This crescent moon ornament has a deep plum body, a mustard-gold scalloped edge, a small gold flower with two leafy sprigs, and two small gold stars hanging inside the curve. It works as a holiday keepsake and looks just as good on a tree, a window latch or a gift package.
It uses only two colors. Plum is for the moon body, the flower center, the star strands and the hanging loop. Mustard gold is for the border, flower, leaves and stars. The style is folk-inspired and tidy, and the dense stitches keep the moon firm.
The pattern uses US crochet terms. The finished moon is about 5 in (12.7 cm) tall and 4.5 in (11.4 cm) wide. The hanging loop adds about 1 1/4 in (3.2 cm).
Construction is simple. You work the crescent flat in three graduated rows along a foundation chain. Tall stitches in the middle and short stitches at the tips make it curve on its own. Then you add a two-round gold border, make the small appliqués separately, and sew everything onto the moon.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: about 5 in (12.7 cm) tall x 4.5 in (11.4 cm) wide, plus a 1 1/4 in (3.2 cm) loop
- Skill level: Intermediate (graduated stitch heights, small appliqués, neat sewing)
- Terminology: US crochet terms
- Yarn weight: Sport weight (#2) cotton or cotton blend
- Hook: 3.25 mm (US D/3)
- Number of pieces: 1 finished ornament made from 1 crescent, 1 flower, 2 leaf sprigs and 2 stars, sewn together
- Layout: one crescent opening to the right, the flower on the widest part, one sprig curving toward each tip, and two stars hanging from the upper horn
- Piece size before border: about 4.25 in (10.8 cm) tall x 3.75 in (9.5 cm) wide
- Band width at center before border: about 1 1/4 in (3.2 cm)
- Border depth: about 3/8 in (1.0 cm) on the outer curve and about 1/8 in (0.3 cm) on the inner curve
Materials
Choose a smooth, mercerized sport weight cotton. Cotton shows each stitch clearly, keeps the scallops crisp and doesn’t stretch when the ornament hangs. Avoid fuzzy yarns, which blur the appliqué details.
- Plum (Color A): 10 g, about 31 m
- Mustard gold (Color B): 12 g, about 37 m
These quantities include a margin for a gauge swatch, sewing tails and small mistakes. One ornament uses less than this.
Tools:
- 3.25 mm (US D/3) hook
- Tapestry needle
- Scissors
- Rust-proof pins
- 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
- hdc: half double crochet
- dc: double crochet
- tr: treble crochet
- sk: skip
- st(s): stitch(es)
- sp: space
- rep: repeat
- RS / WS: right side / wrong side
Special stitch (Scallop): sk 1 st, 5 dc in next st, sk 1 st, sc in next st. Each scallop uses 4 sts.
Turning chains: the ch 1 at the start of a row does not count as a stitch.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Gauge: 12 sc and 13 rows = 2 in (5.1 cm) with a 3.25 mm hook. Exact gauge matters less for an ornament, but it decides whether the stars fit inside the curve.
Use the crescent itself as your test piece. It is quick to make, and the checkpoints below show whether to keep going or start over.
- Foundation chain: 41 ch, slightly relaxed, measures about 6 3/4 in (17.1 cm) laid straight.
- After Row 1: the strip curls into a shallow arc on its own. The center height (the tr section) is about 1/2 in (1.3 cm).
- After Row 3: the piece is a crescent about 4.25 in (10.8 cm) from tip to tip and 3.75 in (9.5 cm) wide. The center band is about 1 1/4 in (3.2 cm) wide. The outer edge measures about 8 3/4 in (22.2 cm) along the curve.
- After the border: about 5 in (12.7 cm) tall x 4.5 in (11.4 cm) wide.
Too big? Go down to a 3.0 mm hook or work your chain tighter. Too small? Go up to a 3.5 mm hook. If the outer edge ruffles, your increases are too loose. If the piece cups toward you, your foundation chain is too tight, so make the chain with a hook one size larger.
Crescent (Color A, Plum)
You work the crescent in rows. Each row is graduated: short stitches at both tips and tall stitches in the middle. All increases are in the middle section, which makes the outer edge longer and bends the piece into a moon shape.
Foundation: With plum, ch 41.
Row 1 (RS): Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in next 2 ch, hdc in next 4 ch, dc in next 6 ch, tr in next 14 ch, dc in next 6 ch, hdc in next 4 ch, sc in last 3 ch. Turn.
