Categories: Kid Friendly, Pillow, Crochet

This cute crocheted pillow is made with an optional pocket on the back that makes it perfect for holding a pair of pajamas or a favorite book. It is perfect for bringing on sleepovers, or to grandma’s house, or for bringing outside to read a book while enjoying a beautiful summer day. A rectangular pillow insert makes this pillow really easy to fill and makes it nice and soft. The front of the pillow uses a shell stitch to give some texture to the body of the owl as well as two colors of yarn. The eyes and beak are crocheted separately and stitched on. The pocket on the back has a button loop closure to keep treasures safely inside.

What you need to make this project

Materials: Crafter's Choice Pillow 12" x 16"

Supplies: worsted weight yarn in two colors (Red Heart Super Saver Real Teal and Aruba Sea); small amount of worsted weight yarn in white, black, and yellow; J crochet hook; yarn needle; large button (at least 1"); needle and thread

Instructions

Step One

Begin with the pillow front.

Start with dark teal and J crochet hook

ch 38

Row 1: sc in 2nd ch from hook (37 sc)

Row 2: ch 1, sc in first stitch, [skip 2, 5 dc in next stitch, skip 2, sc in next stitch] repeat to end of row (6 shells)

Row 3: ch 3 (counts as first dc), 2 dc in first stitch, skip 2, sc in next stitch, [skip 2, 5 dc in next stitch, skip 2, sc in next stitch] repeat until there are 3 stitches left, skip 2, 3 dc in last stitch (5 shells, 2 half shells)

Repeat rows 2 and 3, 9 times each, then repeat row 2 one more time. You will have a total of 22 rows (21 rows of shells plus the beginning row of sc)

Switch to lighter yarn

Row 23: ch 3 (counts as first dc), dc in each stitch to the end (37 dc)

Repeat row 23 9 more times for a total of 10 rows of dc with the lighter color (32 rows total)

Finish off, cut yarn and weave in ends

Step Two

Make Owl Eyes and Beak:

Eyes, make 2

with black yarn begin with magic ring

Round 1: in mr, ch 2, 10 dc, change to white yarn, slip stitch to first dc to join (10 dc)

Round 2: ch 2, 2 dc in each stitch, slip stitch to first dc to join (20 dc)

Round 3: ch 1, [2 sc in first stitch, 1 sc in next stitch] repeat around (30 sc)

Finish off leaving long tail for sewing

Beak

with yellow yarn ch 6

slip stitch in first ch from hook, sc in next, hdc in next, dc in next, tr in next, dtr in last stitch

finish off, leave long tail for sewing

Step Three

Stitch eyes and beak to the top (lighter part) of the pillow front.

Step Four

Make Pillow Back

with lighter color yarn

Row 1: ch 39, skip first 3 ch (counts as first dc), dc in 4th stitch and each stitch to the end (37 dc)

Row 2: ch 3 (counts as first dc), dc in each stitch to the end (37 dc)

Repeat row 2 until you have a total of 26 rows of dc

Finish off, weave in ends

Step Five

Make Pocket

With darker color yarn

Row 1: ch 39, skip first 3 ch (counts as first dc), dc in 4th stitch and each stitch to the end (37 dc)

Row 2: ch 3 (counts as first dc), dc in each stitch to the end (37 dc)

Row 3-16: repeat row 2 (37 dc)

Row 17: ch 1, sc in first 19 stitches, ch 10, sc in same stitch as last sc, sc in each stitch to the end (38 sc, 10 ch loop)

finish off, weave in ends

Finish off, weave in ends

Step Six

Place the three layer on top of each other, start with pillow front, right side down, then place the pillow back on top, and last put the pocket on the back with the flat side even with the bottom edge and the side with the ch loop in the middle. Sc around the edge working through all three layers, along the top and bottom work one sc in each stitch, 3 in the corners, along the sides work one sc for each sc at the end of a row and 2 sc for each dc at the end of a row. When you have finished stitching around three of the sides insert the pillow form, then finish stitching the last side closed.