The Rosewood Tulip is a lacy, three-leaf motif with a short stem, worked in one warm coral cotton. The center leaf points straight up and the two side leaves fan out to either side. The result looks like a stylized tulip or a sprig of leaves.
Each leaf is built around a single-crochet center vein. Double-crochet spokes radiate out from the vein, then a ring of chain arches and a solid outline follow. A rope-like reverse single crochet border goes around the whole outer edge, which keeps the points sharp and the notches between leaves crisp.
The finished motif measures about 5.5 in (14.0 cm) wide x 5 in (12.7 cm) tall. This pattern uses US crochet terms throughout.
You make the center leaf first, then two side leaves that join to it as you go in their last round. Next you work a short stem from the base. The border finishes everything in one continuous round. The result is one solid piece, with no sewing apart from weaving in ends.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: about 5.5 in (14.0 cm) wide x 5 in (12.7 cm) tall
- Skill level: Intermediate (join-as-you-go, reverse single crochet)
- Terminology: US
- Yarn weight: DK / light worsted (#3), cotton or cotton blend
- Hook: 3.5 mm (E-4)
- Number of pieces: 1 finished motif (3 leaf sections + stem, joined as you go)
- Layout: center leaf vertical, side leaves angled about 30 degrees outward, stem centered below
- Single leaf size before border: 3.5 in (8.9 cm) long x 2.25 in (5.7 cm) wide
- Motif size before border: about 5.25 in (13.3 cm) wide x 4.75 in (12.1 cm) tall
- Border depth: about 0.125 in (0.3 cm) on every edge
Materials
Yarn: Use a smooth, mercerized or matte cotton in DK weight, roughly 2.3 m per gram (about 115 m per 50 g). Cotton holds the leaf points and keeps the openwork crisp. Acrylic will work, but the shape will be softer.
- Coral / dusty rose: 12 g (28 m)
The motif uses about 9 g (21 m). The quantity above includes a margin for your gauge swatch and tails.
Tools:
– 3.5 mm (E-4) crochet hook
– Tapestry needle
– 4 locking stitch markers
– Scissors
– Rust-proof pins and a blocking mat
– Spray bottle with clean water
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch – chain
- sl st – slip stitch
- sc – single crochet
- dc – double crochet
- sc2tog – single crochet 2 together
- rev sc – reverse single crochet
- sp – space
- sk – skip
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- RS – right side
Special stitch – reverse single crochet (rev sc): Work from left to right (right-handed). Insert the hook into the next stitch to the right, yarn over, and pull up a loop, so you have 2 loops on the hook. Yarn over and pull through both loops. Each rev sc makes a twisted, rope-like knot along the edge.
Leaf landmarks: On every leaf, the end with the pointed ch-2 is the tip and the opposite end is the base.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Gauge: 20 sc and 22 rows = 4 in (10.2 cm) in sc with a 3.5 mm hook.
Make one complete center leaf (Rounds 1–4) before anything else and treat it as your gauge test. Measure it flat without stretching:
- After Round 1: 1.8 in (4.6 cm) long x 0.4 in (1.0 cm) wide. The foundation chain alone should be about 1.6 in (4.1 cm).
- After Round 2: 2.7 in (6.9 cm) long x 1.3 in (3.3 cm) wide
- After Round 3: 3.1 in (7.9 cm) long x 1.8 in (4.6 cm) wide
- After Round 4: 3.5 in (8.9 cm) long x 2.25 in (5.7 cm) wide
Leaf too big (more than 0.25 in / 0.6 cm over at Round 4): go down to a 3.25 mm hook, or shorten your ch-3 arches by tightening the chains.
Leaf too small: go up to a 3.75 mm hook. Don’t add stitches, because every count below is tied to the border math.
Leaf cupping: this usually means your Round 2 dc are too short. Pull each dc up to its full height.
Center Leaf
Round 1 (center vein): Ch 9. Sc in 2nd ch from hook (this is the tip ch) and in the next 6 ch. Work 3 sc in the last ch (base). Rotate and work along the other side of the foundation: sc in the next 6 ch, then 2 sc in the same ch as the first sc. Join with a sl st to the first sc. (18 sc)
Stitch map: sts 17, 18 and 1 form the tip group (center = st 18). Sts 8, 9 and 10 form the base group (center = st 9). Sts 2–7 and 11–16 are the sides, 6 sts each. Place markers in st 18 and st 9.
