This cheerful granny square features a three tier sage green Christmas tree with snowy cream scalloped edges, little red bows, shiny gold bead ornaments, and a bright yellow star on top. The tree sits on a classic red granny square background framed with a cream border, giving it a cozy, traditional holiday look. It is perfect for Christmas blankets, pillows, ornaments, and gift toppers.
The square is made in two parts. First you crochet the red granny square with its cream border, then you make the tree tiers, trunk, star, and bows and sew them on top for a raised, dimensional look.
Materials
Worsted weight cotton or acrylic yarn in red, about 35 g
Worsted weight cotton or acrylic yarn in cream, about 15 g
Worsted weight cotton or acrylic yarn in sage green, about 15 g
Small amounts of brown, yellow, and bright red yarn
6 gold beads, 6 to 8 mm
Crochet hook 4.0 mm
Tapestry needle, sewing needle and thread, scissors, and stitch markers
Finished Size
About 18 by 18 cm (7 by 7 inches)
Stitches Used (US Terms)
ch chain
sl st slip stitch
sc single crochet
hdc half double crochet
dc double crochet
sc2tog single crochet two together
shell 5 double crochet worked into the same stitch
MR magic ring
cluster 3 double crochet worked into the same space
Part 1: The Red Granny Square
With red, chain 4 and join with a slip stitch to form a ring.
Round 1: Chain 3 (counts as a double crochet), work 2 double crochet in the ring, and chain 2. Work 3 double crochet and chain 2 three more times. Join. You have 4 corners.
Round 2: Slip stitch into the corner space. Chain 3 and work 2 double crochet, chain 2, and 3 double crochet in the same space. Chain 1. In each remaining corner, work 3 double crochet, chain 2, and 3 double crochet, with chain 1 between corners. Join.
Rounds 3 to 8: Work 3 double crochet in each chain 1 space along the sides, with chain 1 between groups. In each corner, work 3 double crochet, chain 2, and 3 double crochet. Join at the end of each round. Fasten off red.
Part 2: The Cream Border
Round 1: Join cream in any corner space. Chain 1 and single crochet in each stitch and space around, with 3 single crochet in each corner space. Join.
Round 2: Chain 1 and single crochet in each stitch around, with 3 single crochet in the center stitch of each corner. Join and fasten off.
Your square should measure about 18 cm across.
Part 3: The Tree Tiers (make 3)
Each tier is a triangle worked from the bottom up. The bottom tier is the largest and the top tier is the smallest.
With sage green, chain 21 for the bottom tier, 17 for the middle tier, or 13 for the top tier.
Row 1: Single crochet in the 2nd chain from the hook and in each chain across. Turn. You have 20, 16, or 12 stitches.
Row 2: Chain 1 and single crochet in each stitch across. Turn.
Row 3: Chain 1, sc2tog, single crochet across to the last 2 stitches, and sc2tog. Turn.
Repeat Rows 2 and 3 until 4 stitches remain on the bottom and middle tiers. On the top tier, continue until 2 stitches remain, then sc2tog to make a point.
Fasten off and leave a long tail for sewing.
Part 4: The Snowy Scalloped Edge (make 3)
Join cream at the bottom right corner of each tier, working along the foundation chain.
Row 1: Chain 1 and single crochet in each chain across. Turn.
Row 2: Chain 1 and single crochet in the first stitch. Skip 1 stitch and work a shell in the next stitch. Skip 1 stitch and single crochet in the next stitch. Repeat across. Fasten off.
The scallops should extend slightly past both sides of each tier, like the snowy edges in the photo.
Part 5: The Trunk
With brown, chain 6.
Row 1: Single crochet in the 2nd chain from the hook and in each chain across. Turn. You have 5 stitches.
Rows 2 to 5: Chain 1 and single crochet in each stitch across. Turn.
Fasten off and leave a tail for sewing.
Part 6: The Star
With yellow, make a magic ring.
Round 1: Chain 1 and work 10 single crochet in the ring. Join.
Round 2: Chain 3, slip stitch in the 2nd chain from the hook, single crochet in the next chain, skip 1 stitch, and slip stitch in the next stitch. Repeat around to make 5 points. Fasten off and leave a tail for sewing.
Part 7: The Red Bows (make 3)
With bright red, chain 8 and join into a ring.
Round 1: Chain 1 and work 12 single crochet in the ring. Join and fasten off, leaving a long tail.
Flatten the ring and wrap the tail tightly around the middle 4 times to pinch it into a bow. Tie off on the back.
For the tails, cut a 10 cm piece of red yarn, fold it in half, and stitch it under the bow so two short ends hang down.
Assembly
Place the trunk at the bottom center of the red square and sew it in place.
Place the bottom tier so its scalloped edge just covers the top of the trunk. Sew it in place with the green tail and small whip stitches.
Overlap the middle tier on top of the bottom tier, so its cream scallops cover the point of the tier below. Sew it in place.
Overlap the top tier the same way and sew it in place.
Sew the star to the top point of the tree.
Sew one bow on each tier, alternating sides as shown in the photo.
With sewing thread, sew 4 to 6 gold beads across the tiers for ornaments.
Weave in all ends on the back.
Blocking
Lightly dampen the square and pin it flat with straight sides and sharp corners. Do not press the tree, scallops, or star so they stay raised and dimensional.
Ways to Use Your Christmas Tree Square
Join several squares with plain red and cream granny squares for a holiday blanket.
Sew two squares together over a cushion insert for a Christmas pillow.
Add a ribbon loop and hang it as a large tree ornament or wall hanging.
Use one square as a festive coaster or a gift topper.
Join a row of squares for a holiday table runner or mantel banner.
Color Ideas
Dark green tree on a white background with red bows for a classic look
White tree with silver beads on a navy background for a winter night style
Pink tree with gold beads on a cream background for a pastel Christmas
Green tree on a plaid style background of red and green squares for a cabin feel
Tips for Success
Count your stitches after each decrease row so each tier stays even.
Keep the three tiers in proportion by checking them against each other before adding the scallops.
Pin the trunk, tiers, star, and bows in place before sewing to check the layout.
Use stitch markers at the corners to keep the square straight.
Final Thoughts
This Christmas tree granny square is a quick, cheerful project that brings holiday spirit to anything you make. It pairs beautifully with other Christmas squares, such as Santa hats, snowmen, and gifts, for a festive sampler blanket. Share your finished squares in the comments below. We would love to see your holiday makes!