This bedspread is a field of ridged fern leaves floating on an open chain mesh. Every leaf has raised, serrated lobes and a curled corkscrew stem. The open spaces let the sheet underneath show through.
The whole piece is worked in one color, a soft sage green, so the texture does all the work. The style borrows from Irish crochet. Here it is simplified into square blocks, so the math stays predictable and the bedspread lies flat.
The pattern uses US crochet terms. The finished bedspread measures 86.5 x 110.5 in (219.7 x 280.7 cm). That fits a queen bed with a generous drop.
You make 63 identical blocks. Each block is a chain-mesh square with a solid single crochet edge. You crochet two ridged fern leaves separately for each block and sew them on. The blocks are joined with slip stitches in a 7 x 9 grid, and a three-round scalloped border finishes the edge.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: 86.5 x 110.5 in (219.7 x 280.7 cm)
- Skill level: Intermediate
- Terminology: US crochet terms
- Yarn weight: Worsted (#4) cotton or cotton blend
- Hook: 5.0 mm (H-8)
- Number of pieces: 63 blocks, plus 126 leaves (2 per block)
- Layout: 7 blocks wide x 9 blocks long
- Block size: 12 x 12 in (30.5 x 30.5 cm)
- Size before border: 84 x 108 in (213.4 x 274.3 cm)
- Border depth: 1.25 in (3.2 cm) on each edge
Materials
Choose a smooth, tightly plied worsted cotton. The ridged leaves need crisp stitch definition, and a fuzzy yarn will blur the lobes.
- Sage green: 3,800 g, about 7,220 m (at 190 m per 100 g)
Tools:
- 5.0 mm (H-8) crochet hook
- Yarn needle
- Locking stitch markers
- Rust-proof pins and blocking mats
- Tape measure
Quantities include a margin of about 10 percent for swatching and differences in tension. Buy all the yarn from one dye lot.
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch – chain
- sl st – slip stitch
- sc – single crochet
- dc – double crochet
- BLO – back loop only
- sp – space
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- RS – right side
Special stitch – Corkscrew stem: Chain the stated number, then work 3 sc into each chain. Packing 3 stitches into each chain makes the strip twist into a tight spiral.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Gauge: 16 sc and 18 rows = 4 in (10.2 cm) in sc with a 5.0 mm hook.
Make one complete block, including both leaves, before you start the rest. Wash and block it the same way you will block the finished bedspread, then measure.
Checkpoints:
- Leaf after Row 10: about 6.5 in (16.5 cm) long and 3 in (7.6 cm) wide, not counting the stem.
- Stem curl: about 3 in (7.6 cm) long once relaxed.
- Mesh after Round 8: about 11.5 in (29.2 cm) per side, gently stretched.
- Block after Round 9: 12 in (30.5 cm) per side, blocked.
If the block is larger than 12 in (30.5 cm), go down to a 4.5 mm hook. If it is smaller, go up to a 5.5 mm hook. Change the hook, not the stitch counts, because the joining and border math depend on exactly 47 sc per side.
Fern Leaf (Make 126)
The leaf is worked around both sides of a foundation chain. Every row is worked in the back loop only and stops 3 stitches short of the end. This builds the raised ridges and the stepped, serrated lobes.
Ch 26.
Row 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in next 23 ch (24 sc). Work 3 sc in the last ch for the tip. Then, working along the opposite side of the foundation ch, sc in each of the next 24 ch. (51 sc)
Place a marker in the center st of the 3-sc tip group. Move the marker up to the new center st on every row.
Row 2: Ch 1, turn. Sc BLO in each st up to the marked center st (25 sc), 3 sc BLO in center st, then sc BLO in each st down the other side, leaving the last 3 sts unworked (22 sc). (50 sc)
Row 3: Ch 1, turn. Sc BLO in each st to the center st (23 sc), 3 sc BLO in center st, then sc BLO down the other side, leaving the last 3 sts unworked (23 sc). (49 sc)
Rows 4–10: Repeat Row 3. Each row has 1 fewer stitch than the row before, because 3 sts are left unworked and 2 are added at the tip.
Stitch totals: Row 4 – 48 sc; Row 5 – 47 sc; Row 6 – 46 sc; Row 7 – 45 sc; Row 8 – 44 sc; Row 9 – 43 sc; Row 10 – 42 sc.
