Basketweave Throw Pillow: Your Complete Guide to Knitting or Crocheting a Cozy Home Accent
There is something deeply satisfying about a basketweave pattern. The way the stitches interlock and create that unmistakable woven texture — raised rectangles alternating in opposite directions — gives any finished piece a sense of weight, craftsmanship, and warmth that flat-stitch projects simply cannot replicate. When that pattern is applied to a throw pillow, the result is one of those rare home accessories that manages to look both tailored and cozy at the same time. A basketweave throw pillow sits on a sofa and says, “someone made this with care.”
If you have been searching for the perfect yarn project that bridges beginner and intermediate skill levels, teaches you a foundational stitch pattern, and produces something genuinely beautiful for your home (or as a gift), the basketweave throw pillow is it. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know: choosing the right yarn, understanding the basketweave stitch, setting up your project, working through the pattern, finishing your pillow, and caring for it so it lasts for years.
What Is the Basketweave Stitch?
The basketweave stitch is a classic knit-and-purl (or front-post and back-post, in crochet) technique that creates a three-dimensional grid resembling woven basket reeds. In knitting, it alternates blocks of knit stitches on the right side with blocks of purl stitches, then reverses those blocks in the next sequence. In crochet, the same visual effect is achieved using front post double crochet (fpdc) and back post double crochet (bpdc), which push stitches forward and backward from the fabric plane.
What makes the basketweave pattern so appealing for a throw pillow specifically is its reversibility and its structure. Unlike stockinette, which curls at the edges and shows a completely different face on each side, a well-executed basketweave is nearly identical on both sides. That matters enormously when you are making a pillow cover, because both sides may be visible at different times depending on how the pillow is positioned. The stitch also has natural elasticity that allows it to hug a pillow insert without pulling or puckering.
Choosing the Right Yarn for a Basketweave Throw Pillow
Yarn selection is arguably the most important decision you will make for this project, and it deserves more thought than many crafters give it. Because the basketweave pattern depends entirely on stitch definition — the raised ridges need to stand out clearly against the recessed rows — fiber type and twist level matter enormously.
Fiber Considerations
Wool and wool blends are almost universally recommended for basketweave projects. Wool has natural memory, meaning it bounces back into shape after being squished (which pillows regularly are), and it holds the three-dimensional structure of the stitch beautifully. A medium-weight merino wool or a merino-alpaca blend will give you softness, definition, and durability in one package.
Cotton is another popular choice, especially for people who prefer plant-based fibers or who live in warmer climates. Cotton yarns tend to be heavier and less elastic than wool, but they produce extremely crisp stitch definition because the fibers do not bloom or fuzz the way some animal fibers do. A tightly spun cotton or cotton-linen blend can produce a pillow with almost architectural precision in the basketweave structure.
Avoid loosely spun, fuzzy, or highly textured yarns — bouclé, mohair blends, or roving-style yarns — for this pattern. The fuzz obscures the stitch work, and the whole point of a basketweave pillow is that beautiful, visible texture. Save those yarns for a simple garter stitch project where texture comes from the yarn rather than the stitch pattern.
Weight Considerations
For a standard 18×18 inch throw pillow, a worsted weight yarn (approximately 200 yards per 100 grams) will work up quickly and give you satisfying, chunky basketweave squares. Bulky weight yarn produces an even faster knit or crochet but can make the pillow feel stiff if the stitch tension is too tight. Fingering or sport weight yarn would create a delicate, tightly woven fabric, but you would need significantly more yardage and far more time.
For most home décor throw pillows, worsted weight is the sweet spot. It is fast enough to be satisfying, weighty enough to look substantial on a sofa, and available in a staggering range of colors at nearly every yarn shop and online retailer.
How Much Yarn Do You Need?
For an 18×18 inch pillow cover in worsted weight, plan on approximately 400 to 500 yards of yarn if you are working in a single color. If your basketweave squares are larger, you may need slightly less; if you are working a fine gauge with smaller squares, budget closer to 600 yards to be safe. Always purchase an extra skein if you are working with a dye lot — running out of yarn mid-project and being unable to match the color is one of the most frustrating experiences in fiber arts.
Tools and Notions You Will Need
Beyond the yarn itself, you will need a few other supplies before casting on.
For knitters, you will want circular needles or two sets of straight needles in the size recommended on your yarn label — typically US 7 or US 8 for worsted weight. A cable needle or stitch holder, a blunt tapestry needle for seaming and weaving in ends, stitch markers, and a tape measure round out the toolkit.
