Starflake Doily: free pattern
I absolutely love lace. I like to make it in a number of different ways, I like to see it when I scroll through Instagram or look at patterns, and I like to use it in projects. So, when I promised my mother some coasters back in October of 2020, I immediately went for the size 10 crochet thread, the steel hooks, and a pile of stitch markers. There was going to be lace in my future and it was going to be good lace!
The only problem was that I didn't have a really good pattern to use. I had coaster patterns, but they didn't match the aesthetics I was going for. I had doily patterns, but most of them were too big and not easy to simplify to something that could work as a coaster, or too lacy to protect the table.
I knew I wanted to work in the round, to use one color throughout, and to make them fit the glasses they would be used with. I needed a crochet pattern that would be solid enough to keep the table from getting wet, but was still very lacy and open.
For a few days, nothing clicked. I was low on inspiration and high on excuses -- and work -- until I finally sat down and just started playing around with yarn. After a while, I had a star-shaped doily, with a good balance of holes and solid fabric. I went back, figured out how I had constructed it, and made more. I wrote down the pattern, and I'm glad I did. This pattern reminds me so much of a hybrid snowflake and star, which is why I call it the Starflake Doily!
Starflake Doily (pattern uses US crochet terms)
Yarn: Aunt Lydia's Classic Cotton Crochet Thread, size 10. Way less than a ball is needed, shown in French Rose
Hook: 1.75 mm steel crochet hook, or size appropriate to thread. I use a hook one size up from the suggested one to make it a bit looser.
Notions: If you like, you can use a stitch marker to mark the start of a round, but I didn't because it's in joined rounds rather than continuous.
Finished size: it’s a coaster, this doesn’t really matter, but mine were probably 3.5 inches diameter? I’m guessing since I didn’t measure.
Gauge: round 1 should be about 1 inch (2.5 cm) diameter
Special stitches:
V-st: 2dc, ch 2, 2dc into same stitch
Ch3 picot: ch 3, sl st into last stitch made
Picot Shell: *dc, ch3 picot* 5 times into same stitch or space
1. Ch 8, sl st into the first chain. Chain 3 (counts as first dc and ch-1), *dc into ring, ch 1* 14 times. Sl st into second chain at start of round. (14 ch-1 spaces)
2. Ch 1, sc into same stitch. *Ch 2, 2 dc in next ch-1 space, ch 2, 2 dc in next ch-1 space, ch 2,** sc into next ch-1 space, repeat from * around, ending at **, sl st into first sc. (5 repeats)
3. Chain 6 (counts as dc, chain 4), *skip next ch-2 space, V-st into next ch-2 space, ch 4, skip next ch-2 space,** dc into next sc, ch 4, repeat from * around, ending at **, sl st into second ch at start of round.
4. Ch 7 (counts as dc, ch 5), *skip next ch-4 space, V-st into next ch-2 space, ch 5, skip next ch-4 space,** dc into next dc, ch 5, repeat from * around, ending at **, sl st into second ch at start of round.
5. Ch 1, sc in same stitch, *ch 3, insert hook under ch-5 and ch-4 spaces in rounds 4 and 3 and sc around both chains, ch 3, V-st into next ch-2 space, ch 3, insert hook under ch-5 and ch-4 spaces in rounds 4 and 3 and sc around both chains, ch 3,** sc into next dc, repeat from * around, ending at **, sl st into first stitch at start of round.
6. Ch 9 (counts as dc, ch 7), *skip next 2 ch-3 spaces, picot shell into next ch-2 space, ch 7, skip next 2 ch-3 spaces,** dc into next sc, ch 7, repeat from * around, ending at **, sl st into second ch at start of round. Finish off and weave in ends. Block.
A note on blocking: I did my second-favorite method of blocking for this project, also known as filling the bathroom sink with half an inch of cold water, plunging the finished object in the water until it's soaked through, pulling it out and wrapping it up in a towel, pressing the towel for a bit to dry it out, then leaving it on the bathroom counter to dry (not stretched out or anything) with several words of warning to the rest of the family about exactly what will happen if they disturb it. My first favorite method of blocking is, surprise surprise, not to block whatsoever. I don't bother to pin this or anything. It’s a coaster. Don’t make too much work for yourself.
Note on update: this is a post out of my buffer as I am currently on vacation. If it doesn’t update properly or if there is a problem, I’d like to know about it, please!
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