Crest identification

[Spowelltx]

Identification  please for this crest/pattern, found in Yorkshire, UK - crossstitched on a table runner

[Viktoria]

It could be a Phoenix ,a mythological bird said to emanate from fire.
Sometimes used to symbolise resurrection .
Viktoria.

[Little Nell]

Welcome to RootsChat.

To be honest with you, I don't think it represents any crest at all.  From what I can see, it might be an example of blackwork cross-stitch embroidery using a stylised image.  I know someone who produces pieces similar to this and as you say they can be table runners, place mats or similar.

There may be other interpretations of course.

Nell

[Zaphod99]

Is it even finished?

Zaph

[Little Nell]

If I am correct, then the features that can be seen are typical of this type of embroidery: stitched lines in geometric patterns and unstitched portions of canvas which help to create the design.  It is not necessarily unfinished.

Nell

[David Nicoll]

If you couch it in heraldic terms, a bird, eagle, rising, retardant, or head to the sinister?
Happy to be corrected, though whether it represents a crest or is just a bird to fill the space I am not sure.

[Spowelltx]

Thank you Nell!  I looked up blackwork and found this, which seems to describe the embroidery on the table runner:  "... blackwork uses backstitch (and double running/Holbein stitch) instead of all crosses. You can use it to sketch out images or motifs in thread, or use repetitive motifs to fill in sections of a larger image. It was traditionally done in black, hence the name, but these days can be any colour(s) you like."