For crocheters, grab a hook in the size suggested on your yarn label (usually 5.0mm to 5.5mm for worsted weight), the same blunt tapestry needle, stitch markers, and a tape measure.
You will also need a pillow insert. The standard size for a throw pillow is 18×18 inches, but pillow inserts also come in 16×16, 20×20, and rectangular sizes like 12×20 or 14×24. Choose your insert before you begin your project, not after — your finished fabric panel should be about half an inch smaller on each side than your insert to ensure a snug, full-looking pillow. A too-loose cover makes even a beautiful piece of work look sad and deflated.
Polyester fiberfill inserts are the most affordable and widely available, but down and down-alternative inserts feel noticeably more luxurious. For a handmade gift or a pillow that will sit in a prominent place in your home, investing in a quality insert is worth it.
Finally, you can finish your pillow with a simple seamed opening, a sewn zipper, or an envelope closure (overlapping panels at the back that require no zipper or button). The envelope closure is the most popular choice for handmade pillows because it requires no additional hardware, allows easy removal of the insert for washing, and is achievable with basic sewing or knitting skills.
Understanding the Pattern Structure
Before diving into the actual row-by-row instructions, it helps to understand the logic behind a basketweave pattern. Once you see that logic, you can adapt it to almost any size or gauge.
The basketweave stitch is built on multiples. In knitting, you typically work in multiples of 8 stitches plus a few edge stitches for balance. The pattern creates 4-stitch wide, 4-row tall blocks of knit stitches, then shifts so that what was knit becomes purl and vice versa. In crochet, the multiple is often 6 or 8 stitches, and the shift happens every 2 to 4 rows depending on how rectangular you want your “basket” squares.
The key to an even basketweave is consistency. Each block should be exactly the same width and height throughout the piece. If your blocks are 4 stitches wide and 4 rows tall in knitting, every single block in the project must be 4 stitches wide and 4 rows tall. Any variation — even one row off — will throw off the alignment when the squares reverse direction, and the pattern will look uneven or jumbled.
Swatching before you begin is not optional for this kind of project. It will show you whether your tension is producing the gauge specified in a pattern, and it will let you practice the stitch sequence before committing to the full piece. Block your swatch the same way you intend to block the finished pillow, because blocking (especially with wool) can significantly change the dimensions of your fabric.
Step-by-Step: Knitting Your Basketweave Throw Pillow
This section provides a general working method for a knitted basketweave throw pillow panel. You will make two identical panels and seam them together (or work one long panel and fold it).
Cast On
For an 18×18 inch pillow with worsted weight yarn at a gauge of approximately 18 stitches and 24 rows per 4 inches, cast on 82 stitches (80 working stitches in multiples of 8, plus 1 stitch at each edge for a clean selvedge).
Rows 1 through 4 (First Block Sequence)
Row 1 (Right Side): Slip the first stitch purlwise, knit 4, purl 4, knit 4, repeat from to to the last stitch, knit 1 for the edge.
Row 2 (Wrong Side): Slip the first stitch purlwise, purl 4, knit 4, purl 4, repeat to the last stitch, purl 1.
Repeat rows 1 and 2 two more times so you have completed 4 rows total.
Rows 5 through 8 (Second Block Sequence, Reversed)
Row 5 (Right Side): Slip the first stitch purlwise, purl 4, knit 4, purl 4, repeat to the last stitch, purl 1.
Row 6 (Wrong Side): Slip the first stitch purlwise, knit 4, purl 4, knit 4, repeat to the last stitch, knit 1.
Repeat rows 5 and 6 two more times for a total of 4 rows.
Continue Pattern
Repeat this 8-row sequence (rows 1–4 followed by rows 5–8) until your panel measures 18 inches from the cast-on edge, ending with a complete 8-row sequence if possible.
Bind off in pattern — this means working knit stitches over knit columns and purl stitches over purl columns as you bind off, which keeps the edge flexible and even.
Finishing
Block both panels before seaming. Wet blocking (soaking the panels briefly in cool water, pressing out excess moisture in a towel, then pinning them to measurements on a blocking mat and allowing to dry) will even out your tension and give the stitch work a polished, professional finish. Once dry, seam three sides using mattress stitch or whipstitch, insert your pillow form, and close the fourth side. Or set up an envelope closure on the back panel for easy access.
Step-by-Step: Crocheting Your Basketweave Throw Pillow
For crocheters, the basketweave stitch feels different but achieves the same visual result. The front post and back post double crochet stitches are worked around the post of the stitch below rather than into the top loops, creating the forward and backward ridges that mimic a woven texture.
