Crochet Autumn Leaves Pattern PDF: Maple, Oak, Rowan & Teardrop Designs for Every Crafter
There is something quietly magical about autumn. The air sharpens, the light turns golden, and suddenly the world outside your window looks like it has been hand-painted by an artist with an extraordinary eye for color. Burnt orange, deep crimson, warm amber, dusty gold — autumn leaves carry a beauty that feels almost too fleeting to hold onto. That is exactly what makes crocheting them so satisfying. When you stitch an autumn leaf, you capture a little piece of that seasonal warmth and make it permanent. You can hang it on a wreath, scatter it across a tablescape, sew it onto a cozy sweater, or string a garland to drape over a mantle. The possibilities are as abundant as the leaves themselves.
This blog post is your complete guide to a crochet autumn leaves pattern PDF that includes four beautiful leaf designs: maple, oak, rowan, and teardrop. Whether you are a beginner picking up a hook for the first time or an experienced crafter looking to expand your repertoire, these patterns are approachable, satisfying, and endlessly versatile. Let’s dig in.
Why Crochet Autumn Leaves?
Before we get into the patterns themselves, it is worth pausing to think about why crocheted leaves have become such a beloved project for crafters everywhere.
First, they are quick. Most individual leaves can be worked up in fifteen to thirty minutes, which makes them ideal for crafters who love the satisfaction of a finished object without the commitment of a multi-week project. You can sit down with a cup of tea on a Sunday afternoon and have a small pile of gorgeous leaves by the time the cup is empty.
Second, they are portable. Small leaf projects travel beautifully. Tuck a ball of worsted weight yarn and a hook into your bag and you have a project that goes with you to waiting rooms, car rides, and cozy evenings on the sofa.
Third, they are an excellent way to use up scrap yarn. Those partial skeins in burnt orange, forest green, warm yellow, and deep burgundy that you have been hoarding? Autumn leaf patterns are the perfect excuse to finally use them. Because each leaf is small, you do not need a great deal of any single color, which means your scrap bin becomes a treasure chest of possibility.
Fourth, crocheted leaves make wonderful handmade gifts and additions to home décor that people genuinely treasure. A wreath made from dozens of crocheted leaves is a stunning piece of handmade art. A garland strung across a fireplace mantle invites warmth and coziness into any space. Leaves attached to a simple crocheted hat or sewn onto a tote bag add a charming, artisan touch.
What You Will Need
Before starting any of the leaf patterns in this PDF, gather your materials so you can settle in comfortably.
Yarn: Worsted weight yarn works beautifully for leaves that have good structure and definition. Choose colors in your autumn palette — think burnt orange, rust red, pumpkin, golden yellow, olive green, burgundy, tan, and chocolate brown. For delicate, finer-detail leaves, a DK weight yarn is a lovely choice. You can also use bulkier yarn for oversized decorative leaves that make a big visual statement.
Hook: A 5mm (US H/8) hook is a reliable standard for worsted weight yarn. Adjust up or down according to the yarn weight you choose and your personal tension. If you tend to crochet tightly, go up half a size. If you crochet loosely, try going down half a size.
Scissors and a yarn needle: You will need scissors to cut your yarn and a blunt tapestry needle to weave in ends neatly. Taking a few extra minutes to weave ends in thoroughly will make your leaves look polished and professional.
Stitch markers (optional): For patterns that involve joining rounds or marking the beginning of a round, a simple stitch marker — even just a spare piece of contrasting yarn — is a helpful tool.
Blocking materials (optional but recommended): Blocking your finished leaves makes an enormous difference to their final appearance. A light spray of water, a few pins, and a blocking mat or even a clean towel spread on a flat surface will help your leaves hold their shape beautifully once dry.
Understanding the Abbreviations
All four patterns in this crochet autumn leaves PDF use standard US crochet terminology. Here is a quick reference so you can work through any of them confidently.
ch — chain
sl st — slip stitch
sc — single crochet
hdc — half double crochet
dc — double crochet
tr — treble crochet
sk — skip
sp — space
st — stitch
rep — repeat
yo — yarn over
RS — right side
WS — wrong side
Pattern One: The Maple Leaf
The maple leaf is perhaps the most iconic of all autumn leaves, and it is certainly one of the most beloved crochet autumn leaf designs. Its distinctive pointed lobes make it instantly recognizable, and when crocheted in warm red or orange yarn, it is simply stunning.
