Try this Easy Crochet Bonsai Tree Pattern for Beginners and create a cute handmade bonsai step by step.
Want to add a small handmade tree to your space? This Easy Crochet Bonsai Tree Pattern for Beginners is a fun project to try. You can make the branches, trunk, and leaves with simple crochet stitches and shape them into a cute bonsai for your home or as a thoughtful handmade gift.
Crochet Bonsai Tree Pattern for Beginners Tutorials
Before You Start
This pattern uses US crochet terms and a few basic amigurumi techniques. You will crochet the planter, planter legs, dirt piece, trunk, branch, and leaf bundles separately before putting everything together.
Keep your stitch marker nearby and count your stitches at the end of each round. Small pieces can be surprisingly easy to miscount, and catching a mistake early is much easier than fixing it several rounds later.
Project Details
Skill level: Beginner to intermediate
Time: A few hours, depending on your crochet experience
Finished size: About 5 inches tall and just under 3 inches wide
Crochet terms: US terms
Materials You’ll Need
- 2.25 mm crochet hook for the tree
- 2.75 mm crochet hook for the planter
- Worsted weight yarn in black, tan, brown, and green
- A small amount of white or pale green yarn for optional highlights
- Fiberfill stuffing
- Stuffing pellets for weight
- Yarn needle
- Stitch markers
- Wooden dowel
- Floral wire
- Card stock measuring 5.25 × 5.25 inches
- Small scissors
The original design uses black for the planter, tan for the dirt, brown for the trunk and branch, and green for the leaves. You can change those colors to suit your own style.
Crochet Abbreviations
This pattern uses US crochet terms.
**sc** = single crochet
**st** = stitch
**sts** = stitches
**ch** = chain
**sl st** = slip stitch
**rnd** = round
**dec** = decrease, worked by crocheting two stitches together
**inc** = increase, working two single crochet stitches in the same stitch
**FL** = front loop
**BL** = back loop
**yo** = yarn over
**[ ]** = repeat the instructions inside the brackets
**x6** = repeat the instructions six times
The pattern sometimes refers to a specific round, such as **rnd 12**, meaning round 12.
Helpful Techniques
Magic Ring
A magic ring gives you a tight starting circle for amigurumi pieces. If you’ve never made one before, practice it a few times with scrap yarn before starting the pattern.
Invisible Decrease
An invisible decrease reduces two stitches to one while leaving a smoother finish. Insert your hook through the front loop of the first stitch, then through the front loop of the next stitch. Yarn over, pull through both front loops, yarn over again, and pull through the remaining loops on your hook.
Working in the Front Loop
When a pattern tells you to work in the front loop, insert your hook only under the loop closest to you. Leave the back loop untouched.
Stitch Markers
Place a stitch marker in the first stitch of each round. This makes it much easier to see where a round begins, especially when you’re working continuous rounds.
Closing a Small Opening
When a piece is finished, thread the yarn tail onto your yarn needle. Weave the needle through the front loops around the final round, then pull the yarn gently to close the opening. Secure the end and hide the remaining tail inside the piece.
Whip Stitch
Whip stitch is used to join two finished pieces or close an opening. Bring your needle through the edges of the pieces from one side to the other, repeating the motion around the opening.
Square Planter
Use the 2.75 mm crochet hook and black yarn.
Rnd 1
4 sc in a magic ring (4 sts).
Rnd 2
Work 2 sc in each of the 4 stitches around (8 sts).
Rnd 3
[1 sc in next st, 3 sc in next st] x4 (16 sts).
Rnd 4
2 sc, 3 sc in next st, [3 sc, 3 sc in next st] x3, 1 sc (24 sts).
Rnd 5
3 sc, 3 sc in next st, [5 sc, 3 sc in next st] x3, 2 sc (32 sts).
Rnd 6
4 sc, 3 sc in next st, [7 sc, 3 sc in next st] x3, 3 sc (40 sts).
Rnds 7–12
Work 40 sc around for 6 rounds (40 sts).
Rnd 13
6 sc, 3 sc in next st, [11 sc, 3 sc in next st] x3, 5 sc (48 sts).
Slip stitch into the next 2 stitches. Leave a short yarn tail for weaving in.
