Welcome to Wooly Mama Crochet! I am so excited to share my newest free tapestry crochet pattern with you! This one is based off one of my favorite poems – The Two-Headed Calf by Laura Gilpin. It’s a short and sweet poem that I love so much! I still haven’t decided if I want to crochet a sweater or cardigan around this tapestry, or simply add a dowel and hang it around the house. I might eventually create a blanket out of it using the corner-to-corner method!
Tapestry crochet is a lot easier than it looks. You just simply do single crochet’s throughout the whole piece, but the design comes together by changing your yarn colors! There are a few ways to read a tapestry pattern and everyone has their own preference. That’s why I am sharing with you 3 different ways to create this piece!
You may sell the finished product as long as I am credited for the pattern. Do not copy and publish this pattern as your own.
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To purchase the inexpensive ad-free PDF download of this pattern, you can do so here!
Measurements
This grid is 49×54 single crochet stitches. Using weight 4 worsted yarn measures 10 x 11 inches but size might vary depending on your yarn size and tension.
Gauge
Gauge is not crucial for this pattern.
Materials
- Yarn – weight 4 yarn, I used Hobbii Friends Wool in colors Off White (02), Anthracite (122), Black (124), Rose (44), Bottle Green (112), Midnight Blue (87), Dark Denim (81), Sunflower (24) – less than 1 skein each.
- Hook – 4 mm or similar
- Tapestry needle – to weave in the ends
- Scissors – to cut your yarn
- Wooden Dowel – optional
Abbreviations
RS = Right Side
WS = Wrong Side
Important Pattern Notes
- This pattern uses US crochet terms & includes the graph, written instructions, and color block instructions
- This pattern is worked from the bottom up and is single crochet throughout.
- Odd rows are your “right side” and even rows are your “wrong side”. You will carry your yarn on the wrong side or you can cut the yarn & reattach when needed if preferred
- At the end of every row you will chain one, this does not count as a stitch
- To attach a dowel, single crochet around it at the top of your completed tapestry
How to Change Color
While you are finishing your last stitch of the first color, pick up the next color and pull through the last loops of your stitch. For example, for a single crochet you will insert hook, yarn over, pull through the stitch, yarn over with the new color and pull through all loops. Keep carried colors all on the same side. This is the “wrong side.” I also recommend working over the carried yarns.
Color Block Instructions
Each block has a color and a number, the color of the box is the color yarn you will use and the number inside is the amount of single crochet stitches you will complete.
