Color Wheel Pillow in Caron Simply Soft and Simply Soft Brites - Downloadable PDF

Color Wheel Pillow Crochet Pattern in Caron Simply Soft and Simply Soft Brites

This free downloadable PDF crochet pattern produces a stunning circular Color Wheel Pillow approximately 16 inches (40.5 cm) in diameter. The design is rated Easy, making it an excellent project for beginner and intermediate crocheters alike. The finished pillow is worked in two identical circular panels — a front and a back — that are joined together with a pillow form inserted at the halfway point of seaming. The result is a bold, colorful home décor accent that showcases a full spectrum of coordinated shades radiating outward from the center, much like a traditional color wheel.

Design Overview

The Color Wheel Pillow is a single, round cushion design. Both the front and back panels are constructed identically, beginning at a central point and growing outward through a series of increase rounds. Each new round introduces a fresh color, creating concentric rings that transition smoothly from deep burgundy at the center through warm reds, oranges, and yellows, and into bright greens — mimicking the warm half of a classic artist's color wheel. The two finished circles are then crocheted together through both thicknesses, enclosing a pillow form for a plump, professional finish.

Techniques Used

• Working in the round: Both panels are crocheted entirely in continuous rounds, beginning with a small foundation chain and expanding outward with each round. This is a fundamental circular crochet technique ideal for flat, medallion-style projects.
• Magic ring / foundation chain start: The pattern begins with a chain of 4, with 15 double crochet stitches worked into the 4th chain from the hook to create the central ring.
• Regular increase rounds: Every other round is a double crochet increase round, evenly distributing increases around the circle to keep the work flat. The stitch count grows from 16 dc up to 128 dc over 16 rounds.
• Slip stitch rounds for color separation: Alternating rounds are worked in single crochet using a new color, joined with a slip stitch. These rounds act as clean color dividers between the double crochet increase rounds, giving the color wheel its crisp, banded appearance.
• Color joining mid-stitch: New colors are introduced by working to the last two loops of the final stitch of a round and drawing the new color through, ensuring smooth, tidy color transitions without knots or gaps.
• Joining Front and Back: With wrong sides facing each other, the two panels are joined by working single crochet through both thicknesses simultaneously, creating a neat, decorative seam around the edge. A pillow form is inserted before the seam is fully closed.

Stitches Used

• Chain stitch (ch) — used for the foundation and for turning/beginning chains at the start of rounds
• Slip stitch (sl st) — used to join rounds and to attach new yarn colors
• Double crochet (dc) — the primary stitch used in the increase rounds to build the circular panels; the beginning chain-3 counts as a double crochet throughout
• Single crochet (sc) — used in the alternating color-change rounds and in the joining round that seams the front and back panels together

Color Sequence and Yarn

The pattern uses Caron Simply Soft and Caron Simply Soft Brites, both worsted/aran weight yarns, in eight carefully chosen colors that progress around the warm spectrum. Each color requires 1 ball, and the colors used are:

• Contrast A — Burgundy (39762) — Caron Simply Soft — forms the central starting ring
• Contrast B — Harvest Red (39763) — Caron Simply Soft — second ring
• Contrast C — Watermelon (B9604) — Caron Simply Soft Brites — third ring
• Contrast D — Mango (B9605) — Caron Simply Soft Brites — fourth ring
• Contrast E — Orange (39778) — Caron Simply Soft — fifth ring
• Contrast F — Gold (39782) — Caron Simply Soft — sixth ring
• Contrast G —