Festive Tree Pillow Free Knitting Pattern and Video Tutorial
There is something deeply satisfying about making your own holiday decorations, especially when the finished piece is something you will pull out year after year, something that feels handmade in the best possible way. This festive tree pillow knitting pattern is exactly that kind of project. It combines a classic Christmas tree silhouette with cozy, chunky texture, and the result is a pillow that looks beautiful on a sofa, armchair, reading nook, or holiday-decorated bed. Whether you are a beginner looking for your first colorwork project or an intermediate knitter wanting a quick, rewarding seasonal make, this pattern has everything you need to get started today.
In this post, you will find the complete free knitting pattern written out step by step, notes on yarn and needle choices, tips for getting a clean tree silhouette, finishing instructions, and a full video tutorial walkthrough you can follow along with at your own pace. Let’s get into it.
Why You Will Love This Project
Knitted pillows are one of those projects that feel impressive but are genuinely approachable. Unlike a sweater, where fit and sizing can create a lot of anxiety, a pillow is forgiving. If your tension is a little loose or a little tight, you can simply block the piece or adjust your stuffing to compensate. And because this festive tree pillow uses a straightforward intarsia or stranded colorwork method for the tree design, you get to practice a valuable knitting skill without the pressure of a wearable garment.
The Christmas tree motif is worked in a contrast color against a solid background, creating a bold, graphic look that photographs beautifully and holds up well even when the pillow is squashed into a corner of a couch. The simple geometric shape of a triangle tree means you do not need to carry yarn across long stretches of the row, which keeps the back of your work tidy and the knitting enjoyable from start to finish.
This pattern makes a pillow approximately 16 inches by 16 inches, which fits a standard pillow insert and sits nicely on most furniture. You can easily scale the pattern up or down by adjusting your needle size and yarn weight.
Materials You Will Need
Before you cast on, gather everything together so you can knit without interruption.
Yarn: You will need two colors of yarn. For the background, choose a deep, rich color that reads as cozy and wintery — forest green, deep burgundy, navy blue, and charcoal grey are all beautiful options. For the tree itself, a warm cream, soft white, or pale gold creates a stunning contrast. You will need approximately 200 yards of your main color (MC) and 80 yards of your contrast color (CC). A worsted weight yarn works perfectly for this project. A yarn with a bit of wool content will block beautifully, though an acrylic blend works just as well if you prefer easy care.
Needles: US size 7 (4.5mm) straight or circular needles. If you prefer to knit in the round and seam the pillow using a three-needle bind-off, you can use a 24-inch circular needle instead.
Other supplies: Two stitch markers, a tapestry needle for weaving in ends and seaming, a 16-inch square pillow insert or polyfill stuffing, and scissors. Optional but helpful: a row counter, especially if you are new to colorwork charts.
Gauge: 20 stitches and 26 rows over 4 inches in stockinette stitch. Always knit a gauge swatch before beginning. A difference of even one stitch per inch can significantly change your finished pillow size.
Reading the Pattern
This pattern is written for flat knitting, meaning you will knit two separate squares (a front and a back) and seam them together at the end. The tree motif appears on the front panel only. The back panel is worked entirely in your main color in a simple stockinette or seed stitch pattern — your choice.
The colorwork chart for the tree is worked in stockinette stitch. On right-side rows, you knit across following the chart from right to left. On wrong-side rows, you purl across following the chart from left to right. The chart is 80 stitches wide and 104 rows tall, which produces the full pillow front.
If you are new to reading colorwork charts, here is the key: each square on the chart represents one stitch. A blank or white square means you work that stitch in your main color. A colored or filled square means you work that stitch in your contrast color. The tree motif begins appearing around row 12 and is complete by row 96, leaving a border of background color all the way around.
The Pattern: Festive Tree Pillow Front
Cast on: Using your main color (MC) and US size 7 needles, cast on 80 stitches using a long-tail cast-on for a neat, firm edge.
Rows 1–12 (border): Work in stockinette stitch (knit on right side, purl on wrong side) using MC only. These rows create the bottom border of your pillow front.
Row 13 (begin tree motif): This is where you introduce your contrast color. Work the row according to the chart below. The tree begins as a single stitch at the center of the panel and will grow wider as you work upward.
