This little tree is a single hanging ornament with a classic stacked shape. It has four sage green tiers, each finished with a row of scalloped shells. The tiers grow wider from a pointed top to a broad base. A small cream star sits at the tip, and gold beads mark the end of each tier.
The colors are soft and traditional: muted sage for the tree, cream for the star, and warm gold for the beads. Hang a few of them on cream string among lights, baubles, and pinecones for a cozy, vintage look.
The pattern uses US crochet terms. Each finished tree body measures 3.5 in (8.9 cm) wide at the base and 3.75 in (9.5 cm) tall. With the star in place, the ornament is about 4 in (10.2 cm) tall.
You work the tree flat in rows from the top down. Each tier ends with a shell row worked into the front loops only. The next tier starts in the back loops left behind, so the shells fold down over the tier below like layered branches. Then you make a tiny star, sew it on, add the beads, and attach a hanging loop.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: 3.5 in (8.9 cm) wide x 3.75 in (9.5 cm) tall tree body; about 4 in (10.2 cm) tall with star
- Skill level: Easy to Intermediate
- Terminology: US crochet terms
- Yarn weight: Sport weight (#2) cotton
- Hook: 3.25 mm (US D-3)
- Number of pieces: 2 per ornament (tree body + star appliqué)
- Layout: Single tiered tree motif with the star at the tip, hung from a cream string
- Piece size: Tree body 3.5 in (8.9 cm) x 3.75 in (9.5 cm); star 0.75 in (1.9 cm) across
- Size before scalloped edge: 3.5 in (8.9 cm) wide x 3.4 in (8.6 cm) tall (all 24 sc rows)
- Scalloped edge depth: The bottom shells hang about 0.35 in (0.9 cm) below Row 24
Materials
Choose a smooth, mercerized or matte sport weight cotton. Cotton holds the shell shapes crisply and blocks well. Avoid fuzzy yarns, because they blur the scallops.
Yarn (per ornament):
– Sage green: 6 g, about 18 m
– Cream: 2 g, about 6 m (star)
For a set of four ornaments: 24 g / 72 m sage and 8 g / 24 m cream.
Tools and notions:
– 3.25 mm (US D-3) crochet hook
– Tapestry needle
– 8 gold beads, 4 mm (plus a few spares)
– Beading needle or fine sewing needle
– Gold or sage sewing thread
– Cream string or twine, 8 in (20.3 cm) per ornament
– Scissors
– Rustproof pins and a foam blocking mat
– Spray bottle
Yarn quantities include a margin of about 40% for your gauge swatch, tails, and small tension differences.
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch – chain
- sl st – slip stitch
- sc – single crochet
- hdc – half double crochet
- dc – double crochet
- MR – magic ring
- FLO – front loop only
- BLO – back loop only
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- RS / WS – right side / wrong side
- inc – 2 sc in the same stitch
- rep – repeat
Special stitch – Shell: 5 dc in the same stitch.
Unused loops: These are the back loops of a row left free after a shell row is worked into its front loops. The next tier starts here.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Gauge: 24 sc and 28 rows = 4 in (10.2 cm), or 6 sc and 7 rows per 1 in (2.5 cm) in sc rows.
Test one piece first. Crochet Tier 1 (Rows 1–6) before you go further, then measure it.
Checkpoints:
– After Row 6: 9 sts, 1.5 in (3.8 cm) wide, about 0.9 in (2.3 cm) tall
– After Row 12: 13 sts, 2.2 in (5.6 cm) wide, about 1.7 in (4.3 cm) tall
– After Row 18: 17 sts, 2.8 in (7.1 cm) wide, about 2.6 in (6.6 cm) tall
– After Row 24: 21 sts, 3.5 in (8.9 cm) wide, about 3.4 in (8.6 cm) tall
– After Row 25: about 3.75 in (9.5 cm) tall, including the bottom shells
If Tier 1 is too big: Go down 0.25 mm in hook size, or tighten your tension.
If Tier 1 is too small: Go up 0.25 mm in hook size.
