The Cocoon Row Bed Runner is a long, textured rectangle that lies across the foot of a bed. Rows of jumbo puff stitches that look like little cocoons sit between narrow bands of open mesh. The bottom edge finishes with a scalloped trim and a row of full, chunky tassels.
The whole runner is one creamy off-white shade. Using one color keeps attention on the texture, and it suits farmhouse, coastal, and neutral bedrooms. All instructions use US crochet terms.
The finished runner measures 78.5 in (199.4 cm) long and 17.75 in (45.1 cm) deep. The tassels hang another 5 in (12.7 cm). That length suits a queen bed with a 60 in (152.4 cm) top, leaving about 9 in (22.9 cm) of overhang on each side.
It’s made in one piece. You work back and forth in rows along the full length, repeating a 4-row band of mesh, double crochet, jumbo puffs, and a double crochet cap. Then you add a single crochet round all the way around, scallops along the bottom edge, and one tassel on each scallop.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: 78.5 in x 17.75 in (199.4 cm x 45.1 cm), not counting tassels
- Skill level: Intermediate
- Terminology: US crochet terms
- Yarn weight: Worsted (#4)
- Hook: 5.5 mm (US I-9)
- Number of pieces: 1
- Layout: One rectangle worked in rows along its length
- Piece size before border: 78 in x 16.5 in (198.1 cm x 41.9 cm)
- Border depth: 0.25 in (0.6 cm) on the top and short sides; 1 in (2.5 cm) along the bottom (single crochet plus scallops)
- Tassels: 34, each 5 in (12.7 cm) long
Materials
Yarn: Use a smooth worsted-weight cotton or cotton-acrylic blend, about 180 m (197 yd) per 100 g. Smooth, plied yarn gives the puffs crisp, separate strands. Fuzzy or loosely spun yarn makes them look blurry.
- Cream: 850 g, about 1,530 m (1,673 yd)
These quantities include a margin of about 12% for your gauge swatch, small tension differences, and tassel trimming. The body takes roughly 1,100 m, the border about 80 m, and the tassels about 176 m.
Tools:
- 5.5 mm (US I-9) crochet hook
- Tapestry needle
- Sharp scissors
- Stiff card 6 in (15.2 cm) tall for winding tassels
- Stitch markers
- Tape measure
- Blocking mats and rustproof pins
- Spray bottle
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch – chain
- sc – single crochet
- dc – double crochet
- dtr – double treble crochet
- sk – skip
- sp – space
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- yo – yarn over
- RS / WS – right side / wrong side
- TP – tall puff (see below)
Tall Puff (TP): Yo, insert the hook in the indicated st, yo and pull up a loop to 1 in (2.5 cm) tall; repeat from * to * 6 more times (15 loops on hook). Yo and pull through all 15 loops, then ch 1 to close. The closing ch does not count as a stitch. Each TP counts as 1 st. Pull every loop to the same height so the strands lie parallel and form a smooth oval.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Gauge: 14 sts and 8 rows = 4 in (10.2 cm) in dc, after blocking. One puff row is 1 in (2.5 cm) tall.
Test swatch first. Ch 23. Work Rows 1–5 of the pattern below, then one mesh row and one dc row (7 rows). You should have 21 sts with 5 puffs. Block the swatch. It should measure 6 in (15.2 cm) wide and 4 in (10.2 cm) tall.
- Too big: Change to a 5.0 mm hook.
- Too small: Change to a 6.0 mm hook.
- Width right but puffs too short or too tall: Keep the hook. Adjust the loop height of the TP until the puff row measures 1 in (2.5 cm).
Checkpoints for the runner (gently stretched flat):
- After Row 1: 78 in (198.1 cm) long
- After Row 5: 3 in (7.6 cm) deep
- After Row 13: 8 in (20.3 cm) deep
- After Row 25: 15.5 in (39.4 cm) deep
- After Row 27: 16.5 in (41.9 cm) deep
Each 4-row band adds 2.5 in (6.4 cm). If you’re more than 0.5 in (1.3 cm) off at any checkpoint, check your gauge again before you go on.
