Independence Welcome Pillow – Cozy Nooks Designs

This Summer Independence Welcome Pillow is the perfect addition to your home decor! Get the free pattern below or purchase the printable PDF with the accompanying chart and written instructions here.

Happy Summer!

Did you enjoy the longest day of the year yesterday? Ours was filled with lots of fun summer activities that my kids loved – swimming being the top of the list.

DESCRIPTION

The Summer Independence Welcome Pillow uses a combination of intarsia and tapestry crochet techniques. The 2 panels are made individually and then seamed together, leaving one side of the rectangle open. A pillow form is inserted, and the last side is stitched up.

THE YARN

For this pillow, I used #4 worsted weight yarn. I chose I Love this Yarn from Hobby Lobby in the colors “Tan”, “Black”, “Green”, “White”, “Red”, and “Blue”.

I have found that “I Love this Yarn” is a bit thicker than most weight 4 yarns, so make sure you check the gauge if you use a substitute yarn.

DIFFICULTY

This pillow is considered an intermediate pattern because of the multiple colors.

I did tapestry crochet for nearly the whole pillow. I had two bobbins of black on either side of the watermelon/heart and carried the black throughout the words. I also only had one strand of my main color and carried that throughout the project.

For the watermelon section, I mostly did intarsia crochet. I had a sepearate strand of black for each seed and cut the yarn after each seed. I did not spend the time to weave these in since it is a pillow and no one would see the wrong side. I just tied off each seed strand with the beginning strand of yarn.

If you are worried about the knot creating a slight bump in the pillow, I think that’s perfect for the texture of a seed, so I give you permission to do! Why make your life more complicated if you don’t have to?

If you would like a tip showing how to hide the colors when carrying them behind the yarn in use, check out this video tutorial I did. It hides the show-through very well!

And if you are unsure why I “yarn under” when doing tapestry or intarsia crochet, check out this blog post here!

To make the Summer Independence Welcome Pillow, you will need-

MATERIALS

US G/4.00 mm crochet hook
360 yards – “I Love this Yarn” or similar weight 4 yarn in “Tan”
90 yards – “I Love this Yarn” or similar weight 4 yarn in “Black”
8 yards – “I Love this Yarn” or similar weight 4 yarn “Green”
10 yards – “I Love this Yarn” or similar weight 4 yarn “White”
15 yards – “I Love this Yarn” or similar weight 4 yarn “Red”
5 yards – “I Love this Yarn” or similar weight 4 yarn “Blue”
20″x12″ pillow insert
Tapestry Needle
Scissors

GAUGE

15 sc sts = 4″

18 rows = 4″

FINISHED SIZE

19.5 x 11.5 inches

TERMINOLOGY

US Crochet Terms Used

ch(s) – chain(s)
CC1 – contrasting color 1
CC2 – contrasting color 2
CC3 – contrasting color 3
CC4 – contrasting color 4
CC5 – contrasting color 5
MC – main color
rem – remaining
RS – right side
sc – single crochet
st/sts – stitch/Stitches
WS – wrong side

FRONT

For the front of this pillow, visit this post HERE for the free pattern.

I also have this full video tutorial outlining how to make the front and how to seam up the pillow at the end.

BACK
Using MC, ch 69
Row 1: sc 1 in 2^nd ch from hook, sc across, turn (68 sts)
Rows 2-14: ch 1, MC sc 68, turn
Rows 2-14: ch 1, MC sc 68, turn
Row 15: ch 1, MC sc 3, CC1 sc 6, MC sc 1, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 7, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 14, CC1 sc 4, MC sc 2, CC1 sc 5, MC sc 1, CC1 sc 6, MC sc 2, CC1 sc 1, MC sc 7, CC1 sc 1, MC sc 4, turn
Row 16: ch 1, MC sc 4, CC1 sc 1, MC sc 7, CC1 sc 1, MC sc 2, CC1 sc 6, MC sc 1, CC1 sc 5, MC sc 1, CC1 sc 6, MC sc 6, CC4 sc 1, MC sc 6, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 7, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 1, CC1 sc 6, MC sc 3, turn
Row 17: ch 1, MC sc 7, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 1, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 7, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 6, CC4 sc 1, MC sc 6, CC1 sc 6, MC sc 4, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 5, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 1, CC1 sc 3, MC sc 5, CC1 sc 3, MC sc 3, turn
Row 18: ch 1, MC sc 3, CC1 sc 3, MC sc 5, CC1 sc 3, MC sc 1, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 5, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 3, CC1 sc 3, MC sc 2, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 5, CC3 sc 3, MC sc 5, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 3, CC1 sc 1, MC sc 3, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 1, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 7, turn
Row 19: ch 1, MC sc 7, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 1, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 3, CC1 sc 1, MC sc 3, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 4, CC4 sc 5, MC sc 4, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 2, CC1 sc 3, MC sc 3, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 5, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 1, CC1 sc 4, MC sc 3, CC1 sc 4, MC sc 3, turn
Row 20: ch 1, MC sc 3, CC1 sc 4, MC sc 3, CC1 sc 4, MC sc 1, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 5, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 3, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 3, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 4, CC4 sc 5, MC sc 4, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 2, CC1 sc 3, MC sc 2, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 1, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 7, turn

