A modernized copy of a Pincushion Cover from The Lady’s Newspaper and Pictoral Times, No. 39 published on September 25, 1847. The original pages are at the bottom of this post and a full collection of the newspaper can be found on Archive.org.
This pattern has a lacy effect around the center diamonds and ribbed moss stitch stripes on the side. The stitches are super basic and the most complicated part is remembering where you are in the row and checking your stitch count. To help with the later, the stitch count for each row is in brackets at the end of it’s corresponding written instructions. The first number is for a single repeat and two edge stitches, the second is for the full pin cushion (three repeats and 2 edge stitches).
The original calls for Taylors crochet thread no 8 and pins no 19.
If you're looking to recreate it (the actual pin cushion part without the trim measures 7.5" square) then use US 5/0 (1mm) knitting needles, and either a no 30 or 40 cotton crochet thread.
The sample was made with Caron Simply Soft in lipstick and US 3 (3.25mm) needles. The final swatch was 5" by 7" before blocking.
For a copy of the chart with a progress tracker, go to Stitch Fiddle
Cast on 79 for the full pin cushion or repeats of 26 + 2
Main Pattern
Row 1: k1 *(k1, p3)x3, k1, yo, k1, yo, (k1, p3)x3* repeat, k1 (30;86)
Row 2:sl 1, *(p1, k3)x3, p5, k3, (p1, k3)x2* repeat, p1 (30;86)
Row 3: sl 1, *(k1, p3)x3, k1, yo, k3, yo, (k1, p3)x3* repeat, k1 (32;92)
Row 4: sl 1, *(p1, k3)x3, p7, k3, (p1, k3)x2* repeat, p1 (32;92)
Row 5: sl 1, *(k1, p3)x3, k1, yo, k5, yo, (k1, p3)x3* repeat, k1 (34;98)
Row 6: sl 1, *(p1, k3)x3 p9,k3, (p1, k3)x2* repeat, p1 (34;98)
Row 7: sl 1, *(k1, p3)x3, k1, yo, k3, yo, k2tog, k2, yo, (k1, p3)x3* repeat, k1 (36;104)
Row 8: sl 1, *(p1, k3)x3, p11, k3, (p1, k3)x2* repeat, p1 (36;104)
Row 9: sl 1, *(k1, p2tog, p1)x3, (k1, yo)x2, k2tog, k3, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, (k1, p2tog, p1)x3* repeat, k1 (32;92)
Row 10: sl 1, *(p1, k2)x3, p13, k2, (p1, k2)x2* repeat, p1 (32;92)
Row 11: sl 1, *(k1, p2)x3, k1, yo, k3, yo, k2tog, k1, k2tog, yo, k3, yo, (k1, p2)x3* repeat, k1 (34;98)
Row 12: sl 1, *(p1, k2)x3, p15, k2, (p1, k2)x2* repeat, p1 (34;98)
Row 13: sl 1, *(k1, p2)x3, k1, yo, k5, yo, k3tog, yo, k5, yo, (k1, p2)x3* repeat, k1 (36;104)
Row 14: sl 1, *(p1, k2)x3, p 17, (k2, p1)x2, k2* repeat, p1 (36;104)
Row 15: sl 1, *(k1, p2)x3, k1, yo, k3, yo, k2tog, k2, yo, k2tog, k2, yo, k2tog, k2, yo, (k1, p2)x3* repeat, k1 (38;110)
Row 16: sl 1, *(p1, k2)x3, p19, (k2, p1)x2, k2* repeat, p1 (38;110)
Row 17: sl 1, *(k1, p2tog)x3, (k1, yo)x2, k2tog, k3, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, k2tog, k3, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, (k1, p2tog)x3* repeat, k1 (34;98)
Row 18: sl 1, *(p1, k1)x3, p21, (k1, p1)x2, k1* repeat, p1 (34;98)
Row 19: sl 1, k1, p1, *k3tog, p1, k1, (yo, k3, yo, k2tog, k1, k2tog)x2, yo, k3, yo, (k3tog, p1)x2* repeat, on last repeat, replace the second k3tog, p1 with k2tog, p1 (31;89)
Row 20: sl 1, *k1, p1, k1, p23, k1, p1* repeat, k2 (31;89)
Row 21: sl 1, p2, *(k3tog, yo, k5, yo)x3, k3tog, p1* repeat (29;81)
