A single piece of solid cream fabric with rounded ends and a deep red scalloped border, decorated with two small trees, two Santa faces, two candy canes and a scatter of snowflakes, finishing in a red tassel at one end.
Every other runner in my collection is built from joined motifs. This one is not. You crochet one solid oval panel exactly as you would a large placemat, then applique everything on top. That makes it the most straightforward runner to plan, since there is no layout of separate pieces to fuss over, only a surface to decorate.
What you’ll need
DK cotton in cream, deep red, dark green, white, mustard and a little skin tone and pink for the Santa faces.
A 3.5 mm hook for the panel and border, and a 3 mm for the small appliques.
You’ll also want a blocking mat, rustproof pins, and a tapestry needle.
Finished size is about 85 cm long and 24 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, inc is two stitches in one, dec is an invisible decrease, MR is magic ring.
Part 1. The solid panel
Worked as one continuous oval, in cream, from a foundation chain rather than from motifs.
Ch 130.
Round 1. Dc in the fourth ch from the hook and in each ch across, then work 6 dc into the last chain to turn the rounded end, continue back along the other side of the foundation chain, then 6 dc into the first chain to turn the other end. Join with a sl st.
Round 2. Dc into each dc along both long sides, and at each end work 2 dc into every stitch of the six you placed there, which keeps the rounded ends growing at the same rate as the straight sides flatten out.
Rounds 3 to 6. Continue in dc, working plain along the long sides and increasing at both ends only, checking every round that the two ends stay symmetrical and the sides stay straight rather than bowing in or out.
This is the one technical thing to get right. A solid oval panel worked from the outside in is forgiving almost everywhere except the two end curves, where too few increases pulls the ends into points and too many makes them frill. Lay the piece flat every couple of rounds and look at it side on.
Fasten off once the panel measures about 75 cm by 18 cm.
Part 2. The border
Round 1. Join deep red anywhere on the outer edge and work sc evenly all the way round, working extra stitches at the two curved ends so the border lies flat rather than pulling the panel inward.
Round 2. Ch 3, skip one stitch, dc into the next, then ch 1 and skip one, dc into the next, repeated all the way around.
Round 3. Into each ch 1 space work 3 dc, then sc into the next dc, repeated around.
Round 4. Work sl st, ch 2, sl st into the same stitch, into the centre stitch of each shell, with a sl st in between. Fasten off.
Part 3. Small trees, make two
Worked flat as a padded applique.
Front. In dark green, ch 4, sc across (3). Turn and work rows of sc, increasing one stitch at each end of every second row, until you have 15 stitches. Fasten off.
Back. The same piece again in dark green.
Hold the two wrong sides together and sc through both layers around the outline, pushing in a thin layer of stuffing before closing. Keep it thin, since this sits flat against the panel rather than standing proud.
Trunk. A small rectangle in brown, four rows of four stitches, sewn to the bottom point.
Star. In mustard, 4 sc in MR, inc four times (8), then for the points sl st, sc, hdc, ch 2, sl st into the second ch, hdc, sc, sl st, worked into alternating stitches around for five short points. Sew to the top.
Decorate with scattered red and mustard French knots.
Part 4. Santa faces, make two
Front. In a skin tone, 6 sc in MR (6), inc six times (12), sc and inc repeated six times (18), sc twice and inc repeated six times (24). Fasten off.
Back. The same piece in white.
Join wrong sides together as with the trees, stuffing thinly.
Beard. In white, worked flat as a small half circle. Ch 11, sc across (10), then a row of sc, then edge the curved side with sl st, ch 2, sl st into the same stitch, repeated across for bobbles. Sew across the lower two thirds of the face.
Hat. In deep red, a small triangle worked flat, ch 8 decreasing to a point over six rows, with a white brim strip sewn along the bottom edge and a small white pompom at the tip. Sew over the top of the face.
Add two small black French knot eyes above the beard, a tiny pink nose, and pink cheeks either side.
Part 5. Candy canes, make two
In red and white. Ch 16. Work sc in the second ch from the hook and across, changing colour every two stitches to give diagonal stripes. Work a second row the same way. Fasten off, then curl the top third over into a hook shape and tack it in place with a couple of stitches on the back.
Part 6. Snowflakes, make about ten
In white. 6 sc in MR, then for each of six arms work ch 5, sl st in the second ch from the hook, sc in the next 2 ch, sl st back into the ring, sl st into the next stitch. Fasten off.
These stay flat and unstiffened, since they are being sewn directly onto a solid surface rather than hanging free.
Part 7. The tassel
Wrap deep red cotton around a 12 cm card about forty times, tie tightly at one end, cut the loops at the other and trim level.
Make a small red bobble cap from 6 sc in a magic ring, increased to 12, stuffed lightly, and sew it over the tie.
Sew the finished tassel to one rounded end of the runner, centred on the border.
Part 8. Placing the appliques
Lay the trees, Santa faces, candy canes and snowflakes out on the panel before sewing anything, alternating a tree and a Santa face down the centre line with a candy cane and a scatter of snowflakes filling the space between each pair.
Keep everything within the cream field, clear of the red border, and leave breathing room around each motif rather than crowding them. The panel is plain enough to take fairly generous gaps.
Sew each applique down around its full outline, since these are flat pieces sitting on a flat surface rather than pieces meant to lift.
Blocking
Block the whole runner once everything is attached, pinning it into a true long oval and opening every scallop on the border. A solid panel like this holds its shape well once blocked, more so than any of the motif built runners, so this step is quicker than usual.
Notes and variations
Swap the red border for green, or work it in both colours in alternating shell colours, for a different mood from the same panel.
A plain version with no appliques at all is a perfectly good everyday runner and takes a third of the time.
Work the panel in a single piece to placemat length instead of runner length, and repeat one tree and one Santa face per mat for a matching set.
Questions I get asked
Why do the ends of my panel pucker? Too many increases at the curves. Ease off and check the ends stay flat every couple of rounds rather than fixing it after the fact.
Why does my border pull the panel inward? Not enough extra stitches worked at the curved ends on round 1 of the border. Add a few more there specifically.
Can I use acrylic? Yes, more readily than on the motif runners, since this piece depends less on aggressive blocking.
How long does it take? About ten hours, which makes it one of the quicker runners in the collection because there is no joining stage at all.