Christmas Tree Table Runner Crochet Pattern (Free)

AI-generated illustration (the picture of our Pinterest pin), not a photo of a runner made from this pattern. Our pattern follows it: 3 upright trees at the near end, 6 trees lying across the middle with their tips toward one long edge, embroidered gold stars, a plain far end. Differences: the photo shows a ridged texture and raised trees (ours are flat tapestry crochet), and its stars have 5 points (ours are simple 6-point stitched stars).

Free pattern · Intermediate · about 16 x 49 in · worsted weight cotton · 2 colors + gold for the stars · full chart. Materials first, then the near end, the lying trees, the far end, the edging and the stars.

This Christmas tree table runner crochet pattern makes the runner from our Pinterest pin: a cream runner with forest green Christmas trees and little gold stars. Three trees stand side by side at the near end, and 6 bigger trees lie across the middle of the runner, their tips toward one long edge, each with two gold stars at the tip. It is a free, original CookZya design, written in US terms.

The trees are worked in tapestry crochet: rows of single crochet where the green travels inside the stitches, so every tree is made of stitches, with no sewing. You only ever hold two yarns, cream and green. The 17 gold stars are embroidered at the end, so they sit exactly where you want them.

Everything on this page — the charts, the written rows, the color plan and the stitch counts — comes from one chart and was replayed by our stitch simulator. The runner is 61 stitches wide and 216 rows long. It has not been crochet-tested yet, so make a swatch first. Tick each row as you go — your progress stays saved in this browser.

Finished size: about 16 x 49 in (41 x 124 cm) with the edging — approximate, from the suggested gauge
Yarn: Worsted weight (#4) cotton: about 620 yd cream and 240 yd forest green, plus about 10 yd of gold for the stars
Hook: US G-6 (4.0 mm)
Gauge: 16 sc x 18 rows = 4 in (10 cm) in tapestry single crochet — suggested, make a swatch
Level: Intermediate (tapestry crochet, 2 colors per row, a long project)
Time: about 25 to 35 hours plus finishing — an estimate from the stitch count, not timed
Rows: 216 rows of 61 sc + 2 edging rounds + 17 embroidered stars

✓ CookZya original design · Stitch counts checked round by round and row by row — all 219 rows and rounds were replayed by our stitch simulator, and the written rows were rebuilt stitch by stitch to match the chart. This pattern has not been crochet-tested: tension, gauge and final size are up to your hands.

Materials

Color A — cream, about 620 yd
Color B — forest green, about 240 yd
Color C — gold (embroidery), about 10 yd
Yardage is an estimate from the stitch counts (about 1.6 in of yarn per tapestry single crochet), with a 15 % margin; it has not been measured. Buy one extra skein of cream if you can.
Gold: any worsted or DK gold or mustard yarn; a metallic one is fine for embroidery.
Tapestry needle; stitch markers to mark every 10th stitch.

Notes

Worked flat in rows of single crochet (sc), 61 sc wide. The ch 1 at the start of a row does not count as a st.
Single crochet (sc): insert the hook in the stitch, yarn over and pull up a loop (2 loops on the hook), yarn over and pull through both loops.
Odd rows are right-side (RS) rows: read the chart from right to left. Even rows are wrong-side (WS) rows: read it from left to right. The written rows already list the stitches in the order you work them.
"With A, sc in next 6 sts, changing to B in last st" = 6 single crochet with A; on the last yarn over of the 6th one, pull through with B, so the next stitch starts in B.
Carry the green only across the tree area — sts 5-57 at the near end, sts 13-44 for the lying trees, counted from the left edge as you look at the right side (the chart's columns, not the order you work them in): work over it inside that area, and leave it hanging at the wrong side when you reach the last green stitch of the area; it waits there for the next row. Outside the area, work with cream only, so no green shows through the margins.
Join green by laying its tail along the top of the row and working over it; when you cut it, leave a 6-in tail and work over it on the next row. Green is used in 7 groups of rows (the near trees, then each lying tree): cut it after each group.
US crochet terms. ch = chain, sl st = slip stitch, st(s) = stitch(es), rep = repeat, RS / WS = right side / wrong side, reverse sc (crab stitch) = sc worked from left to right.

