by Let’s create an absolutely gorgeous and wonderfully textured crochet puff flower table runner! This project combines the beauty of individual floral motifs with the elegance of a functional home decor item. The puff stitches will give your flowers incredible dimension, making your table runner a true showstopper.
How to Crochet a Beautiful Puff Flower Table Runner: A Detailed Step-by-Step Tutorial
This comprehensive guide will walk you through crocheting individual 3D puff flowers and then seamlessly joining them to form a stunning table runner. We’ll focus on clear stitch definitions, creating vibrant puff flowers, and assembling them into a cohesive and beautiful piece.
Skill Level: Intermediate
This project assumes you’re comfortable with:
- Chain (ch): The basic foundation.
- Slip Stitch (sl st): For joining rounds and neatening.
- Single Crochet (sc): A dense stitch, good for joining.
- Half Double Crochet (hdc): A good intermediate stitch.
- Double Crochet (dc): A common stitch for height.
- Puff Stitch (Puff St): The star of this design! We’ll explain it in detail.
- Magic Ring (MR): A common starting method for working in the round.
- Working in rounds: Crocheting in a continuous or joined circular manner.
- Working into stitch spaces: Creating stitches into the chain spaces of previous rounds.
- Weaving in ends securely.
- Basic joining techniques (slip stitching or single crocheting motifs together).
What is a Puff Stitch?
A Puff Stitch is a cluster of stitches that are partially worked and then all loops are pulled through together, creating a beautiful, raised “puff” of texture. It’s often made with half double or double crochet stitches. For this flower, we’ll use a 5-loop Puff Stitch, which is a common and lovely variation:
- Puff Stitch (Puff St): Yarn over, insert hook into designated stitch/space, yarn over, pull up a loop (3 loops on hook). *Yarn over, insert hook into same stitch/space, yarn over, pull up a loop* (Repeat from * to * 3 more times – you will have 5 sets of yarn over/pull up a loop). You now have 11 loops on your hook. Yarn over, pull through all 11 loops on your hook. Ch 1 to secure the puff (this chain often counts as part of the stitch or creates spacing, depending on the pattern).
Finished Dimensions (Approximate):
Each individual flower will be approximately 3-4 inches (7.5-10 cm) in diameter. The total length of your table runner will depend on how many flowers you create and join together. For example, 10 flowers joined linearly might create a runner of about 30-40 inches (75-100 cm).
Materials You’ll Need:
- Yarn:Worsted Weight (Medium #4) Cotton or Cotton Blend Yarn. The total yardage will depend on the length of your runner.
- For each flower: Approximately 15-20 yards (14-18 meters) per color.
- Why Cotton? Cotton yarn is ideal for table runners. It’s durable, absorbent, washes well, and holds its shape nicely. It also has excellent stitch definition, which is perfect for showcasing the puff stitch.
- Color Choice:
- Flower Center (Color A): A contrasting color for the center of your flowers (e.g., yellow, cream, light green, or white).
- Flower Petals (Color B): Your main flower color (e.g., pink, purple, blue, red, or a soft pastel).
- Joining/Background (Color C): A solid color for joining the flowers and forming the “leaves” or base around them. This could be green for a natural look, or a neutral like white, cream, or grey to let the flowers pop.
- Crochet Hook: Size H/5.0mm. This size generally provides a good balance of density and drape for this type of project.
- Yarn Needle (Tapestry Needle): Essential for seamlessly weaving in all your loose yarn tails and for joining flowers if not crocheting them together.
- Scissors: For cutting your yarn.
- Stitch Marker (Optional): Helpful for marking the beginning of rounds.
- Blocking Supplies (Highly Recommended): Blocking mats, rust-proof pins, and a spray bottle (or steamer). Blocking is crucial for doilies and motifs to ensure they lie flat and their patterns open up beautifully.
