A maple leaf needs one dominant central lobe, two strong side lobes and two smaller lower lobes before the pointed outline looks convincing. This crochet maple leaf pattern recreates the photographed design with burnt-orange cotton yarn, an ivory border and open vein details. Worked flat from the center outward, the intermediate project makes a substantial autumn table decoration, placemat or wall motif.
What Makes This Crochet Maple Leaf Different
The defining feature is the five-lobe structure. The center lobe extends considerably farther than the others, the two side lobes establish the width, and the lower lobes taper toward the stem. Smaller points along the perimeter create the characteristic serrated outline.
Open spaces are positioned along the center and side axes to imitate leaf veins without requiring surface embroidery. These openings also divide the dense orange fabric into recognizable sections.
The final ivory edging has a structural purpose. It outlines every point and valley, making the silhouette easier to read against a table surface. A frequent mistake with a crochet maple leaf motif is adding too many stitches in the valleys. That rounds the indentations and makes the finished piece resemble a star or generic flower.
Project Info at a Glance
| Skill Level | Time | Suggested Size | Hook | Yarn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intermediate | 3–5 hours | Approx. 30–35 cm wide | 4 mm | 100% cotton, DK/Worsted |
The photograph does not provide a physical scale or yarn label, so the finished dimensions are a reconstruction target rather than measurements taken from the original piece. Make a swatch when an exact placemat or table-centerpiece diameter is required.
Materials and Tools
Yarn
- Burnt orange 100% cotton — DK/Worsted — approximately 100–130 g
- Ivory 100% cotton — same or slightly lighter weight — approximately 20–30 g
Tools
- 4 mm crochet hook
- Yarn needle
- Scissors
- Locking stitch markers
- Measuring tape
- Blocking mat
- Rust-resistant blocking pins
Abbreviations
- MR — magic ring
- ch — chain
- sl st — slip stitch
- sc — single crochet
- hdc — half double crochet
- dc — double crochet
- tr — treble crochet
- inc — increase
- dec — decrease
- st/sts — stitch/stitches
- sp — space
- ch-sp — chain space
- rep — repeat
The pattern uses US crochet terminology. Keep the chain spaces relaxed because pulling them tightly closes the decorative vein openings.
Crochet Maple Leaf Pattern – Construction
The leaf is built around five radiating sections. Each section expands from the center, reaches its maximum width and then narrows toward a pointed tip. The central section is the longest. The upper side sections are medium length, while the two lower sections remain shorter and wider.
Because this is a photo-inspired reconstruction rather than a transcription of an identified published pattern, check the work against the desired dimensions as the lobes develop.
Burnt Orange Center
Yarn: burnt orange cotton
Make an MR.
Round 1: Ch 1, work 10 sc into MR. Pull the ring closed and join with sl st. (10)
Round 2: Ch 1, work 2 sc in each st around. Join. (20)
Round 3: Ch 1, repeat (sc in next st, 2 sc in next st) around. Join. (30)
The center should remain compact and flat. Place five markers evenly around Round 3. These markers indicate the axes of the five primary lobes.
Central Lobe
The central lobe is the longest section and establishes the overall height of the maple leaf.
Join orange yarn at the first marked section.
Row 1: Ch 1, sc in next 6 sts. Turn. (6)
Row 2: Ch 1, 2 sc in first st, sc in next 4 sts, 2 sc in last st. Turn. (8)
Row 3: Ch 1, sc in next 3 sts, ch 1, skip 2 sts, sc in next 3 sts. Turn. (6 sc + ch-1 sp)
Row 4: Ch 1, 2 sc in first st, sc to ch-sp, 2 sc in ch-sp, sc across, 2 sc in final st. Turn.
Row 5: Ch 1, sc across.
Row 6: Ch 1, inc in first st, sc across to final st, inc in final st.
Row 7: Ch 1, sc to the center two stitches, ch 1, skip 2 sts, sc across.
Row 8: Ch 1, sc across, working 2 sc into the ch-1 space.
Repeat the expansion principle for another 6–8 rows, placing a small ch-1 vein opening approximately every third row.
The widest portion of the center lobe should measure approximately 9–11 cm.
Shaping the Central Point
Begin reducing the lobe symmetrically.
Decrease Row 1: Ch 1, sc2tog, sc across to final 2 sts, sc2tog.
Decrease Row 2: Ch 1, sc across.
Repeat these two rows until 5 stitches remain.
Final Row: Sc2tog, sc, sc2tog. (3)
Point: Ch 3, sl st into second ch from hook, sl st into next ch, sl st into center stitch.