Chart

Exact stitch-by-stitch preview of the whole runner, drawn from the chart (near end on the left), with the embroidered stars — a computer render, not a photo.

Christmas tree table runner chart, Rows 1-42: the near end with 3 upright 4-tier trees — Chart — Rows 1-42, the near end. RS rows (odd, numbers on the right) are read from right to left, WS rows (even, numbers on the left) from left to right. Open the chart full size

Christmas tree table runner chart, Rows 43-70: one big tree lying across the runner, tip on the left — Chart — Rows 43-70, one lying tree. Work it 6 times (Rows 43-210). Open the chart full size

Foundation and near end

Rows 1-42: 9 cream rows, then 3 upright trees, then 8 cream rows.

Lying trees

Rows 43-70: one big tree lying across the runner, its tip toward the left edge (as seen from the right side). Work these 28 rows 6 times in all (Rows 43-210). Untick the boxes after each repeat (Crochet mode counts the repeats for you).

Far end

Rows 211-216: 6 cream rows, as plain as the far end of the runner in the picture.

Row 211 (RS) Ch 1, turn. With A, sc in next 61 sts. (61 sc) 61 sc
Row 212 (WS) Ch 1, turn. With A, sc in next 61 sts. (61 sc) 61 sc
Row 213 (RS) Ch 1, turn. With A, sc in next 61 sts. (61 sc) 61 sc
Row 214 (WS) Ch 1, turn. With A, sc in next 61 sts. (61 sc) 61 sc
Row 215 (RS) Ch 1, turn. With A, sc in next 61 sts. (61 sc) 61 sc
Row 216 (WS) Ch 1, turn. With A, sc in next 61 sts. (61 sc) 61 sc

Edging

Round 1 in cream sc, round 2 in reverse sc for a firm, rounded rim.

Rnd 1 With A, ch 1, turn. 3 sc in first st (corner), sc in each of next 59 sts, 3 sc in last st (corner). Rotate and work down the long side: *sc in the end of each of next 8 rows, skip next row end; rep from * 23 more times (192 sc). Rotate and work across the foundation chain (the 61 ch that Row 1 was worked into; the first ch you skipped is not used): 3 sc in first ch (corner), sc in each of next 59 ch, 3 sc in last ch (corner). Rotate and work up the other long side in the same way (192 sc). Join with sl st in first sc (514 sc). 514 sc
Rnd 2 Ch 1, do not turn. Working from left to right, reverse sc (crab stitch) in each st around. Join with sl st in first st (514 reverse sc). Fasten off. 514 rsc

Embroider the gold stars

1 Block the runner first

Weave in all the ends, wet the runner, pin it flat to size and let it dry. The stars go on after blocking, so they stay where you put them.

2 Mark where the stars go

Star diagram: the near end on the left, numbers in embroidering order — a computer drawing.

Lay the runner right side up, near end (Row 1) toward you. Count rows up from the near end and stitches from the LEFT-hand long edge, and mark each star center with a pin: star 1: Row 36, st 12 (big); star 2: Row 36, st 31 (big); star 3: Row 36, st 50 (big); star 4: Row 31, st 21; star 5: Row 31, st 41; star 6: Row 56, st 10; star 7: Row 44, st 14; star 8: Row 84, st 10; star 9: Row 72, st 14; star 10: Row 112, st 10; star 11: Row 100, st 14; star 12: Row 140, st 10; star 13: Row 128, st 14; star 14: Row 168, st 10; star 15: Row 156, st 14; star 16: Row 196, st 10; star 17: Row 184, st 14. Stars 1-3 sit right on top of the near trees, their lowest arm touching the tip stitch, as in the picture; 4-5 sit lower, between the trees. Each lying tree has one star 3 sts beyond its tip and one under the tree, below the tip end.

3 Stitch the stars

Use a tapestry needle and about 18 in of gold yarn per star. Each star is 3 straight stitches that cross in the middle: one up and down, two on the diagonals. Big stars span 5 sts, small stars 3 sts. Bring the needle up and down between the stitches, never through them, so the gold sits on top.

