How to Make a Toothpaste Pillow: Free Crochet Pattern & Tips

Honestly, the biggest secret to a professional-looking crochet project isn’t some magical stitch technique. It’s having the right tools within arm’s reach so you aren’t hunting for scissors while holding a slippery strand of acrylic. I learned that the hard way years ago when I dropped a half-finished hat because I was fumbling for a stitch marker. Never again.

For this toothpaste pillow, I recommend sticking to worsted weight cotton or a cotton-blend yarn. Why cotton? Because it has that slight structure and “grip” that holds its shape better than fluffy wool or slippery acrylic. I’ve made pillows out of soft, squishy acrylic before, and while they feel nice against the cheek, they tend to lose their form after a few weeks of lounging. Cotton keeps that crisp, squeezed-tube look. My favorite is a mercerized cotton in bright white—it has a subtle sheen that mimics real toothpaste paste.

Materials and Tools Needed

Let’s get our supplies sorted before we dive into the yarn. For your hook, a 4.0mm (G/6) or 5.0mm (H/8) hook is perfect for worsted weight yarn. If you want a denser, stiffer pillow that stands up straight without much stuffing, go with the smaller 4.0mm hook. If you prefer a softer, plushier version, grab the 5.0mm. I usually default to the 4.5mm or 5.0mm because it’s faster to work with, but remember: tight tension equals structure.

You’ll also need two colors of yarn. A bright white for the “paste” body and a vibrant blue or green for the stripe and cap. I use about 150 yards of white and 50 yards of color for a standard 10-inch pillow. Don’t forget your stuffing. Polyester fiberfill is the standard, but I sometimes mix in a handful of bean bag beads if I want the base to have a bit of weight so it doesn’t tip over easily. Other notions include a tapestry needle for weaving in ends (and sewing parts together), sharp scissors, and stitch markers. I can’t stress enough how much I love stitch markers—they save me from counting stitches endlessly when I’m distracted by the dog walking by. Optional, but highly recommended: safety eyes or embroidered details if you want to give your toothpaste a face, though I personally prefer keeping it abstract and funny.

Pattern Instructions: Body of the Toothpaste Pillow

Now, let’s start crocheting. We begin with a Magic Ring, which creates a tight center hole so nothing shows through. Chain 4 and join with a slip stitch (sl st) to form a circle. Round 1 consists of 12 single crochet (sc) stitches worked into the ring. This is your foundation. It’s crucial to pull that tail tight; when I first started, I left it loose, and my first few projects looked like lopsided donuts. Yikes.

Round 2 is where the magic happens. Increase in every stitch: 2 sc in each stitch around, totaling 24 stitches. Switch to working in continuous spirals for the next few rows unless you’re changing colors. Rounds 3 through 6 will be plain sc stitches—no increases, no decreases. Just a steady 24 sc per round. This builds the main cylindrical body of the toothpaste tube. Keep your tension even. If it starts looking wavy, tighten up those stitches. If it’s shrinking inward like a funnel, you might be accidentally decreasing; check your count!

Here is where things get interesting: the squeeze. To mimic the crimped end of a real toothpaste tube, we need to decrease. Start around Round 10. For the next three rounds, decrease every third stitch. So, sc, sc, sc, decrease (sc2tog) repeated around. This brings your stitch count down from 24 to roughly 16. This tapering is what gives the pillow that authentic, used-up look.

As we approach the tip of the tube, we’ll introduce a color change. Let’s switch to our blue or green yarn for the final few rounds of the body, which will become the striped label area. To change colors seamlessly, finish the last pull-through of your previous color with the new color yarn. Do not cut the old yarn yet; weave it in later. For the very end, we do rapid decreases. Sc, decrease, sc, decrease around until only about 4-6 stitches remain. Cut the yarn, leaving a long tail. Thread this tail onto your tapestry needle and weave it through the front loops of the remaining stitches. Pull it tight like a drawstring purse, cinching that crimped end closed. It should look like a little starburst. That’s the charm of it!

Shaping the Squeeze

The trick is to make the decreases look organic. I found that if I space them unevenly—like decreasing twice in a row on one side, then skipping a round—the tube gets a more realistic, crumpled look. My approach is to pinch the tube gently as I go and adjust the decreases to match the natural folds. When I first tried this, I ended up with a perfectly symmetrical tube that looked more like a factory product than a squeezed toothpaste. It was frustrating, but I learned to embrace imperfection.

Assembling and Finishing

With the body done, you’ll have a tube that’s wider at the top and crimped at the bottom. Now comes the satisfying part: stuffing. I usually start with light stuffing to check the shape. Once you think it looks right, go heavy. You want this pillow firm. If it’s too floppy, it won’t look like a realistic tube of paste; it’ll look like a deflated sausage. Push stuffing deep into the crimped end to fill out those wrinkles. I use about 4 ounces of fiberfill for a 10-inch pillow.