Tree Motif Chart (written out by section)
Because not everyone has a printer handy or wants to navigate away from this page, here is the tree chart described in text form, with the number of MC stitches and CC stitches given for each right-side row. Purl the same sequence on wrong-side rows, reading from left to right.
The tree is centered over a 50-stitch section of your 80-stitch row, with 15 border stitches in MC on each side throughout the motif section.
Row 13 (RS): K15 MC, K24 MC, K2 CC, K24 MC, K15 MC.
Row 15 (RS): K15 MC, K23 MC, K4 CC, K23 MC, K15 MC.
Row 17 (RS): K15 MC, K22 MC, K6 CC, K22 MC, K15 MC.
Row 19 (RS): K15 MC, K21 MC, K8 CC, K21 MC, K15 MC.
Row 21 (RS): K15 MC, K20 MC, K10 CC, K20 MC, K15 MC.
Row 23 (RS): K15 MC, K19 MC, K12 CC, K19 MC, K15 MC.
Row 25 (RS): K15 MC, K18 MC, K14 CC, K18 MC, K15 MC.
Row 27 (RS): K15 MC, K17 MC, K16 CC, K17 MC, K15 MC.
Row 29 (RS): K15 MC, K16 MC, K18 CC, K16 MC, K15 MC.
Row 31 (RS): K15 MC, K15 MC, K20 CC, K15 MC, K15 MC.
Row 33 (RS): K15 MC, K14 MC, K22 CC, K14 MC, K15 MC.
Row 35 (RS): K15 MC, K13 MC, K24 CC, K13 MC, K15 MC.
Row 37 (RS): K15 MC, K12 MC, K26 CC, K12 MC, K15 MC.
Row 39 (RS): K15 MC, K11 MC, K28 CC, K11 MC, K15 MC.
Row 41 (RS): K15 MC, K10 MC, K30 CC, K10 MC, K15 MC.
Row 43 (RS): K15 MC, K9 MC, K32 CC, K9 MC, K15 MC.
Row 45 (RS): K15 MC, K8 MC, K34 CC, K8 MC, K15 MC.
Row 47 (RS): K15 MC, K7 MC, K36 CC, K7 MC, K15 MC.
Row 49 (RS): K15 MC, K6 MC, K38 CC, K6 MC, K15 MC.
Row 51 (RS): K15 MC, K5 MC, K40 CC, K5 MC, K15 MC.
Row 53 (RS): K15 MC, K4 MC, K42 CC, K4 MC, K15 MC.
Row 55 (RS): K15 MC, K3 MC, K44 CC, K3 MC, K15 MC.
Row 57 (RS): K15 MC, K2 MC, K46 CC, K2 MC, K15 MC.
Row 59 (RS): K15 MC, K1 MC, K48 CC, K1 MC, K15 MC.
Row 61 (RS): K15 MC, K50 CC, K15 MC. (full width of tree at widest point)
Continue working the widest row of the tree (50 CC stitches bordered by 15 MC on each side) for rows 63 and 65 as well to create a slightly flat top section.
Rows 63–65: Repeat Row 61.
Now begin narrowing the tree back upward to form the upper triangle section, making the tree a classic layered shape by introducing a “step” in the silhouette. Work 12 rows with the tree narrowing by 2 stitches on each side every other row, then widen again briefly to suggest layered branches. For a simplified version, continue narrowing all the way to a single stitch at the top, like so:
Row 67 (RS): K15 MC, K1 MC, K48 CC, K1 MC, K15 MC.
Row 69 (RS): K15 MC, K2 MC, K46 CC, K2 MC, K15 MC.
Row 71 (RS): K15 MC, K4 MC, K42 CC, K4 MC, K15 MC.
Row 73 (RS): K15 MC, K7 MC, K36 CC, K7 MC, K15 MC.
Row 75 (RS): K15 MC, K10 MC, K30 CC, K10 MC, K15 MC.
Row 77 (RS): K15 MC, K13 MC, K24 CC, K13 MC, K15 MC.
Row 79 (RS): K15 MC, K17 MC, K16 CC, K17 MC, K15 MC.
Row 81 (RS): K15 MC, K21 MC, K8 CC, K21 MC, K15 MC.
Row 83 (RS): K15 MC, K24 MC, K2 CC, K24 MC, K15 MC.
Rows 85–104: Work all stitches in MC only, back to stockinette, creating the top border.
