Pillows are semi-quick knits with a lot of variations — and knit pillows look great on your favorite chair or couch. Knit a button pillow or two (or a dozen) for useful gifts from the heart.
Here are the materials and vital statistics for this project:
Measurements: Vary depending on yarn weight and needle size
Yarn: Approximately 400 yards of yarn for a standard 14-x-14-inch pillow form
Needles: One pair in a size appropriate for the yarn selected (check its ball band if you’re not sure); yarn needle for seaming
Other materials: One 14-x-14-inch pillow form; one to three (or more!) large decorative buttons
Gauge: Varies depending on yarn weight and needle size
You can create an adorable button pillow easily:
Cast on your gauge per inch times 14 (the pillow form’s width), plus 4 extra stitches to allow for easy seaming on either side.
So, if your yarn is 4 stitches to the inch and you’re making a 14-inch wide pillow, you need to cast on 60 stitches ([4 x 14] + 4).
Knit until the piece measures two times your pillow’s height, plus 4 inches; then bind off and block.
Blocking prevents your knitted work from curling.
Fold the bottom of the piece up until you have a 14-x-14-inch square and seam the sides.
This step creates the body of the pillow.
Create your loop closures and sew them into place.
You can knit a wide variety of loop closures — just make sure they're long enough to reach around each button.
Fold the 4-inch flap over the top and stitch on your chosen buttons.
Put them into place evenly below the bottom edge of the flap.
Insert your pillow form.
You’re done!