Christmas Tree Farm Runner

And just like that, the holiday's are over. It always goes so fast! With all of the hustle bustle of the season (and being busy planning for baby girls arrival) I just didn't get this one published before Christmas. I'm 0 for 2 in getting Christmas patterns out before Christmas these last couple of years... and I had this one done after Thanksgiving but it took me a month to get the pattern written up and pictures taken. Better late than never, though!

I have been wanting to create a Christmas table runner for some time now and I had plenty of ideas floating around in my head. I made my way off to Hobby Lobby for some yarn in hopes that would give me inspiration on which design to pursue- but I walked out with yarn to make 3 different ones and it did nothing to help narrow down my design. After playing with my ideas and the yarn at home (and of course, pulling in the help of my hubby) I decided to work out my idea of a Christmas Tree pattern.

Some of my favorite Christmas memories are bundling up with the family and heading off to the tree farm after Thanksgiving to pick out the tree. (My favorites were always the big fat ones! Still to this day, those are the ones I prefer. To my husbands dismay when we started getting a tree- I cannot tell how big the tree's actually are and I always try to pick one that is WAY too big for the house and he has to convince me to go with someone more reasonable.)

This pattern is simple and the yarn colors used in the design are subtle and reminiscent of a tree farm covered in snow. I even think you could leave this one up well into January (or as long as the snow lasts where you live! Here in MN that is at least March haha) so maybe it's not too late to make this one for the season yet?

Whether you're thinking you'd use it this year or if you're a much better planner than me- I hope this design brings you as much Christmas delight as it did for me designing it.

Happy New Year and Happy Crocheting!

~Dana

Pattern:

Materials:

· 4.5 mm hook

· Worsted Weight Yarn (4)- I used I love this Cotton Yarn (Hobby Lobby) in “Sage”, “Forest” and “Ivory” (You’ll need 2 of each)

· Yarn Needle

Abbreviations:

SC : Single Crochet

HDC: Half Double Crochet

DC: Double Crochet

CH: Chain

SL ST: Slip Stitch

Dc2tog: Double Crochet two together

SC2tog: Single Crochet two together

Special Notes:

*You’ll see in a couple rows DC2tog using the same stitch as your previous stitch (with 2 dc2tog in a row). When you see this extra note- it just means that you have 3 stitches to dc2tog in, so you will be using the middle stitch in both dc2tog- going from 3 stitches to 2.

Color A: Forest

Color B: Sage

Color C: Ivory

Pattern:

*The pattern is worked in 2 halves- you’ll make two of the following and then seam them together to create the full runner.

Color A

Chain 197

Row 1: Dc in 3rd Chain from hook, dc in next 3, *dc2tog, ch 3, dc2tog, dc in next 3, rep to last 3, dc in last 3, turn.

Row 2: Ch 2 (counts as 1st dc), dc in next 4, *dc2tog, ch 5, sk ch3 sp, dc2tog, dc in next, rep from * to last 3, dc in last 3, turn.

Row 3: Ch 2 (counts as 1st dc), dc in next 2, dc2tog, ch 7, *sk ch5, dc2tog, using same stitch as part of your previous dc2tog, dc2tog in prev/next st, ch 7, rep from * to last 6, dc2tog, dc in next 4, turn.

Row 4: Ch 2 (counts as 1st dc), dc in next 2, dc2tog, *ch 9, sk ch7, dc2tog, rep from * to last 2, dc in last 2, turn.

Finish Off.

Color B:

Reattach yarn at end of previous color/row.

Row 5: Sc in first 3, *sc2tog (in ch 9), sc in next 5, sc2tog, sk dc2tog from previous row, continue from * to last ch 9, sc2tog (in ch 9), sc in next 5, sc2tog, sc in last 4, turn.

Row 6: Ch 2, dc in next 1, sc2tog, ch 3, *dc2tog, dc in next 3, dc2tog, ch 3, rep from * to last 3, dc2tog, dc in last st, turn.

Row 7: Ch 7 (counts as dc + ch 5), sk 1 dc and ch 3, *dc2tog, dc in next, dc2tog, ch 5, sk 3, rep from * to last 3, dc2tog, dc, in last, turn.

Row 8: Ch 9 (counts as dc + ch 7), sk 1 dc2tog + ch 5, dc2tog in next 2 (using same stitch as last dc2tog in next), *ch 7, sk 5, dc2tog in next 2 (using same stitch as last dc2tog in next), rep from * to last ch 5, ch 5, sk 5, dc In ch 6. Turn/

Row 9: Ch 7 (counts as dc + ch 5), sk ch 5, dc2tog, *ch 9, sk ch 7, dc2tog, rep from * to last ch 9, ch 7, dc in ch 8, turn.

Finish Off.

Color A:

Reattach yarn at end of previous color/row.

Row 10: Sc in next 6, sc2tog, *sk 1, sc2tog, sc in next 5, sc2tog, to last dc2tog, ch 7, sk 1, sc2tog, sc in last 4, turn.

Finish Off.

Color C:

Reattach yarn at end of previous color/row.

Row 11: Ch 2, dc in each stitch across.

Finish Off.

Color B:

*Working on other side of work (start of row 1). Reattach yarn.

Row 12: Ch 1, sc across.

Finish Off.

Color C:

Reattach yarn at end of previous color/row (Row 12)

Row 13: Ch 3, hdc across.

*For the first half- finish off. On the second half, you’ll turn and sl st BLO the 2 pieces together along Row 13. (Make sure the pattern aligns correctly before seaming.

Finish Off.

Sew in ends.

*I chose not to finish off the ends after blocking but you can add fringes or a simple border using dc stitches to match the border along the sides.