Resizing: The stitch count must be a multiple of 8 plus 1. Add or remove 56 sts to change the length by 16 in (40.6 cm). For example, 217 sts makes 62 in (157.5 cm) and 329 sts makes 94 in (238.8 cm). Always chain 2 more than your stitch count.
Body
The body is worked in rows. The beginning ch counts as a stitch throughout. Even-numbered rows are RS rows, so the puffs bulge toward the front.
Foundation: Ch 275.
Row 1 (WS): Dc in 4th ch from hook (the skipped 3 ch count as a dc) and in each ch across. Turn. (273 sts)
Row 2 (RS, mesh): Ch 4 (counts as dc + ch 1), sk next st, dc in next st, ch 1, sk next st, dc in next st; repeat from * to * across. Turn. (137 dc + 136 ch-1 sps = 273 sts)
Row 3 (WS): Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in each ch-1 sp and each dc across, ending with a dc in the 3rd ch of the turning ch-4. Turn. (273 sts)
Row 4 (RS, puff row): Ch 6 (counts as dtr + ch 1), sk next st, TP in next st, ch 3, sk next 3 sts, TP in next st; repeat from * to * 66 more times, ch 1, sk next st, dtr in last st. Turn. (68 TP + 2 dtr + 203 ch = 273 sts)
The TPs land on sts 3, 7, 11, and so on through st 271. That spaces them evenly with one plain stitch’s worth of room at each end.
Row 5 (WS, cap row): Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in ch-1 sp, dc in top of TP, 3 dc in next ch-3 sp, dc in top of next TP; repeat from * to * 66 more times, dc in ch-1 sp, dc in 5th ch of turning ch-6. Turn. (273 sts)
Check the count: 3 sts at the start + 67 repeats x 4 sts + 2 sts at the end = 273.
Rows 6–25: Repeat Rows 2–5 five more times. You’ll have 6 puff rows in total, on Rows 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, and 24. Every row ends with 273 sts.
Row 26 (RS): Repeat Row 2. (273 sts)
Row 27 (WS): Repeat Row 3. (273 sts) Don’t fasten off.
The body now measures 78 in x 16.5 in (198.1 cm x 41.9 cm).
Height math: Rows 1–27 include 21 rows of dc height at 0.5 in (1.3 cm) each, which is 10.5 in (26.7 cm). The other 6 are puff rows at 1 in (2.5 cm) each, which is 6 in (15.2 cm). Together they make 16.5 in (41.9 cm).
Border
Border gauge: 14 sc = 4 in (10.2 cm). One sc round adds 0.25 in (0.6 cm).
Corner rule: In Round 1, each corner is a ch-2 sp. The ch-2 sps are not included in the side counts below.
Round 1 (RS): Turn so the RS faces you. Ch 1.
- Top edge: Sc in each st across Row 27 (273 sc), then ch 2.
- First short side: Work along the row ends. Put 2 sc in each dc, mesh, or cap row end and 3 sc in each puff row end (dtr post). That’s 21 x 2 + 6 x 3 = 60 sc. Ch 2.
- Bottom edge: Work 1 sc in the free loop of the foundation ch at the base of each of the 273 Row 1 sts. (273 sc) Ch 2.
- Second short side: Work as for the first short side. (60 sc) Ch 2.
Join with a sl st to the first sc. (666 sc + 4 ch-2 corner sps) Fasten off.
The 60 sc on each short side cover the 16.5 in (41.9 cm) body edge plus the new top and bottom sc rows at 0.25 in (0.6 cm) each. That makes 17 in (43.2 cm) of edge. At border gauge, 60 sc is just over 17 in, which is close enough for the edge to lie flat without flaring.
