The Bee Pillow – Free Crochet Pattern
Can I say ‘Introducing the Bee Pillow’? Who doesn’t love bees? They have such an important role in our lives but sometimes I think it is way too easy to forget just how much they do for us!
This pattern is actually reminding me that Spring is just around the corner! It’s been such a cold January here that it feels like it will last forever!
This pattern was actually designed for a guest post over at E’Claire Makery in July 2020 and the pattern is available in our shops, but we haven’t been able to tell you about it here …. until now! So it has been ‘out there somewhere’ but we are going to treat this one as a new release!
Bee Pillow Inspiration
When I was approved to be a guest designer on E’Claire Makery’s blog I was thrilled! She asked for something home dec and I was inspired by her love of bees and that recent pattern she had designed with the bees around the yoke. It was gorgeous! So I knew I was safe with bees as my theme.
I wanted a pattern that was quite simple, not too time consuming and a great pattern for all experience levels. I sat down to draft some designs and the bee pillow just came to me!
This bee pillow is a great accessory for your home or garden. It also makes a great gift for any occasion – birthdays, Christmas, a housewarming or simply just because!
Intarsia technique
This pillow is actually made using the intarsia technique – Claire told me, I just thought it was tapestry crochet lol. Sometime soon I will check into exactly what the difference is and let you guys know!
So basically, this pillow is made using single crochets and carrying the yarn appropriately making sure you work over it and picking up the colours when you need them.
Bee Pillow Pattern links:
If you would like to purchase the inexpensive ad free PDF Pattern for this one you can do so in the following places:
Ravelry here
Etsy here
Our Shop here
Lovecrafts here
Shall we get on with the pattern?
To make this pillow you will need:
- Any #4 weight yarn 7 colors – I used Caron Simply Soft in
- White (1 skein)
- Black
- Super duper yellow
- Strawberry
- Vert (scrap amounts for the stalks)
- Green
- Gray (for this one I used Paintbox simply aran)
- 5mm hook
- 16’’ x 16’’ pillow form
- Stitch markers to mark first and last stitches (optional)
- Scissors
- Tapestry needle
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Abbreviations:
- Ch(s) – chain(s)
- St(s) – stitch(es)
- Sc – single crochet
- CS – crab stitch
- >> or << – indicates which way the row is worked – left to right or right to left
Gauge: Using sc as your gauge stitch, 2’’x 2’’ is 8 stitches x 10 rows
Sizing: Finished size for each panel is – 15’’. 15’’
Notes:
- This is a side to side graph and is worked left to right on the right side (odd numbered rows) and right to left on the wrong side (even numbered rows) and from the bottom to the top.
- To work out how much yarn you will need you will need to do a sample swatch and then measure how much yarn you used per stitch multiplying that by the number of stitches of that color and adding some for the tails to be worked in at the end.
Front Panel of the Bee pillow
Starting chain:Ch 61 and sc in second ch from hook start row 1.
Row 1 (<<):(green) sc 3, (white) sc 4, (green) sc 6, (dark green) sc 1, (green) sc 6, (white) sc 4, (green) sc 6, (dark green) sc 1, (green) sc 5, (white) sc 5, (green) sc 3, white, green, (dark green) sc 1, (green) sc 6, (white) sc 4, (green) sc 3