Round 2 (spokes): Ch 4 (counts as dc + ch 1), dc in the same st, ch 1. (dc, ch 1) in each of the next 6 sts. [(dc, ch 1) twice in the next st] 3 times across the base. Repeat from * to * once. [(dc, ch 1) twice in the next st] 2 times. Join with a sl st to the 3rd ch of the beginning ch-4.
(24 dc, 24 ch-1 sp): 6 dc on each end and 6 dc on each side. The ch-1 spaces after the dc are numbered 1–24 in order.
Round 3 (arches): Sl st into ch-1 sp 1. Ch 1, sc in the same sp, ch 3, sk the next ch-1 sp. [Sc in the next ch-1 sp, ch 3, sk the next ch-1 sp] 11 times. Join to the first sc. (12 ch-3 arches)
Number the arches 1–12 in working order:
– Arch 6 is centered on the base.
– Arch 12 is centered on the tip.
– Arches 1–5 form side B.
– Arches 7–11 form side A.
Round 4 (outline): Sl st into arch 1, ch 1. Work 4 sc in each of arches 1–11. In arch 12, work (2 sc, ch 2, 2 sc). Join to the first sc.
(48 sc + 1 tip ch-2 sp): 20 sc per side, 4 sc in the base arch, and 4 sc around the tip. Fasten off and weave in the ends.
Check the Round 4 measurement against the gauge checkpoint now.
Side Leaves (Join as You Go)
Make 2 side leaves. Work Rounds 1–3 exactly as for the center leaf. Round 4 joins each side leaf to the center leaf with slip stitches. These slip stitches are not counted as stitches.
Joining stitch: Work 2 sc into the arch. Then insert the hook from front to back into the 2nd sc of the matching center-leaf arch, and sl st. Finish the arch with 2 sc. The arch still has 4 sc.
Left side leaf, Round 4: Hold the center leaf RS up, tip pointing away from you. Place the left leaf beside it, RS up, with its base touching the center leaf’s base and its tip angled about 30 degrees outward. Work Round 4 as written, but join as follows:
– arch 7 to center-leaf arch 5
– arch 8 to center-leaf arch 4
Finish the round as normal, join, and fasten off.
Right side leaf, Round 4: Place it to the right of the center leaf in the same way. Work Round 4 as written, joining as follows:
– arch 4 to center-leaf arch 8
– arch 5 to center-leaf arch 7
Finish the round, join, and fasten off.
If your leaves turn out mirrored, simply use the 2 arches that face the center leaf and sit closest to the base. The count does not change.
Stitch count per side leaf: 48 sc + 1 tip ch-2 sp. Each leaf has 2 joined arches (8 sc) and 3 unjoined inner arches (12 sc). Its outer side keeps all 5 arches free (20 sc).
Checkpoint: The motif now measures about 5.25 in (13.3 cm) across the side-leaf tips. The three bases should meet in a tight cluster with no gap. The two V-notches should sit where the unjoined arches begin.
Stem
Row 1: With RS facing and the leaves pointing up, join yarn in the first sc of the center leaf’s base arch (arch 6). Ch 1, sc in the same st, sc2tog over the next 2 sts, sc in the last st. (3 sc)
Rows 2–5: Ch 1, turn, sc in each st across. (3 sc)
Don’t fasten off. The stem measures 0.6 in (1.5 cm) wide x 0.9 in (2.3 cm) long.
Border
Border gauge: One rev sc sits on each sc of the outline, so the border keeps the same 20 sts per 4 in (10.2 cm) as the leaves. It adds about 0.125 in (0.3 cm) on every edge.
Border Round (rev sc): Ch 1. Work the following sections in order around the whole outer edge, with RS facing:
- Stem bottom: 2 rev sc in the first st, rev sc in the next st, 2 rev sc in the last st. This is 3 worked 1 per st + 2 extra at the corners = 5.
- First stem side: 1 rev sc in each row-end = 5.
- First side leaf, base arch: 1 rev sc in each sc = 4.
- First side leaf, outer side: 1 rev sc in each sc = 20.