Stitch count: 40 sts (3 sc, 4 hdc, 6 dc, 14 tr, 6 dc, 4 hdc, 3 sc).
Row 2 (WS): Ch 1, sc in first 3 sts, hdc in next 4 sts, dc in next 6 sts, (dc in next st, 2 dc in next st) 7 times, dc in next 6 sts, hdc in next 4 sts, sc in last 3 sts. Turn.
Stitch count: 47 sts. Each tip section has 13 sts (3 + 4 + 6), and the middle 14 sts become 21 sts. 13 + 21 + 13 = 47.
Row 3 (RS): Ch 1, sc in first 3 sts, hdc in next 4 sts, dc in next 6 sts, dc in next 2 sts, (2 dc in next st, dc in next 2 sts) 6 times, dc in next st, dc in next 6 sts, hdc in next 4 sts, sc in last 3 sts.
Stitch count: 53 sts. The middle 21 sts become 27 sts (2 + 6 x 4 + 1). 13 + 27 + 13 = 53.
Fasten off plum and weave the tails in on the WS.
Checkpoint: Lay the piece RS up with the opening to the right. The foundation chain is the inner curve and Row 3 is the outer curve. Call the tip where Row 3 began Tip A and place it at the top. The other end is Tip B, at the bottom.
Border (Color B, Mustard Gold)
Border gauge: each scallop is 4 sts wide and about 3/8 in (1.0 cm) tall. Fourteen scallops cover the outer curve.
Round 1: With RS facing, join gold with a sl st in the side of Row 1 at Tip A. Ch 1, (sc, ch 2, sc) in the same row-end. Sc in the side of Row 2. Sc in each of the 53 sts of Row 3. Sc in the side of Row 2 at Tip B. (Sc, ch 2, sc) in the side of Row 1 at Tip B. Working in the free loops of the foundation chain, sc in each of the 40 ch. Join with a sl st to the first sc.
Stitch count: 99 sc and 2 ch-2 tip spaces.
- Outer side (between the tip spaces): 1 + 1 + 53 + 1 + 1 = 57 sc. At each end, the two 1s are the tip sc and the Row 2 row-end sc.
- Inner side: 1 + 40 + 1 = 42 sc. The two 1s are the tip sc on the inner side of each ch-2 space.
- 57 + 42 = 99. Each tip sc is counted only once, on the side it faces.
Round 2: Sl st into the ch-2 sp at Tip A. Sc in next sc (the first outer st). Work (sk 1 st, 5 dc in next st, sk 1 st, sc in next st) 14 times. The last sc lands in the 57th outer st. Sl st in the ch-2 sp at Tip B. Sl st in each of the 42 inner sts. Join with a sl st to the first sl st. Fasten off.
Stitch count: 14 scallops on the outer side (70 dc and 15 sc), 42 sl sts on the inner side, and 1 sl st in each tip space.
Why the math works: To start and end on a sc, a scallop row needs (1 + 4 x number of scallops) sts. 1 + 4 x 14 = 57, which is exactly the outer count from Round 1, so the scallops sit evenly from tip to tip without any adjustment. The inner curve gets only sl sts. That keeps it tight, so the opening stays a clean crescent and doesn’t flare.
Checkpoint: about 5 in (12.7 cm) tall x 4.5 in (11.4 cm) wide.
Flower (Make 1)
Round 1: With plum, make a magic ring, ch 1, work 5 sc in the ring. Pull the ring tight and join with a sl st to the first sc. Fasten off. 5 sts.
Round 2: Join gold in any sc. Ch 1, 2 sc in each sc around. Join. 10 sts.
Round 3: (Sl st in next st, [hdc, 3 dc, hdc] in next st) 5 times. Join with a sl st to the first sl st. 5 petals (25 petal sts plus 5 sl sts).
Fasten off, leaving a 10 in (25.4 cm) tail for sewing. The flower is about 1 1/4 in (3.2 cm) across.
Leaf Sprigs (Make 2)
With gold, ch 20.
Tip leaf: Sl st in 2nd ch from hook, sc in next ch, hdc in next ch, sc in next ch. This uses 5 ch and leaves 15 ch for the stem.
Stem: *Sl st in next 3 ch, ch 5, sl st in 2nd ch from hook, sc in next ch, hdc in next ch, sc in next ch (side leaf made); rep from * 2 more times. Sl st in last 6 ch.