Row 2 (>>):(green) sc 3, (white) sc 3, (green) sc 7, (dark green) sc 1, (green) sc 6, (white) sc 3, (green) sc 6, (dark green) sc 1, (green) sc 7, (white) sc 2, (green) sc 7, (dark green) sc 1, (green) sc 6, (white) sc 3, (green) sc 4
Row 3 (<<):(green) sc 4, (white) sc 2, (green) sc 6, (white) sc 1, (dark green) sc 1, (white) sc 1, (green) sc 6, (white) sc 2, (green) sc 6, (white) sc 1, (dark green) sc 1, (white) sc 1, (green) sc 6, (white) sc 2, (green) sc 6, (dark green) sc 1, (white) sc 1, (green) sc 6, (white) sc 2, (green) sc 4
Row 4 (>>):(green) sc 4, (white) sc 1, (green) sc 6, (white) sc 2, dark green, (white) sc 1, (green) sc 6, (white) sc 1, (green) sc 6, (white) sc 1, (dark green) sc 1, (white) sc 2, (green) sc 5, (white) sc 2, (green) sc 6, (white) sc 1, (dark green) sc 1, (white) sc 1, (green) sc 6, (white) sc 1, (green) sc 5
Row 5 (<<):(green) sc 11, (white) sc 2, (dark green) sc 1, (white) sc 2, (green) sc 12, (white) sc 2, (dark green) sc 1, (white) sc 1, (green) sc 13, (white) sc 1, (dark green) sc 1, (white) sc 2, (green) sc 11
Row 6 (>>):(green) sc 10, (white) sc 3, (dark green) sc 1, (white) sc 2, (green) sc 11, (white) sc 2, (dark green) sc 1, (white) sc 3, (green) sc 10, (white) sc 3, (dark green) sc 1, (white) sc 3, (green) sc 10
Row 7 (<<):(white) sc 11, (peach) sc 5, (white) sc 12, (peach) sc 5, (white) sc 11, (peach) sc 5, (white) sc 11
Row 8 (>>):(white) sc 10, (peach) sc 7, (white) sc 10, (peach) sc 6, (white) sc 10, (peach) sc 7, (white) sc 10
Row 9 (<<):(peach) sc 1, (white) sc 9, (peach) sc 7, (white) sc 9, (peach) sc 8, (white) sc 9, (peach) sc 8, (white) sc 8, (peach) sc 1
Row 10 (>>):(peach) sc 1, (white) sc 8, (peach) sc 9, (white) sc 8, (peach) sc 8, (white) sc 8, (peach) sc 9, (white) sc 8, (peach) sc 1
Row 11(<<):peach, (white) sc 8, (peach) sc 9, (white) sc 8, (peach) sc 9, (white) sc 7, (peach) sc 9, (white) sc 8, (peach) sc 1
Row 12 (>>):(peach) sc 1, (white) sc 8, (peach) sc 9, (white) sc 7, (peach) sc 9, (white) sc 8, (peach) sc 9, (white) sc 8, (peach) sc 1
Row 13 (<<):(peach) sc 1, (white) sc 8, (peach) sc 9, (white) sc 8, (peach) sc 9, (white) sc 7, (peach) sc 9,(white) sc 8, (peach) sc 1
Row 14 (>>):(peach) sc 1, (white) sc 8, (peach) sc 9, (white) sc 7, (peach) sc 9, (white) sc 8, (peach) sc 9, (white) sc 8, (peach) sc 1
Row 15 (<<):(peach) sc 1, (white) sc 8, (peach) sc 9, (white) sc 8, (peach) sc 9, (white) sc 7, (peach) sc 9, (white) sc 8, (peach) sc 1
Row 16 (>>):(peach) sc 1, (white) sc 8, (peach) sc 9, (white) sc 7, (peach) sc 9, (white) sc 8, (peach) sc 9, (white) sc 8, (peach) sc 1
Row 17 (<<):(peach) sc 1, (white) sc 8, (peach) sc 9, (white) sc 8, (peach) sc 9, (white) sc 7, (peach) sc 9, (white) sc 8, (peach) sc 1
Row 18 (>>):(peach) sc 1, (white) sc 8, (peach) sc 1, (white) sc 2, (peach) sc 3, (white) sc 2, (peach) sc 1, (white) sc 7, (peach) sc 2, (white) sc 2, (peach) sc 2, (white) sc 2, (peach) sc 1, (white) sc 8, (peach) sc 1, (white) sc 2, (peach) sc 3, (white) sc 2, (peach) sc 1, (white) sc 8, (peach) sc 1
Row 19 (<<):(peach) sc 1, (white) sc 8, (peach) sc 1, (white) sc 3, (peach) sc 1, (white) sc 3, (peach) sc 1, (white) sc 8, (peach) sc 1, (white) sc 7, (peach) sc 1, (white) sc 7, (peach) sc 1, (white) sc 3, (peach) sc 1, (white) sc 3, (peach) sc 1, (white) sc 8, (peach) sc 1
Row 20 (>>):(white) sc 60
Row 21(<<): (white) sc 60
Row 22 (>>):(white) sc 60
Row 23 (<<):(white) sc 60
Row 24 (>>):(white) sc 60
Row 25 (<<):(white) sc 19, (black) sc 1, (white) sc 40
Row 26 (>>):(white) sc 40, (black) sc 1, (white) sc 19
