My apologies to the creator of the first free pattern I found, that I’ve been using for almost a year, but which of the poufs below looks better to you?   Whatever YOU think, I like the pink one better. I struggled with how simply boooooring the pattern for the green one was: Cast on 35 stitches, then knit until you throw up, or until the piece measures 32″. Sew one end together, stuff with pillows, sew other end together. Boom. Done. The easiest pattern EVER, but really, really mind-numbing. Plus, look at all that space between stitches for the stuffing to peek through.

So, this sent me on a search for something better. Off to Pinterest and Ravelry I went, but everyone who had anything intriguing at ALL was charging $5-7 USD for their patterns. Forget that noise. This is simply a rectangle, how hard could it be to come up with my own with a little trial and error?

The answer is, not hard at all! My first try was the pink pouf above, knit in the round in a simple 2×2 rib, and that took only one Saturday and the duration of Downton Abbey on Sunday night to complete. Easy-peasy! The only complication was that I ran out of yarn in what seemed to be the middle, hence the shorty-squat nature of the pouf above. But I rather like it!

So, I’m working on Take-Two, below. A full-sized pouf promised to one of my nephews. His bedroom has apparently been taken over by the Dark Side of The Force, so red and black was his color request. I’m happy to oblige.

 

So, here’s how I’m doing this one:

• Using 5 strands of the cheapest acrylic yarn held together and a size 17 circular needle, cast on 80.
• K2, P2 around.
• Keep K2-ing and P2-ing until tube is 22″ tall.
• Bind off normally in rib pattern. It does not have to be a stretchy bind off!

• Use all 5 strands of yarn in a big yarn needle to sew one stitch from each of the knit columns on one end of pouf. Pull the yarn to gather the pouf together as you work, until you reach then end of the piece. Pull as hard as you can, trying your best to make the circle in the middle as small as possible. Continue sewing just one stitch through each rib that sticks up and pulling until you’ve finally closed the hole. This takes some brute force and is where the cheap acrylic yarn is the very best thing, as it’s super-strong.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JA3pmD0DVJI&w=420&h=315]

• Once you’ve closed the hole, keep pulling tightly and tie off your ends. Sew them into the middle of the pouf and tie once again from the inside. You can just leave all the loose strands inside the pouf, as no one will ever see them again.
• Now, stuff with your filling of choice. People use old blankets, sheets, pillows, comforters, or whatever they have on hand. Because I sell my poufs, I have found that the very most economical stuffing is the cheapest pillows purchased at the local big-box store. A pouf this size will use the stuffing from 3 1/2  pillows or one body pillow. I cut them open and gut them so that the pouf is slightly less lumpy.

  

  

• Once you’ve stuffed the pouf until it feels like it can’t hold any more, repeat cinching-together process you did on the bottom of the pouf. This time, after you tie the first knot, run the needle repeatedly into the inside of the pouf and out again to make sure the ends are secured and then run the needle deep into the pouf, bring it out and cut off the ends
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• Beat the pouf into submission until it is the shape you desire. Then you’re done!
• Next, find more people to make poufs for, since, if you’re like me, pouf-making will become your next obsession.
  

What do you think? I do ask that if you do make poufs inspired by this simple pattern that you link people back to this site to give me credit, since I’m not charging for my work. Sound fair?