# Harvest Crochet Pillow Cover Free Pattern
Don’t you just love fall home decor? I do — and every autumn I find myself wanting to add one more handmade touch to the living room. This year it’s this modern “harvest” pillow cover, worked in simple single-crochet colorwork with the word HARVEST spelled out in chic farmhouse style. The best part? The cover is removable, so when the season’s over you just slip it off and tuck it away for next year.
If you’ve never tried colorwork before, this is a wonderful first project — you’ll use a mix of intarsia and carrying your yarn across the back, and watching the letters appear row by row is pure magic.
What You’ll Need
Notions:
- Yarn needle
- Scissors
- 1-inch (2.5 cm) buttons — 5 needed
- 20 x 20 inch pillow insert
- 3/4 yard burlap (optional, if you’d rather use a burlap back)
Yarn:
- Lion Brand Vanna’s Choice in Oatmeal — 3 skeins (Color A)
- Lion Brand Vanna’s Choice in Black — 1 skein (Color B)
Yardage: Approx. 625 yards (572 meters) if you’re crocheting the back panel too.
Gauge, Size & Skill
- Gauge: 15 sc sts and 15 rows = 4 inches (10 cm), worked with an H hook
- Finished size: 20 inches (51 cm) wide x 12 inches (30 cm) tall
- Skill level: Easy / Advanced Beginner
Pattern Notes
- Matching gauge both horizontally and vertically can be tricky — you can add extra rows at the top if needed, so matching your stitch gauge matters more than row gauge. The pattern has some ease to fit over the pillow.
- This pattern is worked from the bottom up in rows, in two pieces. The front panel includes a buttonhole flap to secure the top of the cover. The front and back panels are slip-stitched together when finished.
- After the end of each row, turn and chain 1. The chain 1 does not count as a stitch.
- Since the panels have a right side and a wrong side, I used a combination of intarsia and carrying yarn across the back for the colorwork — experiment and see what works best for you.
- A burlap back can be substituted for the crocheted back panel.
Front Panel Instructions
Oatmeal is abbreviated as A, Black as B.
To begin: With Color A (Oatmeal), chain 77 and start the first row in the second chain from the hook.
After the end of each row, turn and chain 1. The chain 1 does not count as a stitch. (67 sts)
→ Row 1 [WS] – Row 7: A76
← Row 8 [RS]: A47, B3, A26
→ Row 9 [WS]: A25, B5, A46
← Row 10 [RS]: A46, B2, A1, B2, A25
→ Row 11 [WS]: A25, B2, A11, B5, A33
← Row 12 [RS]: A18, B2, A12, B8, A7, B3, A26
→ Row 13 [WS]: A27, B6, A3, B2, A5, B2, A10, B4, A17
← Row 14 [RS]: A16, B2, A1, B2, A10, B2, A6, B8, A29
→ Row 15 [WS]: A33, B11, A11, B2, A2, B2, A15
← Row 16 [RS]: A15, B2, A2, B2, A12, B6, A2, B2, A33
→ Row 17 [WS]: A32, B2, A21, B2, A2, B2, A15
← Row 18 [RS]: A15, B2, A2, B2, A21, B2, A6, B2, A24
→ Row 19 [WS]: A10, B2, A11, B3, A5, B2, A23, B2, A1, B2, A15
← Row 20 [RS]: A6, B4, A5, B5, A3, B4, A7, B4, A5, B2, A4, B4, A2, B4, A4, B4, A9
→ Row 21 [WS]: A3, B2, A4, B5, A2, B6, A1, B2, A1, B2, A3, B2, A4, B6, A5, B6, A3, B3, A5, B6, A5
← Row 22 [RS]: A5, B3, A1, B2, A4, B3, A4, B2, A2, B3, A3, B3, A2, B2, A4, B2, A3, B2, A1, B5, A2, B2, A1, B2, A2, B2, A4, B2, A3
→ Row 23 [WS]: A3, B2, A4, B2, A3, B3, A4, B3, A3, B2, A2, B2, A4, B2, A3, B2, A3, B2, A4, B2, A3, B4, A2, B3, A2, B2, A5
