How to Knit a Christmas Tree Ornament (Easy Pattern)

Handmade Christmas ornaments have a charm that simply can’t be bought. This Knitted Christmas Tree Ornament is quick, beginner-friendly, and oh-so-adorable.

Whether you hang it on your tree, use it to decorate gifts, or craft a whole garland of little trees, thiThe best part? You can customise it in endless ways — bows, pompoms, beads, stars… whatever suits your Christmas aesthetic.

This pattern is guaranteed to add festive sweetness to your season.

More about the Christmas Tree Knitting Pattern

Every December, I get this irresistible urge to make just one more Christmas ornament… and somehow one design always leads to the next!

This little knitted tree is no exception. It’s a quick knit.  Adorable, and absolutely perfect for beginner knitters looking for a festive project they can finish in an evening. Small enough to use up leftover yarn, yet charming enough to stand out proudly as holiday decor.

Knit the tree in stocking stitch from the bottom up, with a few garter stitch rows added for texture.

Why You’ll Love This Pattern

• It’s super quick – perfect for last-minute gifts.
• Uses small amounts of yarn (hello stash buster!).
• Beginner-friendly – simple increases and textured rows.
• Completely customisable with bows, pompoms, beads, stars, or embroidery.

Skill Level

Advanced Beginner to decrease stitches.

How to knit basic stitches.

Materials You’ll Need

• DK yarn, aka worsted weight yarn (your choice of colour – red, pink, green, white, etc.)
• 4 mm knitting needles
• Tapestry needle
• Scissors
• Knitted Christmas Tree Pattern
• Optional:
  • Mini pompoms
  • Baker’s twine
  • Small star (crochet, knitted, felt, or button)
  • Beads or bells
  • Ribbon scraps
  • Toy Filling
  • Cinnamon stick or small dowel (tree trunk)
  • Hot glue or craft glue (optional if you don’t knit or crochet the trunk)
    

Abbreviations 

• BO – Bind off
• K – Knit
• k2tog – decrease: knit two stitches together
• kspo – knit one, slip one, pass over
• P – Purl
• rep  –  repeat st(s) Stitch(es) repeat the sequence between the square brackets by the number indicated
• ssk – slip, slip, knit (decreasing one st)
• St – stitch
• St(s) – Stitch(es)

Basic Knitting Stitches Used & Pattern Notes

You’ll need to know how to knit the following basic stitches:

• Cast on stitches
• Knit stitch
• How to purl
• How to k
• ssk (slip, slip, knit) – Slip one stitch knitwise, then the next stitch knitwise, pop your left needle back in, and knit them together through the back loops. Voilà—you’ve got a neat little left-leaning decrease!
• knit 2 sts together (k2tog)
• kspo (knit one, slip one, pass over)
• Casting off stitches

For more information on different ways to decrease, refer to these pattern notes.

Pattern Notes

We’re making this triangle tree shape from the bottom up, so start with more stitches and decrease every other row. You can do this whichever way feels most comfortable—either k2tog at both ends or k2tog at the start and ssk (or k2p2tog) at the end. Watch your stitch count, and soon enough, your little triangle will magically take shape!

• I like to knit 1 first, then do my decrease, and at the end of the row, decrease and finish with 1 knit—feels nice and neat that way!
• ssk (slip, slip, knit): Slip one stitch knitwise, and the next stitch knitwise, pop your left needle back in, and knit them together through the back loops. You’ve created a neat little left-leaning decrease!
• kspo (knit one, slip one, pass over): Knit the first stitch, slip the next stitch over it—just like giving it a gentle nudge off the needle. That’s it! You’ve got a tidy decrease that leans nicely.
• For neater edges, at end of row, knit last st in the back loop.

Size of Finished Knitted Christmas Tree

The tree measures about 3.5 in / 9 cm from the top of the tree to the base (trunk not included).

The widest points measure 3.5″.

Gauge

Not important for this design as the size does not really matter.

More Christmas Patterns You’ll Love

Making up the knitted Christmas Tree

Place two finished pieces right sides facing, thread your tapestry needle with yarn, and slip stitch around the side edges.

With wrong sides facing,  sew the bottom closed, and weave in ends.

If you want, you can stuff the ornament with toy filling, but I left it just is.

Tree Trunk (optional)

Pick up 4–5 stitches at the centre bottom.
Knit 4–6 rows and cast off.

Or, knit a separate piece and sew it to the tree, refer to this pattern.

Or, Glue or stitch a cinnamon stick or dowel to the bottom center.

Adding a Bow or Beads and Hanging Loop

• With bakers twine, make 3 small bows, attach with a glue gun..
• Sew or glue beads or a fluffy yarn star topper at the tip.
• Add a hanging loop at the top (of twine)

Add garlands or little stars with metallic thread.

Colour Inspiration

Use color to match your festive decorations with the following suggestions:

• Blush pink + white pompoms
• Classic red + candy-stripe bows
• Forest green + gold beads
• Mint green + pink pompoms
• Winter white + silver star

How to adjust the pattern for knitted Christmas ornaments

• This pattern is quick and simple. Adjust the size by adding or removing rows, or
• By casting on a different number of stitches or using different yarn weights.

Where to Use These Cute Trees

• Christmas tree ornaments
• Gifts & stocking fillers
• Teacher gifts
• Garland décor
• Table decoration
• Advent countdown ideas
• Craft fair items (quick & profitable!)

CONCLUSION

Who is going to be the lucky person to receive a Christmas present with one of these Christmas trees hanging with a tag?

Is it going to be green yarn?  Or pinks and reds?

This cute pattern is a great stashbuster and is so easy.

Make yourself a nice hot mug of tee and enjoy.

Whatever you do, 

HAPPY KNITTING!

More free Christmas KNitting Patterns

​You have about 14 days to create Christmas decorations to use this holiday season.

Try any of the free knitting patterns offered on the blog:

Garter stitch knit tree ornament

Flat knitting Christmas tree knitting pattern

BOHO Handmade knit holiday ornament.