Have you had enough passive screen-time and want to make something with your hands, maybe learning a new skill in the process? Join us in contributing to a gallery display of Griffith Park in crochet, with the help of these how-to videos.

As part of our exhibition Investigating Griffith Park we’re inviting the Autry community to make pieces to represent various aspects of the park, from nature to recreational activities, and mail them into the Autry (or drop them off in person once the museum re-opens, if you prefer). We’ll then add your art to the gallery, around a crocheted Griffith Park sign, to capture the essence of the park and create a post-pandemic community display.   

This week’s video shows you how to make an elderberry leaf to hang on our sculpture of an elderberry tree in the gallery. The sculpture was created by exhibition designer Gene Wyrick, using elderberry branches from his own trees, to illustrate the importance of the species for both the eco-system and for the Tongva people, who continue to use the plant in many ways.

You don’t need experience with crochet, as instructor Julie Kadoi walks you through the basic stitches, and for those more comfortable with working from written instructions we have included the pattern below. So, pick up those hooks and yarn, make an elderberry leaf for our sculpture (or maybe a leafy daisy , a kite, a butterfly or a California Poppy from previous videos), and look for future videos in the coming weeks.   

Download Directions as PDF File

How to Crochet an Elderberry Leaf

Materials 

• Medium green acrylic worsted-weight yarn
• 5.00 mm (H) crochet hook 
• Tapestry needle  
• Scissors 

Stitches and Techniques 

• back loop only (BLO): Indicates the location of where to place a stitch. Out of the two loops in the top of a stitch, only work under the one which is further away from the crocheter. 
• chain stitch (ch): To make, draw yarn through the active loop on the hook. 
• fasten off: cut the yarn 3 to 4 inches from the last stitch and draw the end through the active loop. Pull tightly to secure. 
• front loop only (FLO): Indicates the location of where to place a stitch. Out of the two loops in the top of a stitch, only work under the one which is closest to the crocheter. 
• slip stitch (sl st): To make, insert your hook into the indicated stitch, draw up a loop, draw the top loop on the hook through the bottom loop. 
• single crochet (sc): To make, insert your hook into the indicated stitch, draw up a loop, yarn over and draw through both loops.  
• slip knot: To make, cross the tail end over the yarn to make a loop, draw up yarn from the yarn ball side through the loop and tighten, making sure the cut end is not pulled through. 
• stitch (st): a generic stitch, usually designates the location in the previous row in which a particular stitch, such as a single crochet, will be made. 
• tail: the unworked cut end of the yarn. 
• treble crochet (tc): To make, yarn over twice, insert the hook into the designated stitch, draw up a loop, yarn over and draw through two loops three times. 

Pattern Notes

Optional for experienced crocheters:  

• You could represent veins in the leaf by working the pattern in the back loop only. 
• A picot border could be added to represent the spiky edge of the leaves. 
   

Pattern

• Chain (ch) 12. 
• Row 1: Work 2 single crochet stitches (sc) in 2^nd ch from hook, sc in each of the next 3 ch, single crochet 3 together (sc3tog) over next 3 ch, sc in each of the next 3 ch, 2 sc in last ch, ch 1 and turn. [11 stitches (st)] 
• Row 2-3: Skip (sk) ch, 2 sc in next st, sc in each of the next 3 st, sc3tog over next 3 st, sc in each of the next 3 st, 2 sc in last st, ch 1 and turn. [11 st] 
• Row 4: Sk ch, 2 sc in each of the next 2 st, sc in each of the next 2 st, sc3tog over next 3 st, sc in each of the next 2 st, 2 sc in each of the last 2 st, ch 1 and turn. [13 st] 
• Row 5-7: Sk ch, 2 sc in next st, sc in each of the next 4 st, sc3tog over next 3 st, sc in each of the next 4 st, 2 st in last st, ch 1 and turn. [13 st] 
• Row 8: Sk ch, sc each of the next 5 st, sc3tog over next 3 st, sc in each of the next 5 st, ch 1 and turn. [11 st] 
• Row 9: Sk ch, 2 sc in each of the next st, sc in each of the next 3 st, sc3tog over next 3 st, sc in each of the next 3 st, 2 sc in final st, ch 1, turn. [11 st] 
• Row 10: Sk ch, sc in each of the next 4 st, sc3tog over next 3 st, sc in each of the next 4st, ch 1 and turn. [9 st] 
• Row 11: Sk ch, 2 sc in next st, sc in each of the next 2 st, sc3tog over next 3 st, sc in each of the next 2 st, 2 sc in final st, ch 1, turn. [9 st] 
• Row 12: Sk ch, sc in each of the next 3 st, sc3tog over next 3 st, sc in each of the next 3 st, ch 1 and turn. [7 st] 
• Row 13: Sk ch, 2 sc in next st, sc in next st, sc3tog over next 3 st, sc in next st, 2 sc in last st, ch 1, turn. [7 st] 
• Row 14: Sk ch, sc in each of the next 2 st, sc3tog over next 3 st, sc in each of the next 2 st, ch 1 and turn. [5 st] 
• Row 15: Sk ch, 2 sc in next st, sc3tog over next 3 st, 2 sc in last st, ch 1, turn. [5 st] 
• Row 16: Sk ch, sc in next st, sc3tog over next 3 st, sc in next st, ch 1 and turn. [3 st] 
• Row 17: Sk ch, sc3tog over next 3 st, ch 1 and turn. [1 st] 
• Row 18: sc in last remaining st, ch 1. [1 st] 

Vein and stem 

• Taking care to preserve the point at the tip of the leaf, sl st down the center of the leaf in as straight a line as possible. Once at the end of the leaf, ch 4, turn, sk last ch made, sl st in remaining 3 ch, sl st in body of leaf back through the previous 4-5 sl st made to stabilize.  
• Weave in ends

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Mailing Submissions 

Please mail your Elderberry Leaf submissions to:  

YARNSCAPE AT THE AUTRY 
Autry Museum of the American West 
4700 Western Heritage Way 
Los Angeles CA 90027 

If you prefer you may drop them off when the Autry reopens to the public.