Woodland Adventure Pillow: Free Intarsia Crochet Pillow Pattern

There is no place I would rather be then up at the mountains with a good book cuddled in a blanket by the fireplace. I get excited anytime that I can bring the mountains into my home, and if you’d like to bring the great outdoors into your home decor then you are going to love this crochet pillow pattern. Introducing, the Wilderness Adventure Pillow, a free intarsia crochet pillow pattern now available here on my blog! It’s a beginner friendly intarsia crochet pattern that uses basic crochet techniques to create a pillow perfect for a nursery or a cabin. It is such a fun crochet home decor pattern to make!

I am so excited to feature this week’s guest designer, Jade from Jaded Crafts and Creations, who is sharing this amazing pattern. When she submitted her idea to do an intarsia crochet pillow, I got so excited! Especially when she said it was going to be a pillow that had bears and the mountains on it. Sign me up! I think you are going to love this pattern too. I’ll hand things off to Jade, and she can share her awesome pattern with you!

For the free written pattern, scroll till you reach it, or grab the printable pdf with a chart in Jade’s Ravelry shop!

Want to save this pattern for later? Save it to your favorite Pinterest board! (Save it from mine here!)

About Jade

Hi, I’m Jade! Mama and Yarn Goddess living on an acreage near Edmonton, Alberta. My journey with yarn began after a tough personal loss. There were days when it felt like my grief might consume me, I knew I had to try something to get out of the funk. I originally picked up knitting, and I liked it but it didn’t ‘click’. A friend showed me a few crochet stitches and I was hooked! I practiced for the rest of that day and almost everyday thereafter! Eventually, I was able to start creating my own designs!

About the Pattern

I originally dreamt up this design 2 years ago. I was pregnant, nesting, and wanting to add a touch of ‘handmade by Mama’ to the nursery. The theme was Woodland/Mountain and I kept the colours neutral because we waited to find out the gender. Still the best surprise ever!

I designed it as an accent pillow for the rocking chair, knowing I would also use it as lumbar support. I chose to use a 16×16 inch pillow insert so that it was full and fluffy! This cute pillow would fit any nursery with the woodland, mountain, or outdoor theme. It would also be a great addition to cabin decor. If you’re not a pillow person, this design would also make a Great Wall hanger!

This pillow is made in 2 pieces, a front and back panel, then seamed together with a single crochet edge. The front panel has all the detail, so I’ve left the back blank. Feel free to use your creativity here! If you’re like me and dislike all the ends to weave in from color changes, secure your tails with 1 or 2 SC and leave them on the wrong side. They will be hidden when we seam the pillow together!

The Yarn

I used Loops & Threads Charisma (Michael’s brand) because, in all honesty, I had it in my stash. It’s a deliciously soft bulky weight yarn with a wide variety of modern colours that’s very easy to work with. That being said… after 2 years of being used in the rocking chair (and that’s many, many hours of use) it’s starting to show it’s wear. If you were to use another yarn, I think an anti-pilling yarn would be a great substitute!

New to Tapestry Crochet or Crochet Crochet Color Work?

When I was first learning how to do crochet color work, I often felt so lost having to learn how to do color changes and reading crochet graphs. It can seem so intimidating to learn a new crochet skill! If you’re new to tapestry crochet or color work, then I’ve got just the resource for you.

Here on Claire’s blog, she has two free crochet tutorials for how to do tapestry crochet and intarsia crochet, which are the two most common crochet color work techniques. They’ll walk you through what each technique is, how to read crochet graphs, how to change colors in crochet, and a bunch of other tips she has for color work! You can find them here on her blog at:

– The Beginner’s Guide to Tapestry Crochet: (This technique is used when you would like to carry your yarn, and the color work is close together.)

– The Beginner’s Guide to Intarsia Crochet:This technique is used when you don’t want to carry your yarn, and instead would like to use yarn bobbins. I used this technique for this pattern. )

Supply list:

10 – 250 yards Bulky ( 5 ) Weight Yarn. I used Loops & Threads ‘Charisma’. (3.5oz/100g – 109yds/100m)
Taupe – 250 yds
Mist (Gray) – 50 yds
Forest (Green) – 25 yds
Black – 10 yds
Cream (White) – 10 yds
US Size J Crochet Hook (6 mm) or size to obtain gauge
Stitch Markers ( 4 )
Scissors
Darning Needle
16 x 16 Pillow Insert or Polyfill

Stitches used:

CH – Chain
SC – Single Crochet
SLST – Slip Stitch

Notes:

CH1 at the beginning of each row (not counted as a stitch).
Turn your work at the end of each row.
All stitches are done in single crochet using the intarsia crochet technique.
Intarsia experience is highly recommended as there are many color changes.
Yardage is approximate to stitches used, it does not include the tails from beginning/ending a color.

