Easy Knit Pillow Cover Pattern for Beginners – Cozy Pumpkin Spice Throw Pillow

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I love fall—and I love knitting even more when it means creating cozy, seasonal decor. A couple years ago, I designed this easy knit pillow cover pattern while looking for a simple project to work on throughout the season. I had some beautiful fall-colored yarn but no set plan, and with a toddler keeping me busy, I needed something mindless and relaxing. This pumpkin spice-inspired throw pillow came together stitch by stitch, with no complex counting or fancy techniques. It’s the kind of project you can set down mid-row and pick back up without missing a beat—perfect for beginner knitters wanting to practice or experienced knitters needing a cozy, no-pressure project.

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Easy Knit Pillow Cover Pattern for Beginners – Cozy Pumpkin Spice Throw Pillow

The Yarn

Before you dive into your Pumpkin Spice knit pillow cover pattern, let’s talk supplies. First up: the yarn—because that’s what brings the whole pillow to life. For this project, I used 2 skeins of Caron Simply Soft Yarn in Pumpkin and 2 skeins of Caron Simply Soft Tweeds in Off White. This brand is my go-to for most projects—it’s soft, budget-friendly, easy to work with, and best of all, machine washable. As a mom of two little ones, I need everything in my house to be low-maintenance. These pillow covers have been tossed in the wash with all kinds of laundry and come out looking (and feeling) even better than before.

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Easy Knit Pillow Cover Pattern for Beginners – Cozy Pumpkin Spice Throw Pillow

The Needles

Now let’s talk tools. For this easy knit pillow cover pattern, I used my absolute favorite needles: ChiaoGoo Red Lace Circular Needles in US Size 3. I’ve tried them all—plastic, bamboo, random mystery metal—and nothing compares to these. I own way too many pairs of size 3s because it’s my go-to size for so many projects, and ChiaoGoo is hands-down my favorite brand.

If you’re just starting to build your knitting toolkit, I highly recommend the ChiaoGoo Twist Stainless Steel Interchangeable Set. Yes, they’re a bit of an investment, but honestly, they’re the only set you’ll ever need—unless you’re like me with five WIPs and somehow all of them need the same needle size at the same time.

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Easy Knit Pillow Cover Pattern for Beginners – Cozy Pumpkin Spice Throw Pillow

The Pillow Insert

Once you’ve finished this easy knit pillow cover pattern, you’ll need a pillow to slip it over! This design is made to fit a 18×18 pillow insert. You can use a standard pillow form or repurpose any decorative pillow you already have lying around. Got a festive holiday pillow you’re not using? Just cover it up with this cozy, textured knit and give it a fall makeover! If you’re using a pillow form, I recommend doubling up—two inserts in one cover—since they tend to flatten out over time and a fuller look makes your knit pillow extra plump and inviting.

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Easy Knit Pillow Cover Pattern for Beginners – Cozy Pumpkin Spice Throw Pillow

Additional Supplies

There are a few other items that can make knitting this pillow cover pattern a bit easier. First, you might want to grab some stitch markers. For this project, I used 2 stitch markers. Placing them every few stitches helps break up the count into smaller, more manageable groups. You might also want a row counter. A fun choice that is gaining popularity in the knitting and crocheting community right now is the Counting Numbers Chart Pop It, which is a fun and effective tool. While this pattern doesn’t have many different rows, it’s pretty easy to count visually, however, having a row counter can be helpful just in case, especially if you’re new to knitting. I used one at first, but eventually stopped once I got into the rhythm of the pattern. Finally, you’ll need a tapestry needle or a small crochet hook to sew up the sides of the pillow cover.

There are a few other tools I like to use when I knit, though they’re not necessary. I like to use a yarn bowl to keep my yarn organized and prevent it from getting tangled, and a yarn winder to create neat, center-pull yarn cakes.

Thank You!

I hope you enjoy working on this easy knitting pattern as much as I have! If you make this pillow cover, I’d love to see your finished project—please tag me in a photo on Instagram (@amandahknitanddesign). Feel free to reach out if you have any questions about the pattern or anything in this post. I’d love to chat! And don’t forget to sign up for my monthly newsletter and blog post updates so you never miss a new project. Happy knitting!

(Complete Pumpkin Spice Knit Pillow Cover Shopping List Below)

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Your Pumpkin Spice Knit Pillow Cover Shopping List

• Pumpkin Spice Knit Pillow Cover – Pattern By Amanda Heake – AmandaHKnitandDesign
• Caron Simply Soft Yarn Solids – Pumpkin
• Caron Simply Tweeds Yarn – Off White
• ChiaoGoo Red Lace Knitting Needle US Size 3
• 18×18 Pillow Insert
• Stitch Markers
• Row Counter
• Tapestry Needle or Small Crochet Hook

Other Helpful Knitting Tools

• ChiaoGoo Twist Stainless Steel Interchangeable Set (this set comes with spacers)
• Yarn Bowl
• Yarn Winder (this set comes with spacers and counters)