Granny Square Christmas Tree: Free Crochet Pattern

 

Pattern name: Granny Square Christmas Tree

Designer: Mirrymas

Difficulty: Easy

Hook size: 4.00 mm

Steps: 8

Images: 16

Description

This little Christmas tree is made from a single granny square, folded and stitched into shape, with a small crochet trunk and a bead on top. It is a quick, simple project and a lovely way to make handmade decorations for your home or to give as gifts.

Materials

• Yarn — double knit (DK) yarn in green for the tree, or polyester macrame cord
• Yarn — a small amount of orange or brown yarn for the trunk
• Hook — 4.00 mm for DK yarn, or the hook recommended for your yarn
• Notions — tapestry needle, beads for the top of the tree and for ornaments, fabric glue (optional, to secure ends) [icon: notions]

Abbreviations

• ch = Chain
• ch-sp = Chain Space
• sl st = Slip Stitch
• sc = Single Crochet (double crochet in UK terms)
• dc = Double Crochet (treble crochet in UK terms)

Special Stitch Instructions

• Magic circle: wrap the yarn around two fingers twice. Insert your hook under the wraps, catch the working yarn and pull up a loop, then yarn over and pull through that loop to secure it. Slide the circle off your fingers, work your first round into it, then pull the tail to close the centre.
• Group: 3 dc worked into the same space.
• Corner: (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) worked into the same corner space.

Step 1: Round 1

Make a magic circle. Ch 3 (this counts as your first dc). Work 2 dc into the circle. You now have your first group of 3.

Ch 2 to make a corner, then work 3 dc into the circle. Repeat this twice more, so you have 4 groups in total. Ch 2 for the last corner. Pull the tail to close the centre of the circle.

Join with a sl st into the top of the beginning ch 3. To move to the corner, work 1 sl st into each of the next 2 dc, then 1 sl st into the corner space.

Total: 12 dc (4 groups of 3) and 4 ch-2 corners.

Step 2: Round 2

Ch 3 (counts as a dc). Work 2 dc into the same corner space, ch 2, then 3 more dc into the same space. This makes your first corner.

*Ch 1, then in the next corner space work 3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc.* Repeat from * twice more, until all 4 corners are done.

Ch 1, then join with a sl st into the top of the beginning ch 3. Work 1 sl st into each of the next 2 dc, then 1 sl st into the corner space.

Total: 24 dc (8 groups), 4 ch-2 corners and 4 ch-1 spaces.

Step 3: Round 3

Ch 3 (counts as a dc). Work 2 dc into the same corner space, ch 2, then 3 more dc into the same space.

*Ch 1, then work 3 dc into the next ch-1 space. Ch 1, then in the next corner space work 3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc.* Repeat from * twice more, until all 4 corners are done.

Ch 1, work 3 dc into the last ch-1 space, ch 1, then join with a sl st into the top of the beginning ch 3. Work 1 sl st into each of the next 2 dc, then 1 sl st into the corner space.

Total: 36 dc (12 groups), 4 ch-2 corners and 8 ch-1 spaces.

Step 4: Rounds 4 and 5

Repeat Round 3. Each round, every side gains one more group, because you work a group into every ch-1 space along the side, with a ch 1 between groups.

At the end of Round 5, join with a sl st into the top of the beginning ch 3, but do not slip stitch across to the corner.

Round 4 total: 48 dc (16 groups), 4 ch-2 corners and 12 ch-1 spaces. Round 5 total: 60 dc (20 groups), 4 ch-2 corners and 16 ch-1 spaces.

Cut the yarn, leaving a tail, and pull it through the loop on your hook. Pull the magic circle tail once more to close the centre, then weave the tails into the wrong side of the square with a tapestry needle. A tiny dab of fabric glue will stop the ends from unravelling, if you like.

Step 5: Fold and Sew the First Seam

The square is folded and stitched with a tapestry needle to make the tree. For every seam, stitch through the front loop of the stitches on one edge and the back loop of the stitches on the other edge.

Fold the square in half diagonally, corner to corner, with the right side inside and the wrong side facing out. You now have a triangle.

Leave a tail at the start. Beginning at the tip of the triangle, sew one open side together, all the way from the tip to the other end. This turns the square into a cone.

Step 6: Turn and Close the Bottom

Before turning, bring the yarn tail through to the outside so it does not get trapped. Turn the cone inside out, so the right side is now on the outside, and push the tip out gently with your finger.

Flatten the cone into a triangle, with the seam running down the centre of the back. Sew the bottom edge closed from one corner across to the other, using the same front loop and back loop join. Fasten off at the back of the tree and hide the tail inside.

Step 7: The Trunk

Use orange or brown yarn.

Row 1: make a slip knot and ch 5. Skip the first chain from your hook, then work 1 sc into each of the next 4 chains. Total: 4 sc.

Row 2: ch 2 and turn. Work 1 dc into each stitch across. Total: 4 dc.

Fasten off, leaving a tail. Check that the trunk fits neatly across the bottom of your tree; if it needs to be wider, start with a longer chain.

Weave in one tail at the back of the trunk. Use the other tail to stitch the trunk to the centre of the bottom of the tree, then tuck the end inside the tree.

Step 8: Decorate and Hang

Sew a small bead to the top of the tree and secure it firmly. If you have more beads, use a needle to sew them all over the tree as ornaments.

To hang your tree, make a small loop of yarn at the tip, just above the bead, and tie or sew it securely.

Author Notes

• The ch 3 at the start of each round counts as the first double crochet.
• Whenever you reach the top of a group of 3 double crochets from the round below, ch 1 and move on to the next space.
• From Round 3, the spaces along the sides are ch-1 spaces, not corners, so each gets just one group of 3 double crochets.
• When joining, stitch through the front loop on one edge and the back loop on the other.
• Bring the yarn tail to the outside before turning the cone right side out, so it does not get trapped inside.

Customizing

• A bigger or smaller tree: add more rounds to the granny square for a bigger tree, or stop after Round 3 or 4 for a smaller one. Every round follows the same steps as Round 3.
• Different yarns: macrame cord gives a firmer tree that holds its shape well, while DK yarn gives a softer tree.
• Colours: try a different shade of green for each round, or make a set of trees in white, gold and red.
• Mini ornaments: stop after Round 3 or 4 to make small trees, add a hanging loop and make a whole set.

Video

Watch the video tutorial

Conclusion

video tutorial:

This little granny square tree is such a cheerful make, and once you have made one it is hard to stop. Make a whole forest in different colours, add beads and loops, and hang them around your home or give them as gifts.

If you make something with this stitch, I would love to see it. Share a photo and tag me on Instagram or TikTok at @mirrymascrafts, and leave a comment below to let me know how it went.

More stitch patterns to try:

• Crochet Granny Stripe Stitch: the classic granny look worked in rows.
• Half Double Crochet Back Loop Stitch: an easy, stretchy ribbed stitch.
• Crochet Cobblestone Stitch: round bumps made with single and treble crochet.
• Crochet Bean Stitch: soft, puffy beans that sit neatly together.
• Crochet Star Stitch: rows of little six-pointed stars.
• Easy Textured Crochet Blanket Stitch: slip stitch and half double crochet.
• Back Loop Shell Stitch: curved shells worked in the back loop.

Happy crocheting, and see you in the next tutorial!