Crochet Olive Appliqué Pattern – Written and Video Instructions

If you’ve been looking for a charming, versatile little crochet project that works up quickly and adds a touch of whimsy to almost anything, you’ve found it. This crochet olive appliqué pattern is perfect for embellishing tote bags, hats, kitchen towels, cardigan pockets, or even a martini-themed garland for your next party. Whether you’re a beginner looking for a manageable practice piece or an experienced crocheter hunting for a fun accent motif, this pattern has something for everyone.

In this post, you’ll find complete written instructions, tips for customizing your olive, notes on materials, and a guide to where you can follow along with video instructions so you can see every stitch in action. Let’s dive in.

Why Crochet an Olive Appliqué?

Appliqués are one of the most satisfying micro-projects in crochet. They’re small enough to finish in a single sitting, they use up yarn scraps, and they transform an ordinary item into something genuinely special. The olive is a particularly fun shape to work with because it combines a simple oval body with a tiny pimento or stuffed center detail — giving you a finished piece that looks impressively detailed despite being quick to make.

Olives have had a serious cultural moment in recent years, showing up on everything from cocktail-printed wallpaper to embroidered denim jackets. A crocheted olive appliqué fits right into that aesthetic, and because it’s removable (if you use snaps or buttons to attach it), you can move it from piece to piece as the mood strikes.

Beyond aesthetics, making appliqués is a wonderful way to practice shaping, color changes, and finishing techniques in a low-stakes environment. If you’re working on building your crochet skills, small motifs like this are genuinely excellent teachers.

Materials You’ll Need

Before you begin, gather your supplies. The beauty of an appliqué this size is that it requires almost no yarn — perfect for using up leftovers from larger projects.

Yarn: You’ll need a small amount of green yarn for the olive body. A medium weight (worsted, size 4) yarn works well for a larger, more textured appliqué, while a fingering or DK weight yarn creates a finer, flatter result that sits more cleanly against fabric. For the pimento or red pepper center, you’ll need just a few yards of red or coral yarn. For the olive pit (if you want an unpitted olive), a small amount of dark green, black, or dark brown yarn works beautifully.

Hook: Match your hook size to your yarn weight. For worsted yarn, a 5.0mm or 5.5mm hook is a good starting point. For DK weight, try a 3.5mm or 4.0mm hook. Tension matters less here than it does in wearables, so feel free to adjust based on the look you want.

Additional supplies: A yarn needle for weaving in ends, scissors, stitch markers (optional but helpful), and a sewing needle with thread or a hot glue gun if you plan to attach the appliqué to fabric. If you want the appliqué to be removable, a few small snaps or a strip of hook-and-loop tape work perfectly.

Understanding the Stitches

This pattern uses basic crochet stitches that most crocheters will already know. Here’s a quick reference:

Magic ring (or magic circle): A technique for starting crochet worked in the round that allows you to close the center hole tightly. If you’re not comfortable with the magic ring, you can substitute a chain-4 joined into a ring, though the center may be slightly more open.

Chain (ch): The foundational stitch used for starting rows and turning.

Slip stitch (sl st): Used for joining rounds and creating the slightly flat outer edge that helps this appliqué lie cleanly against a surface.

Single crochet (sc): A short, tight stitch that creates a dense fabric. Most of this appliqué is worked in single crochet.

Half double crochet (hdc): A slightly taller stitch used to create the gentle oval curve at the top and bottom of the olive body.

Double crochet (dc): A taller stitch used sparingly to emphasize the roundest parts of the olive shape.

Invisible decrease (invdec): A neater alternative to the standard single crochet decrease that reduces the visible ridge on the right side of the work. For an appliqué this small, it makes a noticeable difference in the clean finish.

If any of these stitches are unfamiliar, the video instructions linked later in this post walk through each one before applying them to the pattern.

Pattern Notes

This pattern is worked in continuous rounds for the olive body and in joined rounds for the pimento insert. The finished size using worsted weight yarn is approximately 2.5 inches tall and 1.5 inches wide — just the right size for a bag charm, brooch, or embellishment.

All increases and decreases are noted explicitly in the pattern. Stitch counts are given at the end of each round in parentheses. If you find your stitch count doesn’t match, it’s worth unraveling back to the previous round and checking, since the oval shaping depends on accurate counts.

