Crochet a Two-Sided Granny Square Pillowcase

Turn this pillow over and the whole composition changes. One side has a grid of raised flowers framed in white; the other has a single large granny square with colorful bands growing outward from the center.

The two sides share a palette, but they use color differently. On the floral side, each bloom is a small focal point. On the reverse, the same shades form broad rings across the pillow. That gives you two ways to display one handmade piece.

The main challenge is getting these different constructions to meet neatly around the edges. The notes below focus on planning the size, keeping the motifs consistent, and checking the fit before completing the cover. Follow the video at the end for the demonstrated stitch sequence and assembly.

Plan Around Your Pillow Insert

Choose the insert before making all the squares. Measure its width and height along the seams, then keep it nearby for fitting.

The photographed floral panel uses sixteen squares arranged in four rows of four. That layout is a useful reference, but your finished size will depend on yarn, hook, tension, and joining method.

Make one complete floral square first. Finish and block it using a method suitable for your yarn, then measure the outer edges without stretching it. Measure the white square itself rather than the raised petals.

Next, join two sample squares using your intended method. This shows how the seam affects the combined width. Multiplying an individual square’s measurement alone may not predict the panel size accurately.

The cover should hold the insert without pulling the motifs out of shape. Avoid choosing a fixed amount of stretch before seeing how your fabric behaves. A firm insert and an open crochet fabric may need a different fit from a soft insert and dense fabric.

Build a Palette That Works on Both Sides

The sample combines pale yellow flower centers, green surrounds, white frames, and petals in pink, blue, purple, red, orange, and yellow.

The repeated white borders organize the floral side into a clear grid. The green sections connect the flowers visually, even when their petal colors differ.

Choose your border yarn early and keep enough available for every motif and the finishing work. Running short of the common border color is harder to disguise than changing one flower color.

If using leftovers, compare their thickness and care instructions. Similar colors do not guarantee similar fabric: one yarn may make a larger or softer square than another.

For a smaller palette, repeat a few petal colors across the panel and reuse those shades in the large reverse square. Make a small color sample before committing to the full cover.

Keep the Floral Squares Consistent

Each flower needs room within its surrounding square. Keep the raised petal stitches consistent in fullness, and check that the green and white rounds sit evenly around them.

Compare each finished motif with your first sample. Look at the edge length, corner shape, and border stitch count. Two squares can appear similar while having different numbers of joining points.

If a motif cups or twists strongly, check the construction before setting it aside. Blocking can help settle minor unevenness, but it cannot reliably correct a missing corner or an incorrect stitch count.

Weave in the flower’s color-change ends as you finish each motif. Leaving every end until the final assembly makes it harder to inspect the backs and identify loose joins.

Arrange the Flower Panel Before Joining

Lay out all sixteen motifs in a four-by-four grid. Step back and look at the placement of your brightest and darkest flowers.

A red or navy bloom draws more attention than a pale pink one. Spread those stronger accents across the panel if you want a balanced arrangement, or group them deliberately if you prefer a more directional design.

Take a photograph of the chosen layout so you can restore it as you join. Keep the motifs facing the same way, with the raised flowers on the outside.

Match corners and corresponding edge stitches using removable markers. Work the joins with even tension, checking each completed row on a flat surface. A tight seam can shorten the row and make the panel curl.

Inspect the points where four squares meet. These intersections should feel secure without becoming large, hard knots. Follow the tutorial’s joining method and check both sides of the fabric as you work.

Make the Large Reverse Square to Match

The reverse uses one large granny square, with bands of yellow, pink, green, blue, cream, purple, and navy in the photographed example.

Its target size is the finished floral panel. Compare the two panels as the large square grows, allowing for any border or finishing rounds still to come.

Check all four sides rather than measuring only one. Keep the corner increases consistent, and inspect the center line of the square for twisting. If one side begins to bow, review that area before adding several more rounds.

Color changes can also affect tension. A new yarn that is slightly thicker may produce a fuller round, while a thinner one can draw the fabric inward. Similar yarn weights make this easier to manage.

When the square is close to the required size, place it beneath the floral panel without stretching either piece. Compare the corners and edges. If the difference is substantial, adjust the construction before attempting to join them.

Join the Panels Without Forcing the Fit

Finish and block both panels before the final assembly. Support the floral panel so the raised petals retain their shape, and avoid pressing them flat.

Align the panels in the orientation required by your joining method, checking that both decorative faces will end up outside. Mark the four corners, then mark the midpoint of each edge.

These reference points help you distribute the join evenly. If an edge requires substantial stretching to reach the next marker, stop and check the panel dimensions.

The edges may not have identical stitch counts because the two panels use different constructions. Follow the tutorial’s approach to matching them; do not assume every stitch on one side must correspond directly to a stitch on the other.

Test the insert before completing the final edge. Check that it fills the corners and supports both panels without stretching the openings between stitch groups excessively.

Decide How You Will Remove the Insert

Plan access before closing the cover. Follow the tutorial’s finish if you want to reproduce the demonstrated construction.

For a removable adaptation, an opening with buttons or a zipper is an option, but it needs its own finishing plan. Leave enough room to insert the pillow without pulling hard on the floral motifs or seams.

Test any closure with the insert inside. It should lie comfortably along the edge and stay closed without puckering the surrounding fabric. If using buttons, check that the chosen buttonholes hold them securely under normal tension.

Check the Finished Cover from Both Sides

Turn the pillow several times and look at the edge seam. It should remain near the perimeter instead of being pulled across one face.

On the floral side, gently lift any petals caught in the joins. On the reverse, check that the colored bands keep a balanced square outline.

If the cover sags, review the fit rather than adding more filling immediately. If the insert stretches the stitch gaps widely, consider whether the cover needs more room. A fabric-covered insert is especially useful beneath open granny stitches because it keeps loose filling contained.

Care for the Raised Flowers

Follow the care instructions for all the yarns used. If the cover is removable, take out the insert before cleaning.

Dry the cover with its panels supported, reshaping the corners and gently arranging the petals. Avoid hanging a wet cover by one edge, which can stretch the fabric.

For storage, leave the flower side loosely supported rather than compressed beneath heavy items. Before putting the pillow back on display, check the petals, seams, and closure.

Watch the Granny Square Pillowcase Tutorial

Use the video for the demonstrated motif construction, joining, and assembly. Keep your insert and both panels nearby as you work so you can check the fit before completing the cover.