Understanding the Table Runner Construction:
You’ll be making multiple individual 3D puff flowers first. Then, you’ll join these flowers together to form the table runner. The joining method will be incorporated into the final rounds of the flower itself.
Color Change Tips:
To ensure your color changes are neat and virtually invisible within each flower:
- Invisible Join: When you reach the end of a round and need to change color, complete the last slip stitch with the current color until you have two loops left on your hook. Drop the current color, pick up the new color, yarn over with the new color, and pull through the remaining two loops to complete the stitch. Then, proceed with the start of the new round (e.g., ch 3 for dc, or ch 1 for sc/puff).
- Cutting Yarn: For the cleanest look, especially with puff stitches, it’s often best to cut the old color yarn after each color change, leaving a 4-6 inch (10-15 cm) tail. While it means more ends to weave in, the cleaner result is worth it.
Let’s Crochet Your Puff Flower Table Runner!
Part 1: Crocheting the Individual 3D Puff Flowers (Make as many as needed for your desired runner length)
Each flower will have 3 layers of color: center, petals, and a “square” base (which will aid in joining).
- Flower Center (Color A):
- With Color A, create a Magic Ring (MR).
- Alternative start: Ch 4, then sl st into the first ch to form a ring.
- Round 1:
- Ch 2 (does NOT count as a stitch).
- Work 10 hdc into the Magic Ring.
- Sl st into the first hdc to join the round.
- [Total: 10 hdc]
- If using MR, pull the tail tightly to close the center hole.
- Fasten off, leaving a tail for weaving in.
- With Color A, create a Magic Ring (MR).
- Flower Petals (Color B):
- Join Color B with a sl st into any space between two hdc stitches from Round 1.
- Round 2 (Puff Petals):
- Ch 2 (does NOT count as a stitch).
- In the same space where you joined: Work (1 dc, 1 Puff St). (The Puff St is the 5-loop version as described in “What is a Puff Stitch?” above, with a Ch 1 to secure).
- In the next space between hdc stitches: Work (1 Puff St, 1 dc).
- *(In the next space between hdc stitches: Work (1 dc, 1 Puff St).
- In the next space between hdc stitches: Work (1 Puff St, 1 dc)).*
- Repeat from * to * 3 more times around. You will have 5 groups of (dc, Puff St) and 5 groups of (Puff St, dc). This creates 10 distinct petal “bumps.”
- Sl st into the base of the first petal (the first ch 2) to join.
- [Total: 10 dc, 10 Puff Sts]
- Fasten off, leaving a tail for weaving in.
- Flower Square Base (Color C):
- Join Color C with a sl st into any Puff Stitch from Round 2.
- Round 3 (Creating the Square Shape):
- Ch 3 (counts as first dc).
- Work (2 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) into the same Puff St where you joined. (This creates your first corner).
- Work 3 hdc into the next dc from Round 2.
- Work 3 sc into the next Puff St from Round 2.
- Work 3 hdc into the next dc from Round 2.
- *(Work (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) into the next Puff St (this will be your next corner).
- Work 3 hdc into the next dc.
- Work 3 sc into the next Puff St.
- Work 3 hdc into the next dc.*
- Repeat from * to * 3 more times. You should now have 4 corners formed by the (3dc, ch2, 3dc) clusters.
- Sl st into the top of the beginning Ch 3 to join.
- [Total: 4 corners (each 6 dc + ch 2), 4 sides (each 6 hdc + 3 sc)]
- Fasten off, leaving a tail for weaving in.
- Repeat these steps to make as many individual flower motifs as you need for your desired table runner length. Ensure all ends are woven in securely for each motif.
Part 2: Joining the Flowers
You have two primary ways to join these motifs to create your table runner:
Method 1: Slip Stitch or Single Crochet Join-As-You-Go (Recommended for seamless look)
This method is done as you crochet the final round (Round 3 in Color C) of each subsequent flower. You’ll join directly to the previous flower(s) as you work.
- For the first flower: Complete all 3 rounds as described above. Fasten off.
