Looking for a fresh, modern tapestry crochet pattern to dress up your table? You’re in luck — and honestly, so is your dining room. The Diamonds Placemat is a fun, rhythmic project that works up quickly, adds a gorgeous pop of geometric texture, and gives you a brilliant excuse to pull out your cotton yarn stash… you know, the one that keeps mysteriously growing when you’re not looking.

This placemat is worked in rows from the bottom up, but here’s the fun twist: it’s not traditional intarsia. It’s not classic mosaic crochet. It’s the love-child of the two — and I have become absolutely obsessed with the technique.

Inspiration Behind the Diamonds Placemat

Every now and then, a stitch idea grabs hold of my brain and refuses to leave until I’ve turned it into something beautiful. This diamond design has been sitting there, tapping its foot, waiting its turn — and when I started playing with this technique, everything clicked.

I wanted to try something new and exciting… you know how I get when a technique pops into my head and whispers, “I bet you won’t.” Challenge accepted.

This tapestry crochet pattern uses single crochet in the back loop only, and you cut your yarn at the end of each row so you’re always working on the right side. If you’ve dipped your toes into mosaic crochet before, this will feel familiar — but still fresh, unique, and just fiddly enough to keep things interesting without being stressful. My favourite kind of project.

And yes… it was ridiculously fun to design.

Choosing Your Colours

Oh, colour choices. The part where you can either play it safe… or fling open the craft cupboard and embrace chaos like the creative queen you are.

For my sample, I used a bold red and white combo, making this placemat perfect for the holiday season — but honestly, it looks fabulous on the table all year round. Diamonds are timeless, after all.

Here are a few ideas to get your hook buzzing:

• Two shades of the same colour — subtle contrast, soft and classy.
• High-contrast opposites — go dramatic and make the diamonds POP.
• One solid + one cake yarn — let the colour changes do the heavy lifting.
• Bright + neutral — modern, clean, and extremely photogenic.

When in doubt? Grab two balls you love and just go for it. Crocheting is meant to be fun, not a long-term commitment like choosing a sofa fabric.

Let’s Talk Yarn (You Know I’m Going to…)

This project is designed using #4 weight cotton yarn, and I used Dishie Cotton Yarn by WeCrochet — I love working with this yarn. It’s affordable, it wears well, it washes like a dream, and it makes your stitches look tidy and crisp. And it is a softer cotton on your hands to work with, feels lovely worked up and comes in some great colourways. What’s not to love?

Now, before anyone wonders:
No, I don’t recommend acrylic for placemats.
Not even your “really nice” acrylic.

Placemats need cotton because:

• It’s strong and durable
• It handles heat safely
• It protects your table from hot plates
• It’s easy to clean
• It keeps its shape

Cotton is built for hard-working homeware. Acrylic… melts and stretches. And we do not need a placemat-shaped tragedy on the dinner table.

You’ll need two colours of cotton. That’s it. Easy peasy.

Paid PDF Pattern Options

If you prefer an ad-free, printable version of this tapestry crochet pattern, you can grab the PDF in any of my shops:

Thank you SO much if you choose to support my work — it helps me keep designing free patterns for the blog (and maybe justifies my constant “accidental” yarn purchases).

Pattern Specifics

Materials

• #4 weight cotton of choice – I used Dishie by WECrochet (100g, 173m / 190 yds) in red (2 skeins) and white (1 skein)
• 5mm hook 
• Scissors
• Tapestry needle
• Measuring Tape

Abbreviations used:

• Ch(s) – chain(s)
• St(s) – stitch(es)
• MC – main colour
• CC – contrasting colour
• FO – fasten off
• Fsc – foundation single crochet
• Sc – Single crochet
• BLO – Back loop only
• FLO – Front loop only
• YO – Yarn over

Sizes

• Standard placemat size: Before the border, this one will be approximately 17” wide x 13” tall

Gauge

• 8 sts and 7 rows in 2” 
  (Yes, I know no one wants to, but your placemat will thank you.)

Skill Level

• Intermediate
  As mentioned above, this technique is a hybrid of both intarsia and mosaic crochet – but so much fun!

If you need help in mastering colour changes I have both left and right handed video tutorials to help you do this:

Right handed tutorial – https://youtu.be/K2EOgf3dx8k

Left handed tutorial – https://youtu.be/iErS4ijeTyM

Special Stitches

Foundation Single Crochet: This is an alternative to the chain start if you prefer. You can find our tutorial on this here :

right handed – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPHOG4VIi_Q&t=186s

left handed – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqkTFzCja-A&t=20s

Single crochet in the back loop only (sc-blo): you work a standard single crochet (US Terms) in the back loop only. The photo below identifies the back loop.

