylecraft DK (purple/white), but the pattern is customizable with your favorite DK-weight yarn and your choice of center embellishment. It’s seamless and requires only some easy shaping at the end.

The pattern is designed to be simple enough for a confident beginner, but versatile enough for an experienced stitcher to play with.

I used a 4.25mm hook for these examples, and a 1 5/8″ pompom maker. It’s also possible to use domed shank buttons, or even to crochet buttons for the center, if you are feeling extra creative.

Searching though photos on my phone of Korean flora got me inspired to make an eight-petaled flower, and the idea to make a cushion grew from there. I was at first focused on getting the color right, since I know cosmos flowers are usually a vibrant pinky-purple, or sometimes white or orange. But I decided that color should be free to play with, so opted to grab one of my Mandala sparkle skeins to make a whimsical version.

Tomorrow morning, my dog and I are packing up for a two-night adventure to Andong, a historic town about three hours north of our Gyeongsan home. We’ll be taking the train this time, which is always a treat.

Andong has long been on my Korea bucket list, and I’m excited to finally explore it. Our main objective will be to visit the UNESCO Hahoe Folk Village at the western outskirts, but we’ll also have time to visit some special historic places around the town center where we’ll be staying. In my next post, I’ll share a map. It should be a fabulous time, as the weather has briefly turned spring-like, but it’s still the low season.

I’ll leave you with a photo of intriguing, abstract ice patterns on Nammeji Lake, right near my home. Gyeongsan Boys’ High School is in the background. With our current “heat wave,” this ice art likely won’t survive the weekend.