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A couple of months ago I went to Micheals and saw that they had some new Caron Cakes, both new types and new colors. I try not to buy yarn without a specific project in mind because I have plenty of yarn I need to use up, but I decided to pick up a few of the new Caron Cakes. I used one in kind of bright pastel rainbow colors around Easter time to make a colorful bunny, but another of the cakes that I picked up was this Sweetie Cakes.

The red, white, and blue stripes immediately made me think of the 4th of July, or other patriotic holidays. In fact the thing I immediately thought of when I saw it was the red, white, and blue Rocket Pops popsicles. So I bought it without really knowing what I wanted to make, but knowing I could make something fun for summer.

I decided I wanted to make a pillow, but the next step was deciding on a stitch. When I use self striping yarns for a project like this I like to use short stitches, and even better if the rows kind of interlock. Maybe interlock isn't the right word but stitches that are worked into spaces instead of the tops of stitches so that the rows kind of overlap. I find that these things help the color changes be a lot less noticeable and blend the rows together.

For this pillow I chose a stitch pattern that I have used a few times in the past. I first made a dishcloth with it, and since then I have made a scarf, and a baby blanket. I don't know if this stitch has a name, when I made the dishcloth I called it the Mossy Blocks Dishcloth because the stitch reminds me of a blockier version of a moss stitch, and I have just continued to use that name each time I have used the stitch. Like I said, it is very similar to the moss stitch, but instead of 1 sc, 1 ch, it is 2 sc, 1 ch. It also kind of looks like a mini granny stitch, but it uses single crochet stitches instead of double.

I made a 12" pillow, so it is just a small decorative pillow. I happened to have a 12" insert in my craft supplies so I decided just to go with that. I wanted to make it removable so I made a front panel that was 12" square, then 2 shorter panels on the back that created an overlapping flap opening. I crocheted around the edges with a round of single crochet to attach all of the layers. You could obviously make the pillow in any color/colors, to match any holiday or room decor, and by adding the flap opening on the back you can even make a few different ones and switch them out for different holidays or seasons.

How to Crochet the Mossy Blocks Pillow

You will need:

Instructions:

The finished size of the pillow is 12" square. The stitch pattern is simple and easy to adjust if you would like a different size for your pillow. The stitch repeat is 3 so for your starting chain you will need a multiple of 3 +1 turning chain. So if you would like to adjust the width of your blanket you can just adjust the starting ch to the size that you want, making sure it is a multiple of 3+1. The pattern is a simple 2 row repeat so you can just keep working the pattern until it is the length you want to adjust the size.

*I used about half of a cake for my pillow, so there is plenty of yarn if you want to make a slightly larger pillow

Pillow Front

ch 46
Row 1: 1 sc in second ch from hook, sc in each ch to the end (45 sc)

Row 2: ch 1, turn, sc in first st, [sk 1, ch 1, sc in next 2 sts] repeat until 2 sts left, ch 1, sk 1, sc in last st (30 sc, 15 ch sp)
Row 3: ch 1, turn, 1 sc in first st, 2 sc in ch sp [ch 1, sk 2 sts, 2 sc in ch sp] repeat to last st, 1 sc in last st (32 sc, 14 ch sp)
Row 4: ch 1, turn, sc in first st, ch 1, sk 2 sts, [2 sc in ch sp, ch 1, sk 2 sts] repeat until 3 sts left, sk 2 sts, sc in last st (30 sc, 15 ch sp)

Rows 5-44: repeat rows 2 and 3 until you reach 44 rows

Row 45: ch1, turn, 1 sc in each st (45 sc)

Now you will work an even round of single crochet stitches all the way around, 1 sc in each st along the top and bottom, 1 sc in the side of each rows along the sides, and working 3 sc in each of the corners (184 sc)

Pillow Back Bottom Panel

ch 46
Row 1: 1 sc in second ch from hook, sc in each ch to the end (45 sc)

Rows 5-30: repeat rows 2 and 3 until you reach 30 rows

Row 31: ch1, turn, 1 sc in each st (45 sc)

Pillow Back Top Panel

ch 46
Row 1: 1 sc in second ch from hook, sc in each ch to the end (45 sc)

Rows 5-24: repeat rows 2 and 3 until you reach 24 rows

Row 25: ch1, turn, 1 sc in each st (45 sc)

Assembly

There is not an obvious right and wrong side to the panels except with the border of single crochet stitches around the border so I made that round facing up the right side, there is a top and bottom so make sure that the stitches are all facing the same direction.

Place the front face down

Then place the bottom back panel face up on top, lining up the stitches along the side (so it matches up with the bottom 31 rows), place the top back panel right side up on top overlapping the bottom panel and line up the sides with the top and the overlapping stitches of the bottom. Using stitch markers to keep the panels lined up is very helpful here, put a stitch marker through all three layers of the overlapping sides to hold them in place and make sure everything stays lined up. You could also add stitch markers to the corners or anywhere else that it helps you keep everything together.

Single crochet around the outside edge with the front facing up, working through all 2-3 layers and working 3 single crochet in each corner.

Finish off and weave in ends.

Put the pillow insert into the cover through the opening in the back.

Finish off and weave in ends

Mossy Blocks Crocheted Pillow Cover

How to Crochet the Mossy Blocks Pillow

You will need:

Instructions:

Pillow Front

Pillow Back Bottom Panel

Pillow Back Top Panel

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