A crocheted table runner is one of the most rewarding projects in vintage needlework. It is long enough to show off a pattern, small enough to finish, and it changes the look of a table instantly. In the early 1900s, magazines and pattern books were full of them. Here is what made those runners special and how to choose one to make today.
What a vintage table runner looked like
Most runners from the 1900s and 1910s were built from three parts:
- A linen centre, often plain or hemstitched
- Crochet insertions: lace strips with two straight edges, sewn into the linen
- A crochet edging around the outside, sometimes with deep scalloped ends
Others were made entirely in crochet, usually in filet crochet, where flowers, birds or lettering appear as solid blocks on an open mesh.
Three styles to look for
1. Filet crochet runners
Worked from a grid chart, filet runners are the easiest way to get a dramatic result. A single repeat of roses or vines can be worked again and again to reach any length. The 1911 Priscilla Filet Crochet Book and the 1914 Book No. 2 are full of borders that work as runner designs.
2. Linen runners with crochet insertions
This is the classic Edwardian look: crisp linen with lace panels let into it. Beautiful Crochet on Household Linen, edited by Flora Klickmann, is devoted to exactly this kind of work, with runners, tea cloths and sideboard cloths.
3. Motif runners
Small squares or rounds are made one at a time and joined into a strip. They are perfect if you like portable projects, because each motif is a small job.
Choosing thread and size
- Thread: most antique runners used fine cotton. Size 20 to 30 crochet cotton is a good modern starting point for filet work; size 10 gives a bolder, faster result.
- Length: measure your table and add a drop of about 15–25 cm (6–10 in) at each end, or make the runner shorter than the table for a centrepiece look.
- Width: a third of the table width is a classic proportion.
- Swatch first: work one repeat, block it, and measure. Then you know how many repeats you need.
Finishing like the originals
Vintage runners were always washed, starched and blocked. Pin the finished piece flat on a towel, spray or dip it in light starch, and let it dry completely. The lace opens up and the edges become straight and crisp.
Where to start
If you are new to runners, start with a narrow filet border and simply keep going until it is long enough. If you love the linen-and-lace look, the Vintage Crochet Table Runner Patterns book shows complete pieces along with the borders and insertions used to build them.
Related guides: crochet edging patterns for finishing the ends, how to read vintage crochet patterns, and how to crochet a pineapple doily. Planning several projects? The 8 Vintage Crochet Books Bundle gathers eight antique books.
Browse more ideas in our doilies & table linens collection.