Chestnut Hollow Ribbed Table Runner Free Crochet Pattern

Chestnut Hollow Ribbed Table Runner: A Free Beginner Crochet Pattern

Introduction

Welcome to your very first crochet project! The Chestnut Hollow Ribbed Table Runner is the perfect pattern for someone who has never held a hook before, because it is built almost entirely from one simple stitch repeated over and over. It is a long, flat rectangle worked in warm chocolate brown and caramel stripes, so you get the joy of watching the colors change without ever having to shape a garment or count complicated stitches. The finished runner measures about 14 inches wide and 48 inches long, and the back-loop single crochet gives it a beautiful horizontal ribbed texture that feels soft and slightly raised under your fingertips. With its cozy woodland palette and gently scalloped ends, it looks like a little piece of a fairy tale draped across your table.

Materials Needed

• Yarn: Worsted weight (category 4) acrylic or cotton-blend yarn, approximately 420–460 yards total. You will need about 260–280 yards of chocolate brown (Color A) and 160–180 yards of caramel (Color B).
• Crochet hook: Size H/8 (5.0 mm), or whatever size you need to match the gauge below.
• Stitch markers: At least 2, to mark your first and last stitch of each row.
• Tapestry needle: A blunt-tipped yarn needle for weaving in ends.
• Scissors: Sharp craft scissors for cutting yarn.
• Measuring tape: For checking gauge and length.
• Finished size: Approximately 14 inches (35.5 cm) wide x 48 inches (122 cm) long, not counting the edging. The scallop edging adds about 0.75 inch (2 cm) to each short end.

Abbreviations and Beginner Glossary

• ch – chain. Make a loop with the yarn, pull the working yarn through the loop on your hook. That is one chain. Chains form your starting foundation.
• sc – single crochet. Insert your hook into the stitch, yarn over (wrap the yarn around the hook), pull up a loop (you now have 2 loops on the hook), yarn over again, and pull through both loops. One single crochet made.
• blsc – back loop single crochet. Exactly like a single crochet, but you insert your hook under the BACK loop only of the stitch below (the loop farthest from you), not under both loops. This is what creates the ribbed texture.
• dc – double crochet. Yarn over first, insert hook into the stitch, yarn over and pull up a loop (3 loops on hook), yarn over and pull through 2 loops, yarn over and pull through the last 2 loops. Used only in the scallop edging.
• sl st – slip stitch. Insert hook into the stitch, yarn over, and pull the yarn straight through both the stitch and the loop on your hook at the same time. Used to join yarn to the fabric.
• st(s) – stitch or stitches.
• turn – flip your work over so you can crochet back the other direction.
• A – chocolate brown yarn (Color A).
• B – caramel yarn (Color B).
• skip – do not work into that stitch; leave it empty.
• fasten off – cut the yarn a few inches from your work and pull the tail all the way through the last loop to lock it.

Gauge

16 single crochet x 18 rows = 4 x 4 inches (10 x 10 cm) in back loop single crochet, unblocked.

Gauge simply means how big your stitches come out. It matters because it decides whether your runner ends up 14 inches wide or accidentally 18 inches wide. To check it, crochet a small practice square about 5 inches across in back loop single crochet, lay it flat, and count how many stitches fit across 4 inches and how many rows fit in 4 inches. If you have more stitches than 16, your stitches are too small, so try a larger hook. If you have fewer than 16, try a smaller hook. This pattern's math depends on it: 56 stitches ÷ 16 stitches per 4 inches = 14 inches wide, and 216 rows ÷ 18 rows per 4 inches = 48 inches long.

Beginner Tips Before You Start

• Use stitch markers on your first and last stitch of every row. It is very easy to lose that final stitch, and markers keep your edges straight.
• Do not pull your yarn too tight. Tension should feel relaxed. Tight stitches make the ribbing stiff and shrink your runner.
• Always work into the back loop only. If you accidentally go under both loops, that row will look smooth instead of ribbed. It is a small mistake, but it shows.
• Carry the unused color loosely up the side. When you switch colors, do not cut the yarn. Just leave it hanging at the edge and pick it up again later. Keep that carried strand a little loose so the edge does not pucker.
• Count your stitches at the end of each stripe. You should always have 56 stitches. Catching a mistake early is much easier than fixing it later.
• Relax and enjoy the repetition. This is a meditative project. Once you know the stitch, you can crochet while listening to a podcast.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Body of the Runner

Note: The runner is worked flat in rows, turning at the end of every row. Every single crochet is worked in the back loop only. The stripe sequence repeats every 6 rows: 4 rows of A, then 2 rows of B.

With A, ch 57.

Row 1: Sc in the 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across, turn. (56 sc)

Row 2: Ch 1, blsc in each st across, turn. (56 sc)

Rows 3–4: Repeat Row 2 with A. (56 sc)

Change to B.

Rows 5–6: Ch 1, blsc in each st across, turn. (56 sc)

Change to A.

Rows 7–10: Ch 1, blsc in each st across, turn. (56 sc)

Change to B.

Rows 11–12: Ch 1, blsc in each st across, turn. (56 sc)

Repeat Rows 1–12 seventeen more times (that is 18 full stripe sequences total, 216 rows). Your last stripe will end on a 2-row B stripe. The runner should measure about 48 inches from the foundation chain. Fasten off and weave in ends. (56 sc)

Ribbed Scallop Edging (Worked on Both Short Ends)

Note: Work along the row-end edge of each short end. Each scallop spans 8 row-end stitches. There are 56 stitches across each short end, giving 7 scallops per end.

Set-up: With right side facing and A, join with a sl st at the bottom right corner of one short end.

Row 1 (edging base): Ch 1, work 56 sc evenly across the short end, working 1 sc into each row-end. Turn. (56 sc)

Row 2 (scallop row): Ch 1, sc in first st, *skip 1 st, 5 dc in next st, skip 1 st, sc in next st; repeat from * across, ending with sc in last st. Turn. (7 scallops)

Row 3 (ribbed trim): Ch 1, working in back loops only, sc in each st across, working 1 sc in each dc and sc. Fasten off. (56 sc)

Repeat the edging on the opposite short end.

Assembly and Finishing

Weaving in ends: Thread each yarn tail onto your tapestry needle and weave it back and forth through the back of several stitches, changing direction once so it locks in place. Trim the tail close to the fabric.

Blocking: Lay the runner flat on a towel or blocking mat. Lightly mist it with water or use a gentle steam from a few inches away. Pin the scallops into soft, even curves and pin the long edges straight. Let it dry completely. Do not press heavily with an iron, because that will flatten the raised rib texture you worked so hard to create.

Final check: Once dry, remove the pins and give the runner a gentle shake. The ribbing should look even and the scallops should sit in soft curves.

Pro Tips and Variations

• Change the colors: Swap chocolate and caramel for sage green and cream, or dusty rose and oatmeal, to match your own home. Keep the same 4-row/2-row rhythm for the same striped look.
• Adjust the size: To make it wider or narrower, add or remove stitches in multiples of 8 so the scallops still fit evenly. To make it longer or shorter, simply work more or fewer stripe repeats.
• Substitute yarn: A cotton yarn gives a crisper, more washable runner, while acrylic feels softer and cozier. Always crochet a new gauge swatch when you change yarn.
• Add a fringe: For an even more woodland feel, cut 6-inch strands of both colors and attach a small fringe along the short ends instead of the scallop edging.