How to crochet Irish doily

To celebrate St. Patrick’s Day I am sharing the free pattern of the Irish doily.

I found the pattern on Ravelry that links to the copies of this old book with lots of vintage crochet designs. Its name is Priscilla’s Crochet Book Centrepieces & Doilies and it was published way back in 1915.

It’s sometimes a challenge to read these old pattern instructions as the terms and abbreviations are quite different from what we use today. Luckily, the book has great explanations of the terms (which I found after I had completed the Irish doily :).

May your day be touched by a bit of Irish luck,
brightened by a song in your heart,
and warmed by the smiles of the people you love.
– Irish blessing

The doily definitely needs blocking after you finish it. I usually make the doily wet, stretch it out on blocking mats and attach it with pins. I also spray some starch to give it extra firm shape.

Please share the photo of your doily on my Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/handmadebyraine/
or Instagram @handmadebyraine

Video tutorial of Irish doily

Tink M I’d just like to say the way you explain things is really fantastic so easy to follow, your written instructions are brilliant too, iv not be crocheting very long ( apart from granny squares )so it makes understand completely stress free and having to keep undoing and redoing work carry on the great work
Vicky Dee Oh wow! This is just so gorgeous! It’s pretty enough to frame in my opinion. I enjoy the history, thank you so much for sharing this….🙏💕🙏

Written pattern of Irish doily

I use Aunt Lydia’s crochet thread size 10 and crochet hook size 1.75 mm. My doily measures about 9 inches in diameter.

My Amazon picks:

Abbreviations:
ch = chain
sl st = slip stitch
dc = double crochet
beg = beginning
sc = single crochet

Ch 8 and join into a ring with sl st.
R1 – ch 3 and dc 19 into the ring, sl st in 3rd beg ch.
R2 – ch 6, *skip next dc, dc in next dc, ch 3. Repeat from*, sl st in 3rd beg ch.
R3 – sl st into next ch-space, ch 3 and dc 3 in same sp, *skip next dc, dc 4 in next space. Repeat from*, sl st in 3rd beg ch.
R4 – ch 6, *skip next dc, dc in next dc, ch 3. Repeat from*, sl st in 3rd beg ch.
R5 – sl st into next ch-space, ch 3 and dc 3 in same sp, *skip next dc, dc 4 in next space. Repeat from*, sl st in 3rd beg ch.
R6 – *ch 2, 5-ch picot, ch 2, 5-ch picot, ch 7, 5-ch picot, ch 2, 5-ch picot, ch 2, skip next 5 dc, sc between 5th and 6th dc. Repeat from*, sl st in beg sc.
R7 – sl st in next chains and stitches until you reach the 4th ch of 7-ch, sc in the same 4th ch (make both last slip stitch and sc in the same ch), ch 10, *sc in 4th ch of next 7-ch, ch 10. Repeat from*, sl st in beg sc.
R8 – ch 3, dc 11 in 10-ch space, *dc in next sc, dc 11 in 10-ch space. Repeat from*, sl st in 3rd beg ch.
R9 – sl st in next 3 dc, sc in same st where you did last sl st, sc 1 in each next 6 dc (total 7 sc), ch 5, *skip 5 dc, sc 1 in each next 7 dc, ch 5. Repeat from*, sl st in beg sc.
R10 – sl st in next sc, sc in same st, sc 1 in each next 4 sc (total 5 sc), ch 5, sc in next 5-ch space, ch 5, *skip next sc, sc 1 in each next 5 sc, ch 5, sc in next 5-ch, ch 5. Repeat from*, sl st in beg sc.
R11 – sl st in next sc, sc in same st, sc 1 in each next 2 sc (total 3 sc), ch 5, sc in next 5-ch space, ch 5, sc in next 5-ch space, ch 5, *skip next sc, sc 1 in each next 3 sc, ch 5, sc in next 5-ch, ch 5, sc in next 5-ch space, ch 5. Repeat from*, sl st in beg sc.
R12 – sl st in next sc, sc in same st, ch 5, sc in next 5-ch space, ch 5, sc in next 5-ch space, ch 5, sc in next 5-ch space, ch 5 , *skip next sc, sc 1 in next sc, ch 5, sc in next 5-ch, ch 5, sc in next 5-ch space, ch 5, sc in next 5-ch space, ch 5. Repeat from*, sl st in beg sc.
R13 – sl st in next 3 ch, *(ch 3, 5-ch picot, ch 3, sc in 3rd ch of next 5-ch, ch 3) 3 times, insert hook in 3rd ch of next 5-ch and also in 3rd ch of next 5ch, yo and pull through all 3 loops. Repeat from*, fasten off.

And see all my doilies here.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!