Burly Spun Bolster Pillow

-Product for this post provided by Brown Sheep Company-

Although worsted weight yarn is kind of my go-to yarn, it is always kind of fun to work with thicker yarn. Projects work up much quicker than thinner yarns, and they are nice and thick and cozy. For today's project I was sent some bulky Burly Spun yarn from Brown Sheep Company.

Burly Spun is a thick one ply yarn that is 100% wool.  Each 8 oz. skein contains 132 yards. It comes in lots of colors that have a somewhat heathered effect. You can use it for knitting, crocheting, weaving, or even needle felting. No surprise, I used mine to crochet. I love the stitch definition that you get with the bulky single ply.

I think this yarn would make a gorgeous scarf or something, but I personally don't love using 100% wool for something that I will be wearing so I chose to go a different route.

I made a bolster pillow, with a nice textured stitch on the main part of the pillow. I used a pre-made pillow form and crocheted the cover to go over it. The stitch I used has several names, griddle stitch, lemon peel stitch, and others. Basically it is just alternating sc and dc, and then in the next row alternating the same two stitches working sc in the dc and dc in the sc. It gives a great texture without being too bumpy.

How to Make a Burly Spun Bolster Pillow

You will need:

• 2 skeins Brown Sheep Company Burly Spun Yarn (I used Heathered Indigo)
• Fairfield World Neck Roll Pillow, 5" x 14"
• N (10mm) crochet hook
• scissors
• yarn needle

Instructions:

The pillow cover is made in 3 pieces, 2 circles that fit on the ends, and one tube shaped piece that covers the main part of the pillow. The circles should be about 5" across, the tube piece should be about 14" long, long enough to cover the pillow.

Make 2 circles 

begin with magic ring, beginning ch 2 does not count as a stitch

Round 1: in mr, ch 2, 10 dc, sl st to first dc to join (10 dc)

Round 2: ch 2, 2 dc in each stitch, sl st to first dc to join (20 dc)

Round 3: ch 2, [2 dc in first stitch, 1 dc in next] repeat around, sl st to first dc to join (30 dc)

finish off and set aside

Make 1 tube/main pillow piece

ch 30, join with sl st to create a large ring

Round 1: ch 1, sc in each stitch, sl st to first stitch to join (30 sc)

Round 2: ch 1, [sc, dc] repeat around, join with sl st to first stitch (15 sc, 15 dc)

Round 3: ch 1, [dc, sc] repeat around, join with sl st to first stitch (15 dc, 15 sc)

Repeat rounds 2 and 3 for a total of 24 rows or until you have a long enough tube to cover the pillow

Round 25: ch 1, sc in each stitch around, sl st to join (30 sc)

Pull the tube piece onto the pillow

Place a circle on one end and sc around, working through both the circle and the tube, finish off and weave in ends

Repeat with the other end