Finishing

Weave the gold tails under the back of the stars, then press the runner gently from the back if the stars pucker. A first wash relaxes the stitches.

Design notes

61 stitches wide: 4 + 15 + 4 + 15 + 4 + 15 + 4, so the 3 near trees have the same space between them and at the edges, and the middle one is centered on stitch 31.
The trees have 4 tiers; each tier starts 2 stitches wider on each side than the top of the tier below, so the steps stay visible in single crochet.
The lying trees are 32 stitches long, about half the width of the runner, like in the picture, and their tips all point to the same long edge. They sit a little toward the tip side (12 sts of margin there, 17 on the trunk side), as in the picture.
The lying tree repeat is 28 rows, an even number, so every repeat starts on a right-side row and reads exactly the same.
Long edges have 192 sc for 216 rows: one row end in 9 is skipped, so the edge has 8 sc for every 9 rows — the same ratio as the gauge (16 sts and 18 rows = 4 in). A sc in every row end would make the edge about 12 % too long, and it would ripple.

Tips for crisp Christmas trees

Spread each finished stitch a little before you pull the next one: the carried green stays relaxed and the runner does not pucker.
Place a marker every 10 stitches on your first tree rows; counting the chart in tens is much faster.
Check each near tree after its first tier: 15, 15, 13, 13, 11, 9 stitches of green, centered.
Weave in the tails of each tree as soon as it is done.
Make a swatch with and without a carried strand: tapestry rows with a carried yarn are a little thicker.

Common mistakes

Changing color in the stitch itself instead of on the last yarn over of the stitch before: every outline shifts by one stitch.
Counting the ch 1 at the start of a row as a stitch: the row grows to 62 and the trees drift.
Carrying the green across the cream margins: it shows through. Keep it inside the tree area.
Pulling the carried strand tight across the row: the runner narrows and puckers.
Embroidering the stars before blocking: they move when the runner is pinned out.

Make it your own

Colors as written: cream, forest green and gold.
Snowy: white background, sage green trees and silver stars.
Red and white: cream background, cranberry trees and gold stars.
Longer table: add lying trees — each one adds 28 rows, about 6 in.
Appliqué version: crochet a plain cream runner and sew on trees made separately, for raised trees like the picture (not covered by this pattern).

Care

Hand wash in cool water, or machine wash cold in a laundry bag.
Reshape while damp and dry flat; do not tumble dry.
Store rolled, not folded, so the colorwork does not crease.

More crochet patterns for your table

Crochet Christmas Placemat with Poinsettia — round placemats to set along your Christmas runner
Crochet Christmas Tree Ornament — a little flat tree to hang, from your leftover yarn
Scalloped Heart Placemat — the same tapestry method, with hearts, for Valentine's Day
Tulip Table Runner — a spring tapestry runner once the holidays are over

FAQ

Is this Christmas tree table runner crochet pattern beginner friendly?

It is an intermediate project: tapestry crochet over a long runner. If you know single crochet and have changed colors before, you can make it; the rows are written out stitch by stitch.

How big is the runner?

About 16 x 49 in (41 x 124 cm) with the edging — approximate, from the suggested gauge. For a longer table, add lying trees (each adds about 6 in).

How long does it take?

About 25 to 35 hours, plus the finishing and the stars — an estimate from the stitch count; your pace may differ.

How much yarn do I need?

About 620 yd of cream, 240 yd of forest green and 10 yd of gold, in worsted weight cotton, including a 15 % margin.

Why are the stars embroidered?

So you only ever hold two yarns while you crochet, and so each star sits exactly at the tip of a tree, like in the picture. It takes about 5 minutes per star.

Is the photo a real runner?

No. The picture is an AI-generated illustration (the image of our Pinterest pin). The pattern on this page reproduces its design with real stitch counts; the caption under the picture lists the differences.

Can I sell the runners I make?

Yes, you may sell the runners you crochet yourself. Please don't sell or repost the pattern; link to this page instead.

Christmas Tree Table Runner Crochet Pattern (Free, Tapestry)