Row 27 (<<):(white) sc 19, (black) sc 1, (white) sc 40
Row 28 (>>):(white) sc 34, (black) sc 7, (white) sc 19
Row 29 (<<):(white) sc 19, (black) sc 3, (yellow) sc 4, (black) sc 2, (white) sc 32
Row 30 (>>):(white) sc 31, (black) sc 1, (yellow) sc 8, (black) sc 1, (white) sc 19
Row 31 (<<):(white) sc 18, (black) sc 1, (yellow) sc 8, (black) sc 3, (white) sc 30
Row 32 (>>):(white) sc 24, (black) sc 4, (white) sc 2, (black) sc 6, (yellow) sc 6, (white) sc 18
Row 33(<<):(white) sc 17, (black) sc 1, (yellow) sc 4, (black) sc 9, (white) sc 1, (black) sc 1, (grey) sc 3, black, (white) sc 23
Row 34 (>>):(white) sc 23, (black) sc 1, (grey) sc 4, (black) sc 11, (yellow) sc 3, (black) sc 1, (white) sc 17
Row 35 (<<):(white) sc 17, (yellow) sc 2, (black) sc 10, (yellow) sc 1, (black) sc 1, (grey) sc 5, (black) sc 1, (white) sc 23
Row 36 (>>):(white) sc 24, (black) sc 1, (grey) sc 4, (black) sc 1, (yellow) sc 3, (black) sc 10, (white) sc 17
Row 37 (<<):(white) sc 17, (black) sc 7, (yellow) sc 6, (grey) sc 5, (black) sc 1, (white) sc 24
Row 38 (>>):(white) sc 18, (black) sc 7, (grey) sc 5, (black) sc 1, (yellow) sc 6, (black) sc 6, (white) sc 17
Row 39 (<<):(white) sc 17, (black) sc 4, (yellow) sc 8, (black) sc 1, (grey) sc 5, (black) sc 1, (grey) sc 6, (black) sc 3, (white) sc 15
Row 40 (>>):(white) sc 14, (black) sc 1, (grey) sc 10, (black) sc 1, (grey) sc 4, (black) sc 2, (yellow) sc 9, (black)sc 2, (white) sc 17
Row 41(<<):(white) sc 15, (black) sc 3, (yellow) sc 8, (black) sc 4, (grey) sc 2, (black) sc 2, (grey) sc 12, (black) sc 1, (white) sc 13
Row 42 (>>):(white) sc 12, (black) sc 1, (grey) sc 15, (black) sc 8, (yellow) sc 4, (black) sc 2, (grey) sc 3, (black) sc 1, (white) sc 14
Row 43 (<<):(white) sc 13, (black) sc 1, (grey) sc 6, (black) sc 1, (yellow) sc 2, (black) sc 7, (grey) sc 17, (black) sc 1,(white) sc 12
Row 44 (>>):(white) sc 13, (black) sc 1, (grey) sc 16, (black) sc 9, (grey) sc 8, (black) sc 1, (white) sc 12
Row 45 (<<):(white) sc 12, (black) sc 1, (grey) sc 10, (black) sc 7, (grey) sc 15, (black) sc 1, (white) sc 14
Row 46 (>>):(white) sc 15, (black) sc 2, (grey) sc 12, (yellow) sc 5, (black) sc 3, (grey) sc 10, (black) sc 1,(white) sc 12
Row 47 (<<):(white) sc 13, (black) sc 1, (grey) sc 6, (black) sc 3, (yellow) sc 8, (grey) sc 10, (black) sc 2, (white) sc 17
Row 48 (>>):(white) sc 19, (black) sc 10, (yellow) sc 8, (grey) sc 3, (black) sc 3, (grey) sc 2, (black) sc 2, (white) sc 13
Row 49 (<<):(white) sc 14, (black) sc 3, (grey) sc 5, (yellow) sc 7, (black) sc 5, (white) sc 26
Row 50 (>>):(white) sc 26, (black) sc 7, (yellow) sc 5, (grey) sc 7, (black) sc 1, (white) sc 14
Row 51 (<<):(white) sc 13, (black) sc 1, (grey) sc 9, (yellow) sc 2, (black) sc 9, (white) sc 26
Row 52 (>>):(white) sc 26, (black) sc 11, (grey) sc 10, (black) sc 1, (white) sc 12
Row 53 (<<):(white) sc 12, (black) sc 1, (grey) sc 10, (black) sc 11, (white) sc 26
Row 54 (>>):(white) sc 26, (black) sc 12, (grey) sc 10, (black) sc 1, (white) sc 11
Row 55 (<<):(white) sc 11, (black) sc 1, (grey) sc 10, (black) sc 1, (white) sc 1, (black) sc 9, (white) sc 6, (black) sc 3, (white) sc 18
Row 56(>>):(white) sc 17, (black) sc 1, (white) sc 2, (black) sc 2, (white) sc 6, (black) sc 8, (white) sc 2, (black) sc 1, (grey) sc 10, (black) sc 1, (white) sc 10
Row 57 (<<):(white) sc 10, (black) sc 1, (grey) sc 9, (black) sc 1, (white) sc 4, (black) sc 6, (white) sc 1, (black) sc 1, (white) sc 5, (black) sc 2, (white) sc 2, (black) sc 1, (white) sc 17