Let’s get started!
Graph
Each square represents a stitch. Start with Bottle Green and chain 49 + 1. Then begin with row 1 working back & forth from the bottom up.
Written Pattern
To start: With Green, chain 49 + 1
← Row 1 [RS]: (Green) x 49
→ Row 2 [WS]: (Green) x 49
← Row 3 [RS]: (Green) x 15, (Black) x 11, (Green) x 23
→ Row 4 [WS]: (Green) x 8, (Black) x 3, (Green) x 2, (Black) x 10, (White) x 7, (Black) x 4, (Green) x 15
← Row 5 [RS]: (Green) x 16, (Black) x 4, (White) x 12, (Gray) x 3, (Black), (Green) x 3, (Black) x 3, (Green) x 7
→ Row 6 [WS]: (Green) x 6, (Black) x 2, (Green) x 6, (Black), (Gray) x 2, (White) x 6, (Black) x 7, (Green) x 19
← Row 7 [RS]: (Green) x 19, (Black) x 4, (White), (Black) x 4, (White) x 6, (Black), (Green) x 6, (Black) x 3, (Green) x 5
→ Row 8 [WS]: (Green) x 4, (Black) x 2, (Green) x 3, (Black) x 7, (White) x 4, (Black), (White) x 5, (Black) x 3, (Green) x 4, (Black) x 6, (Green) x 10
← Row 9 [RS]: (Green) x 9, (Black) x 2, (Gray) x 3, (White) x 2, (Black) x 3, (Green) x 3, (Black) x 7, (White) x 3, (Black), (White) x 6, (Black) x 3, (Green), (Black) x 2, (Green) x 4
→ Row 10 [WS]: (Green) x 4, (Black) x 4, (White) x 12, (Black), (White) x 3, (Black), (Green) x 4, (Black) x 2, (White) x 5, (Gray), (Black), (White) x 2, (Black), (Green) x 8
← Row 11 [RS]: (Green) x 8, (Black), (White) x 3, (Black) x 12, (White) x 3, (Black), (White) x 14, (Black) x 3, (Green) x 4
→ Row 12 [WS]: (Green) x 4, (Black) x 2, (White) x 3, (Gray) x 2, (White) x 10, (Black), (White) x 6, (Gray) x 6, (White) x 6, (Black), (Green) x 8
← Row 13 [RS]: (Green) x 8, (Black) x 2, (White) x 5, (Gray) x 6, (White) x 4, (Gray) x 2, (Black), (White) x 7, (Gray) x 6, (White) x 2, (Black) x 2, (Green) x 4
→ Row 14 [WS]: (Green) x 4, (Black) x 2, (White) x 2, (Gray) x 7, (White) x 6, (Black), (Gray) x 3, (White) x 4, (Gray) x 4, (White) x 3, (Black) x 6, (Green) x 7
← Row 15 [RS]: (Green) x 7, (Black), (Gray) x 2, (White) x 2, (Black) x 3, (White) x 8, (Gray) x 4, (Black), (White) x 5, (Gray) x 8, (White) x 2, (Black) x 2, (Green) x 4
→ Row 16 [WS]: (Sky Blue), (Green) x 3, (Black) x 2, (White) x 3, (Gray) x 7, (White) x 4, (Black), (Gray) x 4, (White) x 11, (Black) x 2, (White) x 2, (Gray), (Black), (Green) x 4, (Sky Blue) x 3
← Row 17 [RS]: (Sky Blue) x 7, (Black) x 4, (White) x 7, (Gray) x 3, (White) x 7, (Black), (White) x 5, (Gray) x 6, (White) x 3, (Black), (Sky Blue) x 5
→ Row 18 [WS]: (Sky Blue) x 6, (Black), (White) x 3, (Gray) x 3, (White) x 6, (Black), (White) x 8, (Gray) x 7, (White) x 3, (Black), (Sky Blue) x 10
← Row 19 [RS]: (Sky Blue) x 11, (Black), (White), (Gray) x 6, (White) x 11, (Black) x 2, (White) x 9, (Black), (Sky Blue) x 3, (Yellow), (Sky Blue) x 3