Wildernesss Adventure Pillow Pattern:

Front Panel:

Want a chart to follow along with this written pattern? Grab the premium printable pdf available in my Ravelry store!

Row 1 [RS]: CH43, SC in 2nd CH from hook, SC in each ST. 42 [Taupe]

Row 2 [WS]: 1 [Taupe], 5 [Green], 1 [Taupe], 6 [Green], 2 [Taupe], 2 [Black], 4 [Taupe], 2 [Black], 1 [Taupe], 5 [Green], 3 [Taupe], 5 [Green], 1 [Taupe], 3 [Green], 1 [Taupe]

Row 3 [RS]: 2 [Taupe], 3 [Green], 2 [Taupe], 10 [Green], 3 [Taupe], 1 [Black], 5 [Taupe], 1 [Black], 3 [Taupe], 10 [Green], 2 [Taupe]

Row 4 [WS]: 3 [Taupe], 9 [Green], 3 [Taupe], 7 [Black], 4 [Taupe], 8 [Green], 1 [Taupe], 4 [Green], 3 [Taupe]

Row 5 [RS]: 4 [Taupe], 4 [Green], 1 [Taupe], 6 [Green], 2 [Taupe], 10 [Black], 4 [Taupe], 7 [Green], 4 [Taupe]

Row 6 [WS]: 5 [Taupe], 4 [Green], 7 [Taupe], 8 [Black], 4 [Taupe], 9 [Green], 5 [Taupe]

Row 7 [RS]: 6 [Taupe], 5 [Green], 8 [Taupe], 1 [Black], 9 [Taupe], 4 [Green], 1 [Taupe], 6 [Green], 2 [Taupe]

Row 8 [WS]: 3 [Taupe], 9 [Green], 14 [Taupe], 5 [Green], 1 [Taupe], 7 [Green], 3 [Taupe]

Row 9 [RS]: 4 [Taupe], 11 [Green], 16 [Taupe], 7 [Green], 4 [Taupe]

Row 10 [WS]: 6 [Taupe], 3 [Green], 19 [Taupe], 9 [Green], 5 [Taupe]

Row 11 [RS]: 6 [Taupe], 7 [Green], 5 [Taupe], 4 [Black], 3 [Taupe], 4 [Black], 1 [Taupe], 5 [Green], 1 [Taupe], 3 [Green], 3 [Taupe]

Row 12 [WS]: 4 [Taupe], 6 [Green], 3 [Taupe], 3 [Black], 4 [Taupe], 3 [Black], 7 [Taupe], 4 [Green], 8 [Taupe]

Row 13 [RS]: 4 [Taupe], 4 [Green], 1 [Taupe], 5 [Green], 5 [Taupe], 3 [Black], 4 [Taupe], 3 [Black], 3 [Taupe], 5 [Green], 5 [Taupe]

Row 14 [WS]: 6 [Taupe], 3 [Green], 4 [Taupe], 10 [Black], 5 [Taupe], 9 [Green], 5 [Taupe]

Row 15 [RS]: 6 [Taupe], 7 [Green], 2 [Taupe], 14 [Black], 3 [Taupe], 5 [Green], 5 [Taupe]

Row 16 [WS]: 6 [Taupe], 3 [Green], 4 [Taupe], 14 [Black], 4 [Taupe], 3 [Green], 8 [Taupe]

Row 17 [RS]: 5 [Taupe], 5 [Green], 1 [Taupe], 3 [Green], 2 [Taupe], 12 [Black], 6 [Taupe], 1 [Green], 7 [Taupe]

Row 18 [WS]: 15 [Taupe], 7 [Black], 1 [Taupe], 2 [Black], 4 [Taupe], 6 [Green], 7 [Taupe]

Row 19 [RS]: 7 [Taupe], 5 [Green], 30 [Taupe]