Envelope border (inspired by mosaic crochet finishing): video tutorials for this are linked below!

Pattern Notes

• Written in US Terms
• There are 74 stitches in each row. To use a chain start CH75, SC in first CH and each CH across.
• Each row is worked from right to left (or left to right if you are left-handed) so right side will always be facing you.
• Instead of working through both loops of the stitch below, you will be working into the back loop only throughout this project.
• For each row you will carry both a red and a white strand from the beginning to the end of each row and then cut your yarn (as you would in mosaic crochet)
• Even when you are working only one colour across each row carry a strand of the same colour to help maintain your tension and density of the fabric you are creating.
• Any chain starts at the beginning of the rows DO NOT count as a stitch.

Free Tapestry Crochet Pattern: Diamonds Placemat

** This is a free pattern on the Sunflower Cottage Crochet blog. If you are reading this anywhere else it is stolen content. Please do not copy and paste any part of it or print this pattern out. Please bookmark this page and use the website to work up your pattern. This helps my small business greatly. It provides a little bit of ad revenue allowing me to continue to create free content for you!**

Row 1: MC x74

Row 2: MC, CC, MC x3, CC x4, MC x3, *CC x2, MC x3, CC x2, MC x6, CC x2, MC x3, CC x2, MC x3, CC x4, MC x3* Rep from * to * once more. CC, MC in last st.

Row 3: MC, *CC x2, MC x3, * Rep from * to * 13 more times. CC x2, MC in last st.

Row 4: MC x2 *CC x2, MC x6, CC x2, MC x3, CC x2, MC x3, CC x4, MC x3, CC x2, MC x3*. Rep from * to * once more, CC x2, MC x6, CC x2, MC x2

Row 5: MC x3, *CC x2, MC x4, CC x2, MC x3, CC x2, MC x3, CC x2, MC x2, CC x2, MC x3, CC x2, MC x3*. Rep from * to * once more. CC x2, MC x4, CC x2, MC x3

Row 6: MC x4, *CC x2, MC x2, CC x2, MC x3, CC x2, MC x3, CC x2, MC x4, CC x2, MC x3, CC x2, MC x3*. Rep from * to * once more. CC x2, MC x2, CC x2, MC x4

Row 7: MC, CC, *MC x3, CC x4, MC x3, CC x2, MC x3, CC x2, MC x6, CC x2, MC x3, CC x2*. Rep from * to * once more. MC x3, CC x4, MC x3, CC, MC

Row 8: MC, *CC x2, MC x8, CC x2, MC x3, CC x2, MC x3, CC x2, MC x3, CC x2, MC x3*. Rep from * to * once more. CC x2, MC x8, CC x2, MC

Row 9: MC x2, *CC, MC x8, CC, MC x4, CC, MC x4, CC x2, MC x4, CC, MC x4. * Rep from * to * once more. CC, MC x8, CC, MC x2

Row 10: MC, *CC x2, MC x8, CC x2, MC x3, CC x2, MC x3, CC x2, MC x3, CC x2, MC x3*. Rep from * to * once more. CC x2, MC x8, CC x2, MC

Row 13: MC x3, *CC x2, MC x4, CC x2, MC x3, CC x2, MC x3, CC x2, MC x2, CC x2, MC x3, CC x2, MC x3*. Rep from * to * once more. CC x2, MC x4, CC x2, MC x3

Row 14: MC x2, * CC x2, MC x6, CC x2, MC x3, CC x2, MC x3, CC x4, MC x3, CC x2, MC x3*. Rep from * to * once more. CC x2, MC x6, CC x2, MC x2

Row 15: MC, *CC x2, MC x3 *. Rep from * to * 13 more times CC x2, MC

Row 16: MC, CC, *MC x3, CC x4, MC x3, CC x2, MC x3, CC x2, MC x6, CC x2, MC x3, CC x2*. Rep from * to * once more. MC x3, CC x4, MC x3, CC, MC

Row 17: MC x4, *CC x2, MC x2, CC x2, MC x3, CC x2, MC x3, CC x2, MC x4, CC x2, MC x3, CC x2, MC x3*. Rep from * to * once more. CC x2, MC x2, CC x2, MC x4

