The Rosewood Lace Leaf is a single crocheted motif shaped like a teardrop leaf. A raised spine runs down the center, and open veins fan out from it toward a pointed tip. A cream border of fan shells frames the leaf and gives it a softly scalloped outline.
The leaf is worked in dusty rose and the border in warm cream. The look is romantic and vintage, like an heirloom doily. You can use the finished motif as a small table doily, a decorative appliqué or a keepsake.
This pattern uses US crochet terms. The blocked motif measures 5.5 in (14.0 cm) wide and 8.5 in (21.6 cm) long.
You work the whole piece in joined rounds around a short foundation chain. Three pink rounds make the spine, the veins and the outline. Three cream rounds make the scalloped border. There is no sewing and no joining, only two yarn tails to weave in per color.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size (blocked): 5.5 in × 8.5 in (14.0 cm × 21.6 cm)
- Skill level: Intermediate
- Terminology: US
- Yarn weight: DK / light worsted (#3), cotton recommended
- Hook: 4.5 mm (US 7)
- Number of pieces: 1
- Layout: a single leaf worked in the round around a foundation chain, with a pointed tip and a rounded base
- Leaf size (after pink Rnd 3): 3 in × 6 in (7.6 cm × 15.2 cm)
- Size before border: 3 in × 6 in (7.6 cm × 15.2 cm)
- Border depth: 1.25 in (3.2 cm) on every side
Materials
Yarn: Use a smooth mercerized or combed cotton in DK weight, roughly 110 m per 50 g. Cotton gives crisp stitches and holds the open veins after blocking. Acrylic will work but relaxes more, so the veins may look softer.
- Color A – Dusty Rose (leaf): 10 g, about 22 m
- Color B – Cream (border): 15 g, about 33 m
These amounts include roughly a 25% margin for your gauge swatch and yarn tails.
Tools:
– 4.5 mm (US 7) crochet hook
– Tapestry needle
– Scissors
– 2 stitch markers
– Blocking mat and rustproof pins
– Spray bottle with clean water
– Ruler or tape measure
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch – chain
- sl st – slip stitch
- sc – single crochet
- dc – double crochet
- dtr – double treble crochet
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- sp – space
- sk – skip
- Rnd / R – round
- rep – repeat
Special stitches:
- Double treble (dtr): Yarn over 3 times. Insert your hook in the stitch and pull up a loop (5 loops on hook). Then yarn over and pull through 2 loops 4 times. These tall stitches are the open veins.
- Shell: 7 dc in the same stitch.
- Ch-3 point: (sc, ch 3, sc) in the same stitch.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Gauge: 16 sc = 4 in (10.2 cm) using a 4.5 mm hook.
Make the pink leaf first (Rnds 1–3) and measure it before you start the border. It is a small piece, so it works as your gauge swatch too. Lay it flat without stretching and measure at each checkpoint:
| Stage | Width | Length |
|---|---|---|
| Foundation chain (ch 18) | — | 4.5 in (11.4 cm) |
| Rnd 1 (spine) | 0.75 in (1.9 cm) | 4.5 in (11.4 cm) |
| Rnd 2 (veins) | 2.5 in (6.4 cm) | 5.5 in (14.0 cm) |
| Rnd 3 (outline) | 3 in (7.6 cm) | 6 in (15.2 cm) |
| Border R1 | 3.5 in (8.9 cm) | 6.5 in (16.5 cm) |
| Border R2 | 5 in (12.7 cm) | 8 in (20.3 cm) |
| Border R3 | 5.5 in (14.0 cm) | 8.5 in (21.6 cm) |
Being within 0.25 in (0.6 cm) of each number is fine, because blocking will even it out.
Too big? If Rnd 3 is wider than 3.25 in (8.3 cm), go down to a 4 mm hook.
Too small? If Rnd 3 is narrower than 2.75 in (7.0 cm), go up to a 5 mm hook.
Cupping or ruffling? Stitch counts matter more than size here. Recount before you change hooks.
