Easy & Free Crochet Christmas Tree Pattern

Learn how to make a mini crochet Christmas tree with this easy and free pattern. Whether you are looking into making small ornaments or a garland for your mantel, you will love this pattern.

What’s your Christmas decoration style? Are you the kind that keeps the tradition of using the classic colors or do you take a modern and minimalistic approach?

As you can see in my pictures, I love the muted hues. They allow me to create a more relaxed and nostalgic and/or vintage vibe. But whatever you are looking for, use your favorite décor colors in your mini trees to match your style.

Before you go further into the pattern instructions, please make sure you read through the ideas about embellishing your mini trees. As well as my recommendations for what you can use them for.

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How to Crochet this Christmas Tree

This crochet Christmas tree is crocheted in continuous rounds, as a cone. Keep scrolling for the full instructions, but here are the basic steps:

First, you create a magic circle with 3 single crochet stitches in it.
Secondly, you will start crocheting new rounds with increases.
Then, you will have a few rounds with a mix of slip stitches and chains to make the branches.
Next, you will decide if you want your tree flat or if you want to make it 3D.
Lastly, you will glue on a stick for the trunk if it’s the flat version. Or you will add a bottom and stuff it with fiber.

Crochet Christmas Tree Customization Ideas

Wondering how you can customize these mini trees? Here are some ideas:

Branches – add a few rows of slip stitches followed by chain 2 stitches that will mimic foliage and add a cinnamon stick for the trunk (this is included in the pattern).
Small Beads – tiny beads would be great to add some pretending cheerful ornaments to your mini trees.
Fairy lights – if you can find a small string of Christmas fairy lights, it would give your mini trees some Christmassy style for a table arrangement.
Mini pompoms – thread a sewing needle with sewing thread and add mini pompoms to your tree. This will be another way to decorate your tree with mini ornaments without having to crochet them.

What to Use These Mini Trees for?

These mini crochet Christmas trees won’t be only a cute addition for your holidays decoration. But they can also be used for many other Christmas purposes, such as:

Gift toppers – for those gifts you love putting a customized touch, tie one of these mini Christmas trees outside of the gift wrapping.
Christmas Tree Ornaments – add a string to the top of the tree, from the inside, before you glue on the cinnamon sticks and hand them as ornaments.
Holiday Centerpiece – make several of them, add lights, candles and pine cones in a gorgeous arrangement for your table.
Stocking stuffers – these little trees will make cute little gifts to stuff the family stockings.
Christmas Garlands – attach them to a craft string, such as jute rope, and make a cute garland for your mantel.

Making your Crochet Christmas Tree 3D

As an option, instead of the flat tree with the cinnamon stick as a trunk, you can make a 3D shaped mini tree. And to achieve that 3D shape, you will need to crochet a flat round and sew it onto the bottom edge of the tree.

Towards the end of sewing, you will add stuffing fiber. Then you can hot glue an unfinished wood stick/twig for the trunk. The detailed instructions and pattern are included below.

Skills and Stitches to Know

This pattern only takes some basic stitches and techniques. Here are the most important ones you will need to know:

Magic Circle (mc): the magic circle allows you to start a project that needs a tight circle. See this tutorial here on the blog if you’re not familiar with it.
Single Crochet stitch (sc): insert the hook in next stitch, yarn over, pull up a loop, yarn over again and pull through two to finish the stitch.
Single Crochet Decrease (dec): two single crochet stitches in next stitch.
Chain (ch): yarn over and pull up a loop to make a chain.
Back loop only (blo): you work the current stitch in the blo of the stitch in previous round.
Front loop only (flo): you work the current stitch in the flo of the stitch in previous round.

Supplies You’ll Need

This crochet Christmas tree is such a tiny project. You will need only a small amount of yarn. As for the embellishments and add-ons, use your imagination and craft supplies leftovers you have around.

But here is a list of materials and tools I used to make mine:

Worsted weight yarn (#4) – more on the yarn below.
3.5 mm (US E) crochet hook
Cinnamon sticks for the tree trunk
Hot glue gun and glue sticks
Craft string if you’re making a garland
Stitch marker
Scissors
Tapestry needle

Best Yarn for this Crochet Christmas Tree

Any worsted weight yarn (#4) from your stash will work. You’ll need only 0.80 oz (23 g) / 37 yds (34 m), for the flat tree. A little extra if you’re making the bottom to stuff the tree.

The pictured mini trees were made with Re-Up by Lion Brand, which is a 100% recycled cotton and polyester blend. And the one pictured in the tutorial was made with Sugar n’ Cream Denim, in color Stonewash.

My recommended substitutions:

24/7 by Lion Brand, 100% mercerized cotton.
Coboo Yarn By Lion Brand, cotton and rayon blend, if you want a thinner yarn.
I Love This Yarn, 100% acrylic, by Hobby Lobby.

Pattern Notes & Instructions

This pattern uses crochet US Terminology.
Pattern level of difficulty: Easy.
This crochet Christmas tree is crocheted in continuous rounds, starting at the top.
Use a stitch marker to mark the first stitch in every round, moving it up as you go.
Since this is a super small crochet project, gauge is not important. See project size below.

Project size: The finished crochet Christmas tree will measure approximately 4.5” (11.5 cm), without the stick, when you use the recommend yarn and hook size.

