The Golden Hour Fan Tree is a small, flat Christmas tree ornament. Its three tiers of lacy fans make it look like a sugar-dusted cookie. Cream fan centers sit against open tan arches, and a row of cream puff stitches finishes each tier with a soft scalloped edge.
Two quiet colors carry the design: a warm tan (latte or camel) and a cream. The tan border gives the triangle a clean outline. The cream trunk anchors it at the bottom. It looks equally good on a natural-themed tree, as a gift topper, or hung in a window.
This pattern uses US crochet terms. The finished ornament measures about 4.2 in (10.7 cm) wide and 5.1 in (13.0 cm) tall including the trunk, or about 7.1 in (18.0 cm) including the hanging loop.
You work the tree in one piece, starting at the base and moving upward. You make three tiers of three rows each, with every row worked on the right side. Then you add two tan border rounds, the cream trunk, and the hanging loop.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: 4.2 in (10.7 cm) wide × 4.1 in (10.4 cm) tall triangle; trunk 1.2 in (3.0 cm) wide × 1 in (2.5 cm) tall
- Skill level: Easy–Intermediate
- Terminology: US
- Yarn weight: Sport (#2) cotton
- Hook: 2.75 mm (US C/2)
- Number of pieces: 1
- Layout: Single ornament with three stacked tiers (2 fans, 1 fan, 1 fan)
- Size before border: 3.5 in (8.9 cm) wide × 3.5 in (8.9 cm) tall
- Border depth: 2 rounds of sc, about 0.3 in (0.8 cm)
Materials
Yarn: Use a smooth, mercerized sport-weight cotton, about 150 m per 50 g. Mercerized cotton shows the fan stitches crisply and blocks flat. Avoid fuzzy or very loose yarn, because the eyelets and chain spaces will blur.
- Color A – Tan (latte/camel): 8 g, about 24 m (26 yd)
- Color B – Cream (ivory): 6 g, about 18 m (20 yd)
These quantities are for one ornament and include a margin of about 25% for gauge swatching and tails.
Tools:
- 2.75 mm (US C/2) crochet hook
- Tapestry needle
- Scissors
- Rustproof pins and a blocking mat or folded towel
- Spray bottle with water
- Ruler or tape measure
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch – chain
- sl st – slip stitch
- sc – single crochet
- dc – double crochet
- sk – skip
- sp – space
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- RS – right side
- rep – repeat
Puff stitch (puff): (Yarn over, insert hook in the stitch or space, yarn over, pull up a loop to the height of a dc) 3 times. You now have 7 loops on the hook. Yarn over and pull through all 7 loops.
Fan: The stated number of dc worked into one stitch, so the fan radiates upward from a single point.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Gauge: 24 sc and 28 rows = 4 in (10.2 cm) in Color A. That is 6 sc and 7 rows per 1 in (2.5 cm).
Make one complete tree first, without the trunk or loop, and measure it before you make a set. The fans are stitch-dense, so a small gauge difference shows clearly.
Checkpoints:
- Foundation chain (21 working ch): 3.5 in (8.9 cm) long
- After Row 3 (Tier 1): 3.5 in (8.9 cm) wide; about 1.25 in (3.2 cm) tall
- After Row 6 (Tier 2): about 2.5 in (6.4 cm) tall
- After Row 9 (Tier 3): about 3.5 in (8.9 cm) tall
- After Border Round 2: 4.2 in (10.7 cm) along the base; 4.1 in (10.4 cm) tall
Too big? Go down to a 2.5 mm hook, or chain more snugly. Too small? Go up to a 3.0 mm hook. If only the foundation chain is tight, make the chain with a hook one size larger, then switch back.
Pattern
Work every row with the RS facing you; do not turn. Fasten off at the end of each row and join the next color at the start of the next row. Leave 4 in (10.2 cm) tails. The border hides the row ends, so weave in the tails as you go.
Tier 1 (Bottom: Two Fans)
Foundation (Color B): Ch 22.
Row 1 (Color B): Sc in 2nd ch from hook, sk 4 ch, 9 dc in next ch (fan made), sk 4 ch, sc in next ch, sk 4 ch, 9 dc in next ch, sk 4 ch, sc in last ch. Fasten off.
Count: 3 sc + 18 dc = 21 sts (two fans of 9 dc).
The 21 sts match the 21 working chains, one stitch per used or skipped chain group. The three sc sit at the two base corners and in the center between the fans. Each fan’s point leaves a small eyelet at its base.