Leaf (Color A – Dusty Rose)
The leaf is worked around both sides of a foundation chain. The base end of the chain becomes the rounded base. The far end becomes the pointed tip.
Foundation: With Color A, ch 18.
Rnd 1 (spine): 2 sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc in next 15 ch, 3 sc in last ch. Turn the work so you can crochet into the opposite side of the foundation chain. Sc in next 15 ch, then sc in the same ch as the first 2 sc. Join with sl st to first sc. (36 sc)
The first sc of the round is st 1 and marks the center of the base. Place a marker in st 19, the center sc of the 3-sc group, to mark the tip. The two rows of sc on either side of the chain form the raised center spine.
Rnd 2 (veins):
1. Ch 1, sc in same st as join (st 1).
2. Ch 3, sk next 4 sts, dtr in next st (st 6).
3. Ch 3, sk next 3 sts, dtr in next st 3 times. You will land in sts 10, 14 and 18.
4. Ch 5, sk the marked tip st (st 19), dtr in next st (st 20).
5. Ch 3, sk next 3 sts, dtr in next st 3 times. You will land in sts 24, 28 and 32.
6. Ch 3, sk last 4 sts, join with sl st to first sc.
(1 sc, 8 dtr; 8 ch-3 sps and 1 ch-5 tip sp)
Each dtr is one vein, giving 4 veins on each side of the spine. They are placed as mirror images around the base and tip, so both halves of the leaf match. As you finish each dtr, tilt the hook slightly toward the tip. This starts the upward angle, and blocking sets it.
Rnd 3 (outline):
1. Ch 3 (counts as dc in the base sc).
2. 6 dc in next ch-3 sp, dc in next dtr.
3. 5 dc in next ch-3 sp, dc in next dtr 3 times.
4. (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in the tip ch-5 sp.
5. Dc in next dtr.
6. 5 dc in next ch-3 sp, dc in next dtr 3 times.
7. 6 dc in last ch-3 sp. Join with sl st to top of beginning ch-3.
(57 dc and 1 ch-2 tip sp)
Count check:
– Base: 1 dc.
– Each side, from the base to the tip space: 6 + 1 + 18 + 3 = 28 dc.
– Total: 1 + 28 + 28 = 57 dc.
The 6-dc groups at the base round out the bottom of the leaf. The ch-2 at the tip makes the point. Fasten off Color A and weave in the tails.
Checkpoint: The leaf should measure 3 in × 6 in (7.6 cm × 15.2 cm) and lie flat.
Border (Color B – Cream)
Border gauge: Border R1 has 60 sc at 16 sc per 4 in (10.2 cm), so its outer edge is about 15 in (38.1 cm) around. Each shell in R2 sits on 6 sts, which is 1.5 in (3.8 cm) of edge. Ten shells × 1.5 in = 15 in (38.1 cm), so the shells cover the edge exactly with nothing left over.
R1 (sc foundation):
1. Join Color B with sl st in top of the beginning ch-3 of Rnd 3 (center of the base).
2. Ch 1, sc in same st.
3. Sc in next 28 sts, 3 sc in the tip ch-2 sp.
4. Sc in next 28 sts. Join with sl st to first sc.
(60 sc)
Counts for each part of the edge:
– Base center: 1 sc
– Side A: 28 sc
– Tip: 3 sc
– Side B: 28 sc
– Total: 1 + 28 + 3 + 28 = 60
Number the sts 0 to 59, starting from the base sc. The center tip sc is then st 30, exactly halfway around.
R2 (shells):
1. Ch 3 (counts as dc), 3 dc in same st. This is the first half of the base shell.
2. Sk 2 sts, sc in next st, sk 2 sts.
3. Shell in next st, sk 2 sts, sc in next st, sk 2 sts 9 times.
4. 3 dc in the first st (at the base of the ch-3) to finish the base shell. Join with sl st to top of ch-3.
