Looking for a free crochet Christmas tree pattern? This list has 20 of them, and every full written pattern is free on the designer's own site, with no sign-up needed. You'll find squishy amigurumi trees, tiny trees to hang as ornaments, cone trees for the mantel or table, and flat trees to use as appliqués, coasters and garlands. Most use worsted yarn and less than one skein. A good number of them take under an hour.
For each pattern I've noted the yarn weight, hook size, finished size and skill level where the designer gives them, plus what makes it different. The groups run from quick and flat to fully stuffed, so you can pick by how much time you have before the holidays.
A quick way to choose: if you want gifts, look at the mini trees and coasters, which are fast and easy to post. If you want decor, the cone and panel trees give the most impact for the least yarn. If you're crocheting for little ones, the plush trees are soft, safe to squeeze and work well without small parts (skip the beads and safety eyes for babies, and embroider the faces instead).
Amigurumi and plush Christmas trees
Stuffed trees you can hug, prop on a shelf or give to a child.
Simple Beaded Amigurumi Christmas Tree — HanJan Crochet. A 4-ply cotton tree on a 3.5mm hook that stands about 11.5 inches tall with its star. Colored beads act as the ornaments. The designer calls it a good first amigurumi, and the pattern is written in both US and UK terms.
Christmas Tree Kawaii Cuddler — Sewrella. A worsted-weight plush on an H/5mm hook with a sweet kawaii face and pink cheeks. It's worked in simple single crochet rows, so it's a cozy, low-stress make for a child's room.
Cuddly Crochet Christmas Tree — Repeat Crafter Me. A flat-panel stuffie about 10 inches long and 8 inches wide, in worsted yarn on a G hook. The shape comes from single crochet decrease rows, and a little crocheted star sits on top.
Crochet Christmas Bobble Tree — Nana's Crafty Home. Super bulky yarn on an L/8mm hook, in a 5-inch or 9-inch size. Popcorn stitches in a contrast color look like ornaments, and the tree is worked in seamless rounds. Make it in worsted yarn and you get a 3.5-inch ornament instead. Advanced beginner.
Tree Ornament — Furls Crochet. Part of a Twelve Days of Christmas ornament series. It's worked top-down in rounds with safety eyes, a separate base and a little stump. It's small enough to hang, but it's still a true amigurumi.
Mini and ornament Christmas trees
Little trees for the real tree, a keyring or a gift tag.
Crochet Mini Christmas Tree — Maria's Blue Crayon. An aran or worsted tree about 4 inches high on a G/4mm hook. Loop stitch makes the fluffy branches, and you can change the loop length to make it shaggier or neater.
Tiny Christmas Tree Keychain Ornament — Nicole Chase. A beginner pattern about 2 inches tall, in worsted yarn on a 4mm hook. The tiers come from front-loop and back-loop rounds. Switch to chunky yarn to make it bigger. It's a great stocking stuffer.
Granny Square Christmas Tree Ornament — Stitching Together. A puff-stitch flower square, folded into a 4.5-inch tree. It's worked in worsted yarn on a 5.5mm hook and rated intermediate. Clever if you love granny squares.
Granny Square Christmas Tree Hanging Decoration — Blue Star Crochet. A bobble-center granny square in worsted yarn on a 6mm hook, hung on point from a stick to make a 6-inch tree. Beginner-friendly, and there's a video to follow.
Mini Christmas Tree — Underground Crafter. A 3.25-inch tree in Red Heart Super Saver, worked flat in single crochet rows with a trunk. Use it as an ornament, a brooch or an appliqué.
Tabletop and cone Christmas trees
Bigger trees for the mantel, a side table or a window.
Crochet Cone Christmas Trees in 3 Sizes — Petals to Picots. Worsted yarn (with some glitter yarn) on a 4mm hook, worked in unjoined single crochet rounds over foam cones about 6, 10 and 15 inches tall. Pins make the ornaments. It's an easy pattern, and three greens make a lovely set.
Crochet Christmas Tree Holiday Decor — Nana's Crafty Home. Flat triangle panels in bulky yarn on a 6.5mm hook, about 7.5 inches tall. They slide onto a wooden dowel trunk set in a birch-slice base, with pearl buttons for trim. Add or drop rows to change the size.
3D Crochet Christmas Tree — Repeat Crafter Me. Worsted yarn on an H hook, with a picot edge on the branches. The trunk is weighted with marbles or pebbles, so the tree stands up on a table.