Difficulty: Intermediate
Finished size: Approximately 4 inches across with worsted weight yarn
Pattern:
Begin by making a magic ring, or chain 4 and join with a slip stitch to form a ring.
Round 1: Chain 3 (counts as first dc), work 11 dc into the ring, join with sl st to top of ch-3. (12 dc)
Stem: Chain 10, sl st back along the chain to the base. This creates your stem. You can make it longer or shorter depending on your preference.
First lobe: Working along the top of Round 1, ch 4, dc in 4th ch from hook, ch 3, sl st into same st of Round 1 to form the first small lobe point.
Second lobe: Move to the next st of Round 1, ch 6, dc in 4th ch from hook, dc in each of the next 2 ch, ch 4, sl st back down the lobe, sl st into next st of Round 1. This creates a larger lobe.
Repeat the second lobe pattern two more times across the center top stitches of Round 1, then mirror the pattern to create the other side, ending with a small lobe to match your first one.
Finishing: Fasten off, leaving a tail for weaving in. Weave all ends in thoroughly. Block with a light mist of water and pin into shape, spreading the lobes out evenly and pinching the points to sharpen them. Allow to dry completely.
The maple leaf is particularly stunning when crocheted in two colors — perhaps a deep red body with golden yellow edging, or an orange leaf with russet brown veining worked in surface slip stitches after the main leaf is complete.
Pattern Two: The Oak Leaf
The oak leaf has a gentle, undulating silhouette with rounded lobes that feel softer and more organic than the sharp points of a maple leaf. It is a wonderfully satisfying shape to crochet and works up beautifully in earthy golden and tan shades.
Difficulty: Beginner-Intermediate
Finished size: Approximately 3.5 inches long with worsted weight yarn
Pattern:
Chain 15.
Row 1: Starting in the 2nd ch from hook, sc in next 2 sts, hdc in next 2 sts, dc in next 2 sts. Now you will begin the lobes. Ch 3, sl st back into the st you just worked in (this creates a small picot lobe), dc in the next st. Repeat from to twice more. Hdc in next 2 sts, sc in next 2 sts, sl st in last st.
Working back along the other side: Do not turn. Instead, rotate your work and begin working along the other side of the foundation chain, creating a mirror image of the lobe pattern you just completed. Work sc, hdc, dc, then repeat the picot lobe pattern to match the first side, finishing with hdc, sc, and sl st.
Stem: At the base of the leaf, chain 8, sl st back up the chain to create a stem. Join to the base of the leaf with a sl st.
Fasten off and weave in ends. Block as desired.
For a more dimensional oak leaf, try working the lobes slightly taller on one side and slightly shorter on the other to give the leaf a naturalistic, asymmetrical quality. Real leaves are never perfectly symmetrical, and a little variation adds life and movement to your finished pieces.
Pattern Three: The Rowan Leaf
The rowan tree — also called mountain ash in some regions — produces slender, elegant leaves made up of many small pointed leaflets arranged along a central stem. Crocheting a rowan leaf means creating a series of small individual leaflets and attaching them to a central chain, which results in a delicate, feathery leaf that is truly unlike any other design in this collection.
Difficulty: Beginner-Intermediate (the individual leaflets are very simple; assembly is straightforward)
Finished size: Approximately 5 inches long with worsted weight yarn
Individual leaflet pattern (make 9-11):
Chain 8.
Starting in the 2nd ch from hook: sc, hdc, dc, dc, hdc, sc, sl st. Then, working along the other side of the foundation chain: sc, hdc, dc, dc, hdc, sc, sl st.
Fasten off, leaving a long tail for attaching.
Assembly:
Chain 20 for the central stem. Along this stem, attach your leaflets evenly spaced on alternating sides — one leaflet to the left, the next to the right, and so on, just like a real rowan leaf. Use the long tails to sew each leaflet securely to the stem chain, then weave in all ends.
The rowan leaf pattern is particularly beautiful when worked in two or three shades of green for a springtime version, or in a gradient of golden yellow to russet orange for a true autumn interpretation. Because each leaflet works up so quickly, you can easily adjust the number of leaflets to make larger or smaller versions.
Pattern Four: The Teardrop Leaf
The teardrop leaf is the most versatile and abstract of the four designs in this collection. Its simple, elegant oval shape makes it suitable for everything from realistic autumnal arrangements to stylized modern décor. It is also the most beginner-friendly pattern of the four, making it a wonderful starting point if you are new to crocheted leaf shapes.
Difficulty: Beginner
Finished size: Approximately 3 inches long with worsted weight yarn
Pattern:
Make a magic ring.
