The Harvest Moon Leaf Bunting: A Free Knitted Autumn Foliage Garland

As the air turns crisp and the leaves begin their fiery transformation, there's no better way to welcome the season than by crafting something warm and beautiful for your home. The Harvest Moon Leaf Bunting is a stunning knitted garland that captures the essence of autumn in every stitch. Each leaf features a unique, textured central vein created with simple yarn overs, resulting in a rich, cable-like pattern that looks far more complex than it actually is.

Whether you're a seasoned knitter looking for a quick weekend project or a beginner eager to expand your skills, this pattern is designed to be accessible, rewarding, and deeply satisfying. With just a few basic stitches—knit, purl, yarn over, and decreases—you'll create a collection of plush, dimensional leaves in warm autumn hues that will transform any mantel, window, or doorway into a cozy seasonal display.

This pattern is perfect for using up small amounts of worsted weight yarn from your stash, and the repetitive nature of the leaf shaping makes it an ideal mindless project for cozy evenings with a cup of tea. Let's dive in and create something beautiful together!

Materials Needed

Before you begin, gather the following supplies. All items are readily available at your local craft store or online.

Yarn

• Worsted weight yarn in 5 autumn colors (approximately 50g of each):
  • Burnt orange
  • Mustard yellow
  • Deep red
  • Olive green
  • Warm brown (for leaves and stems)

Pro tip: Any worsted weight yarn will work beautifully. Acrylic, wool, or cotton blends all produce lovely results. If you want a more rustic, natural look, choose a wool blend with a bit of texture.

Needles and Tools

• US 7 (4.5mm) knitting needles – straight or circular, whichever you prefer
• Tapestry needle for weaving in ends and sewing leaves together
• Scissors
• Optional: Wooden dowel, ribbon, or jute twine for hanging
• Optional: Blocking pins and a flat surface for finishing

Gauge

20 stitches and 28 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch.

While gauge isn't critical for this project (since the leaves are decorative), it's always good practice to check. If your leaves come out larger or smaller than expected, simply adjust your needle size accordingly.

Abbreviations

Familiarize yourself with these standard knitting abbreviations before you begin:

• CO: Cast on
• K: Knit
• P: Purl
• K2tog: Knit two stitches together (right-leaning decrease)
• SSK: Slip, slip, knit (left-leaning decrease)
• YO: Yarn over (creates an increase and a decorative hole)
• St(s): Stitch(es)
• RS: Right side (the front of the work)
• WS: Wrong side (the back of the work)

Step-by-Step Instructions

This pattern consists of three main parts: knitting the leaves, creating the stems, and assembling the bunting. Follow along carefully, and you'll have a gorgeous garland in no time.

Part 1: Knitting the Leaves (Make 5–7 Leaves)

Each leaf is worked flat, starting from the base and increasing outward to create a wide, rounded shape, then decreasing back to a point. The central vein is formed by a series of yarn overs that create a beautiful, textured ridge down the middle of each leaf.

Make one leaf in each of your chosen autumn colors. For a fuller bunting, you can make 7 leaves by repeating one or two of your favorite colors.

Increasing Section (Rows 1–28)

Row 1 (RS): CO 3 sts. K all 3 sts.
Row 2 (WS): P all 3 sts.
Row 3: K1, YO, K1, YO, K1. (You now have 5 sts)
Row 4: P all 5 sts.
Row 5: K2, YO, K1, YO, K2. (7 sts)
Row 6: P all 7 sts.
Row 7: K3, YO, K1, YO, K3. (9 sts)
Row 8: P all 9 sts.
Row 9: K4, YO, K1, YO, K4. (11 sts)
Row 10: P all 11 sts.
Row 11: K5, YO, K1, YO, K5. (13 sts)
Row 12: P all 13 sts.
Row 13: K6, YO, K1, YO, K6. (15 sts)
Row 14: P all 15 sts.
Row 15: K7, YO, K1, YO, K7. (17 sts)
Row 16: P all 17 sts.
Row 17: K8, YO, K1, YO, K8. (19 sts)
Row 18: P all 19 sts.
Row 19: K9, YO, K1, YO, K9. (21 sts)
Row 20: P all 21 sts.
Row 21: K10, YO, K1, YO, K10. (23 sts)
Row 22: P all 23 sts.
Row 23: K11, YO, K1, YO, K11. (25 sts)
Row 24: P all 25 sts.
Row 25: K12, YO, K1, YO, K12. (27 sts)
Row 26: P all 27 sts.
Row 27: K13, YO, K1, YO, K13. (29 sts)
Row 28: P all 29 sts.

Note: The yarn overs in the center of each row create the decorative vein. As you work, you'll see a beautiful column of holes forming down the center of your leaf—this is the signature texture of the Harvest Moon pattern.

Decreasing Section (Rows 29–56)

Now we'll shape the top of the leaf by decreasing one stitch at each edge on every right-side row. The purl rows remain unchanged.

