Red Floral Crochet Table Runner
Create a cream table runner with seven red flowers, green leafy sprigs, and a scalloped lace border.
This is an original, untested pattern inspired by the photograph, rather than the exact pattern used in it. The flowers and greenery are attached to granny squares to recreate the look.
Materials
- DK cotton yarn: approximately 400–500 g cream, 100–150 g red, and 50 g green.
- A small amount of lighter green yarn for contrasting leaves.
- 3.5–4 mm crochet hook, or a size that produces flat, firm fabric.
- Yarn needle, scissors, and blocking supplies.
Estimated finished size: approximately 30 × 150 cm, depending on your yarn, tension, and blocking. Make one complete square first to check the size.
US crochet terms
- ch: chain
- sl st: slip stitch
- sc: single crochet
- hdc: half double crochet
- dc: double crochet
- tr: treble crochet
- sp: space
- BLO: back loop only
A granny cluster is 3 dc in the same space. Beginning ch 3 counts as a dc.
1. Cream granny squares — make 7
The red flowers will cover the center of each square.
Round 1: Make a magic ring. Ch 3, work 2 dc into the ring, ch 2. Work (3 dc, ch 2) three more times. Join to the top of the beginning ch 3. Tighten the ring.
You have four clusters and four corner spaces.
Round 2: Sl st to the next corner space. Ch 3, then work (2 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in that corner. Ch 1. Work (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in the next corner, ch 1 three times. Join.
Round 3: Sl st to a corner. Work a beginning corner as in Round 2. Continue around, working:
- (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in every corner.
- 3 dc in every ch-1 side space.
- Ch 1 between neighboring groups.
Join.
Rounds 4–5: Repeat Round 3. Each round adds one additional cluster along each side.
If needed, add further rounds until your square measures approximately 19–20 cm across. Use the same number of rounds for all seven squares.
Final edging round: Ch 1. Sc in each dc and each ch-1 space. Work (sc, ch 2, sc) in each corner space. Join and fasten off.
Block all squares to the same measurements.
2. Layered red flowers — make 7
These flowers have eight front petals and eight larger petals behind them.
Center: With red, work 16 sc into a magic ring. Join to the first sc and tighten the ring.
Front petals: Working in front loops only, repeat the following eight times:
Sl st in the next stitch, then work (hdc, 3 dc, hdc) in the next stitch.
Join to the first sl st and fasten off.
Back arches: With the front of the flower facing you, fold the petals forward to expose the unused back loops of the center round.
Join red to the back loop of the first center stitch. Repeat eight times:
Ch 4, skip the next unused back loop, sl st in the following unused back loop.
For the last repeat, join into the same back loop where you started. You now have eight arches behind the front petals.
Back petals: Sl st into the first arch. Work the following into every arch:
(Sc, hdc, 5 dc, hdc, sc).
Join to the first sc and fasten off, leaving a long sewing tail.
Shape the petals gently. Sew one flower to the center of each square, securing the center and the bases of the larger petals while leaving their edges raised.
3. Green leafy sprigs
Make four sprigs for each square: 28 sprigs total.
For each sprig, make one stem and three leaves.
Stem: With green, ch 11. Starting in the second chain from the hook, sl st in each chain across. Fasten off with a sewing tail.
Leaf: Ch 7.
Starting in the second chain from the hook, work:
- Sl st, sc, hdc, dc, hdc.
- In the last chain, work (sc, ch 2, sc).
Rotate to work along the unused side of the foundation chain. Work hdc, dc, hdc, sc, sl st. Join and fasten off, leaving a sewing tail.
Make 84 leaves, mixing the two shades of green.
Arrange a sprig diagonally toward each corner of the square. Tuck the inner end beneath the flower. Sew down the stem, then attach one leaf at its tip and two angled leaves along its sides.
Keep the greenery inside the square’s edging so it does not interfere with joining.
4. Join the runner
Arrange the seven squares in one long strip, all facing upward.
Using cream yarn, whipstitch adjacent short edges together through the back loops. Match the stitches and corner spaces carefully. Keep the seam relaxed so the runner lies flat.
Weave in the joining tails.
5. Cream lace border
Work around the outside of the entire assembled runner.
Round 1 — foundation: Join cream at an outer corner. Ch 1 and sc evenly around. Work (sc, ch 2, sc) at each of the four outer corners. At square joins, keep your stitches even and avoid adding extra stitches that cause ripples. Join.
Round 2 — open mesh: Ch 1, sc in the same stitch. Repeat ch 3, skip 1 stitch, sc in the next stitch along each edge.
At each corner ch-2 space, work (sc, ch 3, sc).
Adjust the final skip before each corner as needed. Finish with ch 3 and join to the first sc.
Round 3 — scallops: Sl st into the first ch-3 space and sc in that space.
Along the straight edges, alternate:
- (2 dc, 3 tr, 2 dc) in the next space.
- Sc in the following space.
In each corner space, work (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc). Restart the alternating pattern after each corner. If necessary, use a sc in the final space before a corner to avoid crowding.
Join and fasten off.
6. Finishing
Weave in all ends. Dampen the runner and block it into a straight rectangle, opening the mesh and shaping each scallop gently. Avoid flattening the raised flowers.
Let it dry completely before placing it on your table.