June 22nd, 2018
Knit Herringbone Pillow — Free Modern Pattern
This knit herringbone pillow is a modern, textured home decor make that looks like you spent a small fortune at a boutique — but really you just doubled up some Red Heart Super Saver, sat in front of Netflix for an evening or two, and stuffed it with a $5 pillow form. The slip-stitch herringbone texture catches the light beautifully and reads as expensive even in the most budget-friendly yarn.
The knit herringbone pillow works up fast on size 15 (10mm) needles with double-stranded yarn, alternates two neutral colors every 24 rows for that classic herringbone look, and finishes in a clean 16 x 16 in. square. The back is worked in simple stocking stitch so it looks polished from every angle — no “wrong side” to hide.
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Why You’ll Love This Knit Herringbone Pillow
- ✅ Beginner-friendly slip stitch technique — looks impressive, knits up easy
- ✅ Works up fast — chunky double-stranded yarn on size 15 needles flies
- ✅ Modern, neutral, photogenic — fits any style of home decor
- ✅ Budget-friendly — uses inexpensive Red Heart Super Saver + a $5 pillow form
- ✅ Two-color customizable — pick any combo to match your space
- ✅ Polished from both sides — the stocking stitch back looks as good as the front
Knit Herringbone Pillow Pattern Details
| Skill Level | Beginner-friendly (knit and slip stitches only) |
| Finished Size | Approximately 16 x 16 in. — fits a standard 15×15 pillow form |
| Yarn | Worsted weight #4, doubled — Red Heart Super Saver in 2 neutrals |
| Needles | Size 15 US (10mm) straight knitting needles |
| Gauge | 9 sts = 4 in. (10 cm) in herringbone stitch with double-stranded yarn |
| Construction | Front in herringbone stitch, back in stocking stitch, seamed and stuffed |
Materials for the Knit Herringbone Pillow
- 🧶 2 balls of Red Heart Super Saver yarn in main color (MC) — I used grey
- 🧶 2 balls of Red Heart Super Saver yarn in contrast color (CC) — I used white
- 🪡 Size 15 US (10mm) straight knitting needles
- 🧵 Tapestry needle for seaming
- ✂️ Scissors
- 🛏️ 16 x 16 in. pillow form/insert
Pattern Notes
This knit herringbone pillow pattern is worked by holding two strands of yarn together at the same time and alternating colors every 24 rows. The pillow is worked in two flat sections: the front in herringbone stitch, and the back in plain stocking stitch.
Slip all stitches as if to purl. “With yarn in front” (wyif) and “with yarn in back” (wyib) refer to the side of the work facing you (or away from you) as you work the row.
Abbreviations
- beg — begin(s)(ning)
- k — knit
- k2tog — knit 2 together
- p — purl
- rep — repeat(s)(ing)
- RS — right side
- sl — slip
- st(s) — stitch(es)
- tog — together
- WS — wrong side
- wyib — with yarn in back
- wyif — with yarn in front
- yo — yarn over
Herringbone Stitch Pattern (24 Rows)
Row 1 (RS): K2, *sl2 wyif, k2; rep from * to end of row.
Row 2: P1, *sl2 wyib, p2; rep from * across to last st, p1.
Row 3: Sl2 wyif, *k2, sl2 wyif; rep from * to end of row.
Row 4: P3, *sl2 wyib, p2; rep from * across to last 3 sts, sl2 wyib, p1.
Rows 5-12: Rep Rows 1-4 twice.
Row 13: Rep Row 3.
Row 14: Rep Row 2.
Row 15: Rep Row 1.
Row 16: Rep Row 4.
Rows 17-24: Rep Rows 13-16 twice.
Rep Rows 1-24 for the Herringbone stitch pattern.
Front of the Knit Herringbone Pillow
With MC, holding 2 strands together, cast on 58 sts.
Rows 1-24: Work all 24 rows of the Herringbone stitch pattern above in MC.
Rows 25-48: Change to CC and work all 24 rows of the Herringbone stitch pattern.
Continue working Rows 1-24 of the Herringbone Stitch pattern, alternating colors every 24 rows, until piece measures about 16 in. from beginning. Bind off.
Back of the Knit Herringbone Pillow
With MC, holding 2 strands together, cast on 48 sts.
Work in stocking stitch (knit RS rows, purl WS rows) until piece measures about 16 in. from beginning. Bind off.
Finishing
Lay the back piece on a flat surface with RS facing up. With RS together, seam the back to the front around three sides of the outside edge. Turn the pillow to RS through the open seam and insert your 16 x 16 in. pillow form. Sew the remaining seam closed and weave in all ends. Your knit herringbone pillow is done!
Tips for the Perfect Knit Herringbone Pillow
- Use two contrasting neutrals. Grey + cream, navy + tan, or charcoal + white all work beautifully. High contrast really shows off the herringbone texture.
- Wind from two skeins. Holding two strands together is much smoother when you pull from two separate skeins (one inside, one outside) rather than from one center-pull ball.
- Slip stitches loosely. Tight slip stitches will warp the fabric. Let them sit relaxed across the front of the work.
- Check gauge with the doubled yarn. Don’t skip the gauge swatch on this one — 9 sts = 4 in. with double-stranded chunky yarn is easy to miss if your tension runs tight or loose.
- Buy a slightly bigger pillow form. A 16 in. cover over a 15 in. or 16 in. insert is fine, but slightly overstuffing gives the knit herringbone pillow a plumper, fuller look.
- Block the pieces before seaming. A gentle wet block helps the stitches even out and the edges sit flat — makes a noticeable difference in the finished look.
Cozy Up Your Whole Couch
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Knit Herringbone Pillow FAQ
How long does this pillow take to knit?
About 2 evenings of focused knitting time. The chunky double-stranded yarn on size 15 needles works up surprisingly fast, and the herringbone stitch develops a rhythm quickly once you’ve worked through the first 24-row repeat.
Can I use a different yarn weight?
Yes — if you’d rather not double-strand, a true bulky weight (#6) on size 15 needles will give you a similar fabric. Just check your gauge against 9 sts = 4 in. before starting the full piece.
Do I need to know how to slip stitches?
If you can knit and purl, you can knit this knit herringbone pillow. Slipping a stitch just means moving it from one needle to the other without working it — there’s no new skill to learn. The pattern notes explain everything in the abbreviations section.
Can I make this in just one color?
Absolutely — a single-color knit herringbone pillow still shows beautiful texture from the slip stitches. You’ll lose the bold herringbone color blocks but gain a subtler, more modern look that’s especially gorgeous in a deep neutral like charcoal or oat.
What size pillow form fits this cover?
A standard 15 x 15 in. or 16 x 16 in. pillow form fits perfectly. I prefer to slightly overstuff with a 16 in. form for a plumper, more luxurious look.
Can I sell finished pillows made from this pattern?
Yes — small-batch sales of finished items are welcome. Please credit SeeLoveShare as the pattern designer and don’t redistribute or resell the pattern itself.
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More Knit Decor You’ll Love
- Easy Peasy Chunky Knit Throw — beginner-friendly modern blanket
- Hudson’s Simple Knit Throw Blanket
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Save This Knit Herringbone Pillow for Later
Want to come back to this knit herringbone pillow pattern later? Save it to Pinterest so you can find it next time you’re planning a cozy home update. I’d love to see your finished pillows — tag @seeloveshare on Instagram!
This knit herringbone pillow pattern, photos, and instructions are © SeeLoveShare LLC. For personal use only — please do not redistribute or resell the pattern. Small-batch sales of finished items are welcome with credit. Thank you for supporting an independent designer!