Measure flat, without stretching. Small differences are fine for an ornament, but keep all of your trees at the same gauge so the set matches.
Tree Body (Sage)
Turn the work at the end of every row. The ch 1 does not count as a stitch. Row 1 is the RS. All shell rows are odd-numbered, so they are always worked with the RS facing.
Tier 1 (Top)
Row 1 (RS): Ch 2, 3 sc in 2nd ch from hook. (3)
Row 2 (WS): Ch 1, turn, inc in first st, sc in next st, inc in last st. (5)
Row 3: Ch 1, turn, sc across. (5)
Row 4: Ch 1, turn, inc in first st, sc in next 3 sts, inc in last st. (7)
Row 5: Ch 1, turn, sc across. (7)
Row 6: Ch 1, turn, inc in first st, sc in next 5 sts, inc in last st. (9)
Checkpoint: 1.5 in (3.8 cm) wide.
Row 7 (RS, shell row): Ch 1, turn. Working in the FLO of Row 6 only: sc in first st, skip 1, shell in next st, skip 1, sc in next st. Rep from * once more. (2 shells; 13 sts: 3 sc + 10 dc)
Tier 2
Row 8 (WS): Ch 1, turn. Fold the shells away from you. Working in the unused loops of Row 6: inc in first loop, sc in next 7 loops, inc in last loop. (11)
Row 9: Ch 1, turn, sc across. (11)
Row 10: Ch 1, turn, inc in first st, sc in next 9 sts, inc in last st. (13)
Rows 11–12: Ch 1, turn, sc across. (13)
Row 13 (RS, shell row): Ch 1, turn. Working in the FLO of Row 12: sc in first st, skip 1, shell in next st, skip 1, sc in next st. Rep from * 2 more times. (3 shells; 19 sts: 4 sc + 15 dc)
Tier 3
Row 14 (WS): Ch 1, turn. Working in the unused loops of Row 12: inc in first loop, sc in next 11 loops, inc in last loop. (15)
Row 15: Ch 1, turn, sc across. (15)
Row 16: Ch 1, turn, inc in first st, sc in next 13 sts, inc in last st. (17)
Rows 17–18: Ch 1, turn, sc across. (17)
Row 19 (RS, shell row): Ch 1, turn. Working in the FLO of Row 18: sc in first st, skip 1, shell in next st, skip 1, sc in next st. Rep from * 3 more times. (4 shells; 25 sts: 5 sc + 20 dc)
Tier 4 (Base)
Row 20 (WS): Ch 1, turn. Working in the unused loops of Row 18: inc in first loop, sc in next 15 loops, inc in last loop. (19)
Row 21: Ch 1, turn, sc across. (19)
Row 22: Ch 1, turn, inc in first st, sc in next 17 sts, inc in last st. (21)
Rows 23–24: Ch 1, turn, sc across. (21)
Checkpoint: 3.5 in (8.9 cm) wide, 3.4 in (8.6 cm) tall.
Row 25 (RS, shell row): Ch 1, turn. Working in the FLO of Row 24: sc in first st, skip 1, shell in next st, skip 1, sc in next st. Rep from * 4 more times. (5 shells; 31 sts: 6 sc + 25 dc)
Fasten off, leaving a 6 in (15.2 cm) tail. Weave it in on the WS. The unused loops of Row 24 stay free behind the bottom shells.
Star Topper (Cream)
Rnd 1: Make a MR. Ch 1, work 10 sc in the ring. Pull the ring tight and join with sl st to the first sc. (10)
Rnd 2 (points): Ch 3, sc in 2nd ch from hook, hdc in next ch, skip 1 sc, sl st in next sc. Rep from * 4 more times. (5 points)
Each point uses 2 sc from Rnd 1: 5 points x 2 = 10 sts, so the star closes evenly.
Fasten off, leaving a 12 in (30.5 cm) tail for sewing. The star measures about 0.75 in (1.9 cm) across.
Assembly
- Hanging loop: Thread the 8 in (20.3 cm) cream string through the top of Row 1. Knot the ends together to make a loop about 3 in (7.6 cm) long. Slide the knot to the back.
