Hand knitting a pillow is a creative and satisfying project that involves using your hands instead of needles to knit a cozy and decorative pillow cover. This DIY approach typically requires chunky yarn and can be accomplished with simple knitting techniques like the slip knot, the cast-on, knitting, and purling stitches, and a method to seam your work together.
Getting Started with Hand Knitting
Before you begin hand knitting your pillow, you’ll need to gather the necessary materials. This includes:
- Chunky yarn: Select a chunky, bulky yarn that is soft and comfortable to the touch, as it will affect the texture and look of your finished pillow. Chunky yarn is easier to handle and ideal for hand knitting.
- Filling or pillow insert: Depending on whether you want to create a pillow cover or a full pillow, you will need either a pillow insert to fit inside your knitted cover or filling to stuff your pillow.
- Scissors: You’ll need a good pair of scissors for cutting the yarn once you’ve finished knitting.
Choosing the right yarn and pillow size will influence the overall outcome. Once you have all your supplies, you’re ready to start hand knitting.
Basic Hand Knitting Techniques
Before jumping into making the pillow, it’s essential to grasp some basic hand knitting techniques.
Creating a Slip Knot
Begin by making a simple slip knot:
- Make a loop with the yarn.
- Pull a bit of yarn through this loop, creating a second loop.
- Tighten the first loop around the base of the second loop, which is your slip knot.
- Place the slip knot over your wrist to start the casting on process.
Casting On Stitches
To cast on stitches using your hand as the needle:
- Pull the working yarn through the slip knot loop to form another loop.
- Place this new loop on your wrist to create a stitch.
- Repeat this process until you have the number of stitches needed for the width of your pillow.
The number of stitches will determine the width of your pillow, so cast on enough stitches to match the width of the pillow insert or the desired width of the finished pillow.
Top Pillows Recommended By GoodSleepHub.com
- Queen Pillows Set of 2- Includes two queen size gusset bed pillows (18 x 26 inches) designed to provide balanced softness and support for comfortable sleep. A great fit for beds, guest rooms, or dorms...
- SUPERIOR COMFORT - Queen pillows have a 250 thread count Cotton Cover filled with a soft 100% Polyester Fill. One of the best first apartment or new home essentials gift for bedroom, guest bed room,...
- Bed pillow offers exceptional comfort for a better night's sleep
- REVOLUTIONIZE YOUR SLEEP WITH THE INNOVATIVE HOLLOW CONCAVE DESIGN - Tired of waking up with neck pain and discomfort? Look no further! By combining the benefits of a traditional bed pillow and a...
Knit Stitch
Now that you have your stitches cast on, you can begin knitting:
- Hold the tail of the yarn with your opposite hand.
- Use your dominant hand to pull another loop through the first loop on your wrist.
- Slide the old loop off your wrist, transferring the new loop onto your wrist.
- Continue this process until you’ve worked through all the stitches on your wrist.
You have now completed a row of knit stitches.
Purl Stitch
To add texture to your pillow, you can incorporate a purl stitch:
- With the working yarn in front, move your finger down through the loop on your wrist.
- Grab the working yarn and pull it up to form a new loop.
- Transfer this new loop onto your wrist and let the old loop fall off.
- Repeat across all stitches on your wrist.
Switching Between Knit and Purl Stitches
You can create different patterns by alternating between knit and purl stitches. For example, you might knit one row, then purl the next, to create a basic stockinette stitch pattern.
Creating the Pillow
Once you have gotten the hang of the knit and purl stitches, you can start creating your pillow.
Knitting the Pillow Front and Back
Knit the front and back panels of the pillow by repeating the process above until each panel reaches the desired height, which should match the pillow insert’s height or your filling. Remember that you will need two panels of equal size.
Binding Off
When your panels reach the desired size:
- Knit two stitches.
- Pull the first loop over the second loop and off your hand.
- Knit another stitch and repeat the process until you are left with one stitch.
- Cut the yarn, leaving a long tail, and pull it through the last stitch to secure it.
Seaming the Pillow Together
Place the two panels together with the “right” (outer) sides facing each other. Use the tail from your binding off and a yarn needle to seam three sides of the pillow together using a simple whip stitch. Turn the pillow right-side out, insert the pillow filling or pillow insert, then seam the final side closed.
Customizing Your Hand Knit Pillow
You can customize your pillow by using different yarn colors, knitting stripes, or creating a simple pattern with knit and purl stitches. Consider embellishments like buttons, tassels, or pom-poms for an additional decorative touch.
Finishing Thoughts
Hand knitting a pillow is an accessible project for knitters of all levels. It allows for personal expression and adds a cozy, handmade touch to any room. The process is not only simple but offers the gratification of creating something functional and beautiful from the basic materials of yarn and your hands. The core sensation of the yarn moving through your fingers and the rhythm of the stitches can be a serene and meditative experience. Once you’ve mastered the basics, the possibilities for customization and design are vast, inviting endless creativity for every new pillow you set out to make.
