Craft a flat hanging tree in green featuring a short brown trunk, a golden five-point star, and four overlapping scalloped tiers. To achieve a soft festive finish, small ivory pearls are added to the green branches.
Construct four different sized triangles, working each from the tip downward using increases along both edges and a shell border on the bottom edge. Sew the dense upper portions together and overlap the pieces, ensuring the shells remain free.
Color Palette
This version features an elegant and harmonious palette that draws inspiration from nature. It begins with brown, which provides a grounded and earthy foundation. This is followed by mustard yellow and gold, adding layers of warmth and a sophisticated radiance to the design. Finally, green introduces a fresh, organic contrast. Together, these colors complement one another perfectly, blending deep tones with bright accents to create a cohesive and polished look.
Pattern Details
- Skill level: confident beginner to intermediate; shaping, shell edging, and assembly.
- Estimated height: 20–25 cm excluding the loop with DK cotton and a 3 mm hook. Size varies with tension.
- Construction: four flat green triangles, a brown rectangle, one small gold star, and a chain loop. No stuffing.
- US crochet terminology.
Based on a visual reference, this pattern is an adaptation. While the stitch counts were checked, the design has not been independently tested or physically crocheted. Please rely on the written steps and the corresponding chart provided here rather than the printed chart or photograph.
Supplies Needed
- DK cotton: approximately 35–45 g forest green, 5 g brown, and a small amount of mustard gold.
- 3 mm crochet hook, or a size that makes firm but flexible fabric.
- Tapestry needle, scissors, stitch markers, pins, and a blocking surface.
- Approximately 12 small ivory pearls for the branches and one pearl for the star center, plus strong sewing thread and a suitable needle.
- Optional: substitute embroidered cream French knots for the pearls.
Stitch Guide and Abbreviations
- ch: chain; sl st: slip stitch; sc: single crochet.
- hdc: half double crochet; dc: double crochet; MR: magic ring.
- Inc: 2 dc in the same stitch in the triangle instructions.
- Shell: 5 dc in one stitch.
- Starting ch 3 counts as the first dc of each triangle row. Ch 1 for sc rows does not count.
- Turn after every triangle row. Work the shell border without turning partway across it.
Pearl and Star Christmas Tree Crochet Pattern
1. Four Green Triangle Bases
Make one triangle ending after Row 4, one after Row 6, one after Row 8, and one after Row 10. Use forest green for all four. Start each triangle separately; do not continue the small triangle to make the larger one.
Row 1: into a MR, ch 3 and work 2 dc [3 dc, including the starting chain]. Close the ring firmly and turn. Leave a short tail for weaving in.
Row 2: ch 3, dc in the same first stitch, dc in the next stitch, 2 dc in the last stitch, which is the top of the previous starting ch 3 [5 dc]. Turn.
Every following triangle row: ch 3, dc in the same first stitch, dc in each stitch up to the last, 2 dc in the last stitch [2 more dc than the previous row]. Turn. Always work the final increase into the top of the starting ch 3 so the two sides grow evenly.
- Rows 1–4: 3, 5, 7, 9 dc. Stop here for Tier A, the top tier.
- Rows 5–6: 11, 13 dc. Stop here for Tier B.
- Rows 7–8: 15, 17 dc. Stop here for Tier C.
- Rows 9–10: 19, 21 dc. Stop here for Tier D, the bottom tier.
The full row sequence for each triangle begins again at 3 dc. Mark the first and last dc on each row if you find it hard to identify the starting chain. After the final base row, turn once to begin the border.
2. Scalloped Lower Borders
Ch 1. Repeat (sc in the next stitch, skip 1 stitch, 5 dc in the next stitch, skip 1 stitch) across the lower edge until one stitch remains. Sc in that final stitch. Fasten off with a long sewing tail. Do not add a shell along either sloping side.
- Tier A: 9 base stitches = 2 shells and 3 sc [13 worked border stitches].
- Tier B: 13 base stitches = 3 shells and 4 sc [19 worked border stitches].
- Tier C: 17 base stitches = 4 shells and 5 sc [25 worked border stitches].
- Tier D: 21 base stitches = 5 shells and 6 sc [31 worked border stitches].
Each repeat uses four base stitches. The final sc uses the one remaining stitch, so the shell border sits symmetrically between the two triangle edges. If you run short, check the base-row count rather than skipping extra stitches to make the border fit.
3. Brown Trunk
Ch 7 with brown. Row 1: sc in the second chain from the hook and each remaining chain [6 sc]. Rows 2–7: ch 1, turn, 6 sc [6]. Fasten off with a long tail. The trunk is a flat rectangle. Its upper two rows will sit behind the bottom tier; the remaining rows remain visible.
