A few months ago, Vogue Knitting asked me to come up with “something different” for their Holiday issue. I always try to do something different for them, but this time I needed something “different” different.

It just so happens that at the time I was remodeling my apartment and trying to decide whether to get rid of this orphan balloon chair of mine or have it reupholstered and refinished. Then it hit me: This was the “different” idea I was looking for. I would repaint the frame and knit and felt the new upholstery. In other words, I would knit…where I sit! I liked the idea of redesigning the chair and giving it a distinctive personal touch. I wanted to do something dramatic, colorful and timeless; something that would fit into period-decorated or eclectic rooms such as mine. My first thought: flowers—beautiful, bold and varied, at home in a traditional or contemporary setting. And, I would put the flowers on a black background so they would fairly burst off the chair and fill the room with floral flair.

I sketched the design and began to knit. The back and seat (knit in “Victorian 2 Ply” by Halcyon Yarns) can be worked in duplicate stitch or intarsia (I chose duplicate stitch). The embroidery was done using DMC’s “Pearl Cotton” and a few simple embroidery stitches after the pieces were felted. I purposely centered the floral motif on the background so it could easily be cut to fit almost any chair. Keep in mind, if your chair is a different size, you can adjust the background without disturbing the flowers simply by adding to or reducing it. (Note the knit cord that outlines the covers.)

You can change the yarn colors to match your décor and use an old chair or one you have purchased for the project. Just follow the easy steps in this article and you’ll have a striking accent showpiece for your favorite room. Mine sits proudly in my living room and gives me great joy, though I must admit, it’s one of the few things I’ve designed (other than an afghan) that I can actually sit on. (See patterns section of Vogue Knitting Holiday 2007 for complete instructions.)