→ Row 20 [WS]: (Sky Blue) x 2, (Yellow) x 3, (Sky Blue) x 3, (Black), (White) x 6, (Black) x 2, (White) x 4, (Gray) x 3, (White) x 7, (Gray) x 4, (White) x 2, (Black), (Sky Blue) x 8, (Yellow), (Sky Blue) x 2
← Row 21 [RS]: (Sky Blue) x 11, (Black), (White) x 12, (Gray) x 6, (White) x 7, (Black) x 3, (Sky Blue) x 5, (Yellow), (Sky Blue) x 3
→ Row 22 [WS]: (Sky Blue) x 12, (Black) x 5, (White), (Gray) x 8, (White) x 2, (Black) x 5, (White) x 3, (Black) x 6, (Sky Blue) x 7
← Row 23 [RS]: (Sky Blue) x 4, (Black) x 3, (Pink), (White) x 3, (Black) x 3, (White), (Black), (Pink) x 5, (Black), (White), (Black) x 9, (Sky Blue) x 17
→ Row 24 [WS]: (Sky Blue) x 26, (Black) x 2, (Pink), (Black), (Pink), (Black), (Pink), (White), (Black), (White) x 6, (Pink) x 3, (Black), (Sky Blue) x 4
← Row 25 [RS]: (Sky Blue) x 4, (Black), (Pink), (Black), (Pink), (White) x 6, (Black), (White), (Pink) x 5, (Black), (Sky Blue) x 27
→ Row 26 [WS]: (Sky Blue) x 4, (Yellow), (Sky Blue) x 21, (Black), (White) x 7, (Black), (White) x 2, (Black), (White) x 3, (Pink) x 3, (Black), (Sky Blue) x 4
← Row 27 [RS]: (Sky Blue) x 5, (Black) x 3, (White) x 2, (Black) x 2, (White), (Gray), (Black), (White), (Black), (White) x 3, (Black), (White), (Black), (Sky Blue) x 5, (Yellow), (Sky Blue) x 8, (Yellow), (Sky Blue) x 11
→ Row 28 [WS]: (Sky Blue) x 10, (Yellow) x 3, (Sky Blue) x 13, (Black), (White), (Black) x 2, (White), (Black) x 2, (White), (Gray) x 2, (White) x 4, (Black), (Sky Blue) x 8
← Row 29 [RS]: (Sky Blue) x 9, (Black), (White) x 4, (Gray), (White) x 7, (Black) x 4, (Sky Blue) x 11, (Yellow), (Sky Blue) x 10, (Yellow)
→ Row 30 [WS]: (Yellow) x 2, (Sky Blue) x 21, (Black), (White) x 6, (Gray), (White) x 8, (Gray), (Black), (Sky Blue) x 8
← Row 31 [RS]: (Sky Blue), (Yellow), (Sky Blue) x 5, (Black), (Gray) x 4, (White), (Black) x 3, (White), (Gray) x 3, (White), (Black), (White) x 2, (Black), (Sky Blue) x 12, (Cloud Blue) x 6, (Sky Blue) x 5, (Yellow)
→ Row 32 [WS]: (Sky Blue) x 4, (Cloud Blue) x 10, (Sky Blue) x 11, (Black) x 2, (Sky Blue), (Black) x 5, (Sky Blue) x 3, (Black) x 3, (Gray), (Black) x 2, (Sky Blue) x 4, (Yellow) x 3
← Row 33 [RS]: (Sky Blue), (Yellow), (Sky Blue) x 6, (Black) x 2, (Sky Blue) x 24, (Cloud Blue) x 12, (Sky Blue) x 3
→ Row 34 [WS]: (Sky Blue) x 2, (Cloud Blue) x 14, (Sky Blue) x 14, (Yellow), (Sky Blue) x 18
← Row 35 [RS]: (Sky Blue) x 18, (Cloud Blue) x 5, (Sky Blue) x 6, (Yellow), (Sky Blue) x 3, (Cloud Blue) x 14, (Sky Blue) x 2
→ Row 36 [WS]: (Sky Blue) x 2, (Cloud Blue) x 14, (Sky Blue) x 9, (Cloud Blue) x 7, (Sky Blue) x 5, (Yellow), (Sky Blue) x 6, (Cloud Blue) x 5
← Row 37 [RS]: (Cloud Blue) x 6, (Sky Blue) x 10, (Cloud Blue) x 9, (Sky Blue) x 9, (Cloud Blue) x 8, (Yellow), (Cloud Blue) x 3, (Sky Blue) x 3
