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Try these Knitted Neck Pillow Free Patterns to make soft pillows for yourself or as gifts. Pick a favorite design and start knitting today.
A long flight, a road trip, or even a quick nap can leave your neck uncomfortable without the right support. Instead of settling for a store-bought pillow, why not knit one that suits your needs and style? These Knitted Neck Pillow Free Patterns include practical travel designs, curved shapes, colorful covers, and even a fun cat-inspired option. With different yarn weights, needle sizes, and knitting techniques to choose from, you can find a pattern that fits both your comfort needs and your skill level.
Knitted Neck Pillow Free Patterns
1. Travel Neck Pillow
Make a structured travel pillow with the Travel Neck Pillow by Mary E. Jacobs, which uses an interesting entrelac construction rather than a standard knitted shape. The pillow starts with a 6-star center and builds outward in tiers before being folded and stuffed to form its crescent shape. The pattern calls for Aran-weight yarn and US 6 (4 mm) needles, with a gauge of 5 stitches and 5 rows over 10 cm in a 6-rectangle block. It’s a good option for knitters who want to work on modular construction while making a functional neck pillow.
2. Travel Cushion
This easy knitted Travel Cushion by Fran Morgan is a useful project to add to your knitting list. The pattern uses DK-weight yarn and US 6 (4 mm) knitting needles, with a gauge of 22 stitches and 28 rows over 10 cm in stockinette stitch. Its practical design makes it a great companion for traveling, resting, or adding extra support wherever you need it. The combination of shaping and stripes gives this otherwise practical cushion a little more visual interest.
3. Pillow Neck
If you prefer a project that lets you adjust the fit, take a look at Pillow, Neck by J.G. Miller. The middle section can be customized in length, so you can adapt the pillow to different neck sizes. There is also no seaming or sewing involved—the shape is created with short rows using shadow wraps. The pattern uses worsted-weight yarn and US 4 (3.5 mm) needles, with mini tutorials included to help with the techniques. This is a useful choice for knitters who want to practice short-row shaping while keeping construction simple.
4. Pillow Curved
Skip traditional seaming with the Curved Pillow by J.G. Miller, a short-row project built around shaping rather than joining separate knitted pieces. The pattern uses worsted-weight yarn and US 4 (3.5 mm) needles and relies on shadow wraps for the short-row sections. Several mini tutorials are included, which can be useful when working through the construction. If you enjoy learning new shaping methods and want a pillow with a curved profile, this pattern offers a different approach from standard rectangular or seamed designs.
5. Travel Pillow Cover
Give a basic travel pillow a colorful update with Laura Strutt’s Travel Pillow Cover. This intermediate-level pattern uses DK or 8-ply yarn with US 6 (4 mm) straight needles and combines intarsia, rib, and stocking stitch. The intarsia sections allow you to work with contrasting shades, while the rib and stocking stitch help shape the cover. The finished cover measures approximately 31 cm wide at its widest point and 23.5 cm from the top to the end of the buttonhole band, and it is designed to fit a travel pillow.
6. Baby’s Buddy Inchworm Pillow
Turn a simple cushion into a fun character with the Baby’s Buddy Inchworm Pillow by Helen Ralph. This easy baby knitting project uses worsted-weight yarn, with US 7 (4.5 mm) needles and US 6 (4 mm) double-pointed needles for the smaller sections. The finished inchworm measures about 29 inches (73.5 cm) after stuffing, so it makes a substantial cushion rather than a small pillow. With its long, curved form and colorful details, this pattern is a fun choice for a child’s room or nursery.
7. Sweet Dreams Travel Pillow
For knitters comfortable with a few extra finishing steps, the Sweet Dreams Travel Pillow by Lion Brand Yarn combines knitting with duplicate-stitch embroidery and button details. The pattern is worked in Aran-weight yarn, with US 7 (4.5 mm) needles for the project, while the gauge of 17 stitches and 25 rows over 10 cm is measured in stockinette stitch using US 8 (5 mm) needles. The pillow measures approximately 33 × 30.5 cm and includes embroidered cloud motifs, a fleece section, stuffing, and pearl buttons. Lion Brand lists the pattern as an intermediate-level project.
8. Ready To Fly Neck Pillow
Make a travel pillow that can do more than provide neck support with Ready To Fly Neck Pillow by Belinda Rewucki. The clever design can be stuffed with one or two changes of clothing, making it useful when packing space is limited. The pillow is knitted as a tube with drawstring closures and shaped into a crescent using short rows. It uses DK-weight yarn and US 3 (3.25 mm) needles, with a gauge of 23 stitches and 32 rows over 10 cm in stockinette stitch. It’s a particularly useful pattern for knitters who like travel accessories with more than one function.
9. Snoozing Cat Travel Pillow
Cat lovers can turn an ordinary U-shaped travel pillow into a knitted character with Snoozing Cat Travel Pillow by Rian Anderson. The cover is worked flat and shaped with decreases and increases, then finished with a buttoned opening at the back; the head, paws, and tail are added separately. The pattern uses lace and fingering-weight yarn held together to create a DK-weight fabric, worked on US 5 (3.75 mm) needles at a gauge of 23 stitches and 30 rows over 10 cm in stocking stitch. It is designed to fit a U-shaped travel pillow and is listed as an intermediate-level pattern.
