Canada Maple Leaf – Free Crochet Pattern

As many of you know, this year (2017) is Canada’s 150th Birthday! To mark this celebration I have designed a free crochet pattern for a Canadian Maple Leaf. The leaf which proudly adorns our Nation’s Flag. Happy Canada Day! You can use this embellishment to attach to your bags, hats or as I have done, a crocheted version of our Canadian Flag. I am planning to put my little Canadian Flag in my front garden for Canada Day! I will share the pattern in a separate post if you are interested you can get it HERE.

This pattern is crocheted with a single piece of yarn, from start to finish and you can make it with any yarn/hook combination. I recommend using a smaller hook than your yarn calls for to get the stitches nice and tight. The maple leaf I crocheted uses 100% Cotton Yarn (Creme de la Creme from Red Heart) and a 3.75 mm F hook. The leaf is worked from the base to the tip and then around the exterior of the leaf to create the left ‘arm’, stem and right ‘arm’. A final round of slip stitches is worked around the outside to help the leaf maintain it’s shape.

Supplies

• Yarn: Creme de la Creme Yarn (Red Heart). Worsted Weight. 100% Cotton. 2.5 oz/70.9 g; 125 yds. Colors Used: Rally Red
• Hook: 3.75 mm (F) Fabulous Fuchsia – Happy Crochet Hooks
  
• Scissors, Yarn Needle, Stitch Marker (optional)

Difficulty Level

Easy – Intermediate

Finished Size

5 inches wide by 4.5 inches tall

Gauge

You can substitute any yarn and hook for this stitch pattern – just remember when you substitute if your gauge is different, the finished size of your project will also be different.

Abbreviations

US Terminology used

ch – chain
R – row
rem – remaining
rep – repeat
sc – single crochet
sk – skip
sl st – slip stitch
st/sts – stitch/stitches
* – Repeat the instructions between the asterisks the number of times indicated. This repeat will contain of multiple instructions.
() – Repeat the instructions between the parentheses the number of times indicated.
[] – at the end of the row – the total number of stitches

Helpful Tutorials

Stitch Anatomy

Helpful Video Tutorials

Quick Stitch Guide 

Slip Knot and Starting Chain

Notes

• count the slip stitches as stitches

Pattern Instructions

This pattern is worked in rows from the base of the Maple Leaf to the middle tip of the maple leaf. Once we reach the tip we begin working around the outside of the leaf in a round. The (RS) right side of the project will be the project where the yarn end is on your left-hand side from Row 1 (if you are right-handed).

R1: RS: Ch 12, beg in the 2nd ch from the hook and work 1 sc in each ch across, ch 1, turn. [11]

R2: 1 sc in each st across, ch 1, turn. [11]

R3: Sk 1 st, 1 sc in each of the next 9 sts, 1 sl st in the last st, ch 1, turn. [10]

R4: Sk the sl st, 1 sc in each of the next 9 sts, ch 1, turn. [9]

R5: Sk 1 st, 1 sc in each of the next 7 sts, 1 sl st in the last st, ch 1, turn. [8]

R6: Sk the sl st, 1 sc in each of the next 7 sts, ch 1, turn. [7]

R7: 1 sc in each st across, ch 1, turn. [7]

R8-10: Rep R7

R11: Sk 1 st, 1 sc in each of the next 5 sts, 1 sl st in the last st, ch 1, turn. [6]

R12: Sk the sl st, 1 sc in each of the next 5 sts, ch 1, turn. [5]

R13: Sk 1 st, 1 sc in each of the next 3 sts, 1 sl st in the last st, ch 1, turn. [4]

R14: Sk the sl st, 1 sc in each of the next 3 sts, ch 1, turn. [3]

R15: Sk 1 st, 1 sc in the next st, 1 sl st in the last st, ch 1, turn. [2]

R16: Sk the sl st, 1 sc and 1 sl st in the last st, ch 1, turn. [2]

R17: Sk the sl st, 1 sc in the next st,  rotate to work down the left side of the leaf. [1]

We will now work down the side edge of the leaf to create the left leaf tip.

