Welcome to my crochet cardinal pattern. This pattern was another request. This is what the finished cardinal applique will look like.

There’s also a video tutorial for this pattern available on my YouTube channel at crochet cardinal tutorial.

To view this pattern for free, continue to scroll down this page. If you want to download the ad-free version, it’s available on my Ravelry store for $1 at crochet cardinal pattern and on LoveCrafts at crochet cardinal pattern.

This pattern will be using UK terminology. If you want to view the US version, go to crochet cardinal pattern (US version).

Crochet Cardinal Pattern

Abbreviations

• st – stitch
• sts – stitches
• ch – chain
• sl st – slip stitch
• dc – double crochet
• htr – half treble crochet
• tr – treble crochet
• dtr – double treble crochet

Materials Used

• Any thickness crochet cotton or yarn, I used Scheepjes Maxi Sweet Treat 2 ply crochet cotton colours (115) Hot Red, (110) Black, (192) Scarlet, (393) Charcoal, (406) Soft Beige, (254) Moon Rock and (606) Grass Green.
• A crochet hook, I used a 1mm hook.
• A darning needle to weave in ends.
• Scissors.
• Thread and needle to stitch it together. A small gold or brown bead for the eye.

Size

Large cardinal (Using 8 ply yarn & a 3mm hook)

19cm wide x 17cm high or 7.5” wide x 6.5” high

Medium cardinal (Using 4 ply crochet cotton & a 1.5mm hook)

13cm wide x 12cm high or 5” wide x 4.75” high

Small cardinal (Using 2 ply crochet cotton & a 1mm hook)

11cm wide x 9cm high or 4.5” wide x 3.5” high

Head & Body

Using (115) Hot Red make a magic loop.

Row 1:  1 ch, work 1 dc in circle.  Pull circle tight.  Turn.  (1 st)

Row 2:  1 ch, work 3 dc in st.  Turn.  (3 sts)

Row 3:  1 ch, work 2 dc in 1^st st, 1 dc in each of last 2 sts.  Turn.  (4 sts)

Row 4:  1 ch, work 2 dc in 1^st st, join in (110) Black leaving a longer tail for the neatening row and work over it to the side and leave the Hot Red where it is, work 1 dc in each st to end.  Turn.  (5 sts)

Row 5:  1 ch, work 1 dc in each of 1^st 3 sts, change to Hot Red and leave the Black where it is, 1 dc in next st, 2 dc in last st.  Turn.  (6 sts)

Row 6:  1 ch, work 2 dc in 1^st st, 1 dc in each of next 3 sts, change to Black and leave the Hot Red where it is, 1 dc in each of last 2 sts.  Turn.  (7 sts)

Row 7:  1 ch, work 1 dc in each of 1^st 2 sts, change to Hot Red and leave the Black where it is, 1 dc in each of last 5 sts.  Turn.  (7 sts)

Row 8:  1 ch, work 1 dc in each of 1^st 5 sts, change to Black and leave the Hot Red where it is, a joined dc over last 2 sts.  Turn.  (6 sts)

Row 9:  1 ch, work 1 dc in 1^st st, change to Hot Red and fasten off the Black, work 1 dc in each of next 4 sts, 2 dc in last st.  Turn.  (7 sts)

Row 10:  1 ch, work 1 dc in each st to last st, 2 dc in last st.  Turn.  (8 sts)

Row 11:  1 ch, work 2 dc in 1^st st, 1 dc in each st to last st, 2 dc in last st.  Turn.  (10 sts)

Row 12:  1 ch, work 1 dc in each st to last st, 2 dc in last st.  Turn.  (11 sts)

Row 13:  1 ch, work 1 dc in each st.  Turn.  (11 sts)

Row 14:  1 ch, work a joined dc over 1^st 2 sts, 1 dc in each st to last st, 2 dc in last st.  Turn.  (11 sts)