At the end of Row 10, do not fasten off. Sl st evenly down the side edge of the row ends to the base of the leaf.
Stem: Ch 21. Work 3 sc in the 2nd ch from hook and in each remaining ch. (60 sc) Sl st into the base of the leaf. Fasten off, leaving a 12 in (30.5 cm) tail for sewing the leaf on. Twist the stem gently into an even spiral.
Mesh Block (Make 63)
The block is worked in rounds from the center out. Each round adds one ch-5 loop to every side. The last round converts the loops into a solid sc edge.
Ch 6, sl st to the first ch to form a ring.
Round 1 (RS): Ch 1, sc in ring, ch 5, sc in ring, ch 7; repeat from * 3 more times. Sl st to first sc. (8 sc, 4 ch-5 loops, 4 ch-7 corner loops)
Round 2: Sl st into the next ch-5 loop. Ch 1, sc in same loop, ch 5, (sc, ch 7, sc) in next ch-7 corner loop, ch 5, sc in next ch-5 loop, ch 5; repeat from * 2 more times, (sc, ch 7, sc) in last corner loop, ch 5. Sl st to first sc. (12 sc; 2 ch-5 loops per side; 4 corner loops)
Round 3: Sl st into the next ch-5 loop. Ch 1. Along each side, sc in each ch-5 loop with ch 5 between them. At each corner, ch 5, work (sc, ch 7, sc) in the corner loop, then ch 5. Continue around and sl st to first sc. (16 sc; 3 ch-5 loops per side; 4 corner loops)
Rounds 4–8: Repeat Round 3. Each round has 1 more ch-5 loop per side.
Counts: Round 4 – 20 sc, 4 loops per side; Round 5 – 24 sc, 5 loops per side; Round 6 – 28 sc, 6 loops per side; Round 7 – 32 sc, 7 loops per side; Round 8 – 36 sc, 8 loops per side.
After Round 8, each side has 1 corner sc, then 8 ch-5 loops separated by 7 sc, then 1 corner sc.
Round 9 (conversion round): Ch 1. Working around: 4 sc in each ch-5 loop, 1 sc in each sc, and (3 sc, ch 2, 3 sc) in each ch-7 corner loop. Sl st to first sc. Fasten off and weave in ends.
Count per side: 3 (corner half) + 1 (corner sc) + 32 (8 loops x 4 sc) + 7 (sc between loops) + 1 (corner sc) + 3 (corner half) = 47 sc per side. Total: 188 sc and 4 ch-2 corner spaces. The ch-2 corner spaces are not counted as stitches.
Attach the Leaves
Lay the block RS up and choose one edge to be the top for the whole bedspread.
Place two leaves so their bases meet just below the center ring. Angle one leaf up and to the left and the other up and to the right, at about 45 degrees, so the tips reach Round 8. The stems curl down toward the two lower corners.
Use the leaf tail to sew each leaf down along its center spine, at the tip, and at every second lobe. Catch only the mesh chains behind the leaf. Keep the stitches loose so the mesh does not pucker.
Turn every block the same way so the leaf pairs line up in vertical rows across the bed.
Make All Pieces
- Blocks: 63 in sage green
- Leaves: 126 in sage green
Layout grid (7 columns x 9 rows, top edges toward the headboard):
Row 1: B B B B B B B
Row 2: B B B B B B B
Row 3: B B B B B B B
Row 4: B B B B B B B
Row 5: B B B B B B B
Row 6: B B B B B B B
Row 7: B B B B B B B
Row 8: B B B B B B B
Row 9: B B B B B B B
Joining
Method: Flat slip-stitch join through back loops, worked from the RS.
Lay two blocks side by side, RS up, with the edges touching. Sl st through the first pair of ch-2 corner spaces. Then sl st through the back loop of each sc on the left block and the matching back loop on the right block, one stitch to one stitch, for all 47 sc. Finish with a sl st through the second pair of corner spaces.
Every side has exactly 47 sc, so the stitches pair up perfectly and you don’t need to ease anything in.
Join the blocks into 9 strips of 7 blocks each, then join the strips along their long edges. On each long seam, 7 x 47 = 329 sc pair up with 329 sc. Add a sl st through each pair of joined corner spaces where the blocks meet.
