Crochet River Birch Leaf Pattern
Add lovely leaves to your fall decor with this crochet river birch leaf pattern! Make leaves of all different sizes and textures by switching up your yarn and hook.
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Use Almost Any Yarn!
This river birch leaf pattern will work with almost any yarn or thread. Yarns that vary in thickness (i.e. thick-and-thin yarns) may affect the final shape and look of the leaf.
Use a hook that gives you a medium to firm gauge with the yarn or thread you choose. The size of your leaf and the yardage needed will vary depending on your yarn and hook choices.
Fall Leaf Collection
This pattern is part of a collection of fall leaf crochet patterns. Once I have several leaf patterns published, I plan to put them together into an e-book. It may be some time before that’s completed, but when it is I will link it here! Meanwhile, you may enjoy these other leaf patterns:
About River Birch Trees
This species of birch is particularly popular in the Chicago suburb where I live. They are resistant to some common pests, grow quickly, and look spectacular in their golden fall glory.
Leaf shapes vary slightly between birch species, with some being slightly more rounded or oval-shaped, particularly at the bottom. The easiest way to tell a river birch apart from other birches is not by its leaves, but rather by its trunk. The redish-brown bark peels away in large, chunky sheets, giving the trunk a distinct texture. It’s much rougher looking than other birch trees.
Materials
- Yarn: Any yarn of your choice. Sample shown used 10 yds (9.1m) of worsted weight, cotton yarn.
- Hook: Hook size that gives a medium to firm gauge with your chosen yarn. Sample shown with size H (5mm) crochet hook.
- Notions:
- Scissors
- Tapestry Needle
Project Level
Easy: Single crochet and chain loops with shaping
Size / Gauge
Exact gauge is not important. Size, gauge, and amount of yarn needed will vary depending on yarn/hook choices. Sample shown is approximately 5″ (12.5 cm) long, not including stem, and 3.5″ (8.8 cm) wide at widest point.
Abbreviations used
This pattern uses US terms.
- cdec = center decrease (see Special Stitch)
- ch = chain
- sc = single crochet
- sc2tog = single crochet 2 together
- sl st = slip stitch
- st(s) = stich(es)
- yo = yarn over
Special Stitch
Center Decrease (cdec): Insert hook in next st, yo and pull up a loop, sk next st or sl st, insert hook in next st, yo and pull up a loop, yo and pull through all 3 loops on hook.
This is an sc2tog worked over 3 sts (or 2 sts and a sl st) by skipping the st or sl st at the center.
Pattern Notes
- Chs at the beginning of a row do not count as a st unless otherwise indicated.
- Sl sts are not included in st counts at the end of each row.
- Either side can be the right side or wrong side as desired.
Instructions
Scroll down for chart.
Foundation & Stem: Ch 7 (first half of foundation), [ch 7 more for stem, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and in next 5 chs (stem made)], ch 10 (2nd half of foundation and turning ch).
For a longer or shorter stem, make more or fewer chs in the stem portion. You will need at least 1 stem ch to work into on the first row.
Row 1: Sc in 4th ch from hook and in next 4 chs, sc2tog in next 2 chs, sc in stem, sc2tog in next 2 chs, sc in last 5 chs. (13 sts)
Row 2: Ch 3, turn, 2 sc in first st, sc in each of next 3 sts, sc2tog in next 2 sts, sl st in next st, sc2tog in next 2 sts, sc in each of next 3 sts, 2 sc in last st. (12 sts)
Row 3: Ch 3, turn, 2 sc in first st, sc in each of next 4 sts, cdec, sc in each of next 4 sts, 2 sc in last st. (13 sts)
Row 4: Ch 3, turn, sk first st, 2 sc in next st, sc in each of next 2 sts, sc2tog in next 2 sts, sl st in next st, sc2tog in next 2 sts, sc in each of next 2 sts, 2 sc in next st, sk last st. (10 sts)
Row 5: Ch 3, turn, 2 sc in first st, sc in each of next 3 sts, cdec, sc in each of next 3 sts, 2 sc in last st. (11 sts)
Row 6: Ch 3, turn, sk first st, 2 sc in next st, sc in next st, sc2tog in next 2 sts, sl st in next st, sc2tog in next 2 sts, sc in next st, 2 sc in next st, sk last st. (8 sts)
Row 7: Ch 3, turn, sk first st, 2 sc in next st, sc in next st, cdec, sc in next st, 2 sc in next st, sk last st. (7 sts)
Row 8: Ch 3, turn, 2 sc in first st, sc2tog in next 2 sts, sl st in next st, sc2tog in next 2 sts, 2 sc in last st. (6 sts)
Row 9: Ch 3, turn, sk first st, 2 sc in next st, cdec, 2 sc in next st, sk last st. (5 sts)
Row 10: Ch 2, turn, sc in first st, cdec, sc in last st. (3 sts)
Row 11: Ch 2, turn, cdec, ch 3, sl st in top of cdec just made. (1 st)
Fasten off.
River Birch Leaf Chart
Finishing
Wash and block, pinning the ch-3 and ch-2 “points” to open them up. Blocking is important for this pattern. For best results, do not skip this step.
Weave in all ends.
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I hope you enjoyed this crochet river birch leaf pattern. A downloadable pdf of this pattern is available on Ravelry for a small fee. The fee for the pdf format offsets the advertising revenue lost when you print or download the pattern rather than viewing it online.
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