Fall leaves and acorns scale from a single small appliqué up to a full 150cm mixed garland, and every one of them works as a genuine stash-buster — a single leaf or acorn barely dents a skein of scrap yarn.
A tapestry needle for weaving in ends and attaching pieces to a garland base covers most of what these need. The stuffed acorn versions also want a bit of fiberfill on hand.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. The links below are affiliate links, at no extra cost to you.
Items you’ll need:
- Crochet hooks
- Cotton yarn
- Tapestry needles and stitch markers
- Embroidery scissors
- Blocking mat and pins
Fall leaf and acorn patterns to explore
1. Fall Garland
Dublin Bay Crochet’s fall garland pattern covers a plump 3D acorn that you fill with fiberfill, a classic maple leaf and an oak leaf, along with other autumn pieces, so a single pattern gives you everything for a garland. The sample uses Drops Nepal, a wool and alpaca blend chosen for its soft touch and a look the designer calls perfect for fall. Since you make several motifs, it takes longer than a single appliqué, but you only need one pattern.
2. Mini Acorn Appliqué
This mini acorn appliqué from Itchin’ for Some Stitchin’ is a beginner-friendly stash-buster, and the page includes step-by-step photos, a video tutorial, yardage and tips for success. The acorn is tiny, about 1.5 inches tall, so it uses only scraps. The page also has ideas for gifting and decorating, and it works well sewn onto other projects such as hats or booties.
3. Acorn Garland
Handy Little Me’s acorn garland uses light (DK) yarn scraps, and you string the acorns on twine for a rustic autumn garland, or use single acorns to decorate a table, a fall wreath or a Thanksgiving place setting. Each acorn is about 3 inches long and stuffed, so it has real dimension. The designer points out you can make them without gathering real acorns, so no surprise creatures moving in.
4. Leaf Appliqué
Jess Crafting’s leaf appliqué uses DK yarn and a 3 mm hook and is built on a 16-chain foundation, with taller treble stitches clustered in the center and shorter stitches tapering to the edges for a realistic leaf shape. A video tutorial with subtitles is included. The designer says you may sell finished leaves as long as you link back to her blog or channel. It is part of a series of autumn appliqués.
5. Maple Leaf Appliqué
Raffaella’s maple leaf is part of her Autumn Leaves Collection of four leaves (maple, oak, willow and birch), and she says any yarn and matching hook will do. Her leaves use DK (3, light) acrylic and a 3.5 mm (E/4) hook, and the finished maple leaf is about 3.3 inches. The free pattern is on the page, and a printable version is sold in her shops as part of the collection.
6. Oak Leaf Appliqué
Raffaella’s oak leaf comes from the same Autumn Leaves Collection and finishes at about 2.9 by 1.7 inches. It is worked in DK acrylic like the maple leaf above, so the two mix in one garland, and she says the leaves suit garlands and kitchen items. Any yarn works with a matching hook, and the printable pattern for the whole collection is sold separately.
7. Happy Autumn Leaves
Tamara Kelly’s Happy Autumn Leaves are much bigger: 9 inches long by 5.75 inches wide. She made them in cotton, thinking they’d be dishcloths, and calls them multipurpose pieces (they work as a coaster, table piece or garland). The sample used about 40 yards of Red Heart Scrubby Smoothie (discontinued; she recommends Lily Sugar’n Cream instead) and 8 stitch markers, and there is an edging tutorial video. She also says she’d like to try it in feltable yarn.
8. Amigurumi Acorn
June Gilbank’s amigurumi acorn is donationware: the pattern is free, and she asks for a donation if you like it. You need a small amount of worsted weight yarn in two colors (one for the acorn and one for the cup), polyester fibrefill, a stitch marker, a yarn needle and eyes of about 6 mm. The face can be as simple as two eyes or include an embroidered nose and mouth.
9. Mini Acorn Bookmark and Garland Set
Joey Diehl’s Mini Acorn Bookmark and Garland Set is part 3 of 3 in a mix-and-match set. The acorn is about 2.75 inches high and 2 inches wide, and each leaf motif is 1.5 by 1.5 inches. The example bookmark string is 12 inches and the garland 32 inches, and the pattern includes instructions for customizing the length. It uses an H-8 (5 mm) hook and medium (4) weight yarn in at least two colors.
10. Crochet Acorn and Oak Leaf
The Crochet Circle’s tutorial pairs a small acorn with an oak leaf, and the page suggests using them for garlands, gluing them to dry branches and other autumn decorations. Because you can combine so many colors, each one turns out different. If you use chunky yarn and add safety eyes, you can even turn the acorn into an amigurumi. The pattern was posted in 2022.
11. Acorn Appliqué
Jess Crafting’s acorn appliqué uses a 4 mm hook and DK yarn (Patons Astra in the sample), and it uses puff stitches for the cap. The page has a video tutorial with subtitles. It is one of the same autumn appliqué series as the leaf in #4, so the two are meant to be used together on a garland or projects. The designer even asks which appliqué you would like to see next.
12. Leaf Coaster
Jenny and Teddy’s leaf coaster is beginner-friendly and quick, and a good way to use up scrap yarn: she uses DK or medium (#4) cotton blend but says any fiber or weight works. The example size is 4 inches from the top of the leaf to the bottom of the coaster in DK weight, or 5 inches in medium weight. The page also links a succulent coaster pattern and a monstera leaf coaster if you want a set.