→ Row 38 [WS]: (Sky Blue) x 4, (Cloud Blue), (Yellow) x 3, (Cloud Blue) x 6, (Sky Blue) x 11, (Cloud Blue) x 7, (Sky Blue) x 10, (Cloud Blue) x 7
← Row 39 [RS]: (Cloud Blue) x 8, (Sky Blue) x 10, (Cloud Blue) x 5, (Sky Blue) x 15, (Cloud Blue) x 4, (Yellow), (Sky Blue) x 6
→ Row 40 [WS]: (Sky Blue) x 25, (Yellow), (Sky Blue) x 15, (Cloud Blue) x 4, (Yellow), (Cloud Blue) x 3
← Row 41 [RS]: (Cloud Blue) x 2, (Yellow) x 3, (Cloud Blue) x 2, (Sky Blue) x 10, (Yellow), (Sky Blue) x 4, (Yellow) x 3, (Sky Blue) x 9, (Yellow), (Sky Blue) x 11, (Yellow), (Sky Blue) x 2
→ Row 42 [WS]: (Sky Blue) x 25, (Yellow), (Sky Blue) x 17, (Cloud Blue) x 2, (Yellow), (Cloud Blue) x 3
← Row 43 [RS]: (Cloud Blue) x 5, (Sky Blue) x 10, (Cloud Blue) x 6, (Sky Blue) x 28
→ Row 44 [WS]: (Sky Blue) x 5, (Yellow) x 5, (Sky Blue) x 5, (Yellow) x 5, (Sky Blue) x 6, (Cloud Blue) x 10, (Sky Blue) x 5, (Yellow), (Sky Blue) x 7
← Row 45 [RS]: (Sky Blue) x 12, (Cloud Blue) x 12, (Sky Blue) x 4, (Yellow) x 8, (Sky Blue), (Yellow) x 8, (Sky Blue) x 4
→ Row 46 [WS]: (Cloud Blue) x 2, (Sky Blue), (Yellow) x 2, (Sky Blue) x 4, (Yellow) x 3, (Sky Blue), (Yellow) x 3, (Sky Blue) x 4, (Yellow) x 2, (Sky Blue) x 2, (Cloud Blue) x 11, (Yellow), (Cloud Blue) x 2, (Sky Blue) x 11
← Row 47 [RS]: (Sky Blue) x 11, (Cloud Blue), (Yellow) x 3, (Cloud Blue) x 10, (Sky Blue) x 2, (Yellow), (Sky Blue) x 6, (Yellow) x 5, (Sky Blue) x 6, (Yellow), (Cloud Blue) x 3
→ Row 48 [WS]: (Cloud Blue) x 4, (Sky Blue) x 6, (Yellow) x 5, (Sky Blue) x 9, (Cloud Blue) x 11, (Yellow), (Cloud Blue) x 2, (Sky Blue) x 11
← Row 49 [RS]: (Sky Blue) x 5, (Yellow), (Sky Blue) x 6, (Cloud Blue) x 12, (Sky Blue) x 10, (Yellow) x 5, (Sky Blue) x 5, (Cloud Blue) x 5
→ Row 50 [WS]: (Yellow), (Cloud Blue) x 4, (Sky Blue) x 5, (Yellow) x 5, (Sky Blue) x 11, (Cloud Blue) x 10, (Sky Blue) x 6, (Yellow) x 3, (Cloud Blue) x 2, (Sky Blue) x 2
← Row 51 [RS]: (Sky Blue), (Cloud Blue) x 4, (Yellow), (Sky Blue) x 10, (Cloud Blue) x 4, (Sky Blue), (Yellow), (Sky Blue) x 5, (Yellow), (Sky Blue) x 5, (Yellow) x 3, (Sky Blue), (Yellow) x 3, (Sky Blue) x 5, (Cloud Blue) x 4
→ Row 52 [WS]: (Cloud Blue) x 3, (Sky Blue) x 5, (Yellow) x 3, (Sky Blue) x 3, (Yellow) x 3, (Sky Blue) x 9, (Yellow) x 3, (Sky Blue) x 15, (Cloud Blue) x 3, (Sky Blue) x 2
← Row 53 [RS]: (Sky Blue) x 11, (Yellow), (Sky Blue) x 9, (Yellow), (Sky Blue) x 8, (Yellow) x 4, (Sky Blue) x 5, (Yellow) x 4, (Sky Blue) x 4, (Cloud Blue) x 2
→ Row 54 [WS]: (Sky Blue) x 49
Color Block Pattern
To start: With Green, chain 49 + 1
← Row 1 [RS]: 49
→ Row 2 [WS]: 49
← Row 3 [RS]: 15, 11, 23
→ Row 4 [WS]: 8, 3, 2, 10, 7, 4, 15
← Row 5 [RS]: 16, 4, 12, 3, 1, 3, 3, 7
→ Row 6 [WS]: 6, 2, 6, 1, 2, 6, 7, 19
← Row 7 [RS]: 19, 4, 1, 4, 6, 1, 6, 3, 5
→ Row 8 [WS]: 4, 2, 3, 7, 4, 1, 5, 3, 4, 6, 10
← Row 9 [RS]: 9, 2, 3, 2, 3, 3, 7, 3, 1, 6, 3, 1, 2, 4