Planter Legs
Make 4 legs using black yarn and the 2.75 mm hook.
Rnd 1
6 sc in a magic ring (6 sts).
Slip stitch into the first sc and leave a yarn tail long enough to sew the leg to one corner of the planter.
Repeat until you have four legs.
Make the Card Stock Insert
Take the 5.25 × 5.25-inch piece of card stock and fold it into a small box.
This box will sit inside the planter and hold the stuffing pellets. The pellets give the finished bonsai enough weight to keep it from tipping over.
Keep the folded box nearby while you finish the planter and dirt piece.
For Dirt/Soil
Use tan yarn and the 2.75 mm crochet hook.
Rnd 1
4 sc in a magic ring (4 sts).
Rnd 2
4 inc around (8 sts).
Rnd 3
[1 sc, 3 sc in next st] x4 (16 sts).
Rnd 4
2 sc, 3 sc in next st, [3 sc, 3 sc in next st] x3, 1 sc (24 sts).
Rnd 5
3 sc, 3 sc in next st, [5 sc, 3 sc in next st] x3, 2 sc (32 sts).
Rnd 6
4 sc, 3 sc in next st, [7 sc, 3 sc in next st] x3, 3 sc (40 sts).
Leave a long yarn tail for sewing.
Place the dirt piece inside the planter and align it with the back loops of round 12. Whip stitch the two pieces together around the edge.
After you’ve sewn one side, pause and place the folded card stock box inside. Fill the box with stuffing pellets for weight.
Continue sewing around the edge while keeping the pellets inside the card stock box. Work carefully and avoid tipping the planter while you’re doing this.
When only one corner remains, add a thin layer of fiberfill over the pellets. Finish stitching the opening and secure the yarn tail.
The fiberfill creates a little cushion between the pellets and the top of the planter.
Tree Trunk
Use brown yarn and the 2.25 mm crochet hook.
Rnd 1
3 sc in a magic ring (3 sts).
Rnd 2
Inc in the first st, 2 sc in the next 2 sts (4 sts).
Rnds 3–4
4 sc around for 2 rounds (4 sts).
Rnd 5
Inc in the first st, 3 sc in the next 3 sts (5 sts).
Rnd 6
5 sc around (5 sts).
Rnd 7
Inc in the first st, 4 sc in the next 4 sts (6 sts).
Rnds 8–9
6 sc around for 2 rounds (6 sts).
Rnd 10
Inc in the first st, 5 sc in the next 5 sts (7 sts).
Rnds 11–12
7 sc around for 2 rounds (7 sts).
Rnd 13
Inc in the first st, 6 sc in the next 6 sts (8 sts).
Rnd 14
[3 sc, inc] x2 (10 sts).
Rnds 15–17
10 sc around for 3 rounds (10 sts).
Rnd 18
[4 sc, inc] x2 (12 sts).
Rnds 19–21
12 sc around for 3 rounds (12 sts).
Leave a long yarn tail for attaching the trunk to the dirt.
To shape the trunk, carefully slide a piece of floral wire through the crocheted tube. Add a little fiberfill around the lower part of the trunk so it keeps its shape.
Bend the wire to create the curved bonsai shape you want. Once you’re happy with it, trim the wire and leave about 1 inch extra. Curl that extra wire back on itself and tuck it safely into the base of the trunk.
Make sure no sharp wire end can poke through the yarn.
Branch
Use brown yarn and the 2.25 mm crochet hook.
Rnd 1
3 sc in a magic ring (3 sts).
Rnd 2
Inc in the first st, 2 sc in the next 2 sts (4 sts).
Rnd 3
4 sc around (4 sts).
Rnd 4
4 sc around (4 sts).
Rnd 5
Inc in the first st, 3 sc in the next 3 sts (5 sts).
Rnd 6
Inc in the first st, 4 sc in the next 4 sts (6 sts).
Rnd 7
6 sc around (6 sts).
Do not stuff the branch. Leave a long yarn tail for sewing it to the trunk.
Leaf Bundle
Use green yarn and the 2.25 mm hook.
Rnd 1
6 sc in a magic ring (6 sts).