Row 15:  1 ch, work 1 dc in each of 1^st 9 sts, a joined dc over last 2 sts.  Turn.  (10 sts)

Row 16:  1 ch, work a joined dc over 1^st 2 sts, 1 dc in each st to end.  Turn.  (9 sts)

Row 17:  1 ch, work 1 dc in each of 1^st 7 sts, a joined dc over last 2 sts.  Turn.  (8 sts)

Row 18:  1 ch, work a joined dc over 1^st 2 sts, 1 dc in each st to end.  Turn.  (7 sts)

Row 19:  1 ch, work 1 dc in each of 1^st 5 sts, a joined dc over last 2 sts.  Turn.  (6 sts)

Row 20:  1 ch, work a joined dc over 1^st 2 sts, 1 dc in each st to end.  Turn.  (5 sts)

Row 21:  1 ch, work 1 dc in each of 1^st 3 sts, a joined dc over last 2 sts.  Don’t turn or fasten off.

Neatening Row

Work 1 sl st in each st to st before beginning of row 1.  3 ch, miss 1^st ch, 1 sl st in each remaining ch, sl st in next st, 4 ch, miss 1^st ch, sl st in each remaining ch, sl st in same st, 3 ch, miss 1^st ch, 1 sl st in each remaining ch, sl st in each st to the black, join in black and fasten off the Hot Red work 1 sl st in each st of Black.  Join in the Hot Red and fasten off the Black and work 1 sl st in each st to row 21, work 1 dc in each of 1^st 3 sts along row 21, 2 ch, 1 htr in last st.  Fasten off.

Beak

Using (115) Hot Red work 3 ch.

Work 1 sl st in 2^nd ch from hook, 1 dc in last ch, 1 ch, sl st in last ch, 1 ch, 1 dc in back loop of last ch, 1 sl st in next ch and 1 sl st in ch missed at beginning.  Fasten off.

Tail

Join (192) Scarlet to 1^st st along row 21 where shown.  Work 15 ch.

Row 1:  Work 2 htr in 2^nd ch from hook, 1 htr in each of next 5 ch, 1 tr in each remaining ch, 1 sl st in each of next 2 dc along row 21.  Turn.

Row 2:  Working into front loop only work a joined htr over first 2 sts, 1 htr in each of next 11 sts, 3 ch, miss 1^st ch, 1 dc in each remaining ch, sl st in same st as last htr.  Fasten off.

Wing

Using (192) Scarlet make a magic loop.

Row 1:  1 ch, work 1 dc in circle.  Pull circle tight.  Turn.  (1 st)

Row 2:  1 ch, work 2 dc in st.  Turn.  (2 sts)

Row 3:  1 ch, work 1 dc in 1^st st, 2 dc in last st.  Turn.  (3 sts)

Row 4:  1 ch, work 2 dc in 1^st st, 1 dc in each of last 2 sts.  Turn.  (4 sts)

Rows 5-9:  1 ch, work 1 dc in each st.  Turn.  (4 sts)

Row 10:  1 ch, work a joined dc over 1^st 2 sts, 1 dc in each of last 2 sts.  Turn.  (3 sts)

Row 11:  1 ch, work 1 dc in 1^st st, a joined dc over last 2 sts.  Turn.  (2 sts)

Row 12:  1 ch, work a joined dc over the 2 sts.  Don’t turn or fasten off.

Neatening Row

1 ch, work 1 sl st in each st around.  Join with a sl st in ch.  Fasten off.

Bottom Leg

Join (393) Charcoal to top of the htr from body neatening row.

6 ch, work 1 sl st in 2^nd ch from hook, 4 ch, miss 1^st ch, 1 sl st in each of next 3 ch, (4 ch, miss 1^st ch, 1 sl st in each of next 3 ch, sl st in bottom of 1^st claw) 2 times, 1 sl st in each st to join.  Sl st in same st as join.  Fasten off.

Top Claw

Join (393) Charcoal on side of body where shown.