Crochet Christmas Tree, Parts 1 and 2 — Look At What I Made. The showpiece: a textured wall or window tree 57 to 68cm tall (about 22 to 27 inches), with over 60 rows of popcorn, puff, bobble and post stitches. It comes in a colorful version and a cream version. The pattern is split into part 1 and part 2. Not for beginners, but a joy for anyone who loves texture.
Flat crochet Christmas trees: appliqués, coasters and garlands
Quick flat trees for gift toppers, cards, coasters and bunting.
Christmas Tree Coasters — ChristaCoDesign. 4-inch square coasters in DK or worsted yarn on a 4mm hook. The tree is worked in single crochet color-change rows using bobbins. Easy, and there's a printable gift label to go with a set.
Easy Crochet Christmas Tree Garland — ChristaCoDesign. Half double crochet triangle trees about 5 inches tall, in worsted yarn on a 5mm hook, strung on twine. Each tree takes only about 5 yards of yarn, so it's a great scrap buster.
Christmas Tree Appliqué — GoldenLucyCrafts. A dainty 3-inch tree in size 10 cotton thread on a 1.8mm hook, worked in double crochet rows with colored "ornaments." Sew it on cards or gift wrap, or string a few as a garland.
Little Christmas Tree Appliqué — Twinkie Chan. Worsted yarn on an H/5mm hook, in tiered double crochet rows with soft rounded edges. A thinner variation is included too.
Crochet Flat Christmas Tree — Handy Little Me. A simple increasing single crochet triangle, about 4 inches high in the sample, with any yarn and a matching hook. A good first Christmas project for a brand-new crocheter.
Crochet Christmas Tree — Bella Coco Crochet. Three rounds of treble clusters make a 14cm (5.5-inch) triangle in DK yarn on a 5mm hook, plus one short row for the trunk. It's written in UK terms and is lovely as a present topper.
Tips for crocheting Christmas trees
- Go down a hook size for amigurumi. A tight fabric keeps the stuffing hidden and helps a cone hold its point.
- Weight the base. For standing trees, put a few marbles, pebbles or poly pellets in a small bag at the bottom so the tree doesn't tip.
- Use foam cones for crisp shapes. A craft foam cone inside a cone tree keeps it smooth and straight, and makes sizing easy.
- Add the "ornaments" last. Beads, buttons, pom-poms or French knots can all be sewn on once the tree is done. That way you can play with placement.
- Block flat trees. A light steam or spray block makes appliqué and garland triangles lie flat with clean points.
More Christmas crochet
Build a full set with our crochet Christmas tree skirt patterns, then fill the branches with free crochet Christmas ornament patterns, amigurumi Christmas ornaments and snowflake ornaments. The flat trees pair nicely with our Christmas garland patterns and holiday coasters and mug rugs. A tabletop tree next to a few Christmas gnomes makes a sweet mantel scene, and the tiny keychain trees are perfect for cheap stocking stuffers. For a bakery-themed tree, hang a few crochet gingerbread men and houses between the branches.
Frequently asked questions
What is the easiest crochet Christmas tree for beginners?
Start with a flat tree. The Handy Little Me flat tree and the Underground Crafter mini tree are just single crochet rows that get narrower or wider. For a 3D tree, the HanJan beaded tree and the Nicole Chase tiny tree are both labeled beginner-friendly.
What yarn is best for a crochet Christmas tree?
Worsted (#4) acrylic or cotton suits most of these patterns and comes in plenty of greens. Cotton gives crisp stitch definition for amigurumi. Super bulky yarn makes a big, soft tree fast, and cotton thread is best for tiny appliqués.
How do you make a crochet Christmas tree stand up?
Use a tight gauge, stuff firmly and add weight at the base: marbles, pebbles or poly pellets in a small bag. Cone trees can be worked over a foam cone. The Nana's Crafty Home panel tree uses a wooden dowel set in a wood base.
How long does it take to crochet a small Christmas tree?
Flat appliqués and garland trees usually take 15 to 30 minutes each. Mini ornament trees take about an hour. Larger amigurumi and cone trees take an evening or two, and the big textured wall tree from Look At What I Made is a longer project.
Pick one quick flat tree to try tonight and save a stuffed tree for the weekend. Before you know it, you'll have a little forest for the mantel. When you're ready to dress the real tree, our ornament roundup and tree skirt patterns have you covered, and our free crochet Christmas star patterns include a stuffed star tree topper.
