The Book Pillow Free Pattern – a perfect gift for anyone!
A crochet book pillow makes a perfect gift for just about anyone! It is not restricted to gender or age, and you do not have to keep books in it! It can hold magazines, reading glasses, newspapers, pajamas, remote controls for TVs or computers, and so much more. Do you have a book lover at home? This FREE crochet book pillow pattern is the perfect pillow to use to store your current read!
I have also written the pattern so that you can use #3 weight yarn (DK) or #4 weight yarn (aran).
This is definitely an intermediate pattern due to the special stitches used (see below).
The inspiration behind the book pillow design
A few years ago, I made every child I bought for the holidays their own quilted reading pillow. I bought a book each for them and gifted them at Christmas. They went down a storm! Several years later, the children are all still using them. Even the ones that don’t like to read.
So, when I was challenged by Marie from Underground Crafter to make something for babies/children/teens, my thinking cap came on. Naturally, I wanted to come up with something suitable for all of these age groups LOL.
After an hour or two, I remembered the reading/book pillows I made all of those years ago and thought a crochet version would be perfect.
I am thrilled with how they turned out!
Construction of the book pillow design
This book pillow is worked flat. You create each panel separately and then sew or crochet them together to create the pillow.
I put the zigzags on the pocket of my pillows, but you can use the instructions to create the zig-zags for the actual cushion cover and pop the solid colour on the front as a pocket if you prefer.
The pockets are fairly deep – you don’t want the books or whatever they are used to hold to fall out!
Both versions of the pocket are the same pattern – it is just where you make the colour changes that create different looks.
The Yarn
You can shop your stash for this project. You can choose to use acrylic or a mix – just be careful about using wool due to potential allergies. Aldi yarn also works great in this project!
With the cream and pink version, I used Stylecraft Special DK. The cream panels used 2 skeins, and the pocket panel was scrapped from my scrap bucket. I think the colours were walnut, pale rose, cream, and teal.
The green version was worked up in Paintbox Simply Aran (light caramel – 1/4 skein, pine green – 2.5 skeins, and champagne white – 1/3 skein)
Get the PDF pattern!
You can find the ad-free PDF Pattern (which includes stitch multiple and a few extra figure photos for assembly) for this one in all of my shops:
Giftstravaganza Event:
This pattern was designed specifically for the Giftstravaganza Event hosted by Marie from Underground Crafter in November 2022.
If you prefer PDF patterns, you can get this one on my website or Ravelry shops above for free using code README until 22nd November 2022.
The book pillow pattern specifics:
Materials:
| · If using 3 weight DK Yarn: Approx 400 m / 437 yds in main colour, 70 yards each in 3 contrasting colours for the pocket. · If using 4 weight yarn (aran) you will need approx. 400 yds in main colour, 80 yards in two contrasting colours. · Appropriate sized hook (4 or 5mm) · Stitch markers (optional) · Scissors |
Gauge:
| If using DK yarn – 18 herringbone hdc and 12 rows in 4” If using Aran yarn – 15 herringbone hdc and 11 rows in 4” |
Sizing:
To fit a 16” pillow form – so your panels will be just shy of 16”
Abbreviations used:
| · Ch(s)–chain(s) · St(s)–stitch(es) · FHDC – foundation half double crochet · YO – yarn over · Sc – single crochet · Hdc – half double crochet · Dc – double crochet · Tc – treble crochet · Tc – treble crochet · Hhdc – herringbone half double crochet · Sc2tog – single crochet 2 together · Sc3tog – single crochet 3 together · Tc2tog – treble crochet 2 together . Tc3tog – treble crochet 3 together |
Other notes:
| · Written in US terms. · Ch stitches at the beginning do not count as a st unless otherwise stated. · Pattern is written for #3 weight (4 weight) where the stitch counts or instructions vary. |
Special Stitches:
Treble crochet:
YO twice, insert hook into indicated stitch, YO and pull through, *YO and pull through 2 loops on hook. Rep from * twice more.
Herringbone hdc:
YO, insert hook into indicated st, YO and pull through, DO NOT YO, pull through the first loop on hook, YO and pull through both loops on hook.
Sc2tog:
Insert hook into indicated stitch, YO and pull through, insert hook into next st, YO and pull through, YO and pull through all 3 loops on hook.
Sc3tog:
Insert hook into indicated stitch, YO and pull through, *insert hook into next st, YO and pull through, Rep from * once more. YO and pull through all 4 loops on hook.
Tc2tog:
YO twice, insert hook into indicated stitch, YO and pull through, *YO and pull through 2 loops on hook. Rep from * once more. YO twice, insert hook into next st, YO and pull through, *YO and pull through 2 loops on hook. Rep from * once more. YO and pull through all 3 loops on hook.
Tc3tog:
YO twice, insert hook into indicated stitch, YO and pull through, *YO and pull through 2 loops on hook. Rep from * once more. YO twice, insert hook into next st, YO and pull through, **YO and pull through 2 loops on hook. Rep from ** once more. YO twice, insert hook into next st, YO and pull through, ***YO and pull through 2 loops on hook. Rep from *** once more YO and pull through all 4 loops on hook.
The Book Pillow Pattern:
For the front and back of the pillow (make 2):
Row 1: FHDC 79 (61) OR Ch81 (63), hdc in third ch from hook and each ch across. (79/61)
Row 2: Turn, CH1, hhdc in first and each st across. (79, 61)
Rows 3-54 (50): Repeat row 2 until your panel is almost 16” square
For the pocket section:
Note: For the pocket section I changed color every 2 rows for the pink version or at rows 3 and 5 for the green version.
Row 1: FHDC 79 (61) OR Ch80 (63) , hdc in second ch from hook and each ch across. (79 / 61)
Row 2: Turn, Ch1, sc in first st, *hdc in next st, dc in next st, 3 tc in next st, dc in next st, hdc in next st, sc in next st. Rep from * to end. (105 / 81 sts)
Row 3: Turn, ch1, sc2tog over 1st and 2nd st of the row, sc in next 2 sts, *3 sc in next st, sc in next 2 sts, sc3tog over next 3 sts, sc in next 2 sts. Rep from * until you have 5 sts remaining. 3sc in next st, sc in next 2 sts, sc2tog over last 2 sts. (103 / 81)
Row 4: Turn, Rep row 3.
Row 5: Turn, Ch4, sk the first st tc in next st (counts as a tc2tog), *dc in next st, hdc in next st, sc in next st, hdc in next st, dc in next st**, tc3tog over next 3 sts, Rep from * across ending at ** where you will have 2 sts remaining. Tc2tog. (79 / 61)
Row 6: Turn, ch1, sc in first and every st across (79 / 61)
Row 7: Turn, Rep row 6.
Rows 8 – 36 (30): Rep rows 2-7
FO and Weave in ends
Assembly:
Step 1: Place the front panel on top of the back panel, and then place the pocket panel on top of the front panel.
Step 2: Place stitch markers evenly around to hold the panels together (use as many stitch markers as you prefer)
Step 3: You will need to sew or crochet together three sides. I find it is much easier to sew the three sides that the pocket is on.
Note: Make sure to go through all three panels!
Step 4: Insert pillow form between the front and back panels.
Step 5: Continue to sew or crochet across the top of the pillow.
FO and weave in ends!
