Apple Tree Crochet Pattern
Happy Earth Day! To honour and celebrate Earth Day this year, I thought we’d chat about the three Rs – reduce, reuse, recycle – and how we can apply them to crochet. I’ve also got a fun apple tree crochet pattern for you which is a great example of how to recycle an old item and give it new life.
REDUCE
Don’t buy more yarn than you need (easier said than done I know!) but this is a great opportunity to do some stash busting.
Hang onto those yarn ends. Here are a few ways that you can use them:
- Make a scrap blanket. This is a perfect use for longer yarn ends. Join them together and wind up your very own scrap cake or make fun scrappy granny squares.
- Make amigurumi or appliques. Scraps are great for smaller items and adding detail.
- Use them for stuffing.
Swap disposable household items for reusable ones. Some great examples that are a cinch to crochet are: dishcloths, facial wipes/scrubbies and market bags.
REUSE
Frog any items that you don’t like or need anymore and reuse the yarn. I’m sure a lot of us have the odd work in progress (or 10) that have been sitting in the pile for a while and just aren’t going to get finished.
RECYCLE
Using old products in new ways. Instead of throwing something away see if you can repurpose it in a creative way. Old clothing can be turned into t-shirt yarn and plastic bags into plarn for example. Cups and jars are one of the easiest items to upcycle – you can use them for holding crochet hooks or other craft supplies or even to make a fun pin cushion. Which leads me to today’s free pattern…
Trees play a significant role in reducing erosion and moderating the climate as well as providing a habitat for many animals and plants and providing us with food so what could be more perfect for Earth Day than a tree! I’ve used a small cup for my tree (I picked up two for $1 at my local op shop) but you could use a terracotta pot, some other small container or even crochet one. If you decide to go down the crochet route, I would weight the bottom of it to make sure that it stands on it’s own.
The pattern is no-sew and comes together pretty quickly plus I finally got the chance to use some of my Scheepjes Stone Washed yarn – I love how it adds light and shade without any effort.
MATERIALS
- Sport weight yarn in dark brown and green (I used Scheepjes Stone Washed in Obsidian and Jade)
- DK weight yarn in red (I used Paintbox Yarns Cotton DK in Pillar Red)
- 4 ply yarn in dark brown or dark brown embroidery floss
- 2.5mm crochet hook
- Polyester fiberfill
- Small cup (2.5″ x 2.5″)
- Stitch marker, yarn needle, scissors
ABBREVIATIONS
- ch – chain
- sc -single crochet
- inc – increase
- BLO – back loop only
- invdec – invisible decrease
- sl st – slip stitch
- st/s – stitch/es
- […] – repeat the instructions in brackets
- (…) – indicates stitch count at end of round
SPECIAL STITCHES
Puff Stitch (puff st): [Yarn over, insert hook in ch, yarn over and pull through] x2, you should have 5 loops on your hook. Yarn over and pull through all 5 loops. Ch 1 to close the st.
NOTES
The pattern is written using US terminology and measures approximately 6.5″ (16.5cm) tall including the cup, when using the materials listed.
Pieces are worked in a continuous spiral starting with a magic ring unless otherwise specified. Mark the first stitch of each round with a removable stitch marker.
You can adjust the size of your tree by using thicker or thinner yarn and a hook size to match. If you don’t have a cup you can use a terracotta pot, some other small container or even crochet one.
My cup measures 2.5″ in diameter and is 2.5″ tall.
PATTERN
BASE (brown)
My piece measured 2.25″ (5.5cm) across after R7. You want it to be just slightly smaller than the diameter of your cup. If you are using a different container, keep trying it for size as you go.
R1: 6 sc in magic ring (6)
R2: [Inc] x6 (12)
R3: [Sc, inc] x6 (18)
R4: BLO sc, inc, [2 sc, inc] x5, sc (24)
R5: [3 sc, inc] x6 (30)
R5: 2 sc, inc, [4 sc, inc] x5, 2 sc (36)
R6: [5 sc, inc] x6 (42)
R7: 3 sc, inc, [6 sc, inc] x5, 3 sc (48)
R8-12: [Sc] x48 (48)
R13: 3 sc, invdec, [6 sc, invdec] x5, 3 sc (42)
R14: [Sc] x42 (42)
R15: [5 sc, invdec] x6 (36)
R16: [Sc] x36 (36)
R17: 2 sc, invdec, [4 sc, invdec] x5, 2 sc (30)
R18: [Sc] x30 (30)
R19: [3 sc, invdec] x6 (24)
R20: [Sc] x24 (24)
Start stuffing and continue to stuff as you go.
R21: Sc, invdec, [2 sc, invdec] x5, sc (18)
R22: [Sc] x18 (18)
R23: [Sc, invdec] x6 (12)
R24: [Invdec] x6 (6)
Cut the yarn leaving a tail and pull through last st. Weave the yarn tail through the front loop only of the final round and pull to close. Hide end inside the base.
TREE (starting with brown)
Stuff the trunk as you go using small amounts of stuffing. Use a chopstick or the end of your crochet hook to help get it in there.
Join brown yarn to last leftover back loop from R4.
R1: Ch 1, sc in same st and in each st around (18)
R2: 2 sc, invdec, [4 sc, invdec] x2, 2 sc (15)
R3: [3 sc, invdec] x3 (12)
R4-12: [Sc] x12 (12) – change to green yarn in last stitch of R12
R13: [Inc] x12 (24)
R14: [3 sc, inc] x6 (30)
R15: 2 sc, inc, [4 sc, inc] x5, 2 sc (36)
R16: [5 sc, inc] x6 (42)
R17: 3 sc, inc, [6 sc, inc] x5, 3 sc (48)
R18: [7 sc, inc] x6 (54)
R19-27: [Sc] x54 (54)
R28: [7 sc, invdec] x6 (48)
R29: 3 sc, invdec, [6 sc, invdec] x5, 3 sc (42)
R30: [5 sc, invdec] x6 (36)
R31: 2 sc, invdec, [4 sc, invdec] x5, 2 sc (30)
R32: [3 sc, invdec] x6 (24)
Start stuffing and continue to stuff as you go.
R33: Sc, invdec, [2 sc, invdec] x6, sc (18)
R34: [Sc, invdec] x6 (12)
R35: [Invdec] x6 (6)
Cut the yarn leaving a tail and pull through last st. Weave the yarn tail through the front loop only of the final round and pull to close. Hide end inside the tree.
APPLES (red)
R1: Ch 2, puff st in 2nd ch from hook (see special stitches)
With the puff st still on your hook, insert your hook upwards through a single st on the tree and through the ch that the puff st is worked into. Yarn over and pull through all loops on your hook.
Weave in ends. Take a piece of 4ply brown yarn or embroidery floss. Using a yarn needle, thread it through a st on the top of the puff st. Tie in a knot and trim ends.
Repeat as many times as you like until you’re happy with the number of apples on your tree.
PIN IT FOR LATER!
Interested in the pattern and want to save it for later? Simply click the image below.
I love seeing your creations! Feel free to send me a photo or tag me on Instagram @stitchbyfay and use the hashtag #stitchbyfaypatterns.
This pattern is for personal use only and may not be copied, reproduced, altered, published or distributed in any way. If you wish to share this pattern, you may link to this pattern but please do not reprint it on your site. You can sell finished products made from this pattern by crediting Stitch by Fay as the pattern designer and providing a link back to this post.