3 ch, miss 1^st ch, 1 sl st in each remaining ch, sl st in same st as join, 4 ch, miss 1^st ch, 1 sl st in each remaining ch, sl st in join, 3 ch, miss 1^st ch, 1 sl st in each remaining ch, sl st in same st as join.  Fasten off.

Branch

Using (406) Soft Beige work 32 ch.

Row 1:  Miss 2 ch, work 1 tr in each of next 4 ch, 1 htr in each of following 7 ch, 1 dc in each of next 16 ch, 1 sl st in each ch to end.  Fasten off.

Join (254) Moon Rock to 1^st st worked.

Row 2:  2 ch, work 1 tr in each of 1^st 4 sts, 1 htr in each of next 24 sts, 2 ch, sl st in same st as last htr, 1 sl st in each st to end.  Fasten off.

1st Side Branch

Join (254) Moon Rock to 6^th st up from bottom of main branch.

13 ch.  Work 1 sl st in 2^nd ch from hook, 1 dc in next ch.  13 ch.  Miss 1^st ch, 1 sl st in each of next 5 ch.  8 ch.  Miss 1^st ch, 1 sl st in each of next 9 ch, a joined dc over next 2 ch, 3 ch, work 1 sl st in 2^nd ch from hook, 1 dc in next ch, 1 dc in each ch to main branch, sl st in next st on branch.  Fasten off.

2nd Side Branch

Join (406) Soft Beige to 5^th st from the bottom on other side of branch.

28 ch.  Miss 1^st ch, work 1 sl st in each of next 4 ch, 1 dc in each of following 3 ch.  7 ch.  Miss 1^st ch, work 1 sl st in each of next 2 ch.  7 ch.  Miss 1^st ch, work 1 sl st in each of next 7 ch, 1 dc in each of next 3 ch.  4 ch.  Miss 1^st ch, 1 sl st in each of next 3 ch, 1 dc in each of next 5 ch.  16 ch.  Miss 1^st ch, 1 sl st in each of next 5 ch.  6 ch.  Miss 1^st ch, 1 sl st in each of next 16 ch, 1 dc in each of next 5 ch.  9 ch.  Miss 1^st ch, 1 sl st in each of next 3 ch, 5 ch, miss 1^st ch, 1 sl st in each of next 7 ch.  4 ch.  Miss 1^st ch, 1 sl st in each of next 6 ch, 1 dc in each of following 2 ch, 1 htr in each of next 3 ch, 1 tr in each ch to last ch, 2 tr in last ch.  Sl st in 2^nd st down branch.  Fasten off.

Berries (Make about 12)

Using (115) Hot Red make a magic loop.

1 ch, work 2 dc in circle, pull circle tight and join with a sl st in top of 1^st st.   Fasten off.

Leaves (Make about 4)

Using (606) Grass Green work 6 ch.

Work 1 sl st in 2^nd ch from hook, 1 dc in next ch, 1 htr in following ch, 1 dc in next ch, 1 sl st in last ch, 1 ch, working into back of ch work 1 sl st in last ch worked, 1 dc in next ch, 1 htr in following ch, 1 dc and 1 sl st in next ch.  Fasten off leaving a longer tail to attach it to the branch.

To Make Up

Weave in ends.  Stitch the beak to black part of head where shown.

Attach the wing.

Sew a bead to top edge of black part for the eye.

Stitch the berries to ends of smaller branches.

Stitch the leaves to the branches.

Attach the claws to the branch.

You could add flowers to the branches instead of berries.

Flowers (Make about 12)

Using (208) Yellow Gold make a magic loop.

(2 ch, sl st in circle) 5 times.  Pull circle tight and fasten off.

Make up the same as the branches with berries.

And there’s the finished cardinal applique. I’ve also made them in different sizes.

I hope that you’ve enjoyed the pattern. Have a look at some of my others, including the crochet bald eagle, the dove, the robin, the blue wren pattern and the magpie.