Celtic Knot & Oak Leaf Table Runner — Free Crochet Pattern

Deep emerald mesh, gold interlacing knotwork, and a fringe of tasselled oak leaves — this Celtic Knot & Oak Leaf Table Runner looks like it belongs in an old stone cottage. The body is a simple open sc-mesh worked in teal-green; the striking Celtic knot and oak-leaf motifs are added afterward in gold using surface crochet (a slip-stitch chain worked over the top of the mesh), so you are never juggling two colours at once.

It is an ambitious-looking piece built from gentle steps: make the mesh, trace the gold design over it, add raised oak leaves, and finish both ends with beaded tassels. The knotwork is just a slip-stitch line you follow like drawing.

The two-tone look is achieved without ever carrying two colours in a row — the gold is all added on top afterward, so the actual crochet stays simple and relaxing. Surface crochet is a skill that opens up a whole world: once you can trace a knot, you can add monograms, borders, and motifs to anything. The tasselled, pointed ends give it a genuinely luxurious, finished feel that lifts it well above a plain mesh runner.

Work it in deep red with gold knotwork for a regal Christmas version, or navy with silver for winter. Skip the surface crochet and just scatter the gold oak leaves for a simpler, faster autumn runner. Make a single knot panel as a square centrepiece mat instead of a long runner.

Amigurumi (Japanese: ami = knitted/crocheted + nuigurumi = stuffed toy) is the craft of making small crocheted characters. You start with a magic ring, work in continuous spiral rounds of single crochet, and shape the piece through increases and decreases — no seams, no joins, no turning.

The magic ring creates a closable centre with no hole. Wrap yarn around two fingers, insert the hook, yarn over and pull through. Work your first round into this ring, then pull the tail to close tight. Practise a few times — it becomes effortless quickly.

The invisible decrease — insert your hook through the front loop only of the first stitch, then the front loop only of the second stitch. Yarn over, pull through both loops, then yarn over again and pull through the remaining two. Working through front loops only makes the decrease blend into the fabric instead of leaving a bump.

Tension matters most. Amigurumi needs tight, firm tension so stuffing can't show through. If you can see white fiberfill peeking between your stitches, go down one hook size. The fabric should feel dense and firm — like a tightly woven canvas, not a loose net.