SaveA crochet tree is a cone, and a cone is a flat circle worked in the round where you stop increasing early. That is the entire technique. The difference between a 10 cm shelf tree and a 60 cm floor tree is how many rounds you work and what you put inside to hold it up.
Part of our seasonal library.
Anything over about 20 cm needs internal support. A polystyrene cone from a craft shop is the usual answer, costs very little, and turns a floppy sock into something that stands.
Flat hanging tree
Beginner30 min
A triangle worked in rows with a short stem. The simplest, and the one for the tree itself.
Mini cone tree, 10 cm
Beginner40 min
Stuffed, no support needed at this size. Sits on a windowsill.
Medium cone tree, 20 cm
Easy1 hour 30
Worked over a polystyrene cone. The workhorse size for a mantel.
Tall cone tree, 40 cm
Easy3 hours
Same method, more rounds. Needs a weighted base or it topples.
Tiered ruffle tree
Intermediate2 hours
Rounds of shell stitch that flare outward like branches. The best looking one here.
Spiral tree
Intermediate2 hours
A continuous spiral of double crochet wrapped up the cone. Fiddly to keep even.
Granny square tree
Easy1 hour 30
Squares of decreasing size stacked on a dowel. Uses scraps and looks nothing like the others.
Bobble tree
Easy1 hour 45
Bobbles on every other round give a dense textured surface that reads as foliage.
Flat tree garland
Beginner2 hours
Eight small flat trees strung along cord.
Tree with lights
Easy2 hours
A cone with gold beads sewn on in a spiral. Do not use real lights inside crochet.
Two-tone tree
Beginner1 hour 30
Dark green base fading to lighter green at the top, changing every four rounds.
Amigurumi tree with a face
Intermediate2 hours
A stuffed cone with embroidered eyes. Children ask for this one.
Doily-flat tree
Intermediate1 hour
Worked in thread, stiffened, and hung in a window like a snowflake.
Advent tree with pockets
Advanced8 hours
A large flat wall tree with twenty four small pockets. The biggest project here.
Sizing a cone
Worsted yarn, 4.0 mm hook, single crochet worked tightly.
| Finished height | Base diameter | Rounds | Support |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 cm | 7 cm | 18 | Stuffing only |
| 20 cm | 12 cm | 34 | Polystyrene cone |
| 30 cm | 16 cm | 50 | Polystyrene cone |
| 40 cm | 20 cm | 66 | Cone plus a weighted base |
Put a handful of dried rice or a few large washers in the bottom before closing the base. A tall crochet tree is almost weightless and will go over the first time a door closes.
Questions
How do I make a crochet Christmas tree stand up?
Work it over a polystyrene cone from a craft shop for anything over 20 cm, and weight the base with rice or washers.
What yarn for a crochet Christmas tree?
Worsted acrylic in forest green. Acrylic holds a firm cone better than wool, which softens.
How much yarn does a 20 cm tree take?
About 60 grams, so a little over one standard skein.
Can I put lights inside a crochet tree?
Only battery LED, and only in a tree stuffed loosely enough for air. Never filament bulbs.
Why is my tree lopsided?
The decreases are stacking in a line rather than spiralling. Offset them by one stitch each round and the lean disappears.
What is the easiest crochet Christmas tree?
The flat hanging triangle. Worked in rows, no shaping beyond decreasing one stitch each end, about half an hour.