Gauge is not critical for this pattern, but be aware that a looser tension will produce a larger, lacier olive while a tighter tension creates a denser, more structured piece.

Written Pattern: Crochet Olive Appliqué

Part One: The Olive Body

Begin with your green yarn.

Round 1: Start with a magic ring. Chain 1 (does not count as a stitch). Work 6 sc into the magic ring. Pull the tail to close the ring. Do not join — place a stitch marker in the last stitch to mark the end of the round. (6 stitches)

Round 2: Work 2 sc in each stitch around. (12 stitches)

Round 3: [Sc 1, 2 sc in next st] around. (18 stitches)

Round 4: [Sc 2, 2 sc in next st] around. (24 stitches)

At this point you have a small flat circle. Now you’ll begin shaping the oval by working some rounds without increases.

Round 5: Sc in each stitch around. (24 stitches)

Round 6: Sc in each stitch around. (24 stitches)

Now begin decreasing to close the olive shape on the opposite side.

Round 7: [Sc 2, invdec] around. (18 stitches)

Round 8: [Sc 1, invdec] around. (12 stitches)

Round 9: Invdec around. (6 stitches)

If you are making a stuffed olive (for a 3D ornament or charm), this is the moment to add a small amount of polyfill stuffing or yarn scraps through the opening before finishing. For a flat appliqué, leave it unstuffed.

Finishing the body: Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing. Use your yarn needle to close the remaining 6-stitch gap by threading through the front loops of each remaining stitch and pulling tight, the same way you would close a hat. Weave in both ends securely.

Part Two: The Pimento Insert

Switch to your red or coral yarn for this section. The pimento is worked as a small oval or elongated circle that sits inside the hole of the olive.

Foundation: Chain 4.

Round 1: Starting in the second chain from the hook, sc 1, hdc 1, then work 4 hdc in the last chain (this creates the curved end). Now rotate your work and work along the opposite side of the foundation chain: hdc 1, sc 1, then work 2 sc in the first chain you started in (this creates the other curved end). Join with a sl st to the first sc. (10 stitches)

Round 2: Ch 1, sc 1, hdc 1, 2 hdc in next st, hdc 1, 2 sc in next two sts, hdc 1, 2 hdc in next st, hdc 1, 2 sc in last st. Join with sl st. (15 stitches)

Fasten off, leaving a tail for sewing. This creates a small, slightly oval shape roughly 1 inch long that sits neatly in the opening of the olive body and mimics the look of a stuffed pimento pepper.

Part Three: The Stem (Optional)

A little stem adds extra realism and charm, especially if you’re making a cocktail olive for a party garland.

With dark green or brown yarn, chain 6. Slip stitch back along the chain to create a firm, cord-like stem. Fasten off and leave a tail for attaching.

Part Four: The Cocktail Pick (Optional)

If you want a classic martini-style olive, you can create a simple pick by cutting a thin piece of craft wire or a toothpick to about 3 inches and wrapping it tightly with a few yards of white or natural yarn. Secure the ends with a dab of fabric glue. Slide this through the top of the olive body before closing the stem end.

Assembly

Lay the pimento insert on a flat surface and position the olive body on top of it, centering the open side of the olive over the pimento so that the red piece peeks through. Using your yarn needle and the tail from the pimento, sew the pimento to the inside edge of the olive opening. Take small stitches around the perimeter, working through the inner edge of the olive and the outer edge of the pimento. Knot securely and weave in the end.

If you made a stem, use the tail to stitch it to the top of the closed end of the olive body.

Your olive is now complete. Step back and admire it — it really does look like a little olive.

How to Attach Your Olive Appliqué

The method you choose for attaching your olive depends on how you intend to use it.

Sewing: For a permanent attachment, thread a sewing needle with thread that matches either the olive or the fabric, and sew the appliqué in place using small whip stitches around the perimeter. This is the most secure option and works well on bags, hats, and clothing.

Fabric glue or hot glue: For non-washable items or for a quick project, fabric glue or a small amount of hot glue provides a strong, instant bond. Be careful not to use too much glue, as it can stiffen the surrounding fabric.

Removable attachment: Sew a small snap or a piece of hook-and-loop tape to the back of the olive and the corresponding spot on your item. This lets you move the olive from piece to piece or remove it before washing.