Row 29: SSK, K to last 2 sts, K2tog. (27 sts)
Row 30: P all 27 sts.
Row 31: SSK, K to last 2 sts, K2tog. (25 sts)
Row 32: P all 25 sts.
Row 33: SSK, K to last 2 sts, K2tog. (23 sts)
Row 34: P all 23 sts.
Row 35: SSK, K to last 2 sts, K2tog. (21 sts)
Row 36: P all 21 sts.
Row 37: SSK, K to last 2 sts, K2tog. (19 sts)
Row 38: P all 19 sts.
Row 39: SSK, K to last 2 sts, K2tog. (17 sts)
Row 40: P all 17 sts.
Row 41: SSK, K to last 2 sts, K2tog. (15 sts)
Row 42: P all 15 sts.
Row 43: SSK, K to last 2 sts, K2tog. (13 sts)
Row 44: P all 13 sts.
Row 45: SSK, K to last 2 sts, K2tog. (11 sts)
Row 46: P all 11 sts.
Row 47: SSK, K to last 2 sts, K2tog. (9 sts)
Row 48: P all 9 sts.
Row 49: SSK, K to last 2 sts, K2tog. (7 sts)
Row 50: P all 7 sts.
Row 51: SSK, K to last 2 sts, K2tog. (5 sts)
Row 52: P all 5 sts.
Row 53: SSK, K1, K2tog. (3 sts)
Row 54: P all 3 sts.
Row 55: SSK, K1. (2 sts)
Row 56: K2tog. (1 st)

Fasten off by cutting the yarn, leaving a long tail (at least 12 inches). Pull the tail through the last loop and tighten gently. This tail will be used later for assembly.

Repeat this entire process for each leaf. You should now have 5–7 beautiful, textured leaves in your chosen autumn palette.

Part 2: Knitting the Stems (Make One Per Leaf)

The stems add a charming, realistic touch to each leaf. They're simple to make and attach quickly.

Using warm brown yarn:

Step 1: CO 6 sts.
Step 2: Knit in stockinette stitch (knit one row, purl one row) for 2 inches.
Step 3: Bind off all stitches loosely.

To form the stem:

Fold the knitted rectangle in half lengthwise, with the right sides facing each other. Using a tapestry needle and a length of brown yarn, sew the long edges together to create a thin tube. Turn the tube right side out. The stem is now ready to attach to the base of your leaf.

Alternative: If you prefer a simpler approach, you can skip the tube construction and simply use a twisted cord or a length of brown yarn as the stem. However, the knitted tube gives a much more polished, professional look.

Part 3: Assembly

Now for the fun part—bringing all your pieces together to create the bunting!

Step 1: Weave in loose ends.
Using your tapestry needle, carefully weave in all the loose yarn ends on each leaf (except the long tail you left at the tip). Make sure to weave them in on the wrong side of the work so they're invisible from the front.

Step 2: Attach the stems.
Position a stem at the base of each leaf (the cast-on edge). Using the long tail from the leaf, sew the stem securely to the leaf, making several firm stitches through both layers. Weave in the remaining tail.

Step 3: Arrange your leaves.
Lay out your leaves on a flat surface and arrange them in a pleasing order, alternating colors for visual interest. A typical arrangement might go: burnt orange, olive green, deep red, mustard yellow, warm brown, then repeat or add variations.

Step 4: String the bunting.
You have two options for stringing your leaves:

Option A (Sewing onto ribbon/twine):
Cut a length of sturdy ribbon or jute twine to your desired length (about 3–4 feet works well for a mantel). Using the long tails from the leaves, sew each leaf securely to the ribbon, spacing them about 4–5 inches apart. Make sure the leaves are oriented with their tips pointing downward.

Option B (Threading onto yarn):
Thread a long piece of yarn onto a tapestry needle. Push the needle through the base of each leaf (through the stem area), sliding the leaves onto the yarn. Space them evenly and tie a knot at each end to keep them in place.

Step 5: Hang your bunting.
Drape the finished bunting across a mantel, along a window frame, or over a doorway. Use small nails, hooks, or command strips to secure the ends. For a more casual look, you can simply tie the ends around existing fixtures.

Finishing Touches

Blocking (optional but recommended):
To give your leaves a crisp, professional shape, gently block them before assembly. Pin each leaf to a flat surface (like a blocking mat or a towel-covered ironing board), shaping them into their natural leaf form. Mist lightly with water and allow to dry completely. This will help the leaves lie flat and showcase their beautiful texture.

Final trim:
Once everything is assembled and dry, trim any excess yarn tails that might be visible. Give your bunting a gentle shake to ensure all leaves are hanging nicely.

Your Harvest Moon Leaf Bunting Awaits

Congratulations! You've just created a beautiful, handcrafted piece of autumn decor that will bring warmth and charm to your home for years to come. The Harvest Moon Leaf Bunting is more than just a decoration—it's a celebration of the season, a testament to your creativity, and a cozy addition to any space.

This pattern is wonderfully versatile. Try experimenting with different color palettes to match your home's decor, or use variegated yarn for a more whimsical look. You could even add a few extra leaves to create a longer garland for larger spaces.

We'd love to see your finished bunting! Share your creation on social media with the hashtag #HarvestMoonBunting and inspire others to bring a little autumn magic into their homes. Happy knitting, and enjoy the cozy season ahead!