This festive runner is made of five lacy Christmas trees in alternating red and green, each outlined in sparkling gold and topped with a little gold star. The trees are joined in a line that grows from small to large, creating a cheerful centerpiece for holiday dinners, parties, and family gatherings.
Each tree is worked as a solid triangle center with lacy flower clusters along the sides, a small trunk at the base, and a gold edge. You make the trees separately, add the stars, and then join everything together.
Materials
Worsted weight cotton or acrylic yarn in red with a gold sparkle strand, about 250 g
Worsted weight yarn in green with a gold sparkle strand, about 150 g
Worsted weight metallic gold yarn, about 60 g
Crochet hook 4.0 mm
Tapestry needle, scissors, stitch markers, and pins
Tip: If you cannot find sparkle yarn, hold a thin metallic thread together with plain red or green yarn as you work.
Finished Size
About 45 by 150 cm (18 by 59 inches)
The largest tree is about 45 cm wide and the smallest is about 30 cm wide.
Stitches Used (US Terms)
ch chain
sl st slip stitch
sc single crochet
hdc half double crochet
dc double crochet
tr treble crochet
sc2tog single crochet two together
cluster 3 double crochet worked into the same space and closed together
Tree Sizes
Make 5 trees in this order from the bottom of the runner to the top:
Tree 1: Red, large
Tree 2: Green, medium large
Tree 3: Red, medium
Tree 4: Green, medium small
Tree 5: Red, small
Part 1: The Solid Triangle Center
The center of each tree is a triangle made in rows, starting at the base and decreasing toward the top.
For the large tree, chain 38.
Row 1: Double crochet in the 4th chain from the hook and in each chain across. Turn. You have 36 stitches.
Row 2: Chain 3, skip the first stitch, and double crochet 2 together. Double crochet across to the last 3 stitches, double crochet 2 together, and double crochet in the last stitch. Turn.
Row 3: Chain 3, and work double crochet in each stitch across. Turn.
Repeat Rows 2 and 3 until only 4 stitches remain.
Last row: Chain 3 and work 3 double crochet together. Fasten off.
For smaller trees, start with fewer chains:
Medium large: chain 32
Medium: chain 28
Medium small: chain 24
Small: chain 20
Texture tip: On every third row, work the double crochet in the back loops only. This creates the ridged lines you see across the center of the trees.
Part 2: The Trunk
Rejoin yarn at the center of the base row.
Row 1: Chain 3, and double crochet in the next 7 stitches. Turn. You have 8 stitches.
Rows 2 to 4: Chain 3 and double crochet across. Turn.
Fasten off.
For the smaller trees, make the trunk 6 stitches wide and 3 rows tall.
Part 3: The Lacy Branch Clusters
These round clusters fill out the sides of the tree and give it its scalloped branch shape.
Flower Cluster Motif (make 10 for the large tree, 8 for medium sizes, 6 for the small tree)
Chain 6 and join with a slip stitch to form a ring.
Round 1: Chain 2 and work a 2 double crochet cluster in the ring. Chain 3 and work a 3 double crochet cluster in the ring. Repeat until you have 6 clusters with chain 3 spaces between. Join.
Round 2: Slip stitch into the next space. In each chain 3 space, work single crochet, chain 3, and single crochet. Join and fasten off, leaving a tail for sewing.
Attaching the Clusters
Lay the triangle flat. Place the flower motifs along both slanted sides of the triangle in tiers, so they look like layers of branches.
For the large tree, place 5 motifs on each side: 2 near the base, 2 in the middle, and 1 near the top.
Sew each motif to the triangle edge and to the motif beside it at the points where they touch.
Fill any small gaps between motifs with a chain 5 and slip stitch into the facing motif.
Part 4: The Gold Border
Round 1: Join gold yarn at the base of the trunk. Work single crochet evenly around the whole tree, including the trunk and all the scalloped branch edges.
At the outer points of each cluster, work 3 single crochet in the same stitch.
At the inner corners where the branches meet, work single crochet 2 together.
Round 2: Slip stitch in the back loops of each stitch around. This creates a raised rope effect along the edge.
Join and fasten off.
Part 5: Gold Stars (make 5)
With gold, chain 5 and join to form a ring.
Round 1: Chain 1 and work 10 single crochet in the ring. Join.
Round 2: Chain 4. Single crochet in the 2nd chain from the hook, half double crochet in the next chain, and double crochet in the last chain. Skip 1 stitch on the ring and slip stitch in the next. Repeat 4 more times to make 5 points.
Fasten off, leaving a tail for sewing.
Part 6: Assembly
Lay the trees in a line, from the large red tree at the bottom to the small red tree at the top, alternating red and green.
Each tree’s trunk should overlap slightly with the top of the tree below it.
Sew a gold star to the top point of each tree.
Sew the base of each trunk to the star of the tree below it, so the stars act as the joining points between trees.
Sew along any other places where the trees touch to make the runner stable.
Weave in all ends on the back.
Blocking
Lightly spray the runner with water and pin it flat on blocking mats. Stretch each branch cluster so it opens neatly, and pin the star points. Let it dry completely before removing the pins.
Care
Hand wash in cool water with mild soap. Press out the water gently, never wring, and dry flat. Reshape the stars and branches while damp.
Color Ideas
All green trees with silver edges for a snowy forest look
White trees with gold edges for an elegant winter table
Pink and white trees with silver stars for a pastel Christmas
Blue and silver trees for a frosty winter theme
Ways to Use Your Trees
Make a full runner for the dining table.
Use one large tree as a centerpiece under a candle or bowl.
Make single small trees as coasters or placemats.
Hang a small tree on a door or wall with a ribbon loop.
Tips for Success
Count your stitches after each decrease row so the triangle stays even on both sides.
Make all the flower motifs first, then attach them, so you can plan the layout.
Use stitch markers at the points of each branch before working the gold border.
If your trees curl, block them firmly and let them dry flat for a full day.
Final Thoughts
This sparkling Christmas tree runner brings holiday magic to your table and makes a wonderful family heirloom. The alternating colors and gold stars make every tree stand out, and you can easily adjust the number of trees to fit your table. Share your finished runner in the comments below. We would love to see your festive forest!