Pin back: Sew a small jewelry pin back (available at any craft store) to the reverse side of the olive with thread. This turns your appliqué into a brooch instantly, and it’s one of the most popular ways to wear these little guys.

Customization Ideas

One of the best things about a pattern this small and straightforward is how easy it is to customize. Here are a few directions you might take this design.

Color variations: Classic olives are a deep, muted green, but olives also come in black. A black yarn body with a red pimento creates a beautiful, graphic look. You could also make a garlic-stuffed olive by using a cream or ivory insert instead of red.

Size variations: Scale the pattern up by using bulky yarn and a larger hook for a statement piece, or scale it down with crochet thread and a steel hook for delicate jewelry applications.

Garland: Make a series of olives in alternating colors and string them together on a length of jute twine or ribbon for a festive cocktail party garland. A set of ten looks incredible draped across a bar cart.

Keychains and bag charms: Stuff the olive more firmly, close it completely (omitting the pimento step), and attach a keychain ring through the stem. A small bell inside adds a fun jingle.

Earrings: Made with crochet thread and tiny hooks, a miniature olive can become a lightweight earring when fitted with an ear wire finding. These make wonderful handmade gifts.

Video Instructions

Written patterns are wonderful for reading through a design, referencing specific rounds, and working at your own pace. But sometimes you need to see a technique in action — especially for things like the magic ring, the invisible decrease, and the assembly step where the pimento meets the olive body.

Video instructions for this pattern walk you through each round in real time, showing the hook movement, the tension, and the shaping as it develops. The video is filmed from above (a top-down angle) for the circular rounds and from the side for the stem and assembly sections, so you can follow along regardless of which hand you crochet with.

The video also includes a short troubleshooting section at the end covering the most common questions: what to do if your circle is cupping instead of lying flat, how to fix a count that’s off by one or two stitches, and how to make the pimento sit symmetrically inside the olive opening.

You can find the video linked in the resources section of this post, and it’s also pinned to the top of the project page if you’re viewing this on a pattern platform. If you prefer YouTube, searching the exact title of this pattern will bring you directly to the tutorial.

Tips for a Beautiful Finish

A few habits make a significant difference in how polished your finished appliqué looks.

Weave in ends thoroughly and in multiple directions. Because appliqués are handled frequently and laundered occasionally, a lazily woven end will work its way out faster than you’d expect.

Block your finished olive lightly if the shape isn’t quite as oval as you’d like. A quick spritz with water and a gentle reshape with your fingers, left to dry on a flat surface, can smooth out any unevenness in the crochet fabric.

When sewing the pimento in place, use a matching thread (not yarn) for the final attachment stitches if you’re applying it to fine fabric. Yarn can leave too much bulk on the back of a thin item.

If your olive looks more round than oval, check your stitch heights. Replacing some of the single crochet stitches in round 5 with half double or double crochet stitches will elongate the shape.

Skill Level and Time Estimate

This pattern is rated as beginner-friendly, though the magic ring and the oval construction for the pimento are techniques that sometimes take a practice round or two to feel natural. Most crocheters complete a single olive in 30 to 45 minutes the first time, and in 15 to 20 minutes once they’ve worked through the pattern once and gotten comfortable with the shaping.

The pattern is also an excellent project to bring to a crochet group or circle, since it’s small enough to tuck into a project bag, requires no counting beyond single digits, and provides a satisfying finished object at the end of a short session.

Sharing Your Makes

If you stitch up one of these little olives, please share it. Tag your project with the pattern name so others can find it, and consider leaving a note on the pattern page about any modifications you made. The crochet community thrives on the creative variations people bring to shared patterns, and seeing your version — whether it’s a classic green martini olive, a sleek black Niçoise variety, or an upsized stuffed ornament — genuinely helps other crafters imagine what’s possible.

The olive is a small thing. But in crochet, small things have a way of becoming beloved. A handmade olive on a tote bag becomes the thing every person at the farmer’s market asks about. A set of olive earrings becomes someone’s most complimented accessory. A cocktail olive garland becomes the detail guests remember long after the party ends.

So pull out those yarn scraps, find a hook that feels good in your hand, and make yourself an olive. You might find you can’t stop at just one.