Deep red poinsettias alternating with cream and gold snowflake medallions down the centre, with holly leaves and berry clusters filling the sides and a lace fan at each end.
The structure is a single column of large motifs joined one to the next, rather than a background with things sewn on. That is what gives the runner its scalloped, organic outline. The leaves and berries are added afterwards and they are what fill the gaps and hide the joins.
The poinsettia is three layers of pointed petals stacked behind each other, and it is the reason this looks like a florist’s arrangement rather than a doily.
What you’ll need
DK cotton in deep red, cream, sage green, dark green and a gold or mustard.
Around 120 g of cream, 100 g of red, 80 g across the two greens and 40 g of gold.
A 3.5 mm hook.
You’ll also want gold beads for the flower centres, a blocking mat or a folded towel, rustproof pins, and a tapestry needle.
Finished size is about 95 cm long and 30 cm wide.
Abbreviations are US terms. ch is chain, sl st is slip stitch, sc is single crochet, hdc is half double crochet, dc is double crochet, tr is treble crochet, MR is magic ring, sp is space.
Part 1. The poinsettias, make three
In gold, 8 sc in MR (8), inc eight times (16). Fasten off. This becomes the centre.
Layer one, the largest petals. Join red into any stitch. Into every second stitch work a petal as follows. Ch 12, then working back along the chain, sl st in the second ch from the hook, sc in the next 2, hdc in the next 3, dc in the next 3, hdc in the last 2, then sl st into the next stitch of the centre. That gives eight long pointed petals.
Layer two. Working behind layer one, join red into the back of the gold centre between two petals. Work the same petal over a chain of 10, again eight times, so they sit behind and between the first layer.
Layer three. Behind again, work six shorter petals over a chain of 8, spaced evenly.
Three layers with the petal length dropping each time is what makes the flower sit up in a cone rather than lying flat like a star. If yours is flat, all three layers are the same length or you are anchoring into the petal edges rather than the centre.
Sew a cluster of five or six gold beads into the middle.
Part 2. The snowflake medallions, make two large and four small
Large, in cream.
Round 1. MR, ch 3, 12 dc into the ring, join (12) Round 2. Ch 5, skip one, dc into the next, ch 2, repeated around, giving six spokes Round 3. Into each ch 2 space work 3 dc, ch 3, 3 dc, which makes six fans with a point between Round 4. Ch 6, sc into each ch 3 point, repeated around Round 5. Into each ch 6 loop work sc, 3 dc, ch 3, sl st into the third ch from the hook for a picot, 3 dc, sc
Fasten off. That gives a six armed medallion with picot tips.
Small, in gold. Work rounds 1 to 3 only, then finish with a round of sc, picot, sc into each point.
Part 3. Holly leaves, make about twenty
Ten in dark green and ten in sage.
Ch 13. Working back along the chain, sl st in the second ch from the hook, sc in the next, hdc in the next, then ch 2 and sl st into the second ch from the hook for a spike, dc in the next 2, ch 2 and sl st into the second ch from the hook, hdc in the next, sc in the next, then 3 sc into the last chain.
Work back along the other side of the chain in the same sequence in reverse, so the spikes mirror each other. Join and fasten off.
Then work a surface slip stitch vein down the centre from base to tip.
Those chain spikes along both edges are what make it holly. Leave them off and you have a plain leaf, and the runner loses its Christmas reading entirely.
Part 4. Berry clusters, make about twelve
In red, 4 sc in MR, inc four times (8), sc around, dec four times, close with a pinch of stuffing.
Group them in threes on short red chain stems, twisted together at the base.
Part 5. The end fans, make two
These finish each end of the runner and give it a shaped point.
In cream, ch 6 and join into a ring. Round 1, work 12 dc into the ring but only across half the circle, turning it into a half round. Turn.
Round 2. Ch 4, dc into each stitch with ch 1 between, across the half round only. Turn.
Round 3. Into each ch 1 space work 3 dc, with ch 2 between. Turn.
Round 4. Ch 6, sc into each group, across.
Round 5. Into each ch 6 loop work sc, 5 dc, ch 3, sl st into the third ch from the hook, 5 dc, sc, which gives the deep scalloped picot edge.
Fasten off. Work the second fan the same.
Part 6. Joining
Lay everything out before joining anything. Photograph the layout.
The centre column runs poinsettia, large snowflake, poinsettia, large snowflake, poinsettia, with an end fan at each end.
Join the motifs to each other where they touch, using cream and working sl st through the outer edges. Each motif should connect to its neighbour along a span of at least 3 cm. A single point join lets the column pivot and the runner will never sit straight.
Where two motifs do not quite touch, bridge the gap with a short chain of 4 or 5 rather than pulling them together, which distorts both.
Attach the end fans last, centred on the outermost poinsettias.
Part 7. Adding leaves and berries
Now the sides. Sew holly leaves around the outer edges of each poinsettia, radiating outwards, four or five per flower, alternating dark green and sage.
Add the small gold snowflakes on the outer sides, level with the poinsettia centres, so the gold appears at regular intervals down the runner.
Tuck berry clusters into the joins between motifs. That is where the seams are least attractive and the berries do a good job of covering them.
Sew each leaf down along its base and half its length, leaving the tip free. Those free tips give the runner its soft irregular outline rather than a hard edge.
Part 8. Blocking
Block the finished runner hard. Pin the column straight, open every snowflake arm, flatten every leaf and pin each picot on the end fans individually.
Then, and only then, press the poinsettia petals down and outwards with your fingers so the flowers keep their raised cone shape. Do not pin the poinsettias flat. They are the only part of this runner that is meant to stand up.
Notes and variations
An all cream and gold version with no red is elegant and works well past Christmas.
Make a single poinsettia with holly leaves as a coaster set, or three joined as a small centrepiece.
Five poinsettias gives you a runner for a long table.
Questions I get asked
Why is my poinsettia flat? All three petal layers are the same length, or you are anchoring the back layers into the petal edges rather than the gold centre. Shorten each layer and reach behind to anchor.
Why is my runner crooked? Short joins between motifs. Join along at least 3 cm of contact.
Do I have to make the end fans? No, but without them each end stops abruptly with a flower and the runner looks cut off.
Can I use acrylic? Cotton blocks far better and this piece depends on it.
How long does it take? About sixteen hours.