The Rosewood Fringe Tree is a small, flat Christmas tree ornament made with one dusty rose yarn. Tiers of fanned shells grow down from a single point at the top. Small open triangles sit between the shells, so the tree looks lacy without being fragile.
A firm, rope-like band finishes the bottom of the tree. Six fringe bundles hang below it, along with one chunky center tassel that has a wrapped neck and acts as the trunk. At the top is a twisted hanging loop for twine and an optional wooden star.
This pattern uses US crochet terms. The finished triangle measures about 5.5 in (14.0 cm) wide and 6 in (15.2 cm) tall. With the center tassel, the ornament is about 9.5 in (24.1 cm) long, not counting the hanging loop.
Construction is simple. You work the triangle in rows from the top point down, adding one shell on every shell row. Two straightening rows build the base band. A round of single crochet and a round of reverse single crochet frame the whole piece and form the hanging loop. The fringe and tassel go on last.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: 5.5 in (14.0 cm) wide x 6 in (15.2 cm) tall, triangle only
- Length with center tassel: about 9.5 in (24.1 cm)
- Skill level: Easy (advanced beginner)
- Terminology: US crochet terms
- Yarn weight: Worsted / medium (#4), cotton or cotton blend
- Hook: 4.0 mm (G-6)
- Number of pieces: 1 triangle, worked in one piece
- Layout: Single ornament, point up, fringe down
- Piece size before border: 5 in (12.7 cm) wide x 5.5 in (14.0 cm) tall
- Border depth: about 0.25 in (0.6 cm) on every edge
Materials
Choose a smooth, matte worsted-weight cotton or cotton blend, around 190 m per 100 g. Cotton shows the shell texture clearly and makes crisp fringe that hangs straight. Very fuzzy or splitty yarn will blur the open triangles and tangle the fringe.
Yarn
- Dusty rose (only color): about 30 g, approximately 57 m (62 yd)
- Triangle and border: about 16 g, approximately 30 m
- Fringe bundles and center tassel: about 14 g, approximately 27 m
These amounts include a margin of about 15% for your test piece, tails and trimming.
Tools
- 4.0 mm (G-6) crochet hook
- Tapestry needle
- Sharp scissors (small embroidery scissors are best for trimming fringe)
- Stiff card, 4 in (10.2 cm) tall, for the tassel
- Fine comb or pet brush for fluffing fringe (optional)
- Natural jute twine, 12 in (30.5 cm), for hanging
- Wooden star cutout, about 2 in (5.1 cm), for the top (optional)
- Blocking mat and rust-proof pins
- Spray bottle with water
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch – chain
- sl st – slip stitch
- sc – single crochet
- hdc – half double crochet
- dc – double crochet
- sk – skip
- sp(s) – space(s)
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- rep – repeat
- RS / WS – right side / wrong side
Special stitches
- Shell: 5 dc worked into the same stitch.
- Reverse sc (crab stitch): Work from left to right (if you are right-handed). Insert the hook into the next stitch to the right, yarn over, pull up a loop, yarn over, and pull through both loops. This makes the twisted, rope-like edge.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Gauge isn’t critical for an ornament. It does control how much yarn you use and whether the fringe spacing matches the base. Work Rows 1–5 first as your test piece.
Test piece (Rows 1–5): 3 shells across. It should be about 2.5 in (6.4 cm) wide at the widest shell row and 2.25 in (5.7 cm) tall.
Border gauge: 14 sc = 3 in (7.6 cm) along an edge, or about 4.67 sc per inch.
Checkpoints (measure width across the last shell row):
- After Row 3: 1.75 in (4.4 cm) wide
- After Row 5: 2.5 in (6.4 cm) wide, 2.25 in (5.7 cm) tall
- After Row 7: 3.25 in (8.3 cm) wide
- After Row 9: 4.25 in (10.8 cm) wide
- After Row 11: 5 in (12.7 cm) wide, 5 in (12.7 cm) tall
- After Row 13: 5 in (12.7 cm) wide, 5.5 in (14.0 cm) tall
- After border: 5.5 in (14.0 cm) wide, 6 in (15.2 cm) tall
If your test piece is too big, switch to a 3.75 mm hook. If it is too small, switch to a 4.5 mm hook. Change hooks rather than tension, because tight dc close up the open triangles.
Triangle
You work the triangle flat in rows from the top point down. Odd rows are shell rows. Even rows are mesh rows that set up the next, wider shell row. Turn at the end of every row.
