Can anyone have too many doilies? Well, yes but if you are going to be overloaded with them make the ones you have count. And what better way than to make your own!
I was a collector of doilies long before I knew how to crochet but part of my obsession stems from a fascination of where they came from. The care that went into their creation and their travels from there on are endlessly fascinating, much like a used book. I what to know who the carefully penned name on the title page belonged to. Did they enjoy the book? Did they get rid of it because they felt cheated by the ending, did it live a long life on their bookcase gathering dust until their death, a move? Were they like me and carefully reviewed their inventory, removing loved items to make room for new finds? Did they suffer the same anxiety and remorse as they brought them to their favorite used book store with the hope that they would find a good home?
It may sound like a lot to ask of any inanimate object and while I may never be able to find the answers to these questions the pondering fascinates me. Unlike books, textiles also pose the question of why and by whom was it made. Where it is unlikely that I will ever publish a book to add into the mix, I can make doilies.
My first crochet project
Now I must confess, I learnt to crochet very recently and have not made many projects yet but the few I have done have been doilies. I won’t pretend I’m qualified to lead you through the process, instead I’m giving you some links to pages I find helpful and some patterns that caught my eye. Crochet in the round is a very organic process so I encourage you to branch out to create your own unique design. I love the freedom doilies offer, when I get tiered of a stitch I just finish up the round and start on a new pattern; when I reach the desired size or lose interest in the piece that’s how I know the piece is done.
I hope you have fun with these and I’d love to see what you come up with.
Instructions and helpful hints
- help reading crochet abbreviations
- How to read charts
- More on reading charts, has a sample with both chart, written instructions and image of the end result
- I’m not a big fan of the finished pattern but the step by step illustrated instructions are great. If you want to design your own doily, instead of piecing together several wheels to make their rectangular doily, try freestyling to expand the wheel into your own creation.
- Blocking refines the shape and helps the piece lay flat. I don’t like blocking things and often try to avoid this step, both in knitting and crochet, and regret it every time. Block your work! It makes all the difference.
Birthday Doily on Crochet Galore
Free Patterns of the Web
- Vintage Beaded Doily
- Ruby’s Rose Doily
- Radiant Coaster or Doily
- Birthday Doily, Crochet Galore
Holiday Crochets on the Web
Anastasia E White 
Thanks for the links 🙂
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