- For the second flower and subsequent flowers:
- Crochet Round 1 and Round 2 of the new flower as normal.
- Start Round 3 (Color C) as normal, working the first corner (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc).
- Work the next side (3 hdc, 3 sc, 3 hdc) as normal.
- When you get to the second corner of the new flower, you will join it to the first flower:
- Work 3 dc into the corner Puff St.
- Ch 1, then sl st into the Ch 2 space of the corresponding corner of the previous flower.
- Ch 1, then work 3 dc into the same corner Puff St of the new flower. (This completes the corner for the new flower while joining it to the old.)
- Continue working along the side of the new flower (3 hdc, 3 sc, 3 hdc).
- When you get to the third corner of the new flower (which will be your second joining point):
- Work 3 dc into the corner Puff St.
- Ch 1, then sl st into the Ch 2 space of the next corresponding corner of the previous flower.
- Ch 1, then work 3 dc into the same corner Puff St of the new flower.
- Complete the rest of Round 3 as normal for the new flower. Fasten off.
- For subsequent flowers: You will join each new flower to the previous one at two corners, maintaining the linear runner shape. If you wish to make a wider runner, you would join along three sides of the square motifs.
Method 2: Sewing Together (Good for beginners, but may have more visible seams)
- Crochet all your individual flower motifs completely, weaving in all ends for each.
- Lay out your flowers in the desired linear arrangement for your table runner.
- Using your yarn needle and Color C yarn (or matching thread), carefully sew the flowers together at their corners and along the edges of their square bases.
- Align two flowers side-by-side. Stitch through the Ch 2 space of a corner on one flower and the Ch 2 space of the corresponding corner on the other. Make several secure stitches.
- Continue sewing along the straight edges of the square motifs where they meet, using whip stitches or mattress stitches to create an almost invisible seam. Stitch through the outer loops of the last round of each flower.
Part 3: Finishing the Table Runner
- Weave in ALL Remaining Ends: This is absolutely critical for a clean and professional-looking table runner. Use your yarn needle to meticulously weave in all remaining tails from all your flower motifs and joins. This is especially important for items that will be used regularly.
- How to Weave Neatly: Weave the tails into stitches of the same color as the tail. Weave in one direction for about 1.5-2 inches (4-5 cm), then subtly change direction and weave back through some of the same stitches. This “locks” the tail in place and prevents it from unraveling.
- Blocking (Essential for a Flat, Beautiful Finish): Blocking is the process of wetting or steaming your crochet item and then shaping it and pinning it into place while it dries. This opens up the stitches, evens out tension, and makes the motifs lie perfectly flat and uniform. Blocking is crucial for a professional-looking table runner.
- Method 1 (Wet Blocking – Recommended for Cotton):
- Fill a basin with cool water and immerse your entire table runner. Let it soak for 15-20 minutes until thoroughly wet.
- Gently squeeze out excess water (do not wring!). Roll the runner in a clean towel to absorb more moisture.
- Lay your runner flat on a blocking mat or a thick foam board.
- Using rust-proof pins, carefully pin the entire runner into its desired straight, rectangular shape, stretching it gently to open up the stitches and ensure the puff flowers stand out. Pin all edges and corners.
- Allow the runner to air dry completely (this can take 24-48 hours depending on humidity).
- Method 2 (Steam Blocking):
- Lay your runner flat on a blocking mat or a thick towel.
- Using a steamer or an iron on the steam setting (do NOT touch the iron to the runner!), hover the steam over the runner until it’s damp and pliable.
- Immediately pin the runner into shape as described above.
- Allow to dry completely.
- Method 1 (Wet Blocking – Recommended for Cotton):
Congratulations! You’ve now created a truly amazing, beautiful, and wonderfully textured crochet puff flower table runner! This intricate handmade piece will be a stunning centerpiece for your dining table or a thoughtful gift. What other color combinations will you try for your next puff flower creations?
