To start the New Year, it only seemed fitting to share a free crochet leaf pattern. This month in preparation for Chinese New Year (2022 is the year of the Tiger my own birth animal, so this year is going to be a good one!), I want to share with you the Chinese leaf pattern from the Ginkgo tree or Maidenhair tree.
The Ginkgo biloba is one of the oldest living tree species in our world and is the only living survivor of an ancient group of trees that date back to before dinosaurs. It’s so ancient, the species is known as a ‘living fossil’.
The Ginkgo had a very distinctive green two-lobed fan shape leaf that turns to a golden ocher during the autumn. Make your own Ginkgo crochet leaf in any yarn of your choice with the matching size crochet hook. A beautiful quick easy pattern which can be used as a bookmark, coaster, added to a granny square, or if you have some wire this would make a gorgeous crochet necklace or set of earrings.
Love crocheting flowers? I have a huge selection of crochet flower patterns each with step by step written photo instructions and Youtube tutorials. Try my other Crochet Flower patterns HERE.
Materials
- 8 meters of green or yellow yarn of your choice
- Matching crochet hook to your yarn
- Yarn needle
- Scissors
Gauge: N/A
Size: With dk cotton yarn and a 2.5mm crochet hook my Ginkgo Leaf is 9cm diameter, 11cm from tip to bottom of the stem.
Notes: The leaf is made with a turn after each row. One side of the leaf is made first then fastened off with the second side attached separately. The edging and stem are worked in a single row.
Stitches
Slip Stitch (sl st): Insert hook into the stitch, pick up yarn, pull through the loop.
Single Crochet (sc): Insert hook into the stitch, pick up yarn, yarn over, pick up yarn, pull through the 2 loops.
Half Double Crochet (hdc): Yarn over, insert hook into the stitch, pick up yarn, yarn over, pick up yarn, pull through all 3 loops.
Double Crochet (dc): Yarn over, insert hook into the stitch, pick up yarn, yarn over, pull through the first 2 loops, yarn over, pick up yarn, pull through the last 2 loops.
Ginkgo Crochet Leaf Pattern
Row 1: Chain 4, 3dc in the 4th chain from the hook, count first ch 3 as a dc. Turn. Total: 4dc.
Row 2: Chain 3 (count as dc), dc into the same stitch, dc inc. into the next 3 sts Turn. Total: 8dc.
Row 3: Chain 3 (count as dc), dc into the same stitch, 2dc, 2 dc inc., 2 dc, dc inc. in the final stitch. Turn. Total: 12dc.
Row 4: Chain 3 (count as dc), dc into the same st, 4dc, dc inc. Turn. Total: 8dc.
Row 5: Chain 2 (count as hdc), dc into the same st, 2dc, hdc, (sc, sl st, ch 1), hdc, dc, dc inc. Fasten off and weave in your ends.
Row 6: Attach your yarn to the end of Row 3. Chain 3 (count as dc), dc into the same st, 4dc, dc inc. Turn. Total: 8dc.
Row 7: Chain 2 (count as hdc), dc into the same st, 2dc, hdc, (sc, sl st, ch 1), hdc, dc, dc inc.
Row 8: Turn to work down the side of the leaf. Add 2 sc for each dc row (10sc in total), sc in the first chain, chain 12, sl st in the 2nd from the hook, 11 sl st (this forms the leaf stem), 2sc in each dc up the second side of the leaf (10sc in total), turn your leaf to work into the top, 4sc, sl st into the ch 1, skip sl st, 5sc, sc into the top of the ch 2, turn to work down the centre of the leaf split, add 4sc evenly, sl st in between the two central stitches of Row 3 (as shown in the photo below),
work 4 sc evenly up the split of the central leaf as before, sc into the top of the ch 2, 5sc, skip sl st, sl st into ch 1, 4sc, sl st into first sc. Fasten off and weave in your ends.
Congratulations you have made your Crochet Ginkgo Leaf. I would love to see you crochet creations, please tag me on @moara_crochet on Instagram to share your work.
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