Row 20 [WS]: 31 [Taupe], 3 [Green], 8 [Taupe]

Row 21 [RS]: 7 [Gray], 5 [Green], 30 [Gray]

Row 22 [WS]: 31 [Gray], 3 [Green], 8 [Gray]

Row 23 [RS]: 9 [Gray], 1 [Green], 32 [Gray]

Row 24 [WS]: 42 [Gray]

Row 25 [RS]: 42 [Gray]

Row 26 [WS]: 42 [Gray]

Row 27 [RS]: 42 [Gray]

Row 28 [WS]: 42 [Gray]

Row 29 [RS]: 42 [Gray]

Row 30 [WS]: 19 [Gray], 2 [White], 5 [Gray], 1 [White], 15 [Gray]

Row 31 [RS]: 14 [Gray], 3 [White], 2 [Gray], 4 [White], 16 [Gray], 1 [White], 2 [Gray]

Row 32 [WS]: 1 [Taupe], 1 [Gray], 2 [White], 14 [Gray], 1 [Taupe], 1 [Gray], 7 [White], 15 [Gray]

Row 33 [RS]: 16 [Gray], 5 [White], 1 [Gray], 3 [Taupe], 11 [Gray], 3 [White], 1 [Gray], 2 [Taupe]

Row 34 [WS]: 3 [Taupe], 1 [Gray], 4 [White], 8 [Gray], 5 [Taupe], 1 [Gray], 3 [White], 2 [Gray], 2 [White], 12 [Gray], 1 [Taupe]

Row 35 [RS]: 2 [Taupe], 1 [Gray], 3 [White], 5 [Gray], 3 [White], 1 [Gray], 2 [Taupe], 1 [Gray], 1 [White], 1 [Gray], 7 [Taupe], 7 [Gray], 3 [White], 1 [Gray], 4 [Taupe]

Row 36 [WS]: 5 [Taupe], 1 [Gray], 7 [White], 1 [Gray], 9 [Taupe], 1 [Gray], 4 [Taupe], 1 [Gray], 3 [White], 2 [Gray], 4 [White], 1 [Gray], 3 [Taupe]

Row 37 [RS]: 4 [Taupe], 1 [Gray], 7 [White], 1 [Gray], 16 [Taupe], 1 [Gray], 5 [White], 1 [Gray], 6 [Taupe]

Row 38 [WS]: 7 [Taupe], 1 [Gray], 3 [White], 1 [Gray], 18 [Taupe], 1 [Gray], 5 [White], 1 [Gray], 5 [Taupe]

Row 39 [RS]: 6 [Taupe], 1 [Gray], 3 [White], 1 [Gray], 20 [Taupe], 1 [Gray], 1 [White], 1 [Gray], 8 [Taupe]

Row 40 [WS]: 9 [Taupe], 1 [Gray], 22 [Taupe], 1 [Gray], 1 [White], 1 [Gray], 7 [Taupe]

Row 41 [RS]: 8 [Taupe], 1 [Gray], 33 [Taupe]

Row 42 [WS]: 42 [Taupe]

Row 43 [RS]: 42 [Taupe]

Row 44 [WS]: 42 [Taupe]

Row 45 [RS]: 42 [Taupe]

Row 46 [WS]: 42 [Taupe]

Row 47 [RS]: 42 [Taupe]

Row 48 [WS]: 42 [Taupe]. Tie off. Weave ends.

Back Panel:

Row 1 [RS]: CH43, SC in 2nd CH from hook, SC in each ST. 42 [Taupe]

Row 2 -48 [WS]: 42 [Taupe]

Seaming:

Place both panels of pillows together with RS facing out. Use stitch markers to hold the corners together. You will now be working through both the front and back panel.

Join yarn with SLST in top left corner ( X ), CH1, 1SC in each row until you reach your 1st marker. 3SC in marked stitch. 1SC in each ST along bottom. 3SC in next marked ST. 1SC in each ST along right side. 3SC in marked ST. Stuff your pillow with the insert or poly filling. 1SC in each ST along top. 3SC in last marked ST. SLST to CH1.

Fasten off. Weave ends. Enjoy your pillow!

I hope you’ve enjoyed this woodland inspired intarsia crochet pattern! If you make one, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram or Facebook @jadedcraftscreations so I can see your beautiful work!

Happy stitching,

Jade

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