- Star: Center the star over the tip on the RS so it covers Rows 1–2 and sits slightly above the point. Whipstitch around its center with the tail. Leave the points free, then weave in the end.
- Beads: With the beading needle and thread, sew one gold bead at each end of every shell row, where the first and last sc meet the tree’s side edge. Use 2 beads per tier, 8 in total. Knot the thread securely on the WS after each bead.
Border: The Scalloped Tier Edges
This ornament has no separate border round. Instead, the four shell rows act as the edging for each tier. Here is how their math works.
Border gauge: One scallop uses 4 sts of the sc row (sc, skip 1, shell, skip 1). That is about 0.7 in (1.8 cm) of width at 6 sc per 1 in (2.5 cm).
Counts per tier:
– Tier 1 (Row 7): worked into 9 sts = 2 shells, 13 sts
– Tier 2 (Row 13): worked into 13 sts = 3 shells, 19 sts
– Tier 3 (Row 19): worked into 17 sts = 4 shells, 25 sts
– Tier 4 (Row 25): worked into 21 sts = 5 shells, 31 sts
Why the math works:
– The repeat needs a row of (4 x number of shells) + 1 sts: 9, 13, 17, and 21 all fit.
– Each tier adds exactly 4 sts (one inc at each end on two rows), so each tier gains one shell.
– Each shell row stitch count is (shells + 1) sc plus (5 x shells) dc.
– Because the shells sit only in the front loops, the full back loops stay free. The next tier starts with the same stitch count as the row below: 9, 13, and 17 loops.
Final Blocking
- Lightly mist the tree with water until it is just damp.
- Lay it RS up on the blocking mat.
- Pin the base to 3.5 in (8.9 cm) wide and the body to 3.75 in (9.5 cm) tall.
- Smooth each shell row so it lies down over the tier below. Pin the outer shell tips if they curl.
- Check that the center line runs straight from the tip to the middle base shell.
- Mist the star and press its points flat with your fingers.
- Let everything dry completely before unpinning, usually 2–4 hours.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- Tree body is 3.5 in (8.9 cm) wide and 3.75 in (9.5 cm) tall
- Tiers have 2, 3, 4, and 5 shells from top to bottom
- All shells sit on the RS and overlap the tier below
- Tier side edges are smooth, with no gaps at the increases
- Star is centered at the tip, with all 5 points visible
- 8 gold beads are attached, 2 per tier, and none are loose
- Hanging loop is secure and the tree hangs straight
- All tails are woven in on the WS
Troubleshooting
Shells ruffle or cup: Your dc may be too loose, or a skip was missed. Recount the shell row against 4 sts per scallop, and try a slightly tighter tension.
Shells point up instead of down: The shell row was worked with the WS facing. Shell rows must be odd-numbered, RS rows.
Next tier is too narrow or too wide: The first row of the tier was worked into both loops. Rip back and work only into the unused loops.
Tree leans to one side: An increase is missing on one edge. Compare both sides of each tier against the stitch counts.
Star curls: Rnd 1 was pulled too tight, or the points are crowded. Block it flat, or redo Rnd 2 with a looser ch 3.
Ornament tilts when hanging: Move the string to the exact center of Row 1.
Care
Spot clean with cool water and mild soap, then reshape and lay flat to dry. Do not machine wash, because the beads and star can loosen.
Final Notes
Here is the full measurement chain. Gauge is 6 sc and 7 rows per 1 in (2.5 cm). The tiers grow from 9 to 13 to 17 to 21 sts, or 1.5 in (3.8 cm) to 3.5 in (8.9 cm) wide. Twenty-four sc rows give 3.4 in (8.6 cm) of height. The bottom shells add 0.35 in (0.9 cm), for a 3.75 in (9.5 cm) tree body. The 0.75 in (1.9 cm) star brings the ornament to about 4 in (10.2 cm).
Optional: make several trees in one sitting so the gauge matches across the whole set.
Happy crocheting!