Row 1 (RS): Make a magic ring. Ch 3 (counts as dc), 4 dc in ring. Pull the ring closed tightly. Turn. (1 shell = 5 sts)
Row 2 (mesh): Ch 5 (counts as dc + ch 2), sc in center (3rd) st of shell, ch 2, dc in top of turning ch. Turn. (2 dc, 1 sc, 2 ch-2 sps)
Row 3 (shell): Ch 3 (counts as dc), 4 dc in st at base of ch-3, sk ch-2 sp, sc in next sc, sk ch-2 sp, 5 dc in 3rd ch of turning ch-5. Turn. (2 shells + 1 sc = 11 sts)
Mesh row pattern (Rows 4, 6, 8, 10): Ch 5 (counts as dc + ch 2), sc in center (3rd) st of first shell, *ch 2, dc in next sc, ch 2, sc in center dc of next shell; rep from * across, ch 2, dc in top of turning ch. Turn.
Shell row pattern (Rows 5, 7, 9, 11): Ch 3 (counts as dc), 4 dc in st at base of ch-3, *sk ch-2 sp, sc in next sc, sk ch-2 sp, 5 dc in next dc; rep from * across, working the last shell into the 3rd ch of turning ch-5. Turn.
Each dc in a mesh row becomes the base of a shell in the next row. Each sc in a mesh row becomes the sc between two shells. A mesh row over k shells has k + 1 dc, so each shell row grows by exactly one shell.
Row 4: Work mesh row. (3 dc, 2 sc, 4 ch-2 sps)
Row 5: Work shell row. (3 shells + 2 sc = 17 sts)
Measure: 2.5 in (6.4 cm) wide, 2.25 in (5.7 cm) tall.
Row 6: Work mesh row. (4 dc, 3 sc, 6 ch-2 sps)
Row 7: Work shell row. (4 shells + 3 sc = 23 sts)
Row 8: Work mesh row. (5 dc, 4 sc, 8 ch-2 sps)
Row 9: Work shell row. (5 shells + 4 sc = 29 sts)
Row 10: Work mesh row. (6 dc, 5 sc, 10 ch-2 sps)
Row 11: Work shell row. (6 shells + 5 sc = 35 sts)
Measure: 5 in (12.7 cm) wide and 5 in (12.7 cm) tall.
Base Band
The shell tops fan out, so 35 stitches are crowded into 5 in (12.7 cm). One sc in every stitch would make the base ruffle. Instead, Row 12 is a conversion row: it picks up 3 stitches from each shell and fills each dip between shells with an hdc.
Row 12 (conversion): Ch 1, sc in first dc, sk 1 dc, sc in center dc, sk 1 dc, sc in 5th st of shell, *hdc in next sc, sc in 1st dc of next shell, sk 1 dc, sc in center dc, sk 1 dc, sc in 5th st of shell; rep from * 4 more times. Your last sc goes into the top of the turning ch-3. Turn.
Count: 3 sts from the first shell + 5 repeats of 4 sts (1 hdc + 3 sc) = 3 + 20 = 23 sts (18 sc + 5 hdc).
Row 13 (RS): Ch 1, sc in each st across. Do not turn. (23 sc)
Measure: 5 in (12.7 cm) wide and 5.5 in (14.0 cm) tall. The base should lie straight with no waves.
Border
Border gauge: 14 sc = 3 in (7.6 cm), about 4.67 sc per inch.
Before the border, each sloped side is about 6 in (15.2 cm) long. Half the base is 2.5 in (6.4 cm) and the height is 5.5 in (14.0 cm), so the slope works out to just over 6 in. At border gauge, 6 in needs 28 sc. The 5 in (12.7 cm) base needs about 23 sc, and Row 13 already has exactly 23 sts.
Row-end rule for the sides: Work 2 sc around the end of each shell row (the turning ch-3 or the last dc). Work 3 sc around the end of each mesh row (the turning ch-5 or the last dc). Over Rows 1–11 that gives 6 shell rows x 2 + 5 mesh rows x 3 = 12 + 15 = 27 sc. One sc in the end of Row 12 brings each side to 28 sc. The corner group covers the end of Row 13, so don’t count it twice.
Round 1: With RS still facing, ch 1 and rotate to work up the first sloped side.
- Side A: Sc in end of Row 12, then 27 sc over Rows 11 to 1 using the row-end rule. (28 sc)
- Top: Ch 14 for the hanging loop.
- Side B: 27 sc over Rows 1 to 11, then sc in end of Row 12. (28 sc)
- Base: 3 sc in first st of Row 13 (corner), sc in each of next 21 sts, 3 sc in last st of Row 13 (corner). (3 + 21 + 3 = 27 sc)
- Sl st to first sc.
Round 1 total: 28 + 28 + 27 = 83 sc, plus the ch-14 loop.
The base count works out like this: 21 straight stitches plus the 2 corner stitches use all 23 stitches of Row 13. The other 4 sc in the corner groups turn the corners. Those 4 extra stitches are the only increases in the border.
