There is something about a pair of cherries that instantly makes a handmade project feel cheerful — that glossy red, the little green leaf, the sweet vintage mood of it all. A crochet cherry can be a five-minute appliqué stitched onto a plain tote, a plump amigurumi charm swinging from your keys, or a whole C2C bag covered in fruit, and every single version is a brilliant way to use up the red and green scraps sitting in your yarn basket.
So I have gathered twenty of my favourite cherry designs for you, and every one is genuinely free. There are quick appliqués in thread and yarn, stuffed cherries and bunches, two bags, C2C squares for blanket makers, tiny desk and kitchen makes, and — because I could not resist — two pretty cherry blossom pieces at the end, clearly labelled so you know exactly what you are getting. Pick your first pair and let's get stitching.
1. A Cherry Bow for Hair, Bags and Everything Else
Ariana Wimsett at Crafting Happiness starts us off with the sweetest mash-up: two little amigurumi cherries sitting on a leafy green bow. The cherries are worked as small stuffed shapes in aran weight yarn with a 4.5 mm hook, then arranged on the bow so the whole piece reads instantly as a cherry hair accessory. Sew it to a hair clip or brooch back, stitch it onto a plain tote or a summer hat, or tie it around a gift jar — it dresses up everything it touches. The full pattern is free on her blog with clear step-by-step photos. It is a lovely first amigurumi project because each piece is tiny and forgiving.
Pattern: Cherry Bow by Ariana Wimsett at Crafting Happiness — Get the free pattern
2. One Plump Cherry, Leaf and All
Sometimes you do not need a pair — one perfect cherry is enough. Claire Abelle Makes designed this single three-dimensional cherry with a curved stem and one green leaf, worked from a magic ring and shaped with simple increases and decreases. Her tutorial walks through every stage with photos, so even if your amigurumi experience is limited to one wobbly sphere, you will manage this comfortably. Make it as a keyring, a bag charm, a cat toy with a bell hidden inside, or a whole bowlful as a kitchen decoration. It is the kind of quick, satisfying make you will repeat in different sizes just for fun.
Pattern: Cherry Amigurumi with Leaf by Claire Abelle Makes — Get the free pattern
3. Cheerful Cherries, the Classic Joined Pair
Cilla Crochets' Cheerful Cherries are exactly what the name promises: two round, smiling-red cherries joined at the stem with a leaf on top. The pattern is written for beginners, works up in roughly one to two hours, and the complete instructions sit free on her page with nothing hidden behind a paywall. Because the pair is worked as one connected piece, it holds its shape beautifully as a bag charm or pram decoration. I love these in a deep glossy red with a bright leaf green, but a pink pair is adorable for nursery makes. If you sell at craft fairs, this is a fast, cheerful stock item.
Pattern: Cheerful Cherries by Cilla Crochets — Get the free pattern
4. Little Cherries from a French Amigurumi Classic
Nelly Pailloux, the designer behind La Fée Crochette, published these little cherries back in 2010 and they have been charming makers ever since — the pattern page shows dozens of finished projects. The cherries are worked in DK yarn with a small 2.5 mm hook, which keeps the stitches tight and the fruit neat, and there is a touch of embroidery to finish the details. The pattern is available as a free Ravelry download, so you will need a free Ravelry account to grab the PDF. At this scale they make gorgeous earrings, stitch markers and dollhouse food. Vintage amigurumi at its sweetest.
Pattern: Amigurumi Little Cherries by Nelly Pailloux (La Fée Crochette) — Get the free pattern
5. A Whole Bunch of Stuffed Cherries
Kerri's Crochet goes bigger with a whole bunch: several plump, stuffed three-dimensional cherries hanging together from shared stems, just like fruit picked straight from the tree. The full pattern is free on her page, and the materials list even includes earring hooks, which tells you how versatile the scale is — make one dramatic bunch for a kitchen garland, or single cherries for jewellery. The bunch looks wonderful hanging in a kitchen window or decorating a summer party table. If you prefer printing, an ad-free PDF version is sold for $1 on Ravelry and LoveCrafts, but the complete pattern on the blog costs nothing. A real statement piece for cherry lovers.
Pattern: Crochet Cherry Bunch by Kerri’s Crochet — Get the free pattern
6. A Delicate Cherry Appliqué in Fine Thread
Elena at GoldenLucyCrafts is famous for her heart-shaped appliqué magic, and her cherry is worked the same clever way — the fruit itself forms soft little hearts if you look closely. This version is made in size-10 crochet thread, so the finished appliqué measures only about two inches and has a delicate, lacy quality that yarn cannot match. She gives options for a single leaf or a double leaf, so you can balance the design to suit your project. Sew these onto baby clothes, greeting cards, gloves or a christening blanket for the prettiest detail. The complete pattern is free on her site, rounds and all.