Row 22: sl 1, *k1, p25* repeat, k1, p1 (29;81)
Row 23: sl 1, *k3tog, yo, k3, (yo, k2tog, k2)x5, yo* repeat, k2tog (28;80)
Row 24: sl 1, purl across (28;80)
Row 25: sl 1, *k1, yo, (k1, p3)x6, k1, yo* repeat, k1 (30;86)
Row 26: sl 1, *p3, (k3, p1)x5, k3, p2* repeat, p1 (30;86)
Row 27: sl 1, *k2, yo, (k1, p3)x6, k1, yo, k1* repeat, k1 (32;92)
Row 28: sl 1, *p4, (k3, p1)x5, k3, p3* repeat, p1 (32;92)
Row 29: sl 1, *k3, yo, (k1, p3)x6, k1, yo, k2* repeat, k1 (34;98)
Row 30: sl 1, *p5, (k3, p1)x5, k3, p4* repeat, p1 (34;98)
Row 31: sl 1, *yo, k2tog, k2, yo, (k1, p3)x6, k1, yo, k3* repeat, k1 (36;104)
Row 32: sl 1, *p6, (k3, p1)x5, k3, p5* repeat, p1 (36;104)
Row 33: sl 1, *k2, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, (k1, p2tog, p1)x6, (k1, yo)x2, k2tog, k1* repeat, k1 (32;92)
Row 34: sl 1, *p7, (k2, p1)x5, k2, p6* repeat, p1 (32;92)
Row 35: sl 1, *k1, k2tog, yo, k3, yo, (k1, p2)x6, k1, yo, k3, yo, k2tog* repeat, k1 (34;98)
Row 36: sl 1, *p8, (k2, p1)x5, k2, p7* repeat, p1 (34;98)
Row 37: sl 1, k2tog, *yo, k5, yo, (k1, p2)x6, k1, yo, k5, yo, k3tog* repeat, k2tog instead of k3tog for last st (36;104)
Row 38: sl 1, *p9, (k2, p1)x5, k2, p8* repeat, p1 (36;104)
Row 39: sl 1, *(yo, k2tog, k2)x2, yo, (kl, p2)x6, k1, yo, k3, yo, k2tog, k2* repeat, k1 (38;110)
Row 40: sl 1, *p10, (k2, p1)x5, k2, p9* repeat, p1 (38;110)
Row 41: sl 1, *k1, yo, k2tog, k3, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, (k1, p2tog)x6, (k1, yo)x2, k2tog, k3, k2tog, yo* repeat, k1 (34;98)
Row 42: sl 1, *p11, (k1, p1)x5, k1, p10* repeat, p1 (34;98)
Row 43: sl 1, *k2, yo, k2tog, k1, k2tog, yo, k3, yo, (k3tog, p1)x3, k1, yo, k3, yo, k2tog, k1, k2tog, yo, k1* repeat, k1 (30;86)
Row 44: sl 1, *p12, (k1, p1)x2, k1, p11* repeat, p1 (30;86)
Row 45: sl 1, *k3, yo, k3tog, yo, k5, yo, k3tog, p1, k3tog, yo, k5, yo, k3tog, yo, k2* repeat, k1 (28;80)
Row 46: sl 1, *p13, k1, p12* repeat, p1 (28;80)
Row 47: sl 1, *(yo, k2tog, k2)x3, yo, k3tog, yo, k3, (yo, k2tog, k2)x2* repeat, k1 (28;80)
Row 48: sl 1, purl across (28;80)
Repeat from the 1st row again, then work rows 1-25, then cast off.
For the Trim/ Edging
I haven't fully finished the trim I'm still unsure as to what 'purl 1/2' and 'knit 1/2' are refering to, for now this is a modernized direct copy.
Cast on 29 sts
Row 1: sl 1?, (yo, k2tog)x8, k2, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, k2tog, (yo2, k2tog, k1)x2
Row 2: k3, p1/2, p3, k1/2, p8, (k1, k2tog)x7, k1
Row 3: sl 1? (yo, k2tog)x8, k1, k2tog, yo, k3, yo, k2tog, k1, (yo2, k2tog, k1)x2
Row 4: k3, p1/2, p3, k1/2, p10, (yo, k2tog)x7, k1
Row 5: sl 1? (yo, k2tog)x8, k2tog, yo, k5, yo, k2tog, k2, (yo2, k2tog, k1)x2
Row 6: k3, p1/2, p3, k1/2, p12, (yo, k2tog)x7, k1
Row 7: sl 1? (yo, k2tog)x8, k2, yo, k2tog, k1, k2tog, yo, k2tog, k4, (yo2, k2tog, k1)x2
Row 8: k3, p1/2, p3, k1/2, p13, (yo, k2tog)x7, k1
Row 9: sl 1? (yo, k2tog)x8, k3, yo, k3tog, yo, k2tog, k12
Row 10:, cast off 6 stitches, p13, (yo, k2tog)x7, k1
For the opposite side, CO 80, work 116 rows in stockingknit, make a case 7.5" square, cover with pink or blue silk.
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