Row 21: ch 1, MC sc 7, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 1, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 2, CC1 sc 3, MC sc 2, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 3, CC3 sc 7, MC sc 8, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 3, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 5, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 1, CC1 sc 5, MC sc 1, CC1 sc 5, MC sc 3, turn
Row 22: ch 1, MC sc 3, CC1 sc 5, MC sc 1, CC1 sc 5, MC sc 1, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 5, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 3, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 8, CC4 sc 7, MC sc 3, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 1, CC1 sc 5, MC sc 1, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 1, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 7, turn
Row 23: ch 1, MC sc 7, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 1, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 1, CC1 sc 5, MC sc 1, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 2, CC4 sc 9, MC sc 7, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 3, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 5, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 1, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 1, CC1 sc 5, MC sc 1, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 3, turn
Row 24: ch 1, MC sc 3, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 1, CC1 sc 5, MC sc 1, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 1, CC1 sc 5, MC sc 2, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 3, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 7, CC3 sc 9, MC sc 2, CC1 sc 11, MC sc 1, CC1 sc 5, MC sc 4, turn
Row 25: ch 1, MC sc 4, CC1 sc 5, MC sc 1, CC1 sc 11, MC sc 1, CC4 sc 11, MC sc 6, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 3, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 2, CC1 sc 5, MC sc 1, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 1, CC1 sc 5, MC sc 1, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 3, turn
Row 26: ch 1, MC sc 3, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 1, CC1 sc 5, MC sc 1, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 1, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 5, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 3, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 6, CC5 sc 6, CC4 sc 5, MC sc 1, CC1 sc 11, MC sc 1, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 7, turn
Row 27: ch 1, MC sc 7, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 1, CC1 sc 5, MC sc 1, CC1 sc 5, MC sc 1, CC3 sc 5, CC5 sc 2, CC3 sc 1, CC5 sc 1, CC3 sc 1, CC5 sc 1, MC sc 6, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 3, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 5, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 1, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 1, CC1 sc 5, MC sc 1, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 3, turn
Row 28: ch 1, MC sc 3, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 2, CC1 sc 3, MC sc 2, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 1, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 5, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 3, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 6, CC5 sc 5, MC sc 1, CC4 sc 5, MC sc 1, CC1 sc 5, MC sc 1, CC1 sc 5, MC sc 1, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 7, turn
Row 29: ch 1, MC sc 7, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 1, CC1 sc 4, MC sc 3, CC1 sc 4, MC sc 1, CC4 sc 5, MC sc 1, CC3 sc 1, CC5 sc 1, CC3 sc 1, CC5 sc 1, CC3 sc 1, MC sc 6, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 3, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 5, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 1, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 2, CC1 sc 3, MC sc 2, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 3, turn
Row 30: ch 1, MC sc 3, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 3, CC1 sc 1, MC sc 3, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 1, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 5, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 3, CC1 sc 3, MC sc 2, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 1, CC5 sc 4, MC sc 3, CC3 sc 4, MC sc 1, CC1 sc 4, MC sc 3, CC1 sc 4, MC sc 1, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 7, turn
Row 31: ch 1, MC sc 7, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 1, CC1 sc 3, MC sc 5, CC1 sc 3, MC sc 1, CC4 sc 4, MC sc 3, CC3 sc 1, CC5 sc 1, CC3 sc 1, CC5 sc 1, MC sc 1, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 2, CC1 sc 3, MC sc 3, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 5, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 1, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 3, CC1 sc 1, MC sc 3, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 3, turn
Row 32: ch 1, MC sc 3, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 7, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 1, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 5, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 4, CC1 sc 6, MC sc 1, CC5 sc 3, MC sc 5, CC4 sc 3, MC sc 1, CC1 sc 3, MC sc 5, CC1 sc 3, MC sc 1, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 7, turn
Row 33: ch 1, MC sc 3, CC1 sc 6, MC sc 1, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 7, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 2, CC3 sc 2, MC sc 5, CC3 sc 1, CC5 sc 1, MC sc 2, CC1 sc 6, MC sc 4, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 1, CC1 sc 6, MC sc 1, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 7, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 3, turn
Row 34: ch 1, MC sc 3, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 7, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 1, CC1 sc 6, MC sc 1, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 5, CC1 sc 4, MC sc 14, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 7, CC1 sc 2, MC sc 1, CC1 sc 6, MC sc 3, turn
Rows 35-45: ch 1, MC sc 68, turn
Row 46: ch 1, sc across
Fasten off, weave in ends.

ASSEMBLY

Step 1: Hold Front and Back with RS together. You may want to pin Front and Back together to match panels up.

Step 2: Using the MC, *Sc around first edge, ch 1 at corner*, rep for 3 sides leaving bottom of the pillow open

Step 3: Flip pillow RS out.

Step 4: Insert pillow.

Step 5: Whip st rem side closed. You may want to pin Front and Back together.

Fasten off. Weave in yarn ends.

If you are interested in getting the easy-to-read chart for both sides of the pillow plus the written instructions, you can purchase the ad-free, printable PDF in my shop, Etsy, or Ravelry.

I can’t wait to see what your Welcome Pillows!

Make sure that when you post to social media or another platform, please refer back to me as the designer. If you are on Instagram, tag @CozyNooksDesigns and use #WelcomePillow for a chance to be featured!