Small Doily Motif and Crochet Tablecloth Free Vintage Pattern

Today I want to share a free vintage pattern for a gorgeous tablecloth called Star Wheel #744. The pattern comes from The Spool Cotton Company Book #123, New Ideas in Crochet, Table Topics, 1938.

It’s been a long time since 1938, but nonetheless I believe this pattern would be exciting and of great interest to thread crochet masters in our time!

I made the motif using size ten crochet cotton thread and 1.3 mm hook. My motif came out 5.5 inches in diameter. The pattern was easy enough to follow. The only challenge was the 2^nd round; I had to read it very carefully a couple of times before I got it.

My motif turned out very pretty, and I can imagine what a stunning tablecloth can come out of it. I got quite tempted to start this project, but then I reminded myself that I already have one unfinished tablecloth…

I repost the pattern exactly as it appears in the original publication.

Photo Credit: New Ideas in Crochet, Table Topics, Book 123,
The Spool Cotton Company, 1938

Materials: Choose one of the following threads in size 20, White or Ecru:

Clark’s O.N.T. Mercerized Crochet, 74 balls.

J. & P. Coats Mercerized Crochet, 53 balls.

J. & P. Coats Big Ball Best Six Cord Mercerized Crochet, 31 balls.

Milward’s steel crochet hook number 9 or 10.

Gauge: One large motif measures 4.25 inches in diameter and requires about 25 yards of thread. Each fill-in-lace requires about 4 yards of thread. When completed, tablecloth measures about 68 x 85 inches. Make 320 large motifs, then join them together as explained later.

Motif… Ch 10 and join with sl st to form ring. 1^st rnd: Ch 3, 23 dc in ring. Join with sl st to 3^rd st of ch-3 first made. 2^nd rnd: Ch 10, and complete a cross st as follows: Thread over twice, insert hook in 8^th ch from hook, draw thread through (4 loops on hook), thread over once, skip 1 dc and insert hook in next dc, draw thread through (6 loops on hook), thread over, and take off 2 loops at a time, 5 times. *Ch 3, thread over 4 times, insert hook in next dc and draw thread through (6 loops on hook), thread over, and take off 2 loops at a time, then thread over, skip 1 dc, insert hook in next, draw thread through (6 loops on hook), thread over, and take off 2 loops at a time, 5 times. Ch 3, dc in center point of the cross, thus completing the cross. Repeat from * until there are 8 cross sts around the circle. Join last ch-3 with sl st to 7^th st of ch-10 first made. 3^rd rnd: 5 sc in each sp. 4^th to 7^th rnds incl: Sc in each sc of previous rnd. 8^th rnd: Ch 4, dc in 1^st sc, * ch 1, dc in next sc, repeat from * to end of rnd. Then ch 1, and join with sl stto 3^rd st of ch-4 first made. 9^th rnd: Ch 10, and complete cross st as before, skipping 2 dc between each leg of cross st and inserting hook under ch-1 sp. Ch 3 between each cross st. Skip 2 dc between each cross st. Repeat around (20 cross sts) and join last ch-3 with sl st to 7^th st of ch-10 first made. 10^th rnd: Sl st in 1^st 2 sts of first sp, ch 5, *dc in same space, ch 3, sc in next sp, ch 3, dc in next sp, ch 2, repeat from * to end or rnd. Join last ch 3 with sl st to 3^rd st of ch-5 first made. 11^th rnd: Ch 6, dc in same sp, * ch 4, sc in next sc of previous rnd, ch 4, dc in next ch-2 sp, ch 3, dc in same sp, repeat from * to end of rnd, joining with sl st to 3^rd st of ch-6 first made.

To join motifs… Place motifs in position (16 x 20 motifs). With over-and-over stitches, sew 3 points of one motif to corresponding 3 points of the adjacent motif (thus leaving 2 points free on each motif). To make fill-in lace between the motifs, ch 4, join with sl st to form ring. ** Ch 15, sc at joining of two motifs, ch 15, sc in center ring, * ch 9, sc in point of next scallop, ch 9, sc in center ring, repeat from * once more. Then repeat from ** 3 more times. This completes the fill-in lace. Break off thread.

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