Spring Blog Hop: Festive Cactus Pillow Cover – Free Crochet Pattern

I may or may not be into cacti right now. I just posted a granny square cactus pattern last week! I’ve also been seeing cacti print everything (I even got a whole cacti print set of sheets!) and I love it! 

I made 2.75″ tassels using Boye’s tassel maker, but I know there are tutorials out there to make tassels without needing to buy a tassel maker.

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Materials

Worsted weight yarn in white, pink, green, and light brown

(I used Loops&Threads Impeccable in Arbor Rose, Taupe, and White and Red Heart Super Saver in Spring Green)

16″ pillow form

J/6.00mm hook

White thread

Tapestry needle and scissors

Notes

The pillow cover will be made with two panels and the cactus applique made of three different parts (cactus, cactus pot, and flower).

I used the Boye Tassel maker to make 2.75″ tassels. You may use another method without the tool (YouTube is a good place to learn).

Gauge: 4″ x 4″ ~ 12 st x 10 rows in grit stitch (alternating sc and dc)

*Gauge is important so your pillow cover will fit a 16″ pillow form. If you’re unfamiliar with gauge, you can learn about it here!*

Abbreviations (US terms)

Ch = chain, sc = single crochet, dc = double crochet, st = stitch(es), sl st = slip stitch(es)

Pillow panel

Using white yarn and J hook

Row 1: Ch 52, dc in 3rd ch from hook, sc in next st, *dc in next st, sc in next st, repeat from * across

Row 2-45: Ch 1, *dc, sc, repeat from * across

Fasten off

Make another panel the same way except use this stripe chart and change colors (pink, white, and green). (You can click on it to make it larger.) You may make your own stripe pattern by using this Stripe Generator.

Cactus


Using green yarn and J/6.00mm hook


Row 1: Ch 23, sc in back loops across, turn
Row 2: Ch 1, sc in back loops across until last st, 2sc in back loop in last st, turn
Row 3: Ch 1, 2sc in back loop, sc in back loop across, turn
Row 4-9: Repeat Row 2-3
Row 10-21: Ch 1, sc in back loops across, turn
Row 22: Ch 1, sc in back loops across until last 2 st, sc decrease in back loops, turn
Row 23: Ch 1, sc decrease in back loops, sc in back loops across, turn
Row 24-29: Repeat Row 22-23
Fasten off and leave long tail for sewing.

Take your white thread and needle and sew on little V’s to make the spikes on the cactus. 

Cactus Pot


Using light brown yarn and J/6.00mm hook

Row 1: Ch 33, sc in 2nd chain from hook and across, turn
Row 2-3: Ch 1, sc across, turn
Row 4: Ch 1, sl st into next 4 st, ch 1, sc in same st as last sl st, sc into next 25 st, turn
Row 5: Ch 1, sc decrease, sc until last two st, sc decrease, turn
Row 6: Ch 1, sc across, turn
Row 7-14: Repeat Row 5-6
Single crochet around the perimeter of the pot, making sure to make 3 sc in each corner.
Fasten off and leave long tail for sewing.

Flower


Using pink yarn and J/6.00mm hook


Round 1: Magic ring, 12 sc into ring, join to first sc
Round 2: Ch 1, (sc, dc, ch 2, dc, sc) all in same space, *skip 1 st, (sl st, ch 1, sc, dc, ch 2, dc, sc) all in next st, repeat from * around, sl st into space under beginning ch 1
Fasten off and leave long tail for sewing.

Assembly

First, we will sew on the cactus to the white pillow cover panel.

Use a tapestry needle and tail ends of yarn to sew on the cactus first, then sew on the pot to overlap the cactus just a bit.

Sew on your flower last. I used a running stitch because nobody is going to see the back of the panel, it will be on the inside.

Hold the two panels together and use pink yarn and your J/6.00mm hook to crochet the two pieces together. Using stitch markers may help to keep everything even and in place while you crochet around.

Single crochet around the edges and be sure to make 3 single crochets into each corner.

Make 4 tassels (mine were 2.75″ with the Boye tassel maker). Attach to each corner of the pillow.

Weave in any pesky ends and brighten up your room with this festive and fun pillow!