(10 shells of 7 dc = 70 dc, plus 10 sc = 80 sts)
Why the math works: Each repeat (shell, 2 skipped sts, sc, 2 skipped sts) uses 6 sts, and 60 ÷ 6 = 10 shells with no leftover stitches. Shells fall on sts 0, 6, 12, and so on up to 54. Since 30 is a multiple of 6, one shell sits right on the tip and one sits right on the base. That keeps the border symmetrical, with 4 shells along each side between them. The beginning ch-3 is the 4th dc of the base shell, which makes it the shell’s center stitch.
R3 (scalloped edging):
1. Ch 1, (sc, ch 3, sc) in same st (the center of the base shell).
2. Sc in next 3 dc, sl st in next sc.
3. Sc in next 3 dc, ch-3 point in next dc, sc in next 3 dc, sl st in next sc 9 times.
4. Sc in last 3 dc. Join with sl st to first sc.
(80 sc, 10 sl st, 10 ch-3 points)
Count check:
– Each shell gets 3 + 2 + 3 = 8 sc and 1 ch-3 point.
– 10 shells × 8 = 80 sc.
– The 10 sl sts sit in the 10 sc between shells and pull each dip in, which deepens the scallops.
Fasten off and weave in the ends.
Checkpoint: About 5.5 in × 8.5 in (14.0 cm × 21.6 cm) before blocking. Each side gains 0.25 in (0.6 cm) from R1, 0.75 in (1.9 cm) from R2 and 0.25 in (0.6 cm) from R3. That adds up to the 1.25 in (3.2 cm) border depth.
Final Blocking
- Soak the motif in cool water for 10 minutes. Press out the water gently; do not wring it.
- Roll it in a towel to remove extra moisture.
- Lay it face up on the blocking mat. Pin the tip and the base center 8.5 in (21.6 cm) apart.
- Pin the widest point of each side so the width is 5.5 in (14.0 cm).
- Pin the leaf outline so each dtr vein leans up toward the tip at about 45 degrees. Keep the angles matching on both sides.
- Pin the ch-3 point of every shell outward to open the fans and sharpen the scallops.
- Mist the piece lightly and let it dry completely, usually 6–12 hours.
- Unpin and check the measurements again.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- Rnd 1 has 36 sc and the spine runs straight down the center.
- There are 4 veins on each side, all leaning toward the tip.
- Rnd 3 has 57 dc and a ch-2 at the tip.
- Border R1 has 60 sc, with 28 on each side and 3 at the tip.
- There are 10 shells, with one centered on the tip and one on the base.
- R3 has 10 ch-3 points, all evenly spaced.
- The blocked size is 5.5 in × 8.5 in (14.0 cm × 21.6 cm), within 0.25 in (0.6 cm).
- The piece lies flat with no cupping or ruffling.
- All tails are woven in on the wrong side.
Troubleshooting
The leaf cups after Rnd 3. Your dc are probably too tight over the long dtr veins. Relax your tension or check that every ch-3 sp has 5 dc (6 at the base).
The leaf ruffles. You likely added extra dc. Recount to 57.
The veins are crooked or uneven. Make sure every skip is exactly 3 sts (4 at the base). Re-block and pin each vein at the same angle.
The tip is blunt. Keep the ch-2 in Rnd 3 and the 3-sc group in Border R1. Pin the tip firmly while blocking.
The shells are off-center. Border R1 must have exactly 60 sc. With 59 or 61, the tip shell drifts to one side.
The scallops are shallow. Pull the sl sts between shells snug, and pin each ch-3 point outward when blocking.
Care
Hand wash in cool water with a mild detergent and lay flat to dry, reshaping it to the blocked size. Do not tumble dry or hang it while wet.
Final Notes
The measurement chain:
1. An 18-chain spine of 4.5 in (11.4 cm).
2. A veined leaf of 3 in × 6 in (7.6 cm × 15.2 cm).
3. 60 border stitches that divide evenly into 10 shells.
4. A 1.25 in (3.2 cm) scalloped border, for a finished 5.5 in × 8.5 in (14.0 cm × 21.6 cm) motif.
If each checkpoint matches, the finished motif will too.
Happy crocheting!