Round 1: Ch 1, work 6 sc into the ring. Do not join; work in a continuous spiral.
Round 2: Work 2 sc in each sc around. (12 sc)
Round 3: Sc in next st, 2 sc in next st, repeat around. (18 sc)
Rounds 4-6: Sc in each sc around. (18 sc)
Shaping the tip: Begin decreasing on one side only to create the pointed teardrop tip.
Next row: Sc2tog, sc across to last 2 sts, sc2tog. Turn.
Continue decreasing at the beginning and end of each row, working back and forth (not in the round) until 3 sts remain.
Final row: Sl st across all 3 sts. Fasten off.
Stem: Join yarn at the pointed tip. Chain 8, fasten off and weave in ends.
The teardrop leaf is gorgeous worked in a simple single color, but it also responds beautifully to color changes. Try starting with green at the wide base and transitioning to orange or red at the tip for a leaf that appears to be mid-change — caught at that perfect autumn moment when summer is letting go.
Ideas for Using Your Crocheted Autumn Leaves
Now that you have a collection of beautiful crocheted leaves, what do you do with them? The answer is: almost anything.
Wreaths: Wire wreath frames are widely available at craft stores, and crocheted leaves attach to them beautifully using small pieces of floral wire or simply by tying them on. Layer maple, oak, rowan, and teardrop leaves together in a rich variety of autumn colors for a full, lush wreath that will last far longer than its natural counterparts.
Garlands: String leaves together on a length of twine or thin ribbon to create a garland for your mantle, staircase, or window. You can thread the twine directly through the stem of each leaf, or sew them on at intervals. Mix leaf shapes and colors for a joyfully abundant look.
Table décor: Scatter crocheted leaves across a dinner table as part of an autumn tablescape. They look wonderful nestled among pillar candles, pinecones, and small pumpkins.
Greeting cards and gift tags: Attach a small crocheted leaf to a handmade card or tie one onto a gift with a ribbon. It transforms ordinary packaging into something genuinely special.
Wearable accents: Sew leaves onto knitted or crocheted hats, scarves, and mittens for a whimsical seasonal touch. They also look lovely pinned to a coat lapel as a brooch, backed with a simple pin finding from a craft store.
Bookmarks: A single teardrop or maple leaf makes a charming bookmark. Work it in a slightly firmer yarn and block it well so it holds its shape inside a book.
Tips for the Most Beautiful Results
A few practical tips will help ensure that your crocheted leaves turn out as lovely as possible.
Tension consistency matters. Try to maintain even tension throughout each leaf. If you notice your stitches tightening as you concentrate harder or loosening as you relax, take a moment to pause and reset. Consistent tension gives your leaves clean, professional-looking edges.
Don’t skip the blocking. It truly transforms a slightly lumpy, curling finished piece into a flat, crisp, beautiful leaf. Even if you are in a hurry, a quick spray and five minutes of pinning makes a meaningful difference.
Experiment with yarn weight. The patterns in this PDF are written for worsted weight, but they translate well to other weights. Lighter yarn creates delicate, airy leaves perfect for jewelry and fine garlands. Bulkier yarn creates bold, graphic leaves that make a big statement in home décor.
Try surface embroidery for veining. Once your leaf is complete and blocked, you can add realistic veining by threading a yarn needle with a contrasting or coordinating color and working simple straight stitches along the surface of the leaf in a vein pattern. This adds wonderful texture and realism.
Starch for firmness. If you want your leaves to hold a very crisp, firm shape — particularly useful for ornaments and wreath elements — a light application of liquid starch before blocking will give them a satisfying rigidity.
Downloading and Using the Pattern PDF
The full crochet autumn leaves pattern PDF includes all four designs — maple, oak, rowan, and teardrop — presented with clear written instructions, stitch abbreviation references, materials lists, and helpful tips for each design. The PDF format means you can print it and keep it in your craft room, load it onto a tablet to reference while you work, or save it to your device to access offline anytime.
The patterns are written for US crochet terminology, and each one includes notes for adjusting size and suggested color palettes to inspire your creativity.
Whether you are planning a full autumn home décor refresh, stocking up on handmade gifts, or simply looking for a cozy evening project that will fill your hands and your heart with the warmth of the season, this crochet autumn leaves pattern collection is your perfect companion.
Pick up your hook, choose your colors, and let the season begin.
Happy crocheting, and may your autumn be as warm and colorful as the leaves you stitch.
