How to crochet placemats with leaf pattern

• 4 mm hook
• 2 strands of superfine/fingering cotton (50 g = 170 m) in 2 colors (4 balls in total) – beige and green for instance
• in total you will need about 126 grams
• needle to weave in the ends

Stitches and abbreviations:

Chains (ch)
Slip stitch (ss)
Single crochet (sc)
Double crochet (dc)
Double crochet decrease (dec)
Double crochet increase (inc)

Always increase and decrease in the middle of the leaf (or as central as you are able to)

Process:

You crochet in rounds in the same direction the entire time from inside and out. Everytime you make leaves you change to green and everytime you make chains you change to beige. The circle (beginning) is beige too.

You always make chains (a chained arch) before and after every leaf and always make 1 slip stitch around every arch (expect for when you decrease on the leaf at the very end).

How to change yarn color:

You always change yarn color in the last stitch of the round before the new color. So if you are making chains in beige you do yarn over in green when making the last chain. When you change to beige you do yarn over in beige on the last green stitch by bringing the yarn through the last time you pull the yarn through.

From beige to green: On your last chain: yarn over in green, pull through. Leave the beige on the back, crochet around it.

From green to beige. When you are at the last stitch (the last time you pull the yarn through) you do yarn over in beige and pull through. Leave the green yarn on the back, crochet around it.

Let’s begin!

Start by using beige yarn.

Round 1: Ch 4, connect to ring with 1 ss in the 4th ch from the hook, ch 1 (turning chain). Make 8 sc into the ring. Continue in the same direction.

Round: 2: 2 sc in every st (16 sc in the round)

Round 3: 1 sc in the first st, 2 in the next – repeat (24 sc)

Round 4: 1 sc in the first two stitches, 2 in the 3rd – repeat (32 sc)

Round 5: Make 1 inc next to the last inc in the round before (so that you don’t make the inc directly on top of each other, otherwise the circle won’t be round). (40 sc)

Round 6: Repeat round 5. (48 sc)

Now the chained arched begin.

Round 7: Make 1 ss into the first sc. *Chain 4, 1 ss in the 3rd sc* repeat =16 arches. Chain 4.

Now the leaf begins. On every round you finish by making a chained arch (and switching to green on the last chain) so that every beginning of your round starts at the first leaf.

Round 8: *1 ss around the next arch. Ch 4 (and change to green on the 4th ch) 2 dc around the next arch, and change to beige on the last dc. Ch 4* Repeat from *to * = 2 arches between each leaf, 2 dc on the leaf = 8 leaves in total.
Finish with 4 ch, 1 ss in the first arch of the round.

At the end of each round with increase you gain an extra arch. You still make chains and slip stitches around every arch (and before and after every leaf) and increase on the leaf with 1 extra dc in the last stitch.

Round 9: Ch 3, 1 ss around the next arch, ch 3, 1 ss around the next arch (change to green) 1 dc in the first dc, 2 dc in the 2nd dc, 3 chains, 1 ss = 3 arches between each leaf

Round 10: 1 extra dc in the leaf (in the middle), 3 chains, 1 ss = 4 arches

Round 11: 1 extra dc in the leaf (in the middle), 2 chains , 1 ss = 5 arches – finish the round by skipping the last arch before the first leaf on the round.

On round 12 you skip the last arch between every leaf from the round before = 5 arches.

Round 12: 1 extra dc in the leaf, 2 chains, 1 ss. Now you have 6 dc in the leaf.

On round 13 you start to decrease to make the leaf smaller. You also switch up the amount of chains.

Round 13: 3 chains, 1 ss around every arch = 3 arches. 1 dc dec in the middle of the leaf: by crocheting two stitches together into 1 with a double crochet decrease stitch (dec)

Round 14: Same as the round before.

Round 15: 1 dc dec in the middle of the leaf, ch 6, 1 ss around every other arch = 4 arches.

Round 16: 1 dc dec in the middle of the leaf, 4 ch, 1 ss around every arch.

Round 17: Decrease the last two 2 into 1 dc, 4 ch, 1 ss around every arch

Now the leaf is done, but you continue making chained arches and also make a tiny green thingy between the leaves.

Round 18: 1 ss around the next arch, ch 4, 1 ss around the next arch, ch 4, 1 ss. When you are about half-way between the two leaves (afer making 3 arches) and made a slip stitch, you change to green and make 2 dc in the next slip stitch, ch 4, 1 ss around the next arch, ch 4, 1 ss around the next arch. This way you have an arch after each 2 dc, but not an arch before.

Round 19: 1 ss around the next arch, ch 4. When you reach the 2 green dc, make 1 dc dec on the two dc stitches – turning them into 1. Ch 4, 1 ss, etc.

Round 20: Make one (or more) rounds just making 4 chains and 1 ss around each arch.

Weave in the ends and make one more like it (or many more if you like). It might be a good idea to block it at the end to make sure it’s flat and smooth.

Thank you for trying this pattern, I hope you liked it. If you make and share if on social media be sure to tag @mati_denmark. This pattern is for private use and may not be sold or distributed.