Next, the cap. This is often the trickiest part for beginners, so bear with me. You don’t need a complex pattern for this. Chain 40 (for a medium-sized pillow). Row 1: sc in the second chain from the hook and across (39 sc). Row 2-4: ch 1, turn, sc in each stitch. You should have a small rectangle measuring about 4 inches by 1.5 inches. Fold this rectangle in half lengthwise so the short ends meet, then seam the long edge together using sl st or a whip stitch with yarn. This creates a small, open-ended cylinder—the cap.

Attach the cap to the wide opening of your toothpaste body. Position it slightly off-center if you want it to look like it’s been twisted shut, or centered for a neat look. Sew it securely with your tapestry needle. For the cap lid itself, crochet a small flat circle (start with a magic ring, 6 sc, increase to 12, etc.) that fits snugly into the top of the cap cylinder, or just embroider a simple “cap” shape on the fabric of the cap if you’re feeling lazy—I won’t judge. Finally, use your yarn and needle to embroider a label on the side. A simple white rectangle with black stitching for letters adds so much character. When I added a label to my first one, my husband laughed so hard he cried. He called it “Extra Whitening.” It stuck.

Embroidering the Label

For the label, I chain 10 with white yarn and sc back and forth for 6 rows, creating a 2-inch by 1-inch rectangle. Then I use black embroidery floss to stitch “PASTE” in block letters. You could also add a tiny tooth icon or a smiley face. The possibilities are endless. Have you tried adding a glitter stripe? I did once, and it looked like a toothpaste for unicorns. Honestly, it was adorable.

Customization Ideas and Next Projects

One of the best things about this pattern is its versatility. Did you know you can adjust the scale easily? If you want a mini keychain version, switch to fingering weight yarn and a 2.5mm hook. The math stays the same, but the stitch counts drop drastically because the stitches are smaller. Conversely, for a jumbo throw pillow, use bulky yarn and a 9.0mm hook. Just be aware that with bulky yarn, you might need fewer rounds to achieve the same height. Always check your gauge! A quick swatch of 4x4 inches will tell you if you’re on track.

Once you’ve mastered the toothpaste, what’s next? The bathroom theme is wide open. Try making a toothbrush pillow using white yarn for the handle and multi-colored yarn for the bristles. Or, create a dental floss container—a small cylinder with a spool inside. Some crafters even combine these into a “Bathroom Essentials” set of amigurumi. I once made a whole set for a baby shower: a tiny tub of cream, a bar of soap, and the toothpaste. They were adorable. Don’t stop here! Share your creations with #ToothpastePillow so I can see your versions. Have fun, get messy, and enjoy the yarn.

Scaling for Different Sizes

For a mini version, I use a 2.5mm hook and fingering weight yarn. The magic ring starts with 6 sc instead of 12, and I increase to 12 stitches in Round 2. The body is only 10 rounds tall, and the cap is a 20-chain rectangle. The finished pillow is about 4 inches long—perfect for a keychain or a dollhouse. For a jumbo version, I use a 9.0mm hook and super bulky yarn. The magic ring starts with 8 sc, increases to 16, and the body is 20 rounds tall. The cap is a 60-chain rectangle. The finished pillow is about 18 inches long—great as a floor cushion. My approach is to always test a small swatch first to see how the yarn behaves.

Common Mistakes and Troubleshooting

Let’s talk about the things that go wrong. Gaps are the enemy. If you see holes in your tube, it’s usually because your tension is inconsistent or you’re skipping stitches. To fix gaps, practice your invisible decrease (sc2tog). Instead of just yarning over and pulling through two loops, insert your hook into both stitches, yarn over, pull up a loop (three loops on hook), yarn over, pull through all three. It hides the gap perfectly. Another common issue? The tube twisting. If your pillow looks like a corkscrew, you’re likely increasing or decreasing in the wrong spots. Always mark your beginning-of-round. Use a piece of contrasting yarn or a stitch marker on the first stitch of each round. If you lose your place, you’ll spiral out of control.

If your pillow is too floppy, add more stuffing or switch to a tighter hook size. If it’s too stiff and won’t hold the “squeezed” shape, try using a softer yarn or less stuffing in the base. And if the cap falls off? Sew it on again, but this time use a backstitch for durability, not just a whip stitch. It takes longer, but it lasts longer.

Fixing Tension Issues

I remember one project where my tension was so tight that the tube was barely 6 inches tall instead of 10. I had to frog the whole thing and start over with a 5.5mm hook. The trick is to relax your hands and let the yarn flow. If you’re gripping the hook like a lifeline, you’re probably crocheting too tight. Take a breath, loosen your grip, and try again. Have you ever had to frog a whole project? It’s frustrating, but it’s part of the learning process.

Final Thoughts

Making a toothpaste pillow is silly, simple, and surprisingly rewarding. It’s a great project for practicing decreases and color changes without the pressure of a complex garment. I hope you’ve found this guide helpful and that your tube looks delightfully realistic—or hilariously abstract. There’s no wrong answer when you’re crocheting. Please, share your photos! Whether your toothpaste is pristine white or covered in glitter, I want to see it. Tag me on Instagram or leave a comment below with your favorite part of the process. Did you struggle with the cap? Did you love the stuffing part? Let’s chat. Happy crocheting!