Row 58 (>>):(white) sc 17, (black) sc 1, (white) sc 2, (black) sc 1, (white) sc 5, (black) sc 1, (white) sc 4, (black) sc 2, (white) sc 7, (black) sc 1, (grey) sc 8, (black) sc 1, (white) sc 10
Row 59 (<<):(white) sc 10, (black) sc 1, (grey) sc 6, (black) sc 2, (white) sc 9, (black) sc 1, (white) sc 4, (black) sc 1, (white) sc 7, (black) sc 2, (white) sc 17
Row 60 (>>):(white) sc 18, (black) sc 1, (white) sc 6, (black) sc 1, (white) sc 5, (black) sc 1, (white) sc 11, (black) sc 1, (grey) sc 5, (black) sc 1, (white) sc 10
Row 61 (<<):(white) sc 10, (black) sc 1, (grey) sc 2, (black) sc 3, (white) sc 6, (black) sc 2, (white) sc 4, (black) sc 1, (white) sc 5, (black) sc 7, (white) sc 19
Row 62 (>>):(white) sc 31, (black) sc 1, (white) sc 4, (black) sc 1, (white) sc 1, (black) sc 1, (white) sc 8, (black) sc 3, (white) sc 10
Row 63 (<<):(white) sc 21, (black) sc 1, (white) sc 1, (black) sc 1, (white) sc 4, (black) sc 1, (white) sc 31
Row 64 (>>):(white) sc 31, (black) sc 1, (white) sc 3, (black) sc 2, (white) sc 1, (black) sc 1, (white) sc 21
Row 65 (<<):(white) sc 21, (black) sc 1, (white) sc 1, (black) sc 2, (white) sc 3, (black) sc 1, (white) sc 31
Row 66 (>>):(white) sc 32, (black) sc 1, (white) sc 3, (black) sc 1, (white) sc 1, (black) sc 1, (white) sc 21
Row 67 (<<):(white) sc 21, (black) sc 1, (white) sc 5, (black) sc 1, (white) sc 32
Row 68 (>>):(white) sc 33, (black) sc 2, (white) sc 2, (black) sc 1, (white) sc 22
Row 69 (<<):(white) sc 23, (black) sc 2, (white) sc 35
Row 70-75 (>>):(white) sc 60
Fasten off and weave in ends
Back Panel of the Bee Pillow :
There are two options here.
- You can make a second front panel so that your cushion has the picture on the front and the back.
- If you would like a plain back panel, follow the instructions below. I did mine in white. You could make your stripy by changing color every 5 rows or randomly!
Row 1: Ch 61, sc in second ch from hook and each st across (60)
Row 2: Ch 1, sc in the first st and each st across (60)
Row 3-75: Repeat row 2.
Fasten off and weave in ends
I love what our testers did with the backs of their bee pillows! Most of them had never worked a sc graph before but you can see how they had fun adding their own touches to the back panel. You can check out their photos below and see how different they all are! I would love to see what you do with yours!
Assembly:
Step 1: Take your front and back panels and place wrong sides together (this means that the right sides will be facing outwards).
Step 2: SC around three sides of your bee pillow ensuring that you sc through both the front and the back panels (see photo below). At each corner (sc, ch1, sc). Do NOT work the last side yet.
Step 3: Insert pillow form into pillow cover and then continue to sc along the last side. This might be a little trickier as you have the pillow form to work around too. Slip stitch to the first stitch you made. Do not fasten off yet!
Step 4: Crab stitch in each sc and ch1 space around.
SS to join
Fasten off and weave in ends.
The Bee Pillow PDF pattern has a photo tutorial to take you through how to assemble your pillow. See above for the shop links.
We hope that you have enjoyed this bee pillow pattern as much as we enjoyed creating and testing it! In fact, we loved it so much we currently have the matching corner to corner afghan waiting in the wings that should be released very soon! Well, we couldn’t not! It’s such a cute design.
Dont forget to tag us in your posts and pictures your version of this bee pillow!
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