→ Row 10 [WS]: 4, 4, 12, 1, 3, 1, 4, 2, 5, 1, 1, 2, 1, 8
← Row 11 [RS]: 8, 1, 3, 12, 3, 1, 14, 3, 4
→ Row 12 [WS]: 4, 2, 3, 2, 10, 1, 6, 6, 6, 1, 8
← Row 13 [RS]: 8, 2, 5, 6, 4, 2, 1, 7, 6, 2, 2, 4
→ Row 14 [WS]: 4, 2, 2, 7, 6, 1, 3, 4, 4, 3, 6, 7
← Row 15 [RS]: 7, 1, 2, 2, 3, 8, 4, 1, 5, 8, 2, 2, 4
→ Row 16 [WS]: 1, 3, 2, 3, 7, 4, 1, 4, 11, 2, 2, 1, 1, 4, 3
← Row 17 [RS]: 7, 4, 7, 3, 7, 1, 5, 6, 3, 1, 5
→ Row 18 [WS]: 6, 1, 3, 3, 6, 1, 8, 7, 3, 1, 10
← Row 19 [RS]: 11, 1, 1, 6, 11, 2, 9, 1, 3, 1, 3
→ Row 20 [WS]: 2, 3, 3, 1, 6, 2, 4, 3, 7, 4, 2, 1, 8, 1, 2
← Row 21 [RS]: 11, 1, 12, 6, 7, 3, 5, 1, 3
→ Row 22 [WS]: 12, 5, 1, 8, 2, 5, 3, 6, 7
← Row 23 [RS]: 4, 3, 1 , 3, 3, 1, 1, 5, 1, 1, 9, 17
→ Row 24 [WS]: 26, 2, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 6, 3, 1, 4
← Row 25 [RS]: 4, 1, 1, 1, 1, 6, 1, 1, 5, 1, 27
→ Row 26 [WS]: 4, 1, 21, 1, 7, 1, 2, 1, 3, 3, 1, 4
← Row 27 [RS]: 5, 3, 2, 2, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 3, 1, 1, 1, 5, 1, 8, 1, 11
→ Row 28 [WS]: 10, 3, 13, 1, 1, 2, 1, 2, 1, 2, 4, 1, 8
← Row 29 [RS]: 9, 1, 4, 1, 7, 4, 11, 1, 10, 1
→ Row 30 [WS]: 2, 21, 1, 6, 1, 8, 1, 1, 8
← Row 31 [RS]: 1, 1, 5, 1, 4, 1, 3, 1, 3, 1, 1, 2, 1, 12, 6, 5, 1
→ Row 32 [WS]: 4, 10, 11, 2, 1, 5, 3, 3, 1, 2, 4, 3
← Row 33 [RS]: 1, 1, 6, 2, 24, 12, 3
→ Row 34 [WS]: 2, 14, 14, 1, 18
← Row 35 [RS]: 18, 5, 6, 1, 3, 14, 2
→ Row 36 [WS]: 2, 14, 9, 7, 5, 1, 6, 5
← Row 37 [RS]: 6, 10, 9, 9, 8, 1, 3, 3
→ Row 38 [WS]: 4, 1, 3, 6, 11, 7, 10, 7
← Row 39 [RS]: 8, 10, 5, 15, 4, 1, 6
→ Row 40 [WS]: 25, 1, 15, 4, 1, 3
← Row 41 [RS]: 2, 3, 2, 10, 1, 4, 3, 9, 1, 11, 1, 2
→ Row 42 [WS]: 25, 1, 17, 2, 1, 3
← Row 43 [RS]: 5, 10, 6, 28
→ Row 44 [WS]: 5, 5, 5, 5, 6, 10, 5, 1, 7
← Row 45 [RS]: 12, 12, 4, 8, 1, 8, 4
→ Row 46 [WS]: 2, 1, 2, 4, 3, 1, 3, 4, 2, 2, 11, 1, 2, 11
← Row 47 [RS]: 11, 1, 3, 10, 2, 1, 6, 5, 6, 1, 3
→ Row 48 [WS]: 4, 6, 5, 9, 11, 1, 2, 11
← Row 49 [RS]: 5, 1, 6, 12, 10, 5, 5, 5
→ Row 50 [WS]: 1, 4, 5, 5, 11, 10, 6, 3, 2, 2
← Row 51 [RS]: 1, 4, 1, 10, 4, 1, 1, 5, 1, 5, 3, 1, 3, 5, 4
→ Row 52 [WS]: 3, 5, 3, 3, 3, 9, 3, 15, 3, 2
← Row 53 [RS]: 11, 1, 9, 1, 8, 4, 5, 4, 4, 2
→ Row 54 [WS]: 49
Weave in all ends and then …
You’re all done!
I would LOVE to see your creation! If you crochet this Two-Headed Calf Tapestry please tag or DM @woolymamacrochet on Instagram so I can like & share!
If you have any questions or need help, PLEASE send me a message or leave a comment on this post.
If you enjoyed this pattern, please check out my other free patterns! Like the Granny’s Cabin Shrug, Checkerboard Beanie or Retro Heart Daisy Tapestry! Thank you for checking out my blog and be sure to subscribe to my email list so you never miss a new free pattern!
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