Pattern: Cherry Applique by GoldenLucyCrafts — Get the free pattern
7. Flat Cherries Worked in Rows, Three Sizes
Most appliqué cherries are worked in the round, but Kerri's Crochet does something different here: her flat cherry is crocheted in rows, which many beginners find much easier to count and control. The free pattern on her page includes three sizes, so you can make a matching set for a cardigan, a tote and a little coin purse from one pattern. Rows also give the cherries a slightly elongated, elegant shape that sits very flat for sewing. As with her bunch pattern, an ad-free PDF is available for $1 if you want it, but the full written pattern is right there on the page. A great stash-buster for odd metres of red.
Pattern: Crochet Cherry Pattern by Kerri’s Crochet — Get the free pattern
8. The Wishbone-Stem Cherry Appliqué
The Caffeinated Snail's appliqué has the cleverest stem construction in this whole collection: each cherry is two simple rounds of double crochet, and the stems are a slip-stitched chain bent into a wishbone shape with three single crochets at the bend, joining both fruits in one pass. Her page also suggests working the cherries in embroidery thread if you want truly tiny versions for earrings, which is a brilliant evening project. In standard yarn they are bold enough for bags, blankets and bunting. The full pattern is free on her blog, published in 2025, with her usual friendly notes and variations. One of those designs you will memorise after the second make.
Pattern: Cherry Applique by The Caffeinated Snail — Get the free pattern
9. The No-Sew Cherry Appliqué
If sewing fiddly pieces together puts you off appliqués, Paint It Colorful designed this one for you. The two leaves are worked in a single piece, each cherry is just two easy rounds, and everything is joined with simple chains — the cherries are never sewn to the stems as separate fiddly steps. She recommends a 2.5 mm hook with a small amount of acrylic yarn, and the finished motif is just right for hats, blankets and little girls' dresses. The complete pattern is free on her blog, A little love everyday!, and it has been a reader favourite since 2013. Quick, flat and fuss-free.
Pattern: Crochet Cherry Applique by Paint It Colorful — Get the free pattern
10. A Cherry Appliqué on a Granny Square
Raffamusa Designs shows the prettiest way to display an appliqué: mounted proudly on a classic granny square. Her cherries are worked flat, the stem is added with surface crochet so it curves naturally across the square, and a tiny embroidered highlight gives each fruit its glossy shine. One square makes a lovely coaster or pocket; a whole set becomes a cherry picnic blanket I would happily spend all summer making. The full pattern is free on her blog with her trademark clear photography. If you are building a fruit-themed blanket, start your collection with this square.
Pattern: Cherry Applique by Raffamusa Designs — Get the free pattern
11. A Bold Cherry Appliqué, Ready to Download
Dani West of Crochet Crafters 1 Designs works in worsted weight yarn with a 5 mm hook, so her appliqué comes out big and bold — about 11 cm long and 8.5 cm wide, perfect for the front of a market bag or a cushion. The pattern is a free Ravelry download, and she includes a video link alongside the PDF if you like to watch a make before starting it. The shapes are simple: round red fruits, green leaves, clean lines that read clearly from across the room. Work a matching pair facing each other for symmetry, or scatter singles down a scarf. Free account, quick download, instant project.
Pattern: Cherry Applique by Dani West (Crochet Crafters 1 Designs) — Get the free pattern
12. The Cherry C2C Tote Bag
Now for the showpiece. Melissa Hassler at Lovable Loops built an entire tote bag from corner-to-corner cherry squares — seventeen of them — joined into a generous bag roughly twenty inches wide. Each square is worked from her graph with the full written colour changes on the page, so you can follow whichever format you prefer. It is a bigger commitment than the other makes in this list, but every square is a satisfying mini-project and the finished bag stops people in the street. The pattern is free on her blog; an optional ad-free PDF is sold on Etsy if you want a printable version. Market days will never look plain again.
Pattern: Cherry Crochet Bag by Melissa Hassler at Lovable Loops — Get the free pattern
13. The Sweet Cherry Satchel
Stuck on You Crochet's satchel takes a completely different route to its cherries: they are bobble stitches, popped right out of the fabric as you crochet the front panel. Allie Wasserman designed it as a free beginner-friendly purse, worked in bulky yarn with the cherries in doubled cotton, then finished with embroidered chain stems and an optional strap. The finished satchel measures about 7.5 by 9.5 inches — phone, purse, keys, done. The complete written pattern, photo tutorials and a full video tutorial are all free in her blog post; an ad-free PDF is available on Etsy and Ravelry if you prefer one. Sweet, sturdy and genuinely useful.