Fasten off.
Left Upper Lobe
Join orange yarn at the next marked section to the left of the center lobe.
Row 1: Ch 1, sc in next 6 sts. Turn. (6)
Row 2: Inc, sc across, inc. (8)
Row 3: Sc in next 3 sts, ch 1, skip 2 sts, sc in remaining sts.
Row 4: Inc at both edges and work 2 sc into the ch-sp.
Rows 5–10: Continue increasing at both outside edges every second row.
Add one ch-1 vein opening approximately every third row, keeping the openings aligned toward the center of the lobe.
The upper side lobe should reach approximately 75–80% of the center lobe length.
Upper Lobe Point
Work alternating decrease and plain rows until 5 stitches remain.
Work sc2tog, sc, sc2tog. (3)
Ch 3, sl st into second ch, sl st into next ch and sl st into the final center stitch.
Fasten off.
Right Upper Lobe
Work the right upper lobe as a mirror of the left.
Use the same number of rows, increases, vein openings and decreases.
Before fastening off, place the leaf flat and compare the two side points. Their tips should sit at approximately equal distances from the center.
Left Lower Lobe
The lower lobes need a broader, shorter profile.
Join orange yarn at the fourth marked section.
Row 1: Ch 1, sc in next 6 sts. Turn. (6)
Row 2: Inc, sc across, inc. (8)
Row 3: Inc, sc across, inc. (10)
Row 4: Sc in next 4 sts, ch 1, skip 2 sts, sc across.
Row 5: Sc across, working 2 sc into the ch-sp.
Rows 6–9: Maintain the width with sc rows, adding one further vein opening if required.
Begin decreasing after Row 9.
Decrease Row: Sc2tog, sc across, sc2tog.
Alternate a decrease row with a plain row until 3 stitches remain.
Ch 2, sl st into second ch from hook and sl st into the center stitch.
Fasten off.
Right Lower Lobe
Repeat the left lower lobe instructions as a mirror image.
The two lower lobes should terminate well below the widest points of the upper lobes. Keeping them shorter is critical to the maple silhouette.
Adding Secondary Maple Points
The photographed leaf contains multiple smaller teeth between the five dominant points. Add these while working the orange perimeter round.
Join orange yarn beside the stem position.
Sc evenly along the first lobe edge.
At a planned secondary point, work:
sc, hdc, dc, ch 2, sl st into second ch from hook, dc, hdc, sc.
Continue with sc toward the next valley.
At each deep valley, work one sl st rather than several sc.
Repeat around the entire leaf.
Aim for approximately two or three secondary points along each large upper lobe and one or two on each lower lobe.
Creating the Open Leaf Veins
The small openings running from the center toward the points imitate the vein structure visible in the reference.
If additional openings are required, use a controlled chain-space sequence within a lobe row:
sc to the marked vein position, ch 1, skip 1 st, continue in sc.
On the following row, work one sc into the ch-1 space.
For a larger opening:
ch 2, skip 2 sts.
On the return row, work two stitches into that chain space.
Keep the openings aligned along a diagonal or central axis. Random eyelets weaken the visual vein structure.
Crochet Maple Leaf Stem
Join orange yarn at the lower center of the leaf.
Row 1: Ch 18. Sc in second ch from hook and across. (17)
Row 2: Ch 1, turn, sc across. (17)
Row 3: Ch 1, turn, sc across. (17)
Fasten off.
Sew the upper end of the stem firmly into the lower center of the leaf if it was not worked directly from the body.
For a narrower stem, omit Row 3.
Ivory Contrast Border
Yarn: ivory cotton
The ivory edging should remain narrow. Its job is to define the outline, not substantially increase the finished dimensions.
Join ivory yarn at the lower stem.
Border Round: Ch 1 and sc evenly around the stem and complete leaf perimeter.
At each major point, work:
sc, ch 2, sc into the point stitch.
At smaller secondary points, work:
sc, ch 1, sc.
At each deep valley, work sc2tog using one stitch from each side of the indentation.
Continue around the entire leaf and stem.
Join with sl st and fasten off.
Sharper Ivory Points
If the border makes the serrations too rounded, use a picot at the tip of each major point.
Work:
sc, ch 3, sl st into first ch, sc in the point stitch.
Use the ch-3 version only on the five primary lobes. Smaller teeth need only ch 1 or ch 2 to preserve the size hierarchy.
Blocking the Maple Leaf
- Weave in all orange yarn tails before wetting the motif.
- Dampen the cotton according to the yarn manufacturer’s care instructions.