Bind off: Bind off all 80 stitches loosely using MC.
The Pattern: Pillow Back
Cast on: Using MC, cast on 80 stitches.
Work 104 rows in stockinette stitch (or seed stitch if you prefer a non-curling fabric for an envelope-style closure). Bind off all stitches.
Finishing the Pillow
Weave in all ends carefully on both panels before seaming. Use a tapestry needle and a length of MC yarn to seam three sides of the pillow together using mattress stitch or whipstitch, whichever you are most comfortable with. Insert your pillow form or stuff with polyfill to your desired firmness, then seam the final side closed.
If you would like a removable cover, you can create an envelope closure on the back panel by knitting two overlapping rectangles instead of one solid back. Cast on 80 stitches and work 60 rows for the first back piece, then bind off. Work a second piece 60 rows tall as well. When seaming, overlap these two pieces by about 16 rows at the center to create a pocket opening where the pillow insert can be slipped in and out.
Tips for Clean Colorwork
One of the most common challenges in colorwork knitting is maintaining even tension where you switch between colors. Here are a few things that genuinely help.
When you introduce your contrast color for the first time, leave a tail of about 6 inches and work a few stitches before going back to catch that tail on the wrong side. This prevents a hole from forming at the point where the new color begins.
When working intarsia (carrying separate bobbins of yarn for each color section rather than stranding across the back), always twist the yarns around each other at every color change. Pick up the new color from underneath the old color as you switch. This links the two sections of fabric and prevents gaps in your work.
Block your finished panels before seaming. Even a light steam block or a damp blocking with pins will even out any uneven tension and make your tree motif look crisp and intentional.
If the back of your colorwork looks messy, don’t worry. It will be hidden inside the pillow, and nobody will ever know.
Video Tutorial Walkthrough
The video tutorial for this festive tree pillow pattern walks you through every section described above in real time. You can follow along stitch by stitch, pausing whenever you need to catch up. The video covers the long-tail cast-on, working through the first rows of the border, introducing the contrast color for the tree motif, managing your yarn bobbins to prevent tangling, reading the chart while knitting, the bind-off, and the finishing steps including seaming and stuffing.
The video is broken into chapters so you can jump directly to the section you need without watching from the beginning every time. If you find yourself stuck on the colorwork section or unsure how to twist your yarns at the color change, the colorwork chapter covers this in detail with a close-up camera angle so you can see exactly what is happening with the yarn.
Watch the full video tutorial by searching “Festive Tree Pillow Knitting Tutorial” on YouTube, or find the link pinned in the comments below this post. New to the channel? Make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss new free patterns and tutorials uploaded every week throughout the holiday season.
Customizing Your Pillow
One of the nicest things about this pattern is how easily it adapts to your own style and color preferences. A few ideas to consider once you have worked through the basic version:
Try reversing the colorwork so that the tree is worked in a deep jewel tone and the background is cream or white. This gives a Scandinavian, folk-art feel that works beautifully in a farmhouse or minimalist holiday décor scheme.
Add embellishments after the knitting is complete. Small wooden buttons make lovely ornaments when sewn directly onto the tree section. You can also use duplicate stitch to add tiny colored dots in red, gold, or blue to suggest lights or baubles.
Work the pillow in a bulky weight yarn on US size 10 or 10.5 needles for a chunkier, faster version that you can finish in a weekend. Adjust your stitch count to around 50 stitches wide and scale the tree chart accordingly.
Make a set of three pillows in different colorways — one in green on cream, one in red on cream, and one in navy on gold — for a coordinated holiday sofa arrangement that looks styled and intentional.
A Note on Yarn Substitution
The pattern calls for a worsted weight yarn, but almost any yarn at the right gauge will work. If you are using stash yarn, swatch first and let your gauge guide your needle size rather than the other way around. Yarns with a halo, like mohair blends, will make the tree silhouette look softer and more impressionistic. Smooth, tightly spun yarns will give you the crispest stitch definition and the sharpest tree outline. Both effects are lovely; it simply depends on the look you are going for.
If you are buying yarn specifically for this project, look for something with good stitch definition and a slight twist to it. Many knitters love a 100% wool or merino blend for holiday decorations because it blocks so well, but a washable wool or acrylic blend is perfectly practical if you want to toss the pillow cover in the washing machine throughout the season.
