Crochet Sugar Maple Leaves

I wanted to crochet some pretty Fall leaves but surprisingly there are few realistic leaf patterns out there.  I took a little time and made my own pattern for my favorite, the sugar maple leaf.

This pattern is worked in four rounds: 1 - a circle to start the shape, 2 - start the arms of the leaf, 3 - work around the arms to fill out the shape, and 4 - finish the shape with a stem and points.  It's not quite perfect, so it's more of a free form design with some basic guidelines.

Stitch Diagram:

And some basic instructions for the rows:  For the first stitch in each row either chain to the appropriate height or do a standing stitch.  In the second row where you are chaining and slipping into the chains, do it loosely so you can work into every stitch.  My pattern writing can be kind of confusing so follow along with the pictures and the diagram.  If you're a visual learner, I highly suggest learning how to read stitch diagrams.

The orange leaf was made with Paton's Grace and a size 2.75mm hook and the red was made with size 3 crochet thread.  You could use any yarn and hook size and color you want.  Have fun!

1. 12 DC in a magic ring, slip to top of first DC
2. 2 DC in the first 3 stitches of prv row.
   Arm 1: Chain 11 and slip into chains (leave the first and last chain unworked), then 2 DC in the next 3 stitches.
   Top arm: DC in the next stitch, chain 10, 9 slips back, DC in the same stitch.  2 DC in the next 3 stitches.
   Arm 2: Chain 10, slip back 9, then chain 1.   In the next 2 stitches, work 2 DC.  Slip into the top of the first DC
3. DC in the first 5 stitches (2DC, DC, 2 DC, DC, 2DC), (here there will appear to be too many spaces, you can crochet a few stitches together to close the space) then DC up the first arm 10 DC.
   In the top of the arm, DC 5 in the same space, back down the other side, DC 4, then DC 7 together (5 from the arm and 2 from the wheel).  DC in the next 2 stitches (you can put in a few extra stitches here if the finished pattern won't lay flat).
   Then DC 4 together (2 from the wheel, 2 from the top arm).  DC up the top arm (7), 5 DC in the top, DC down the side 7 DC, DC 4 together (2 from arm, 2 from wheel).  DC in next 2, DC 7 tog (2 from wheel, 5 from arm).
   4 DC up the 2nd arm, 5 together in the top, 10 DC down the arm.
   In the wheel: DC, 2DC, DC, slip to first DC.
4. 2 HDC tog in next 2 stitches,
   To make the stem, chain 9, slip back 8 (you can make this stem as long of short as you like)
   2 HDC tog in the next 2 stitches, DC, TC, in the next stitch, TC, picot, TC, then 3HCD, 2DC, TC, DC, picot, HDC
   Arm 1: 3sc, sc & DC together, picot, sc & DC together, in the next stitch TC, Picot, TC, DC & sc tog, in the next stitch DC, picot, HDC, then 3 HDC in the next 3 stitches.
   In between the arms: work 7 DC together.  If you put more stitches in this part in the row below, just work the middle 7 together and work extra stitches on either side.
   For the top arm: DC up the arm (5DC), then in the top 5 stitches work the following clusters: 1. DC, TC, picot 2. 2DC, 3. TC, picot, TC, 4. 2DC, 5. TC, picot, TC.
   DC back down the other side of the arm (5 DC), then work 7 DC together between the top and 2nd arm.
   For the last arm: 3 HDC up the side, then in the top 5 stitches: 1.) HDC, DC, picot, 2.) sc, DC, 3.) TC, picot, TC 4.) DC, sc, 5.) DC, picot, sc.  Then 3 sc in a row, HDC, picot, DC, TC, 2 DC.  3 HDC, in the next stitch TC, picot, TC.  TC, DC, and slip to the top of the first stitch.  (I like to finish my last stitch and then pull it through and weave it into the first stitch with a needle for a perfect edge.

Finishing the leaf: I wet blocked my examples and pulled the picots out gently to get a fine point.