Back to School Dinner Party
Up here in New York, we don’t actually start back until after labor day, but I know many of you are already buying supplies and getting ready to send your kiddos off for another year of school! Kick it off right with a fun and creative back to school dinner party, with easy, Dollar Tree crafts, and this free crochet pencil table runner pattern!
We have a special, annual tradition here on the first day of school. For the first couple of years of schooling, I homeschooled our older two children. Sending them off to school was a difficult decision, but also a huge blessing. We wanted their first day of school to be really special, and we of course, wanted to hear all about it! So now, every year, I put together a special dinner on the first day of school where we talk about their activities, new friends, new teachers, and what they loved best. I’ve found that making a big deal about that first day of school has made it really exciting for them!
This blog post combines nearly every aspect of my creative blogging! You will find the FREE crochet pattern for the pencil table runner below, as well as Dollar Tree ideas for the dinner decor, AND a creative dessert idea!
Pencil Table Runner
Materials:
Worsted weight yarn in pink, light gray, yellow, tan, and dark gray
Crochet hook: H, 5 mm
Tapestry needle for weaving in ends.
Measuring tape for measuring your table
Terms and abbreviations to know:
Ch – chain
Sts – stitches
Dc – double crochet
Dc2tog – a decrease, using double crochet to crochet two sts together
Worsted weight yarn in pink, light gray, yellow, tan, and dark gray
Crochet hook: H, 5 mm
Tapestry needle for weaving in ends.
Measuring tape for measuring your table
Terms and abbreviations to know:
Ch – chain
Sts – stitches
Dc – double crochet
Dc2tog – a decrease, using double crochet to crochet two sts together
Notes:
Turning chs do NOT count as sts.
Gauge: 9 rows and 14 sts = 4 inches
Finished project dimensions: approximately 16 inches wide and 60 inches long
Gauge is not important, however, useful in measuring just how many rows you may need for a different size table. This was made to fit the length of a table 66 inches long and 48 inches wide, however, I did not want it all the way to the ends.
Gauge: 9 rows and 14 sts = 4 inches
Finished project dimensions: approximately 16 inches wide and 60 inches long
Gauge is not important, however, useful in measuring just how many rows you may need for a different size table. This was made to fit the length of a table 66 inches long and 48 inches wide, however, I did not want it all the way to the ends.
All text and images are owned by Erin Greene of ekayg, copyright ©2017. Images may not be used by anyone else without express written permission. If used, the ekayg watermark must be visible. Pattern may be shared, but NOT be copied and passed off as anyone else’s work. Pattern credit must be linked back to ekayg. Finished products made from this pattern may be used for sale.
Starting at the eraser, in pink:
Ch 59
Row 1: turn and turn your ch over to work through the back loops of the chs. This will give it a much more even look on the bottom. dc in 2nd ch from hook and in next 57 chs, ch 1 and turn; 58 sts
Rows 2-14: ch 2 and turn, dc in each st across; 58 sts
