Beginner
What the pattern's own author called it. Nothing here is graded again.
Home Decor 12 Laid out for paper No account, no download
Crochet autumn leaf bouquet pattern for fall decor
A 12-row crocheted leaf motif worked flat with a 3.75mm hook, gathered into a fall bouquet.
- Skill
- Beginner
- Time
- 3-5 hours
- Yarn weight
- Worsted
- Hook
- 3.75 mm
- Rounds
- 12
Worsted
What the sample was worked in. Any weight works; the size moves with it.
12
Each one is typed out whole and gets its own line.
This bouquet gathers individual crocheted leaves around a stem to recreate a fall branch. Each leaf works flat in 12 rows from a pointed base, built up with single crochet and half double crochet and shaped by increases at the center and decreases toward the tip. A straight embroidered line added afterward reads as a leaf vein. Have worsted weight yarn in red, orange, yellow, brown, and green on hand, a 3.75 mm hook, a yarn needle, and floral wire or wooden sticks ready for the stems before starting.
Common mistakes and their fixes
- Losing count during increase rows
- Count stitches after Row 2 and Row 4 against the totals given, since a missed increase there throws off the leaf's whole width.
- Skipping blocking before assembly
- Block each leaf flat before sewing it to the stem, since an unblocked leaf curls and sits poorly once attached.
- Embroidering the vein too loosely
- Keep the straight vein stitch snug against the leaf fabric from base to tip, or it will sit proud and distort the flat shape.
- Loose stem attachments
- Sew each leaf to the stem with several small secure stitches rather than one loose pass, since a weakly attached leaf will shift or fall off the arrangement.
The materials list
- Worsted weight yarn in 5 fall colors: red, orange, yellow, brown, and green (approx. 180 yards / 165 meters total)
- 3.75 mm (US F-5) crochet hook
- Yarn needle
- Scissors
- Fiberfill stuffing (small amount for stems if desired)
- Floral wire or wooden sticks for optional firm stems (approximately 8 inches / 20 cm long)
Listed by the pattern's own author, in their words.
Key to this pattern, 8 short forms
Main Pattern
Make 5 leaves in different autumn colors. Ch 2.
Row 1
Work 2 sc in second chain from hook. Turn. (2 sts)
Row 2
Ch 1, 2 sc in each stitch across. Turn. (4 sts)
Row 3
Ch 1, sc across. Turn. (4 sts)
Row 4
Ch 1, sc in first stitch, inc in next 2 stitches, sc in last stitch. Turn. (6 sts)
Row 5
Ch 1, sc across. Turn. (6 sts)
Row 6
Ch 1, sc in first stitch, hdc in next 4 stitches, sc in last stitch. Turn. (6 sts)
Row 7
Ch 1, sc in first stitch, dec, hdc in next 2 stitches, dec, sc in last stitch. Turn. (5 sts)
Row 8
Ch 1, sc across. Turn. (5 sts)
Row 9
Ch 1, dec, sc in next stitch, dec. Turn. (3 sts)
Row 10
Ch 1, sc across. Turn. (3 sts)
Row 11
Ch 1, dec, sc in next stitch. Turn. (2 sts)
Row 12
Ch 1, dec. Fasten off and weave in ends.
Special Stitch
Leaf vein stitch: After finishing a leaf, use a yarn needle and matching or contrasting yarn to create a straight embroidered line from the leaf base toward the tip.
Assembly, in order
Step 1Cut floral wire or prepare wooden sticks approximately 8 inches (20 cm) long.
Step 2Wrap green yarn around the stem and secure with small stitches.
Step 3Attach leaves by sewing the bottom edge of each leaf around the stem.
Step 4Arrange five leaves in a fan shape with one central leaf and four surrounding leaves.
Step 5Lay out the leaves before attaching them permanently. Sew each leaf securely to the stem using matching yarn. Add a small amount of stuffing around thicker stems if you want a fuller branch effect.
Step 6Optional: Crochet additional leaves and attach them to create a larger bouquet, wreath, or garland.
Check these before you start
- Use the 3.75 mm hook consistently across all leaves; a looser hook produces floppy leaves that won't hold the pointed oval shape.
- Fiberfill stuffing is optional and only for thicker stems; skip it entirely when using floral wire or wooden sticks for a firmer branch.
- The finished bouquet measures approximately 12 inches tall x 10 inches wide (30 x 25 cm), using about 180 yards (165 meters) of worsted weight yarn total.
- Gauge is approximately 18 single crochet stitches x 20 rows = 4 inches (10 cm); check gauge when substituting yarn or hook size.
- Choose yarn colors with slight differences in tone to create a more natural handmade bouquet; mixing deep reds, warm oranges, and muted browns gives the leaves extra dimension.
- If using floral wire or other small decorative parts, keep this project intended for decoration only; it is not designed as a toy for babies or young children.
On one line
| Rounds | 12 |
|---|---|
| Parts | 2 |
| Level | Beginner |
| Time | 3-5 hours |
| Hook | 3.75 mm |
| Yarn | Worsted |
Set-up
- Check you have worsted weight yarn in all five fall colors (red, orange, yellow, brown, green) before starting, since each leaf needs its own shade.
- Confirm the 3.75 mm (US F-5) hook gives firm, close stitches; decorative leaves need fabric tight enough to hold shape rather than drape.
- Read Rows 1 through 4 of the Main Pattern before picking up the hook, since the increases there set the leaf's widest point for every row after.
- Decide whether stems will be floral wire, wooden sticks, or stuffed crochet, and gather that material now, since it changes how each leaf is sewn on later.
Finishing
- Weave in all loose ends on each leaf before assembly, since the back of the work is harder to reach once leaves are sewn to the stem.
- Block each leaf lightly flat to set the pointed oval shape before it goes anywhere near the stem.
- Lay out the blocked leaves around the stem to check spacing, then sew each one in place with matching yarn, adding stuffing around the stem only if a fuller branch is wanted.
- Keep the finished bouquet away from excessive moisture and dust; clean it by gently shaking it or using a soft brush, and store it flat or upright in a dry container when it isn't on display.
Construction
The leaf starts at a single point (2 sc in the second chain from hook) and widens through paired increases in Rows 2 and 4, so the stitch count builds early and the leaf's widest section sits near its center rather than its base.
Each leaf is worked flat as a separate motif rather than in the round, which is why it needs blocking and sewing onto the stem afterward instead of being joined during construction; this is also what lets more leaves be added at any time.
The pattern can be resized by changing yarn weight and hook: thicker yarn and a larger hook produce bigger leaves, while sport weight yarn and a smaller hook make miniature leaves. Adding rows before the decreases lengthens a leaf, and extra increase rows widen it; swapping to green, pink, and lavender yarn turns the same motif into a spring bouquet, and combining different leaf shapes reads as more natural.
Time per section
| Main Pattern (12 rows per leaf) | about 20-30 minutes per leaf, because the increase and decrease shaping needs close row-by-row attention. |
|---|---|
| Leaf vein embroidery | about 5 minutes per leaf, because it is a single straight stitched line from base to tip. |
| Assembly onto stems | about 30-45 minutes total, because each leaf must be laid out, checked for spacing, and sewn on individually. |
Common questions
These answers came from whoever first published the pattern, kept word for word.