Pattern Abbreviations (US terms)

approx.: approximately
blo: back loop only
ch: chain/chains
flo: front loop only
inc: increase (2 sc in the next stitch)
FO: Fasten-Off
mc: magic circle
rem: remaining
Rnd: Round
sl st: slip stitch
st(s): stitch(es)
sk: skip
sc: single crochet
( ): repeat instructions within parenthesis as many times as directed
[ ]: stitch count in a round

More Free Patterns

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Purchase an inexpensive PDF on my Ravelry pattern shop here or use this button to add this pattern to your queue.

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Crochet Christmas Tree Pattern Step by Step

Now, that you know what you need for materials and skills. As well some ideas on how to customize your tree, it’s time to begin the fun part. Let’s get started.

Please remember, this tree is crocheted in a spiral. Meaning, you will crochet single crochet stitches continuously, without joining the rounds with a slip stitch.

Total Time: 30 minutes

Make the tree

Rnd1: 3 sc in a mc.

Tip: make the first 3 sts loosely, that way it will be easier to insert the hook to crochet the next round.

Rnd2: (inc) 3 times. [6]
Rnd3: sc around. [6]
Rnd4: (inc, sc) 3 times. [9]
Rnd5: sc around. [9]
Rnd6: (inc, sc in next 2 sts) 3 times. [12]
Rnd7: sc around. [12]

Note: the next round will be the foliage/branches. You can continue without cutting the yarn, but a small gap will be visible at the end of the round, once you transition to round 9. If you want this (and all the foliage rounds) to be invisible, you can cut the yarn, join with a sl st, and then attach the yarn again to start round 9.

Rnd8: (sl st in flo of next st, ch 2) across.
Note: You will sl st in every st around in round 8, followed by a ch 2.
Rnd9: (inc in blo of next st in rnd7, sc in blo of next 3 sts of rnd7) 3 times. [15]
Rnd10: sc around. [15]
Rnd11: (inc, sc in next 4 sts) 3 times. [18]
Rnd12: sc around. [18]
Rnd13: (sl st in flo of next st, ch 2) across.
Rnd14: (inc in blo of next st in rnd12, sc in blo of next 5 sts of rnd7) 3 times. [21]
Rnd15: sc around. [21]
Rnd16: (inc, sc in next 6 sts) 3 times. [24]
Rnd17: sc around. [24]
Rnd18: (sl st in flo of next st, ch 2) across.
Rnd19: (inc in blo of next st in rnd17, sc in blo of next 7 sts of rnd7) 3 times. [27]
Rnd20: sc around. [27]
Rnd21: (inc, sc in next 8 sts) 3 times. [30]
Rnd22: sc around. [30]

Tip: Sop here if you want your tree to be even tinier.

Rnd23: (sl st in flo of next st, ch 2) across.
Rnd24: (inc in blo of next st in rnd17, sc in blo of next 9 sts of rnd7) 3 times. [33]
Rnd25: sc around. [33]
Rnd26: (inc, sc in next 10 sts) 3 times. [36]
Rnd27: sc around. [36]
Cut the Yarn. FO. Weave in the ends.
Attach the Cinnamon Stick

If you want your crochet Christmas tree to be an ornament, make sure you attach a hanging loop on top before you glue the stick in.

Your flat Christmas Tree is done. If you want to make the 3D version, leave the stick out and follow next steps.
Make a 3D Tree

This step is optional. However, if you want to make your crochet Christmas tree tridimensional, you will need this round bottom so you can add stuffing fiber in it.

Tip: If you want to use it as an ornament, attach a hanging string from the inside before you close it. If you forget, it’s ok, we can attach it after you finish as well.

Rnd1: 6 sc in a mc.
Rnd2: (inc) 6 times [12]
Rnd3: (inc, sc in next st) 6 times [18]
Rnd4: (inc, sc in next 2 sts) 6 times [24]
Rnd5: (inc, sc in next 3 sts) 6 times [30]
Rnd6: (inc, sc in next 4 sts) 6 times [36]
Do not cut the yarn yet.
Attach the Bottom and Stuff the Tree

With the working yarn from previous step, attach the circle you just crocheted to the bottom of the tree with a row of sl sts. When you are about ¾ of the seaming process, stuff the tree with fiber. But do not over stuff it, so you can get a flat bottom and your tree can stand.
FO. Cut the yarn. Weave in the ends.
Attach a trunk (optional)

If you’re doing the step, I recommend you use an unfinished slice of wood stick or anything else you think will be good as a mini tree trunk. I left mine plain, with no trunks.

Your 3D tree is done!

Estimated Cost: 3.00 USD

Supply:

Medium weight yarn (#4) – see yarn description above

Tools:

3.5 mm (US E) crochet hook, Hot glue gun and glue sticks, Scissors, Tapestry needle

Materials: Cinnamon sticks for the tree trunk, Craft string if you’re making a garland, Stitch marker

Would you rather have a PDF?

Purchase an inexpensive PDF on my Ravelry pattern shop here or use this button to add this pattern to your queue.

Ravelry

And there you have your mini crochet Christmas trees all done. Whatever you chose to make with them, I hope you had fun with your creation. Remember, this is a pattern with many possibilities, so please use your favorite colors and add-ons to customize it the way you like.

What to do next

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