Row 2 (Color A): Join with sc in first sc. Ch 1, (dc in next dc, ch 1) 9 times, sc in next sc; rep from * once. Fasten off.
Count: 3 sc + 18 dc + 20 ch-1 sps (10 per fan).*
Each fan now has a tan arch: 9 dc with 8 inner ch-1 sps, plus 1 ch-1 sp at each end next to an sc.
Row 3 (Color B): Join with sc in first sc. Sk first ch-1 sp, (puff in next ch-1 sp, ch 1) 7 times, puff in next ch-1 sp, sk last ch-1 sp, sc in next sc; rep from * once. Fasten off.
Count: 3 sc + 16 puffs (8 per fan) + 14 ch-1 sps (7 per fan).*
The puffs fill only the 8 inner spaces of each arch, which forms the cream scallop. Number the puffs 1 to 8 within each fan, in working order.
Tier 2 (Middle: One Large Fan)
Row 4 (Color B): Join with sc in puff 5 of the first fan. Sk puffs 6–8, 11 dc in the center sc, sk puffs 1–3 of the second fan, sc in puff 4 of the second fan. Fasten off.
Count: 2 sc + 11 dc = 13 sts.
The large fan’s eyelet sits exactly where the two lower fans meet. Puffs 1–4 of the first fan and puffs 5–8 of the second fan stay uncovered. Those are Tier 1’s stepped shoulders.
Row 5 (Color A): Join with sc in first sc, ch 1, (dc in next dc, ch 1) 11 times, sc in last sc. Fasten off.
Count: 2 sc + 11 dc + 12 ch-1 sps.
Row 6 (Color B): Join with sc in first sc, sk first ch-1 sp, (puff in next ch-1 sp, ch 1) 9 times, puff in next ch-1 sp, sk last ch-1 sp, sc in last sc. Fasten off.
Count: 2 sc + 10 puffs + 9 ch-1 sps.
Number these puffs 1 to 10.
Tier 3 (Top: One Small Fan)
Row 7 (Color B): Join with sc in puff 3. Work 7 dc in the ch-1 sp between puffs 5 and 6, then sc in puff 8. Fasten off.
Count: 2 sc + 7 dc = 9 sts.
Puffs 1–2 and 9–10 stay uncovered as Tier 2’s shoulders.
Row 8 (Color A): Join with sc in first sc, ch 1, (dc in next dc, ch 1) 7 times, sc in last sc. Fasten off.
Count: 2 sc + 7 dc + 8 ch-1 sps.
Row 9 (Color B): Join with sc in first sc, sk first ch-1 sp, (puff in next ch-1 sp, ch 1) 5 times, puff in next ch-1 sp, sk last ch-1 sp, sc in last sc. Fasten off.
Count: 2 sc + 6 puffs + 5 ch-1 sps.
The ch-1 sp between puffs 3 and 4 is the center top, and it becomes the apex of the tree. Check that the piece measures 3.5 in (8.9 cm) wide × 3.5 in (8.9 cm) tall.
Border
Border gauge: 6 sc = 1 in (2.5 cm) along every edge, both straight and slanted. Each side’s count below includes both of its corner stitches. The corner stitch is the middle sc of each 3-sc corner group.
Tier edge (used 3 times per side): 2 sc around the post of the outer dc of the tier’s fan row, 1 sc around the post of the outer dc of its arch row, and 1 sc in the end sc of its puff row. That is 4 sc per tier edge.
Round 1 (Color A)
With the RS facing, join Color A in the first free foundation loop at one base corner.
- Base: 3 sc in the corner loop, sc in each of the next 19 free loops, 3 sc in the last loop. (25 sc)
- Up the first side:
- Tier 1 edge (4 sc)
- sc in each of the 4 uncovered Tier 1 puffs (4 sc)
- Tier 2 edge (4 sc)
- sc in each of the 2 uncovered Tier 2 puffs (2 sc)
- Tier 3 edge (4 sc)
- sc in each of puffs 1–3 of Row 9 (3 sc)
(21 sc) - Apex: 3 sc in the center ch-1 sp of Row 9. (3 sc)
- Down the second side: Work the same sequence in reverse: puffs 4–6 (3 sc), Tier 3 edge (4 sc), 2 puffs (2 sc), Tier 2 edge (4 sc), 4 puffs (4 sc), Tier 1 edge (4 sc). (21 sc)
- Sl st to the first sc.
Count: 25 + 21 + 3 + 21 = 70 sc.
Per side, including corners: base 23; each slanted side 25.
Check: 3 corners + 21 between base corners + (23 between corners × 2 slanted sides) = 3 + 21 + 46 = 70.