Count check: 3 x 3 + 6 = 15 stem ch. Each sprig has 4 leaves (1 tip leaf and 3 side leaves) and is about 3 in (7.6 cm) long.
Fasten off, leaving a 10 in (25.4 cm) tail.
Stars (Make 2)
Round 1: With gold, make a magic ring, ch 1, work 10 sc in the ring. Join with a sl st to the first sc. 10 sts.
Round 2: Ch 4, sl st in 2nd ch from hook, sc in next ch, hdc in next ch, sk next sc, sl st in next sc; rep from * 4 more times. 5 points* (each point uses 2 sts of Round 1).
Fasten off and weave in the tails. Each star is about 1 in (2.5 cm) from point to point.
Strands, Loop and Assembly
Star strands: Join plum with a sl st at the tip of one star point. For the short strand, ch 6 (about 1 in / 2.5 cm). On the second star, make the long strand with ch 12 (about 2 in / 5.1 cm). Fasten off each strand with a 6 in (15.2 cm) tail.
Attach the strands: Along the inner edge, count the sl sts down from the Tip A space. Sew the short strand to the 5th inner st and the long strand to the 10th inner st. Stitch through the back of the gold edge so the stars hang straight down.
Hanging loop: Count scallops from Tip A. Join plum with a sl st through the back loop of the center dc of the 3rd scallop. Ch 16, sl st in the same st. Fasten off and weave the tails into the scallop. The loop stands about 1 1/4 in (3.2 cm) tall.
Flower and sprigs: Pin the flower on the widest part of the moon, slightly above center. Pin one sprig curving up toward Tip A and one curving down toward Tip B, with the stem ends tucked under the flower. The side leaves are loose enough to swing across the sl st stem, so pin them on alternating sides. Sew everything with gold, using small stitches through the back loops of the appliqué edges.
Final Blocking
- Weave in all remaining tails on the WS before blocking.
- Mist the ornament lightly until damp, not soaked.
- Lay it RS up on the mat with Tip A at the top.
- Measure it: 5 in (12.7 cm) tall x 4.5 in (11.4 cm) wide. Ease the curve into shape.
- Pin each tip to a sharp point.
- Pin the center dc of every scallop, spacing the 14 scallops evenly.
- Smooth the petals and leaves flat with your fingertips.
- Lay the stars out below the inner curve and pin each one at its 5 points.
- Let it dry completely, for at least 6 hours, before unpinning.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- Row 3 has 53 sts, and the outer side of the border has 57 sc before the scallops.
- There are 14 even scallops, starting and ending with a sc next to a tip.
- The inner curve is smooth, with 42 sl sts and no ripples.
- Both tips are sharp and match each other.
- The flower has 5 even petals and a visible plum center.
- Each sprig has 4 leaves, and both sprigs follow the curve.
- The stars hang at two different heights, with the short strand above the long one.
- The loop is centered on the 3rd scallop, and the moon hangs at the tilt you want.
- No loose tails show on the RS.
Troubleshooting
The moon is too straight. The tr section is too short or your increases are too tight. Check that Row 2 adds 7 sts and Row 3 adds 6 sts.
The outer edge ruffles. Your dc increases are too loose. Use a hook half a size smaller for Rows 2 and 3 only.
The scallops don’t end at the tip. Recount Round 1. The outer side must have exactly 57 sc, and a missing row-end sc is the usual cause.
The inner curve flares. Work the inner sl sts tighter, or use a hook one size smaller for that half of Round 2.
The ornament tilts the wrong way. Move the loop one scallop toward or away from Tip A.
The stars twist. Sew each strand through the back of the edge, not just the top, so it sits flat.
Care
Hand wash in cool water with mild soap, press the water out in a towel, then reshape and dry flat. Store flat or hanging, with nothing heavy pressing on it.
Final Notes
The measurements are easy to track from start to finish. A 41-ch foundation gives 40 sts in Row 1. The middle section then grows the piece to 47 sts in Row 2 and 53 sts in Row 3. Before the border, the crescent is about 4.25 in (10.8 cm) tall. Round 1 of the border turns those 53 sts into 57 outer sc and 42 inner sc. Since 57 is exactly 1 + 4 x 14, the 14 scallops fit without any adjustment. The border adds about 3/8 in (1.0 cm) on each side, so the moon finishes at 5 in (12.7 cm) tall x 4.5 in (11.4 cm) wide. Add the flower, two sprigs, two stars and a plum loop, and it’s ready to hang.
Happy crocheting!