Row 18: MC x3, *CC x2, MC x4, CC x2, MC x3, CC x2, MC x3, CC x2, MC x2, CC x2, MC x3, CC x2, MC x3*. Rep from * to * once more. CC x2, MC x4, CC x2, MC x3

Row 19: MC x2, *CC x2, MC x6, CC x2, MC x3, CC x2, MC x3, CC x4, MC x3, CC x2, MC x3 *. Rep from * to * once more. CC x2, MC x6, CC x2, MC x2

Row 20: MC, *CC x2, MC x3, CC x2, MC x3, CC x2, MC x3, CC x2, MC x8, CC x2, MC x3*. Rep from * to * once more. CC x2, MC x3, CC x2, MC x3, CC x2, MC

Row 21: MC, CC, *MC x4, CC x2, MC x4, CC, MC x4, CC, MC x8, CC, MC x4, CC*. Rep from * to * once more. MC x4, CC x2, MC x4, CC, MC

Row 22: MC, *CC x2, MC x3, CC x2, MC x3, CC x2, MC x3, CC x2, MC x8, CC x2, MC x3*. Rep from * to * once more. CC x2, MC x3, CC x2, MC x3, CC x2, MC

Row 23: MC x2, *CC x2, MC x6, CC x2, MC x3, CC x2, MC x3, CC x4, MC x3, CC x2, MC x3*. Rep from * to * once more. CC x2, MC x6, CC x2, MC x2

Row 24: MC x3, *CC x2, MC x4, CC x2, MC x3, CC x2, MC x3, CC x2, MC x2, CC x2, MC x3, CC x2, MC x3*. Rep from * to * once more. CC x2, MC x4, CC x2, MC x3

Row 25: MC x4, *CC x2, MC x2, CC x2, MC x3, CC x2, MC x3, CC x2, MC x4, CC x2, MC x3, CC x2, MC x3*. Rep from * to * once more. CC x2, MC x2, CC x2, MC x4

Rows 26-49: Rep rows 2-25

Rows 50-52: Rep rows 2-4

Row 53: MC x74

FO and I recommend blocking your placemat at this point as well as once the border is completed. It makes adding the envelope border so much easier!

Envelope Border with a slip stitch start:

Written tutorials are below for this, but I also have complete video tutorials if you prefer.

Right handed version: https://youtu.be/bucPz3G-tbU

Left handed version: https://youtu.be/AAiM9damvjY

To work the border:

Step 1: Working down both the left and the right hand side of your placemats… Knot each pair of ends together to secure them. Try to get the knots as close as you can to the placemat.

Repeat this process all of the way down both sides.

Step 2: Lie your placemat on a table and make sure that your ends are all laying outwards and not tucked under your work.

Step 3: Cut your ends so that they are between 1-1.5” tall.

Note: You will first be creating a slip stitch edging one row or stitch in from each side. This will give us something to work into to create the border.

Step 4: Starting a couple of stitches in on the top row, pull a slip knot from the back to the front of your work one row down from the edge.

Step 5: Slip Stitch in each stitch along that side. At the corner (which is one stitch before the end of the row), turn your work and continue to slip stitch one stitch in from the edge all of the way down. Note: Be sure not to get any of your ends caught in the slip stitches.

Step 6: Repeat steps 4 and 5 all of the way around your work.

Turn your work so that you are working on the back of your placemat.

Round 1: Attach your yarn to any of the slip stitches that you have just made. (It is easier to not join it to a corner stitch). Ch1 and sc in each stitch around making sure to work 3 sc in each corner stitch. SS to first st to join.

Note: You may find marking your second of your three sc stitches with a stitch marker helpful.

Round 2: Ch1 and sc in each stitch around making sure to work 3 sc in each corner stitch. SS to first st to join.

Round 3: Repeat round 2.

Note: you can repeat round 3 as many times as you feel necessary.

FO and turn your work so that the right side is facing.

Repeat the process that you just did for the back of the border making sure to go through both loops of the slip stitch on the front!

Once you have the same number of rounds of sc as you do for the back, do not FO.

Where your hook is currently on the front of your border, identify the corresponding stitch on the back section of the border.

Ch1, making sure that you go through BOTH the front and the back borders (see photo below) sc in each st across, making sure to work 3 sc in each corner stitch.

Your knotted ends should be sandwiched between the front and back borders with no need to sew anything in.

FO and weave your final end between the front and back border.