Appliques Crochet Patterns

A heart, a star, a sunflower, a pumpkin and a Christmas tree - five tiny motifs. All beginner, all $2.99, and all of them under half an hour once you have made the first one.

Appliques are not projects on their own - they are the thing that turns a plain project into a specific one. A finished beanie with a star sewn on the side reads as deliberate. A gift tag with a tiny pumpkin on it reads as handmade. A row of hearts along the border of a blanket is the difference between a blanket and a Valentine's blanket. That is what this category is for.

They are worked in the round from a magic ring, which means the center pulls closed tight and there is no hole in the middle to fight with. Each one is under 15 yards, so you can make a dozen from what is left in a single skein.

Two practical notes. Sew them on with the same yarn if you can, or with sewing thread in a matching color if the yarn is too thick to bury neatly - hot glue holds for a season and then lets go in the wash. And make them in a yarn no heavier than the piece you are attaching them to, or the applique will pull the fabric out of shape.