Row 15: ch 2 and turn, dc in each st across, change to light gray by pulling light gray through to complete the last st, ch 2 and turn; 58 stsIn light gray:
Rows 16-29: dc in each st across; 58 sts
Row 30: ch 2 and turn, dc in each st across, change to yellow by pulling yellow through to complete the last st, ch 2 and turn; 58 stsIn yellow:
Rows 31-95: dc in each st across; 58 sts
Row 96: ch 2 and turn, dc in each st across, change to tan by pulling tan through to complete the last st, ch 2 and turn; 58 stsIn tan:
Row 97: dc2tog, dc in next 54 sts, dc2tog, ch 2 and turn; 56 sts
Row 98: dc2tog, dc in next 52 sts, dc2tog, ch 2 and turn; 54 sts
Row 99: dc2tog, dc in next 50 sts, dc2tog, ch 2 and turn; 52 sts
Row 100: dc2tog, dc in next 48 sts, dc2tog, ch 2 and turn; 50 sts
Row 101: dc2tog, dc in next 46 sts, dc2tog, ch 2 and turn; 48 sts
Row 102: dc2tog, dc in next 44 sts, dc2tog, ch 2 and turn; 46 sts
Row 103: dc2tog, dc in next 42 sts, dc2tog, ch 2 and turn; 44 sts
Row 104: dc2tog, dc in next 40 sts, dc2tog, ch 2 and turn; 42 sts
Row 105: dc2tog, dc in next 38 sts, dc2tog, ch 2 and turn; 40 sts
Row 106: dc2tog, dc in next 36 sts, dc2tog, ch 2 and turn; 38 sts
Row 107: dc2tog, dc in next 34 sts, dc2tog, ch 2 and turn; 36 sts
Row 108: dc2tog, dc in next 32 sts, dc2tog, ch 2 and turn; 34 sts
Row 109: dc2tog, dc in next 30 sts, dc2tog, ch 2 and turn; 32 sts
Row 110: dc2tog, dc in next 28 sts, dc2tog, ch 2 and turn; 30 sts
Row 111: dc2tog, dc in next 26 sts, dc2tog, ch 2 and turn; 28 sts
Row 112: dc2tog, dc in next 24 sts, dc2tog, ch 2 and turn; 26 sts
Row 113: dc2tog, dc in next 22 sts, dc2tog, ch 2 and turn; 24 sts
Row 114: dc2tog, dc in next 20 sts, dc2tog, ch 2 and turn; 22 sts
Row 115: dc2tog, dc in next 18 sts, dc2tog, ch 2 and turn; 20 sts
Row 116: dc2tog, dc in next 16 sts, dc2tog, ch 2 and turn; 18 sts
Row 117: dc2tog, dc in next 14 sts, dc2tog, ch 2 and turn; 16 sts
Row 118: dc2tog, dc in next 12 sts, dc2tog, change to dark gray by pulling dark gray through to complete the last st, ch 2 and turn; 14 stsIn dark gray:
Row 119: dc2tog, dc in next 10 sts, dc2tog, ch 2 and turn; 12 sts
Row 120: dc2tog, dc in next 8 sts, dc2tog, ch 2 and turn; 10 sts
Row 121: dc2tog, dc in next 6 sts, dc2tog, ch 2 and turn; 8 sts
Row 122: dc2tog, dc in next 4 sts, dc2tog, ch 2 and turn; 6 sts
Row 123: dc2tog, dc in next 2 sts, dc2tog, ch 2 and turn; 4 sts
Row 124: (dc2tog) 2x; 2 sts
Fasten off and weave in all ends.
Ch 59
Row 1: turn and turn your ch over to work through the back loops of the chs. This will give it a much more even look on the bottom. dc in 2nd ch from hook and in next 57 chs, ch 1 and turn; 58 sts
Rows 2-14: ch 2 and turn, dc in each st across; 58 sts
Row 15: ch 2 and turn, dc in each st across, change to light gray by pulling light gray through to complete the last st, ch 2 and turn; 58 stsIn light gray:
Rows 16-29: dc in each st across; 58 sts
Row 30: ch 2 and turn, dc in each st across, change to yellow by pulling yellow through to complete the last st, ch 2 and turn; 58 stsIn yellow:
Rows 31-95: dc in each st across; 58 sts
Row 96: ch 2 and turn, dc in each st across, change to tan by pulling tan through to complete the last st, ch 2 and turn; 58 stsIn tan:
Row 97: dc2tog, dc in next 54 sts, dc2tog, ch 2 and turn; 56 sts
Row 98: dc2tog, dc in next 52 sts, dc2tog, ch 2 and turn; 54 sts
