Fair isle Christmas Table Runner by Nicolson Knits

Fair isle Christmas Table Runner

Knitting
November 2014
DK (11 wpi) ?
7 stitches and 7 rows = 1 inch
in double knit stockinette
US 6 - 4.0 mm
800 - 900 yards (732 - 823 m)
This pattern is available as a free Ravelry download

A festive Nordic table runner pattern/chart for those like me that couldn’t find a table runner for the holidays that had the right look or price tag. The chart I’ve created could be used in full or partially for a variety of projects - however originally designed by myself using elements of MarySy’s Fair isle reindeer pattern & Drops Design’s heart from the chart in their 0-556 Socks with Christmas pattern in karisma pattern to create a home made red and white nordic feeling table runner for our dining table for the festive season.

Features “Merry Christmas” in English, Norwegian, Scottish Gaelic, French and Latin.

TABLE RUNNER PATTERN

Depending on the shape and length of your table adjust this pattern to suit. The current pattern calls for 49sts (or 98 if double knitting) and 750 rows to fully lie the length of a dining table and then provide just under a foot of overhang at each end.

The chart itself is only 346 rows long. The idea is to start at one end, knit the chart, knit some plain rows in the middle and then flip the chart upside down and knit till the end of it again. This way there’s a design at both ends that guests sitting either end of the table can read and enjoy. For those taking this approach each end will use the 346 row chart and do 58 plain rows in between.

I chose to do this as a double knitted project so it will lie flat nicely and have a good thickness to it, however it’ll work well for intarsia or stranded colour work too.

For those double knitting that want it legible on both sides the PDF now contains mirrored charts. To achieve legible words on both sides always work right to left on every row on both charts. The normal chart should always be your knit sts, the mirror chart your purls. For any words with an even and odd amount of sts on either side work the first row as normal then every even row after that of the word will not match the charts exactly with regards to how many background sts to knit before beginning the word.
E.g. DIEM has 16sts on left, 17 on right. First row of DIEM knit right to left - 17 blank sts then all sts on normal and mirror charts then 16 blank sts to end of row.
Second row of DIEM knit 16 blank sts, all DIEM sts right to left as usual as per chart then 17 blank sts. Alternate this and your charts will correspond to what’s in your hands.