- Place the center of the maple leaf flat on a blocking mat.
- Pin the central lobe first so its point aligns with the stem.
- Pin the left and right upper lobes at matching angles.
- Position the two lower lobes symmetrically without stretching them to the same length as the upper lobes.
- Pin each major valley inward to preserve the deep indentations.
- Shape every secondary point individually rather than pulling an entire edge with one pin.
- Straighten the stem and check that it remains aligned with the central lobe.
- Allow the cotton to dry completely before removing the pins.
The finished motif should have one dominant center lobe, two balanced upper side lobes, two shorter lower lobes, a narrow stem and a clearly visible ivory outline.
How to Make the Maple Leaf Larger
Changing yarn weight is the simplest way to resize the motif without substantially changing its proportions.
Small Leaf
Use sport-weight cotton with a 3–3.5 mm hook. This works well for appliqués, garlands and smaller table decorations.
Medium Leaf
Use DK cotton with a 4 mm hook. Aim for approximately 25–30 cm across, depending on tension.
Large Placemat Leaf
Use worsted cotton with a 4.5–5 mm hook. Add one or two expansion rows to each major lobe if additional width is required.
Do not add the same number of rows to every lobe. The center must remain longest, followed by the two upper side lobes and then the shorter lower pair.
Using the Leaf as a Table Decoration
A large cotton leaf can function as a seasonal placemat, centerpiece mat or decorative layer beneath lightweight tableware. Cotton is a practical choice because the motif can be washed and blocked back into shape.
If the project will sit beneath hot cookware, treat it as a decorative trivet only unless its thickness and materials are specifically appropriate for the temperatures involved. A single crochet layer should not automatically be assumed to provide adequate hand or surface protection.
Alternative Autumn Colors
- Burnt orange + ivory — closest to the photographed version
- Deep red + cream — high-contrast maple leaf
- Mustard + beige — golden autumn palette
- Rust + dark brown — darker woodland version
- Olive green + cream — early-season leaf
- Burgundy + pale gold — deeper fall table setting
For the strongest outline, choose a border color that contrasts clearly with the main leaf. A border only slightly lighter than the body may disappear visually around the smaller serrations.
7 Technical Tips for a Better Crochet Maple Leaf
- Keep the central lobe 20–30% longer than the lower lobes. Making all five sections equal in length produces a star-shaped motif instead of the intended maple profile.
- Place only one compact stitch at each deep valley. Adding three or four stitches there fills the indentation and makes neighboring lobes merge together.
- Align the vein openings before completing each row. An eyelet shifted two stitches sideways interrupts the diagonal line running from the center toward the lobe tip.
- Compare the two upper lobes after every four rows. A difference of more than about 1 cm becomes clearly visible once the contrast border is added.
- Keep the ivory edging relaxed along outer curves. A border worked too tightly pulls the secondary points inward and causes the leaf to cup.
- Pin every primary point during blocking. Pinning only the five outermost areas leaves the smaller serrations rounded instead of sharply defined.
- Weave each yarn tail through at least 5 cm of matching stitches. Avoid hiding an orange tail directly beneath the ivory edging because the darker strand can become visible from the front.
Preventing the Leaf from Curling
If a lobe curls upward along both sides, the edging is probably too tight. Remove that section and add several evenly distributed stitches along the outer curve.
If a lobe ruffles, it contains too many increases. Reduce the number of stitches near the broadest section rather than attempting to flatten heavy rippling during blocking.
A small amount of movement is normal before blocking, particularly with cotton. Severe cupping or waves indicate a stitch-count problem that should be corrected before the ivory border is completed.
Finishing the Crochet Maple Leaf
Inspect the motif from several directions before weaving in the final border tail. The central point and stem should share the same axis, while the two large side lobes should extend to approximately equal widths.
Check the lower lobes separately. They should be balanced with each other but visibly smaller than the upper pair.
After blocking, measure the leaf across its widest points. For a large table version, approximately 30–35 cm provides a useful target, but the actual dimensions should follow the intended placement and yarn gauge.
Conclusion
Mark the five lobe positions before extending the center, then compare the left and right sections as the leaf grows. The central lobe must remain dominant while the lower pair stays shorter and broader. Add the vein openings during construction rather than cutting or stretching holes afterward, then use the ivory edging to sharpen each point and valley. Block every lobe individually for the cleanest final silhouette. Save this crochet maple leaf pattern to Pinterest and share your finished autumn version on Instagram with #AutumnCrochetMapleLeaf. Would you make the next leaf in deep red, mustard yellow or keep the burnt-orange center shown here?