Tension: Keep the slip stitches as loose as the sc they join. Tight seams pull the mesh into ridges and shrink the bedspread. If needed, use a 5.5 mm hook for joining only.
Size checkpoint: The joined center measures 84 x 108 in (213.4 x 274.3 cm). Each block should still measure 12 in (30.5 cm) after joining.
Border
Border gauge: 4 sc per inch (2.5 cm), the same as the blocks.
Round 1: With RS facing, join yarn in any outer corner ch-2 space. Ch 1 and work (sc, ch 2, sc) in each outer corner space. Along each side, sc in each sc, and work 1 sc in each seam where two joined corner spaces meet the edge.
- Short sides: 1 corner sc + (7 x 47 = 329) + 6 seam sc + 1 corner sc = 337 sc
- Long sides: 1 corner sc + (9 x 47 = 423) + 8 seam sc + 1 corner sc = 433 sc
Each side count includes its own 2 corner sc, one on each side of the ch-2 corner spaces. Sl st to first sc. Total: 1,540 sc and 4 ch-2 spaces.
Round 2 (scallops): Sl st into the next sc. On each side: sc in the first corner sc, skip 2 sts, 7 dc in next st, skip 2 sts, sc in next st; repeat from * across, ending with sc in the last corner sc. Work 7 dc in each ch-2 corner space. Sl st to first sc.
- Short sides: 56 scallops
- Long sides: 72 scallops
- Plus 4 corner scallops, for 260 scallops total
Round 3 (ridged edge): Sl st into the first dc. In each scallop: sc BLO in next 3 dc, (sc, ch 3, sc) in 4th dc, sc BLO in next 3 dc. Sl st in each sc between scallops. Sl st to first st. Fasten off.
The back-loop stitches echo the ridges on the leaves, and the ch-3 points give each scallop a small leaf-tip outline.
Why the math works: Each scallop repeat uses 6 stitches (skip 2, dc group, skip 2, sc), and each side needs 1 extra sc to start. 337 = (6 x 56) + 1, and 433 = (6 x 72) + 1. Both sides divide evenly, so every side starts and ends with an sc in a corner stitch and the corners match.
Final Blocking
- Weave in all remaining ends.
- Soak the bedspread in cool water with a little gentle wash for 15 minutes.
- Press out the water; do not wring. Roll it in towels to remove excess moisture.
- Lay it flat on blocking mats or a clean sheet on the floor.
- Pin the center to 84 x 108 in (213.4 x 274.3 cm), starting at the corners and then the seam lines.
- Pin the tip of every border scallop so the edge measures 86.5 x 110.5 in (219.7 x 280.7 cm).
- Shape each leaf so the ridges stand up and the lobes spread. Twist each stem into its spiral.
- Let it dry completely, at least 24 hours, before unpinning.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- Every block has exactly 47 sc per side.
- All 126 leaves have 10 rows and a 60-sc corkscrew stem.
- All blocks face the same direction.
- Leaves are sewn on loosely with no puckering.
- Seams lie flat and are not tighter than the blocks.
- Border Round 1 has 337 sc on the short sides and 433 sc on the long sides, and Round 2 has 260 scallops.
- Finished size is 86.5 x 110.5 in (219.7 x 280.7 cm).
Troubleshooting
Leaf ridges look flat: Work every row after Row 1 in the back loop only.
Leaf cups into a cone: You may be adding more than 3 sc at the tip. Recount the center group.
Stem won’t spiral: Work 3 sc in every chain. Fewer stitches give a wavy strip instead.
Block corners pull in: Loosen the ch-7 corner loops slightly.
Side count is off: Recheck the 7 sc between loops in Round 9; one is easy to skip.
Seams ripple: Join with a larger hook and keep the slip stitches loose.
Border flares: Recount Round 1 and confirm 337 and 433 sc per side.
Care
Hand wash, or machine wash on a gentle cold cycle in a mesh laundry bag, then lay flat to dry. Reshape the leaves and border while damp.
Final Notes
The measurements build on each other. A leaf reaches 6.5 in (16.5 cm). A block reaches 12 in (30.5 cm) with 47 sc per side. Seven by nine blocks make 84 x 108 in (213.4 x 274.3 cm). The 1.25 in (3.2 cm) border brings the bedspread to 86.5 x 110.5 in (219.7 x 280.7 cm). If each step measures right, the next one will too.
Happy crocheting!