4. Golden Five-Point Star
With mustard gold, make 5 sc in a MR. Join to the first sc with a sl st [5 sc]. For each point, ch 4; working back along this chain, sl st in the second chain from the hook, sc in the next chain, and hdc in the final chain. Sl st into the same base sc from which the point began, then sl st into the next base sc. Repeat until all five base sc carry one point. After the last point, the moving sl st returns to the first base sc. Fasten off with a sewing tail.
Spread the five points evenly and weave in the starting tail. The five sc form the small central ring; the returned chain points sit outside it. If the gold yarn is thicker than the green, use a slightly smaller hook so the star stays proportionate.
5. Block the Pieces
Dampen the four triangles and the star, then lay them flat. Pin the triangle tips and open each shell gently without stretching it into a rigid fan. Keep the two sides of each tier symmetrical. Let everything dry fully before assembly. Leave the trunk rectangular rather than pulling it into a point.
6. Layer and Sew the Tree
Lay Tier D upright, with its tip at the top and scallops at the bottom. Center Tier C over it so the lower shells of C fall around the middle of D. Add Tier B and then Tier A, each centered on the same vertical line. Adjust the overlap until four distinct scalloped bands show and the bottom tier remains the widest.
Pin all layers first. Sew each upper triangle to the one behind it through the dense central stitches near its tip and upper sides. Take small stitches on the back and keep the shell edges loose. Do not stitch all four bottom borders together: the separate hanging shells create the layered branch shape.
Sew the top two rows of the brown trunk to the back of Tier D, centered below the tree. Stitch across the trunk width and along its two upper corners. Place the gold star over the top triangle tip and sew its center and the bases of two lower points to the green fabric. Leave the outer star points free.
7. Pearls and Hanging Loop
Sew ivory pearls to dense stitches on the green tiers. A balanced arrangement is two on the top tier, three on the next, three on the third, and four on the bottom tier. Avoid putting a heavy pearl at the very tip of an unsupported shell. Secure each bead with several passes of strong thread and hide the ends on the back.
Add one pearl to the gold star center. For the loop, ch 30 with green and fasten off with two long tails. Fold the chain into a loop and sew both ends to several dense stitches behind the top triangle and star center. Use at least four passes in different directions. The green fabric should support the loop; do not rely on a single star point or pearl thread for hanging.
For a fully yarn-based version, embroider ivory knots or tiny satin-stitch dots in place of the pearls. This ornament is a display decoration with small beads and a long hanging loop; keep it away from young children and pets.
Finishing and Care
Weave in every yarn end, then hold the ornament by its loop and check that the tiers hang on one center line. Add a discreet stitch behind a tier if it rotates. Spot-clean gently and reshape flat while damp. Store flat between tissue so the shells and star points keep their shape.
Common Inquiries
Is it possible to increase the size? You can achieve a larger result by selecting a larger hook and a heavier weight yarn, provided the stitch counts remain the same. To ensure the piece is sufficiently firm, create a test sample using the smallest triangle. Note that adding more rows will affect the repeat requirements for the shell-border.
What causes the triangle to lean? Ensure the triangle remains symmetrical by correctly placing your increases: count the starting ch 3 as a dc, put the first additional dc in that same stitch, and work the last two dc into the top of the preceding starting chain. If either of these edge increases is omitted, the shape will be uneven.
Is the tree constructed as a single piece? No, this version consists of four distinct triangles. The layered appearance of the branches is created by overlapping these separate pieces, which simplifies the assembly and ensures the chart is easy to read.
Visual Guide and Full Crochet Diagram
A comprehensive chart of the tree symbol is positioned at the top of the image, with a photo of the completed tree underneath. The final arrangement of the star, the trunk, and the four overlapping tiers is displayed here. Because this assembly view hides certain stitches, please refer to the full written row counts provided previously to create every individual part.
More Free Christmas Crochet Patterns
Save This Pattern
Save this pearl and star tree for your handmade holiday decorations. Happy crocheting from Lovely Amigurumi!
Visual Guides, Complete Chart, and Pinterest Collection
At the bottom of this section, you will find a group of six images. This collection includes three Pinterest photos, as well as the assembled tree chart and two photo tutorials located just above the image of the completed work.
You Did It!
Congratulations on completing your Pearl and Star Christmas Tree! Compare your finished ornament to the final photo to check the symmetry of your scalloped tiers and the placement of your ivory pearls. Happy crocheting from Lovely Amigurumi!
