Christmas Crochet Coasters: A Red, White and Green Round Pattern
A round double crochet coaster in red, white and green rings with a picot edge: four rounds of 12, 24, 36 and 48 stitches, plus a plan for a set of four.
Pattern at a glance
Materials
- Worsted weight (#4) cotton yarn in red
- Worsted weight (#4) cotton yarn in white
- Worsted weight (#4) cotton yarn in green
- Yarn needle
- Scissors
Red, white and green in concentric rings read as Christmas from across the room, and the construction could not be plainer: a four-round double crochet circle with a color change at the end of rounds 2, 3 and 4, finished with a row of small picot points. The only things to get right are the stitch counts and a clean switch from one color to the next.
This pattern is written in US crochet terms.
What You Need
- Worsted weight (#4) cotton yarn in red, white and green
- US H-8 (5 mm) hook, or US G-6 (4 mm) for a denser fabric
- Yarn needle and scissors
With worsted cotton and a 5 mm hook, the coaster comes out at about 4.25 to 4.5 in (11 to 11.5 cm) across, including the picots. That is an approximate size, because gauge varies. Each coaster uses a small amount of each color; to plan a set, weigh your first finished coaster and multiply.
Watch out
Red next to white is the classic place for color to transfer in the wash. Some dyes release a little color and some do not, so crochet a small red and white swatch, wash it the way the yarn label says, and check the white before you make a whole set.
Abbreviations
- ch: chain
- sl st: slip stitch
- sc: single crochet
- dc: double crochet
- st(s): stitch(es)
- picot: ch 3, sl st in the first of those 3 chains
How to Switch Colors at the Join
Every round ends with a slip stitch into the top of the starting chain 3. To change color, make that slip stitch with the new yarn: insert your hook in the top of the chain 3, lay the new color over the hook, and pull it through both the stitch and the loop on your hook. The loop on the hook is now the new color, so the chain 3 that starts the next round is the new color from its very first chain.
Cut the old color, leaving a tail of about 6 in (15 cm), and leave the same length on the new one. The same rule for rows and stripes is explained in how to change colors in crochet coasters.
The Four Rounds
The circle follows the standard double crochet math of twelve more stitches in every round, the same as the classic round crochet coaster. The chain 3 at the start of each round counts as a double crochet.
- Rnd 1 (red): Make a magic ring. Ch 3 (counts as dc), 11 dc in the ring. Pull the tail to close the ring and join with a sl st in the top of the ch 3. (12 dc)
- Rnd 2 (red): Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in the same st, 2 dc in each of the next 11 sts. Join with a sl st in the top of the ch 3, making the sl st with white. (24 dc)
- Rnd 3 (white): Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in the same st, dc in the next st, [2 dc in the next st, dc in the next st] 11 times. Join with a sl st in the top of the ch 3, making the sl st with green. (36 dc)
- Rnd 4 (green): Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in the same st, dc in each of the next 2 sts, [2 dc in the next st, dc in each of the next 2 sts] 11 times. Join with a sl st in the top of the ch 3, making the sl st with red or white for the edge. (48 dc)
Count the last round before you go on. The picot edge needs exactly 48 stitches, and the chain 3 is one of them. If the circle has started to cup or ruffle by this point, the article on keeping crochet coasters flat shows how to tell which problem you have.
The Picot Edge
A picot is a three-chain loop closed with a slip stitch, which makes a small bump on the edge. Here there is one after every third single crochet. Forty-eight stitches divided by three gives sixteen picots, spaced evenly with nothing left over.
- Edge (red or white): Ch 1 (does not count as a st). Sc in the same st as the join and in each of the next 2 sts, picot. [Sc in each of the next 3 sts, picot] 15 times. Join with a sl st in the first sc. Fasten off. (48 sc and 16 picots)
The last picot sits just before the join, so the round closes between a picot and the first single crochet. Red picots echo the center; white picots look like a dusting of snow on the green. Both are worked identically. For other borders that suit a round coaster, see four simple coaster edgings.
Tip
Keep the three picot chains snug. Loose chains make floppy loops instead of neat points, and they catch on things.
A Set of Four with Rotated Colors
The same three yarns make four different coasters if you move the colors around. Every coaster uses the identical stitch counts, so they stack as a set.
| Coaster | Rnds 1 and 2 | Rnd 3 | Rnd 4 | Picot edge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Red | White | Green | Red |
| 2 | Green | White | Red | White |
| 3 | White | Red | Green | White |
| 4 | White | Green | Red | White |
Coaster 1 is the version in the diagram. Two things keep a rotated set looking planned: put white somewhere on every coaster, and never work the picot edge in the same color as Rnd 4, or the points disappear into the ring behind them. Use the same hook for all four and lay each new coaster on the first before fastening off, since a set only looks like a set if the sizes match.
Weaving In the Ends
Three colors and an edge mean up to eight tails per coaster. Weave each tail into stitches of its own color on the wrong side, so that red never shows through white, and change direction at least once so it stays put. Close the magic ring firmly before you weave in the starting tail.
Blocking and Care
Dampen the coaster, lay it flat and smooth it into a circle. Pull each picot gently outward with your fingertips so the points are even; pin them if you want them crisp. Let the coaster dry completely before you stack or wrap it. For washing, follow the care instructions on your yarn label, and reshape the coaster flat while it is damp.
Frequently asked questions
How many picots are on the edge of this coaster?
Sixteen. The last round has 48 stitches and a picot is worked after every third single crochet, so the points are evenly spaced.
Will the red yarn bleed onto the white?
It depends on the yarn. Some dyes release a little color, so wash a small red and white swatch as the label directs and check it before making a full set.
Can I use different colors for other holidays?
Yes. The stitch counts stay the same whatever colors you use, so you can swap in any three colors that contrast clearly with each other.