← Row 24 [RS]: A5, B2, A3, B2, A1, B2, A1, B3, A1, B2, A5, B2, A2, B2, A4, B2, A4, B2, A2, B2, A3, B2, A5, B3, A3, B2, A4, B2, A3
→ Row 25 [WS]: A3, B2, A4, B2, A3, B3, A5, B2, A3, B2, A2, B2, A4, B2, A4, B2, A2, B4, A3, B2, A1, B2, A3, B4, A4, B2, A4
← Row 26 [RS]: A4, B2, A4, B3, A4, B4, A3, B5, A2, B2, A4, B2, A3, B2, A2, B2, A4, B2, A5, B2, A4, B2, A4, B2, A3
→ Row 27 [WS]: A3, B2, A4, B2, A4, B2, A5, B2, A4, B2, A2, B2, A3, B2, A4, B3, A1, B2, A2, B2, A2, B4, A4, B3, A4, B3, A3
← Row 28 [RS]: A3, B2, A5, B2, A6, B2, A2, B2, A3, B6, A4, B2, A3, B2, A2, B2, A4, B2, A5, B2, A4, B2, A3, B3, A3
→ Row 29 [WS]: A3, B3, A3, B2, A5, B2, A4, B2, A5, B2, A1, B2, A3, B2, A3, B3, A1, B3, A3, B2, A2, B2, A6, B2, A5, B2, A3
← Row 30 [RS]: A10, B2, A6, B2, A2, B2, A3, B2, A2, B4, A2, B2, A2, B6, A5, B2, A4, B2, A5, B2, A3, B3, A3
→ Row 31 [WS]: A3, B4, A2, B2, A6, B3, A2, B2, A5, B6, A2, B2, A2, B2, A1, B2, A1, B3, A2, B2, A2, B2, A6, B2, A10
← Row 32 [RS]: A10, B2, A6, B2, A3, B5, A2, B2, A1, B2, A2, B2, A6, B3, A3, B8, A6, B5, A1, B2, A3
→ Row 33 [WS]: A3, B2, A2, B3, A10, B5, A3, B3, A10, B2, A1, B2, A3, B3, A4, B2, A6, B2, A10
← Row 34 [RS]: A10, B2, A3, B5, A10, B2, A1, B2, A9, B2, A1, B, A23, B2, A3
→ Row 35 [WS]: A3, B2, A23, B2, A1, B, A9, B2, A1, B2, A11, B4, A3, B2, A10
← Row 36 [RS]: A9, B3, A18, B4, A10, B, A1, B2, A23, B2, A3
→ Row 37 [WS]: A3, B2, A24, B3, A11, B2, A15, B7, A9
← Row 38 [RS]: A4, B13, A54, B2, A3
→ Row 39 [WS]: A3, B2, A59, B7, A5
← Row 40 [RS]: A9, B2, A60, B2, A3
→ Row 41 [WS]: A3, B2, A60, B2, A9
← Row 42 [RS]: A9, B2, A60, B2, A3
→ Row 43 [WS]: A76
← Row 44 [RS]: A76
- Continue to sc Rows 46–53 in B (Oatmeal).
- Button Row 54 [WS]: ch 1, sc 2, *ch 3, skip 3, sc 14 — repeat from * until the last 6 stitches, ch 3, skip 3, sc in the last 3, turn.
- Continue to sc Rows 55–57 in B (Oatmeal).
- Fasten off and weave in the ends.
Back Panel
With Oatmeal, chain 77 and start the first row in the second chain from the hook.
After the end of each row, turn and chain 1. The chain 1 does not count as a stitch. (67 sts)
Single crochet a total of 45 rows to create the back panel.
Fasten off and weave in the ends.
Or substitute the back panel with burlap (see below).
Putting the Pillow Together
Place the front and back panels together with the wrong sides facing. If you’re using burlap, cut two pieces approximately one inch longer on each side than the pillow — your crochet hook will work right through the holes in the burlap.
Using white yarn, slip stitch from the top of one side of the pillow (where the panels meet, not over the flap), around the bottom, and up the other side. I find that slip stitching with a tight tension makes crisp edges — just don’t pull so tight that it puckers. Fasten off and weave in the ends, then flip the pillow so the right side faces out and the seams are hidden inside.
Sew your 5 buttons onto the back panel to line up with the buttonholes on the flap, pop in the pillow insert, button it up, and admire your work!
Sophie’s Tips
- Keep your colorwork floats loose! If the carried yarn pulls too tight, the front will pucker.
- The lettering reads from the right side, so double-check you’re on a RS row when the letters start taking shape.
- This cover slips off in seconds for washing — use a gentle cycle and lay flat to dry.
Happy hooking! 🧡
