Strawberry Patch Bauble Ornament Free Crochet Pattern
Strawberry Patch Bauble Ornament Free Crochet Pattern
Introduction
This little strawberry bauble is the perfect quick project for anyone who wants a handmade ornament without a big time commitment. It is beginner-friendly: if you can work single crochet, increases, and decreases in the round, you can make this. A plain plastic bauble gets a snug red cover, scattered yellow seed stitches, and a whimsical five-point leaf cap topped with a curly green stem. The finished ornament looks like a tiny strawberry picked straight from the garden, and the smooth, tight single crochet fabric feels sturdy and soft in the hand. Hang it on the tree, tie it to a gift, or make a whole berry patch to fill a bowl.
Materials Needed
- Yarn: Worsted weight (4) acrylic yarn: red (about 30 yds), green (about 10 yds), yellow (about 2 yds)
- Hook: 5 mm (H-8) crochet hook
- Notions: Tapestry needle for sewing and embroidery, scissors, stitch marker (optional), 2.65" diameter plastic bauble
- Finished size: Fits a 2.65" diameter plastic bauble
Abbreviations
- ch – chain
- sc – single crochet
- dc – double crochet
- inc – increase (work 2 sc in the same stitch)
- dec – decrease (work 2 sc together into 1 stitch)
- sl st – slip stitch
- MR – magic ring (adjustable ring)
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- FO – fasten off
Gauge
Gauge is not critical for this project, but work tightly so the cover hugs the bauble snugly. To check, crochet the first five rounds of the cover; the piece should measure roughly 2.65" across at Round 5 (30 sts). If it is much looser than the bauble, drop to a smaller hook.
Tips Before You Start
- Keep your tension tight and even so no red fabric gaps show the plastic bauble underneath.
- Insert the bauble only after Round 10, when the cover is a deep cup; it is much easier than stuffing it in early.
- Place a stitch marker at the start of each round so you never lose your place in the plain rounds.
- Embroider the seeds before sewing on the leaf cap, so you can lay the sphere flat and space them evenly.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Cover (red)
Rnd 1: MR, 6 sc into the ring (6 sts).
Rnd 2: inc in each st around (12 sts).
Rnd 3: [sc, inc] x6 (18 sts).
Rnd 4: [2 sc, inc] x6 (24 sts).
Rnd 5: [3 sc, inc] x6 (30 sts).
Rnds 6-10: sc in each st around (30 sts). Insert the bauble after Round 10.
Rnd 11: [3 sc, dec] x6 (24 sts).
Rnd 12: [2 sc, dec] x6 (18 sts).
Rnd 13: [sc, dec] x6 (12 sts).
Rnd 14: dec x6 (6 sts). FO, leaving a tail. Thread the tail through the remaining 6 sts and pull closed.
Leaf Cap (green)
Rnd 1: MR, 6 sc into the ring, join with sl st to first sc (6 sts).
Leaf 1: Ch 4, sl st in 2nd ch from hook, sc in next ch, dc in next ch, skip 1 sc on the ring, sl st in next sc.
Leaves 2-5: Repeat Leaf 1 four more times (5 leaves total). FO, leaving a long tail for sewing.
Stem (green)
Row 1: Ch 12, sl st in 2nd ch from hook, sl st in each ch across (11 sl sts). FO, leaving a tail for sewing.
Seeds (yellow)
Using yellow yarn and the tapestry needle, embroider small straight stitches randomly over the red cover, spacing them about 0.5" apart.
Assembly and Finishing
Sew the leaf cap to the top of the bauble with the green tail, centering it over the closing point so the five leaves radiate evenly. Sew the stem to the center of the leaf cap with its tail, curling it as desired. Weave in all ends on the wrong side, taking care not to pull the cover out of shape. No blocking is needed; simply smooth the cover over the bauble with your fingers so the stitches sit evenly.
Pro Tips and Variations
- Swap the yellow seeds for tiny white or pale pink straight stitches for an unripe or blossom-look berry.
- Use a 3.5 mm (E-4) hook and sport weight yarn for a smaller ornament that fits a 2" bauble.
- Add a small jump ring or ribbon loop under the stem if you prefer a hanging loop to the stem alone.