Rnd 2
Work the following sequence in each stitch around:
Insert the hook into the stitch, yarn over and pull up a loop, chain 2, yarn over and pull through both loops on the hook, then work 1 sc into the same stitch.
Repeat this sequence 6 times around (12 sts).
Rnd 3
Dec x6 (6 sts).
Fasten off, leaving a short tail unless the bundle will be joined directly to another bundle.
The little loops created in round 2 give the bundle its leafy texture.
Large Leaf Cluster
Make 7 leaf bundles.
Leave a short yarn tail on each bundle except the last one. Keep the working yarn attached to the last bundle because you’ll use it to join the pieces together.
Trim or tuck away the starting yarn ends on the other bundles.
Lay the seven bundles in a row before joining them. This simple step makes the next part much easier to understand.
Starting with the last bundle and working backward, slip stitch into the next bundle, one stitch before its final stitch. Sc through the final stitch of the new bundle, then sc in its next stitch to help secure the yarn tail. Slip stitch into the following stitch.
Repeat this joining process until all seven bundles are connected.
Trim the extra yarn tails and gently stuff each bundle using the wooden dowel. Don’t overfill them. You only need enough stuffing to give them a little shape.
Now shape the cluster by connecting the bundles together. Slip stitch into the third bundle from your working position, then into the next bundle and the next one. Skip one bundle, then slip stitch into the final bundle. Turn and slip stitch back into the fourth bundle.
Arrange the pieces until the cluster has the rounded, leafy shape you want.
Leave a long yarn tail for sewing the cluster to the top of the trunk.
Because this part can be difficult to visualize from written instructions alone, checking the shape after each group of slip stitches is helpful. The bundles should fan out rather than sitting in one straight line.
Small Leaf Cluster
Make 4 leaf bundles using the same leaf bundle instructions.
As before, leave a short tail on all but the final bundle. Keep the final bundle attached to your working yarn.
Trim or tuck away the starting ends.
Join the bundles in the same way, working from the final bundle backward. Slip stitch into another bundle one stitch before its final stitch, sc through the final stitch of the new bundle, sc in the next stitch to secure its yarn tail, and slip stitch into the following stitch.
Repeat for the remaining bundles.
Trim the extra yarn tails and gently fill the bundles using the wooden dowel.
To shape the small cluster, slip stitch into the third bundle from your working position and then into the next bundle.
Leave a long yarn tail for attaching the finished cluster to the branch.
Putting the Bonsai Together
Now comes the fun part: turning all those little pieces into a tree.
Start by attaching the trunk to the dirt section inside the planter. Use the long yarn tail left on the trunk and sew it securely to the center of the dirt.
Check that the trunk feels stable before moving on.
Next, sew the branch onto the trunk. Position it where you want the leaves to sit, then stitch it firmly in place.
Attach the large leaf cluster to the top of the trunk. Add the small cluster to the branch.
You don’t have to follow an exact arrangement when attaching the leaves. Move the clusters around until the tree starts to look balanced.
Finally, bend the floral wire into its finished shape. A slight curve usually works well for a bonsai-style tree, but you can make the trunk lean, twist, or hook in whichever direction you prefer.
Take a step back and look at the whole piece. If one branch feels too crowded, move it slightly before securing the yarn completely.
Tips for Shaping Your Crochet Bonsai
The wire inside the trunk gives you plenty of freedom, so don’t be afraid to reshape it.
A wider curve makes the tree look more open, while a tighter bend gives it a more compact shape.
You can also pull individual leaf bundles slightly apart to make the tree look fuller. If the leaves seem too crowded, spread them out before finishing the sewing.
There isn’t one perfect arrangement for a bonsai. A little unevenness can actually make the finished piece look more like a naturally shaped miniature tree.
Finishing Touches
Take a final look at the planter and trim any loose yarn ends you can see.
Check the trunk and branches to make sure the wire is completely covered and can’t poke through the crocheted fabric.
You can leave the planter plain, or add a few small decorative touches around the top to give it a different look.
Your crochet bonsai is now ready for its new spot.
Place it on a desk beside your crochet supplies, add it to a small shelf, or use several handmade trees to create a little yarn garden. Since it won’t need water, sunlight, or regular care, it can stay green all year.