Round 2 (Color A)
Ch 1. Sc in each st around, working 3 sc in each of the 3 corner sts. Sl st to the first sc. Do not fasten off yet if you are making the loop right away. Otherwise, fasten off.
Count: 70 + 6 = 76 sc.
Per side, including corners: base 25; each slanted side 27.
Check: 3 + 23 + (25 × 2) = 76.
Why the Math Works
The base has 25 sts at 6 per inch, which gives 4.2 in (10.7 cm). The triangle is 4.1 in (10.4 cm) tall, so each slanted side is about 4.5 in (11.4 cm) long. Twenty-seven sts at 6 per inch also gives 4.5 in (11.4 cm), so the border lies flat without ruffling or cupping. Each 3-sc corner adds exactly 2 sts, one to each adjoining side. That is why each side grows by 2 per round.
Trunk (Color B)
Hold the tree with the apex up and the base facing you. The Round 2 base has 23 sts between its corner sts. Skip the first 8 and join Color B in the 9th.
Row 1: Ch 1, sc in the same st and in each of the next 6 sts, turn. (7 sc)
Rows 2–7: Ch 1, sc in each st across, turn. (7 sc each row)
Fasten off. That leaves 8 sts uncovered on each side of the trunk. The trunk measures 1.2 in (3.0 cm) wide × 1 in (2.5 cm) tall.
Hanging Loop (Color A)
Join Color A with a sl st in the apex corner st of Round 2.
- Ch 2.
- Ch 6, then sl st in the 6th ch from hook to form a small ring.
- Ch 30, then sl st in the ring where the chain started.
- Sl st in each of the 2 base ch to return to the apex.
- Fasten off.
The ring and loop together rise about 2 in (5.1 cm) above the apex.
Final Blocking
- Weave in all remaining tails along the back of the border.
- Pin the ornament RS up on the mat. Set the base to 4.2 in (10.7 cm) and the height of the triangle to 4.1 in (10.4 cm).
- Pin each corner first, then each side at its midpoint. Keep all three sides straight.
- Use a pin tip to open each fan eyelet. Spread the cream dc evenly.
- Square the trunk to 1.2 in × 1 in (3.0 × 2.5 cm).
- Mist until the ornament is damp but not dripping.
- Let it dry completely, at least 4 hours, before unpinning.
- For a firmer ornament, lightly mist with fabric stiffener before drying.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- Row stitch counts match: Row 1 has 21 sts, Row 4 has 13 sts, Row 7 has 9 sts.
- Each fan eyelet sits on the correct stitch. The large fan is centered between the two bottom fans.
- Tier 1 shows 4 puffs on each shoulder, and Tier 2 shows 2.
- Border Round 1 totals 70 sc and Round 2 totals 76 sc.
- The trunk is centered, with 8 border sts free on each side.
- The base measures 4.2 in (10.7 cm), and each side measures about 4.5 in (11.4 cm).
- The hanging loop is secure, and the ornament hangs straight.
- No tails show on the RS.
Troubleshooting
Fans curl into a cup. Your dc are too tight for the number worked into one stitch. Go up a hook size for the fan rows only.
Arches pucker in Row 2, 5, or 8. Your ch-1 sps are too short. Pull each chain to the full width of a dc.
Puffs look flat or uneven. Pull each loop up to full dc height before closing the puff.
The border ruffles. You are working too many sc into the row ends. Recount the 4-sc tier edges.
The border pulls in. Use a larger hook for the border, or make sure you work the full 3 sc in each corner.
The tree leans to one side. Recheck the puffs you joined into in Rows 4 and 7. The joins must be mirror images.
The trunk is off-center. Remove it and recount 8 free sts from each base corner.
Care
Hand wash in cool water with mild soap. Press out the water in a towel, then reshape and dry flat. Store flat, or hang the ornament by its loop.
Final Notes
The measurement chain runs like this:
- Foundation: 21 ch = 3.5 in (8.9 cm)
- Three tiers: 3.5 in (8.9 cm) square before the border
- Border: 70 sc, then 76 sc, for 25 base sts and 27 sts per slanted side at 6 per inch
- Finished triangle: 4.2 in (10.7 cm) wide × 4.1 in (10.4 cm) tall
- Trunk: 7 × 7 sc, 1.2 in × 1 in (3.0 × 2.5 cm)
- Overall: 5.1 in (13.0 cm) tall, or 7.1 in (18.0 cm) with the loop
Check each stage before moving on. Once your first tree matches, the rest will match too.
Happy crocheting!