Row 99: dc2tog, dc in next 50 sts, dc2tog, ch 2 and turn; 52 sts
Row 100: dc2tog, dc in next 48 sts, dc2tog, ch 2 and turn; 50 sts
Row 101: dc2tog, dc in next 46 sts, dc2tog, ch 2 and turn; 48 sts
Row 102: dc2tog, dc in next 44 sts, dc2tog, ch 2 and turn; 46 sts
Row 103: dc2tog, dc in next 42 sts, dc2tog, ch 2 and turn; 44 sts
Row 104: dc2tog, dc in next 40 sts, dc2tog, ch 2 and turn; 42 sts
Row 105: dc2tog, dc in next 38 sts, dc2tog, ch 2 and turn; 40 sts
Row 106: dc2tog, dc in next 36 sts, dc2tog, ch 2 and turn; 38 sts
Row 107: dc2tog, dc in next 34 sts, dc2tog, ch 2 and turn; 36 sts
Row 108: dc2tog, dc in next 32 sts, dc2tog, ch 2 and turn; 34 sts
Row 109: dc2tog, dc in next 30 sts, dc2tog, ch 2 and turn; 32 sts
Row 110: dc2tog, dc in next 28 sts, dc2tog, ch 2 and turn; 30 sts
Row 111: dc2tog, dc in next 26 sts, dc2tog, ch 2 and turn; 28 sts
Row 112: dc2tog, dc in next 24 sts, dc2tog, ch 2 and turn; 26 sts
Row 113: dc2tog, dc in next 22 sts, dc2tog, ch 2 and turn; 24 sts
Row 114: dc2tog, dc in next 20 sts, dc2tog, ch 2 and turn; 22 sts
Row 115: dc2tog, dc in next 18 sts, dc2tog, ch 2 and turn; 20 sts
Row 116: dc2tog, dc in next 16 sts, dc2tog, ch 2 and turn; 18 sts
Row 117: dc2tog, dc in next 14 sts, dc2tog, ch 2 and turn; 16 sts
Row 118: dc2tog, dc in next 12 sts, dc2tog, change to dark gray by pulling dark gray through to complete the last st, ch 2 and turn; 14 stsIn dark gray:
Row 119: dc2tog, dc in next 10 sts, dc2tog, ch 2 and turn; 12 sts
Row 120: dc2tog, dc in next 8 sts, dc2tog, ch 2 and turn; 10 sts
Row 121: dc2tog, dc in next 6 sts, dc2tog, ch 2 and turn; 8 sts
Row 122: dc2tog, dc in next 4 sts, dc2tog, ch 2 and turn; 6 sts
Row 123: dc2tog, dc in next 2 sts, dc2tog, ch 2 and turn; 4 sts
Row 124: (dc2tog) 2x; 2 sts
Fasten off and weave in all ends.
Pencil Cups
The dining decor was all about the Dollar Tree! Who doesn’t love that? The Dollar Tree is a great place for assorted colored paper products, so I grabbed paper cups in light pink, and in yellow. I simply cut the bottoms off of the pink cups, and then taped them to the bottom of the yellow cups with about a half-inch strip of Duct tape! Seriously, how easy is that?
Apple Plates
Then, I used red paper plates and green felt, to make the paper plates look like apples. Cut the leaves out however you’d like, and use a tiny bit of glue to stick them to the edge of the plates. I used hot glue.
For dessert, use whatever white cake recipe you have, or even a box mix, and make the cupcakes in red cupcake paper. Frost with red frosting. Add a Tootsie Roll for a stem and green M&Ms for the leaves, and you have an apple cupcake! I even rolled the tops of my cupcakes over some red sparkly sprinkles to give them a little bit of that apple shine. But they are super easy, super fun, and the kids loved them!
Then, decorate with school supplies! I found the globe to be a great center piece for our back to school dinner party. Bouquets of pencils and markers in mason jars were added for an extra touch, but work with what you’ve got! Have fun!
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Love this idea, really cute!!! The table runner will make a great teacher gift in a basket with some pencils, markers, crochet apple covers, other great teacher items. Thanks for this!