- First side leaf, tip: 1 rev sc in each of the 2 sc, (rev sc, ch 2, rev sc) in the ch-2 sp, 1 rev sc in each of the 2 sc. This is 4 + 2 extra = 6.
- First side leaf, inner unjoined side: 12.
- Notch: work no stitch. Go straight into the first unjoined sc of the center leaf.
- Center leaf, first side: 12.
- Center leaf, tip: worked as for the side leaf tip = 6.
- Center leaf, second side: 12.
- Notch: work no stitch.
- Second side leaf, inner unjoined side: 12.
- Second side leaf, tip: 6.
- Second side leaf, outer side: 20.
- Second side leaf, base arch: 4.
- Second stem side: 5.
Join with a sl st to the first rev sc. Fasten off.
Totals:
– Each side leaf: 4 + 20 + 6 + 12 = 42
– Center leaf: 12 + 6 + 12 = 30
– Stem: 5 + 5 + 5 = 15
– Round total: 42 + 42 + 30 + 15 = 129 rev sc
Why the math works:
– Every outline sc already matches the edge length, so 1 rev sc per sc keeps the edge flat.
– The 2 extra rev sc at each tip go around the point instead of flattening it.
– The stem corners each get 1 extra stitch to turn the 90-degree angle.
– The notches get nothing, which keeps them sharp V’s. Extra stitches there would make them blunt and ruffled.
– The joined arches and the center base arch are inside the motif, so they aren’t counted.
Checkpoint: 5.5 in (14.0 cm) wide x 5 in (12.7 cm) tall. Each leaf now measures 3.75 in (9.5 cm) x 2.5 in (6.4 cm).
Final Blocking
- Weave in all remaining ends through the solid outline stitches, never through the lace.
- Mist the motif evenly with water until it is damp, not dripping.
- Lay it RS up on the blocking mat.
- Pin the stem bottom, then the center tip, so the center line is 5 in (12.7 cm) long.
- Pin the two side tips so they sit 5.5 in (14.0 cm) apart, angled evenly outward.
- Pin each notch down so the V stays crisp.
- Gently open the spokes and arches with your fingertips so the spaces look even.
- Leave it to dry completely, usually 6–12 hours, before you unpin.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- Center leaf: 18 / 24 / 12 arches / 48 sc + tip sp
- Each side leaf: 48 sc + tip sp, with exactly 2 joined arches
- Stem: 5 rows of 3 sc
- Border: 129 rev sc in total
- Tips are sharp, with a ch-2 at every point
- Notches are clean V’s with no gaps between leaves
- Finished size is 5.5 in (14.0 cm) x 5 in (12.7 cm), ±0.25 in (0.6 cm)
- All ends are hidden and the motif lies flat
Troubleshooting
Leaf tip is rounded, not pointed. Check that the tip arch has (2 sc, ch 2, 2 sc) and that the border puts (rev sc, ch 2, rev sc) into that ch-2 sp.
Leaf ruffles around the edge. Your Round 4 is too loose or you added stitches. Recount to 48 and try a smaller hook for Round 4 only.
Leaf cups like a bowl. Your Round 2 dc are too short, or the Round 3 chains are too tight. Loosen those chains.
Gap between leaves at the base. Place the side leaves closer before joining, so the bases touch.
Side leaves point too far outward. You joined arches that are too far from the base. Rejoin using the 2 arches closest to the base.
Stem twists. Make sure you turn at the start of every row. Block the stem straight.
Border looks lumpy. Keep the rev sc loops even. Don’t tug each knot tight.
Care
Hand wash in cool water with mild soap. Press out the water in a towel, then reshape and dry flat, pinning the points again if needed.
Final Notes
The measurement chain is short and reliable:
1. 8 foundation chains give a 1.6 in (4.1 cm) vein.
2. Four rounds give a 3.5 in x 2.25 in (8.9 cm x 5.7 cm) leaf.
3. Three joined leaves give 5.25 in x 4.75 in (13.3 cm x 12.1 cm).
4. The 129-stitch rope border brings the motif to 5.5 in x 5 in (14.0 cm x 12.7 cm).
If your first center leaf hits its checkpoint, everything after it will fall into place. Use the finished motif as an appliqué, a bookmark-style ornament, or a decorative accent on its own.
Happy crocheting!