Round 2: Ch 1, do not turn.
- Side A: Reverse sc in each of 28 sc.
- Loop: Work 20 regular sc (not reverse sc) into the ch-14 loop to make it firm and corded.
- Side B: Reverse sc in each of 28 sc.
- Base: Reverse sc in each of 27 sc.
- Sl st to first st. Fasten off and weave in ends.
Round 2 total: 28 + 28 + 27 = 83 reverse sc, plus 20 sc in the loop.
On the base, the reverse sc sits right on top of Rows 12–13 and makes the thick, rope-like band. Along the sides it makes a matching corded edge.
The side counts come from the row-end rule and the base count comes from Row 13. That means the border never adds more stitches than the triangle can hold, so the edges lie flat and the point stays sharp.
Fringe and Center Tassel
Fringe bundles (make 6): Cut 60 strands, each 6.5 in (16.5 cm) long. Use 10 strands per bundle.
Number the 27 base stitches of Round 1 from left to right. The center stitch is stitch 14. Attach the bundles with a lark’s head knot through stitches 2, 6, 10, 18, 22 and 26. That puts 3 bundles on each side, 4 stitches apart, and leaves stitch 14 free for the tassel.
To attach a bundle, fold the 10 strands in half. Push the fold through the stitch from front to back, pull the ends through the fold, and tighten. Each bundle has 20 ends.
Center tassel: Wrap yarn 30 times around the 4 in (10.2 cm) card. Slide an 8 in (20.3 cm) tie strand under the wraps at the top and knot it tightly. Cut through the wraps at the bottom.
To form the neck, wrap a separate strand 8 times around the tassel, 0.5 in (1.3 cm) below the top. Thread the ends onto the needle and bury them inside the tassel.
Use the tie strand to fasten the tassel through stitch 14, so the top knob sits right against the base band. Knot it on the WS and bury the tails in the tassel.
Trim: Trim the fringe bundles to 2.5 in (6.4 cm) below the base. Trim the center tassel to 3.5 in (8.9 cm) below the base. Comb all the fringe gently, then trim again for a straight line.
Final Blocking
- Mist the ornament lightly with water until it is damp but not soaked.
- Lay it RS up on the blocking mat.
- Pin the two bottom corners 5.5 in (14.0 cm) apart.
- Pin the top point 6 in (15.2 cm) above the center of the base.
- Pin along each side, keeping the edges straight between the three points.
- Use a fingertip to open each small triangle between the shells so the lace looks even.
- Mist the fringe and tassel and comb them straight down.
- Let the ornament dry completely, then unpin.
- Thread jute twine through the hanging loop and the optional wooden star, then knot.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- Row 11 has 6 shells and 5 sc (35 sts).
- Row 13 has 23 sc and lies straight.
- In Round 1, each side has 28 sc and the base has 27 sc.
- Round 2 has 83 reverse sc plus 20 sc in the loop.
- The triangle measures 5.5 in (14.0 cm) wide x 6 in (15.2 cm) tall.
- The six fringe bundles sit at stitches 2, 6, 10, 18, 22 and 26.
- The center tassel sits at stitch 14 and hangs 3.5 in (8.9 cm) below the base.
- All ends are woven in and can’t be seen from the front.
Troubleshooting
The sides curve inward. You are working too few sc at the mesh row ends. Use 3 sc there, not 2.
The sides ripple. You have too many sc on the row ends. Recount to 28 per side.
The base band waves. Row 12 was probably worked as 1 sc in every stitch. Rework it as the 23-stitch conversion row.
The open triangles look closed. Your dc are too tight. Go up a hook size or loosen your yarn overs.
The point is blunt. Pull the magic ring fully closed, and work the ch-14 loop directly from the last sc of Side A.
The fringe looks thin. Keep 10 strands per bundle and comb after trimming.
The tassel leans. Tie it through stitch 14 only, with the knot centered on the WS.
Care
If needed, hand wash in cool water, press the water out in a towel, and dry flat with the fringe combed straight. Store the ornament flat or hanging so the tassel doesn’t crease.
Final Notes
Here is the measurement chain. Your Rows 1–5 test piece should be 2.5 in (6.4 cm) wide. Row 11 should be 5 in (12.7 cm) wide with 35 sts. Row 12 converts those to 23 sts. The border adds 28 sc per side and 27 sc at the base, which brings the ornament to 5.5 in (14.0 cm) wide x 6 in (15.2 cm) tall.
Add 2.5 in (6.4 cm) fringe and a 3.5 in (8.9 cm) center tassel for a total length of about 9.5 in (24.1 cm). Check each number as you go, and the tree will come out flat, sharp and evenly fringed.
Happy crocheting!