Pattern: Sweet Cherry Satchel by Allie Wasserman at Stuck on You Crochet — Get the free pattern
14. A Mini C2C Cherry Square
If the full tote feels like a lot, start with Lovable Loops' mini version of the same idea: one small corner-to-corner cherry square finishing at about five by five inches. Melissa gives you the graph, the colour-block chart and the fully written row-by-row instructions, all free on the page, so it is a gentle way to learn C2C colour changes on something tiny. The little square works as a coaster, a pocket on a plain bag, or the start of a cushion front. An optional ad-free PDF is sold on Etsy, but everything you need is in the post. Warning: C2C squares are addictive, and one cherry rarely stays one cherry.
Pattern: Mini C2C Cherry Square by Melissa Hassler at Lovable Loops — Get the free pattern
15. The Fruit Salad CAL Cherry Square
Heidi Filbert's cherry square comes from her Fruit Salad Crochet Along, and it takes a craftier approach than graph work: a plain six-inch square first, then the stem added with surface crochet and the leaf crocheted separately and sewn on. The last row is set up for a flat braid join if you want to connect it to its fruity companions, but it works just as well joined any way you like, or framed on its own as kitchen art. The pattern is free on Ravelry, as the CAL squares were shared at no cost. Mixing appliqué-on-square designs like this with C2C squares in one blanket gives a fruit blanket real texture and variety.
Pattern: Cherry Square by Heidi Filbert — Get the free pattern
16. A Cherry Pie Coaster for the Kitchen
Dani West again, and this time dessert is served: a coaster that looks like a whole cherry pie, lattice top and all. It is worked in one piece in red and tan worsted yarn with a 5 mm hook, using bobble stitches for that lovely baked texture, and finishes at about 10 cm across — just right under a mug. The pattern is a free Ravelry download, written in US terms with a video link if you want extra help. Make a set of four and gift them in a little bakery box for the cutest housewarming present imaginable. Fair warning, guests will ask where you bought them.
Pattern: Cherry Pie Coaster by Dani West (Crochet Crafters 1 Designs) — Get the free pattern
17. A Cherry Paper Clip for Your Desk
The smallest make in this collection might be the one you use most: Dani West turns a simple oversized paper clip into a cherry-topped desk accessory. The little motif measures about 9 cm tall and 4.5 cm wide in worsted yarn, and the free Ravelry download walks you through the PDF with a matching video. Clip one to your planner, your recipe cards or the corner of a gift envelope — it is a bookmark, organiser and tiny piece of desk joy in one. They take minutes each, so make a handful in different greens for the stem and leaf. Teachers and stationery lovers, this one is yours.
Pattern: Cherry Paper Clip by Dani West (Crochet Crafters 1 Designs) — Get the free pattern
18. The Tiniest Cherry Hat
I promised you variety, and a miniature hat is surely that. Dani West's cherry hat is a tiny topper — the inside diameter is only about 5.5 cm — designed as a doll and toy accessory, worked in red and green worsted with a 5 mm hook and rated intermediate for its small-scale shaping. It is a free Ravelry download, PDF and video included. Perch one on an amigurumi doll, a pet photo prop (supervised, of course), or hang it on the tree at Christmas as the ornament nobody else has. Small projects like this are perfect for using the last two metres of a ball you cannot bear to throw away.
Pattern: Cherry Hat by Dani West (Crochet Crafters 1 Designs) — Get the free pattern
19. A Cherry Blossom Coaster for Spring Tables
A little detour, honestly labelled: these are cherry blossoms, not the fruit — but no cherry collection feels complete without them. The Caffeinated Snail's blossom coaster is worked in cotton over five rounds, with the petal shaping built into the final rounds so each flower gets its soft notched petals. She notes the blossoms also work as large appliqués for blankets and pillows if coasters are not your thing. The full pattern is free on her blog with plenty of progress photos. A set in blush pink and white under teacups is spring on a table, whatever the weather is doing outside.
Pattern: Cherry Blossom Coaster by The Caffeinated Snail — Get the free pattern
20. Cherry Blossom Appliqués by the Dozen
We finish with blossom in its most versatile form: Vincent Green-Hite of Knot Bad designed these little cherry blossom appliqués to scatter over clothing, cards, garlands and decorations. They are worked in worsted yarn with a 4 mm hook and come together so quickly that a dozen in an evening is completely realistic. The complete pattern is free on his blog with step-by-step photos; if you prefer a printable copy, an ad-free PDF version is sold on Ravelry, but you do not need it to make them. String a garland of them across a spring mantel, or sew three to the shoulder of a plain cardigan. The prettiest possible ending to our cherry day.
Pattern: Cherry Blossoms by Vincent Green-Hite at Knot Bad — Get the free pattern
Conclusion
Twenty cherries, and not a single pattern fee among them — proof that the sweetest projects often come from the scrap basket. Start with an appliqué if you are new, graduate to the bobble satchel or a C2C square when you fancy a weekend project, and keep the blossoms in mind for spring. These little fruits make wonderful craft-fair sellers and even better gifts, because everyone smiles at a cherry. Tell me in the comments — which one are you making first, and what are you putting it on?