I am going to write this section in steps rather than in Rows or Rounds until we reach the beginning of the left arm of the leaf. 

Step 1: Sk the first row end (end of R16) and work 1 sl st in each of the next 3 row ends.

Step 2: Ch 3, sk the first ch and work 1 sc in each of the next 2 chs. Sk 1 row end and work 1 sl st to the next row end of the main leaf.

Step 3: Work 1 sl st in each of the next 3 row ends.

Left Arm of the Maple Leaf

R1: 1 sc in each of the next 5 row ends, 1 sl st in the next row end, sk the last row end, ch 1, turn. [6]

R2: Sk the sl st, 2 sc in the first st, 1 sc in each of the next 2 sts, 2 sc in the next st, sl st in the last st, ch 1, turn. [7]

R3: Sk the sl st, 1 sc in each of the next 5 sts, 2 sc in the last st, ch 1, turn. [7]

R4: 1 sc in each st across, ch 1, turn. [7]

R5: (Ch 2, sk 1 ch, 1 sc in the next ch). Sk 1 st in the main leaf and sl st to the next st. (Ch 4, sk 1 ch, 1 sc in the next ch, 1 hdc in the next ch, 1 dc in the next ch). Sk 3 sts in the main leaf and sl st to the next st. (Ch 2, sk 1 ch, 1 sc in the next ch). Sl st to the last st of the row. (Three points on the left arm of the maple leaf are complete).

We will now work along the lower edge of the leaf; along the base and we will create the leaf stem.

I am going to write this section in steps rather than in Rows or Round until we reach the beginning of the right arm of the leaf.

Step 1: 1 sl st in each of next 3 row ends

Step 2: (ch 2, sk 1 ch, 1 sc in the next ch), 1 sc in each of the next 5 sts, (ch 6, sk 1 ch, 1 sl st in each of the next 5 chs), 1 sc in each of the next 5 sts, (ch 2, sk 1 ch, 1 sc in the next ch), 1 sl st in the last st, rotate to work up the right side of the leaf.

Right Arm of the Maple Leaf

R1: Sk the first row end, 1 sl st in the next row end, 1 sc in each of the next 5 row ends, ch 1, turn. [6]

R2: 2 sc in the first st, 1 sc in each of the next 4 sts, sk the sl st, ch 1, turn. [6]

R3: 2 sc in the first st, 1 sc in each of the next 5 sts, ch 1, turn. [7]

R4: 1 sc in each st across, ch 1, turn.  [7]

R5: (Ch 2, sk 1 ch, 1 sc in the next ch). Sk 1 st in the main leaf and sl st to the next st. (Ch (Ch 4, sk 1 ch, 1 sc in the next ch, 1 hdc in the next ch, 1 dc in the next ch). Sk 3 sts in the main leaf and sl st to the next st. (Ch 2, sk 1 ch, 1 sc in the next ch). Sl st to the last st of the row. (Three points on the left arm of the maple leaf are complete).

We will now work along the side edge of the leaf to create the final leaf tip.

I am going to write this section in steps rather than in Rows or Round until we reach the beginning of the right arm of the leaf.

Step 1: 1 sl st in each of the next 3 row ends of the right arm of the main leaf.

Step 2: 1 sl st in each of the next 4 row ends of the main leaf.

Step 3: (ch 3, sk 1 ch, 1 sc in each of the next 2 chs), sk 1 row end and work 1 sl st to the next row end of the main leaf.

Step 4: 1 sl st in each of the next 2 row ends. We have now reached the top point of the leaf.

Final round: Work sl sts evenly around the outside of the leaf. At every point or tip of the leaf, ch 1. Skip the stem of the leaf completely (do not sl st around the stem stitches).

Canada Day Flag Free Crochet Pattern

#redheartyarns #joycreators