Row 2 (RS, bottom scallops): With the RS facing, join yarn with a sl st in the first sc of the bottom edge, right after the corner ch-2 sp. Ch 1, sc in the same sc. Sk next 3 sc, 7 dc in next sc, sk next 3 sc, sc in next sc; repeat from * to * across the bottom edge. Fasten off. (34 scallops of 7 dc + 35 sc = 273 sts)
Why it works: Each scallop repeat uses 8 sc (1 sc worked + 3 skipped + 1 shell base + 3 skipped). It also makes 8 sts (1 sc + 7 dc). So 34 repeats x 8 + 1 closing sc = 273, which exactly matches the bottom edge. Since 273 is also 4 x 68 + 1, the same count works for the puff spacing. Each scallop sits under two puffs. The scallops are about 2.3 in (5.8 cm) wide and 0.75 in (1.9 cm) deep.
Tassels (make 34): Wind yarn 8 times around a 6 in (15.2 cm) card. Cut along one edge to get 8 strands, each 12 in (30.5 cm) long. Make 2 bundles like this, for 16 strands in all.
Fold all 16 strands in half over the center dc (4th dc) of a scallop, then pull the ends through the fold like a fringe knot. Cut a 12 in (30.5 cm) strand and wrap it tightly 6–8 times around the bundle, 0.75 in (1.9 cm) below the fold. Knot it and bury both tails inside the tassel. Trim the ends to 5 in (12.7 cm) below the wrap.
Add one tassel to the center of each of the 34 scallops.
Final Blocking
- Weave in all ends except the tassel strands. Bury each end in a dc band and run it in at least 2 directions.
- Lay the runner RS up on blocking mats, with the tassels hanging free.
- Pin the four corners to 78.5 in x 17.75 in (199.4 cm x 45.1 cm).
- Pin the top edge straight, setting a pin every 4 in (10.2 cm).
- Pin each scallop at its center dc so the scallops all sit at the same depth.
- Mist the piece until it’s evenly damp. Don’t press or steam the puffs, or they’ll flatten.
- Use your fingertips to plump each puff and line up its strands vertically.
- Comb the tassels straight with your fingers. Mist them lightly so they hang neatly.
- Let the runner dry completely, then unpin it. Trim any uneven tassel ends.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- Every body row has 273 sts.
- Each of the 6 puff rows has 68 puffs, all the same height.
- The mesh rows show 136 even ch-1 holes.
- The body measures 78 in x 16.5 in (198.1 cm x 41.9 cm) before the border.
- Border Round 1 has 273 / 60 / 273 / 60 sc plus 4 ch-2 corners.
- The bottom edge has 34 scallops and 34 matching tassels.
- The blocked size is 78.5 in x 17.75 in (199.4 cm x 45.1 cm), with tassels hanging 5 in (12.7 cm).
- All ends are secured and hidden.
Troubleshooting
- Puffs look lumpy or twisted: Your loops are uneven. Hold each loop’s height with your index finger while you make the next yo.
- Hard to pull through 15 loops: Use a hook with a smooth, tapered throat, and keep the loops loose on the shank. Rotate the hook downward as you draw through.
- Puff row puckers the fabric: Your ch-3 spaces are too tight. Make the chains a little looser, or check that you skipped exactly 3 sts.
- Short sides ripple: You worked too many sc on the row ends. Go back to exactly 60 per side.
- Short sides cup inward: Use 3 sc on every puff row end, not 2.
- Scallops flare: The 7 dc are too loose. Work the shells with a 5.0 mm hook.
- Edges lean or slant: Check that each row ends in the top of the turning ch.
- Tassels look thin: Add 2–4 more strands to each one, and the same number to every tassel.
Care
Hand wash in cool water with mild soap, then press out the water in a towel. Dry flat, plumping the puffs and combing the tassels while the runner is damp.
Final Notes
The measurement chain is short and easy to check. A gauge of 14 sts = 4 in (10.2 cm) gives 273 sts and 78 in (198.1 cm) of length. Twenty-one dc-height rows plus 6 puff rows give 16.5 in (41.9 cm) of depth. The border adds 0.25 in (0.6 cm) at the top and 1 in (2.5 cm) along the bottom, for a finished size of 78.5 in x 17.75 in (199.4 cm x 45.1 cm). Thirty-four tassels then add 5 in (12.7 cm) of drop. Check each link as you go, and the runner will block out straight and even.
Happy crocheting!