Foundation
Chain a multiple of 8, plus 2 for the turning chain. For an 18-inch pillow at roughly 14 stitches per 4 inches in worsted weight with a 5mm hook, chain 66 (64 working stitches plus 2).
Row 1
Double crochet across all stitches. This is your foundation row and does not show the basketweave pattern yet.
Row 2 (Right Side — First Block Direction)
Chain 2, turn. Work 4 front post double crochet (fpdc) around each of the first 4 posts, then 4 back post double crochet (bpdc) around the next 4 posts. Repeat across, ending with a regular dc into the turning chain.
Row 3
Chain 2, turn. Work 4 bpdc over the fpdc columns from the previous row, and 4 fpdc over the bpdc columns. This maintains the same visual ridge direction without changing it yet.
Rows 4 and 5
Repeat rows 2 and 3.
Row 6 (Direction Switch)
Chain 2, turn. Now reverse the sequence — work 4 bpdc over what were fpdc columns, and 4 fpdc over what were bpdc columns.
Continue this alternating block structure, switching direction every 4 rows, until your panel reaches 18 inches.
Fasten off, weave in ends, block, and assemble as with the knitted version.
Color Choices and Design Variations
One of the quiet pleasures of a basketweave throw pillow is that the pattern itself is the design. You do not need stripes or color gradients to make it visually interesting — the stitch does all the work. That said, color choice has a significant impact on how the texture reads.
Deep, saturated solids tend to make the basketweave stitch pop most dramatically. A forest green, a rich navy, a burnt sienna, or a deep plum creates strong shadow contrast between the raised and recessed squares. Heathered or slightly tweedy yarns add visual depth without being distracting. Pale pastels and very light neutrals produce a softer, more subtle effect — still beautiful, but the texture reads more quietly.
If you want to add visual complexity without changing the basic pattern, consider working a two-color version. You can switch colors every 8 rows for horizontal color bands that align with the basketweave blocks, creating a checkerboard of both color and texture. Alternatively, work the entire pillow in one color but use a different (but coordinating) color for the envelope back panel — a small detail that gives the piece a finished, intentional look.
Blocking, Seaming, and Assembly
Blocking is the step that separates a handmade pillow that looks homemade from one that looks handcrafted. The difference is real and visible. Unblocked fabric tends to have slight inconsistencies in tension, edges that roll or pull, and stitches that look cramped. After blocking, those same stitches open up evenly, the edges lie flat, and the whole piece looks as though it were made by someone with twice as much experience.
For wool or wool-blend yarn, wet blocking is most effective. For cotton or cotton blends, spray blocking (misting the piece with water and pinning to shape) often works well enough. For acrylic yarns, steam blocking is the standard method — hold a steam iron just above the surface (never touch the iron directly to acrylic, which can melt) and allow the steam to relax the fibers.
When seaming your panels together, take time with the stitch. Mattress stitch, worked along the edge of each panel, creates an almost invisible seam on the right side of the fabric. Whipstitch is faster and creates a visible ridge, which some makers actually prefer as a design detail. Either way, use the same yarn you knitted or crocheted with, and try to maintain even tension throughout the seam.
Caring for Your Basketweave Throw Pillow
A handmade throw pillow will last for decades with proper care. Most wool and wool-blend pillow covers should be hand-washed in cool water with a gentle wool wash, then pressed (not wrung) dry in a clean towel and laid flat to air dry. Machine washing on a wool or delicate cycle in a mesh laundry bag is acceptable for many superwash wool yarns — check your yarn label to confirm.
Cotton covers are generally more forgiving and can often be machine washed on a gentle cycle in cool water. Avoid high heat in the dryer, which can shrink cotton significantly.
Remove the pillow insert before washing the cover whenever possible. Most inserts are not designed to be washed frequently, and washing the cover separately extends the life of both.
Store your pillow away from direct sunlight when not in use if you care about color longevity — both natural and synthetic dyes can fade over time with prolonged UV exposure.
Why a Basketweave Throw Pillow Makes Such a Good Gift
Handmade gifts hit differently when they are also functional and beautiful. A basketweave throw pillow checks every box: it is warm and tactile, it works in virtually any home aesthetic from farmhouse to modern minimalist, and it carries the quiet message that the maker spent real time and skill creating something just for you.
It is also a gift that is easy to personalize. Choose a color palette that matches the recipient’s home. Select a yarn with a fiber they love — a mohair-silk blend for someone who loves luxury,
