How to crochet Romantic Doily

Romantic Doily is one of my top favorite doilies to crochet. And I’m so happy how it turned out after many trials and errors while designing it.

I think it looks elegant and delicate, somewhat vintage at the same time, as a true doily should! Some of you have described it as ‘dainty’ and I love that because it’s the perfect way to put it! All of your support is very much appreciated and it keeps me motivated to design more patterns like this.

I would say the skill level is easy to intermediate. You will learn to crochet different types of clusters and picots in addition to many basic crochet stitches.

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. Let it dry completely before removing the pins.

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VIDEO TUTORIAL OF ROMANTIC DOILY

WRITTEN PATTERN OF ROMANTIC DOILY

If you prefer ad-free printable PDF pattern, you can get it on:

I use Golo crochet thread size 10 (color in tutorial is Light Orchid) and crochet hook 1.75 mm. My doily measures about 10 inches in diameter.

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Abbreviations:
ch = chain
sl st = slip stitch
sc = single crochet 
dtr = double triple crochet 
hdc = half double crochet
beg = beginning
dc = double crochet 
tr = triple crochet

Special stitches:
dtr2-cluster = yarn over 3 times, insert hook in indicated st and pull up a loop, (pull through 2 loops) 3 times, leave last 2 loops on hook, yarn over 3 times, insert hook in same st and pull up a loop, (pull through 2 loops) 3 times, yarn over and pull through all remaining 3 loops on hook.
dc3-cluster = (start dc in indicated st, leave last 2 loops on hook) 3 times, yarn over and pull through all remaining 4 loops on hook.
tr4-cluster = yarn over twice, insert hook in indicated st and pull up a loop, (pull through 2 loops) twice, leave last 2 loops on hook, (yarn over twice, insert hook in indicated st and pull up a loop, yarn over and pull through 2 loops, yarn over and pull through next 2 loops) 3 times, yarn over and pull through all remaining 5 loops on hook.

Ch 10, sl st in 1st ch to make a ring.
Round 1 = ch 1, sc 16 in the ring, sl st in 1st sc.
Round 2 = ch 5, dtr in same 1st st (= beg dtr2-cluster), *ch 3, dtr2-cluster in next sc, repeat from* (16 dtr2-clusters), after last dtr2-cluster ch 1 and hdc in top of beg cluster.
Round 3 = ch 1, sc in same space, ch 5, *sc in next ch3-space, ch 5, repeat from* (16 sc), sl st in 1st beg sc.
Round 4 = sl st in next ch5-space, ch 2, (start dc in same space, leave last 2 loops on hook) twice, pull through all remaining 3 loops on hook (= beg dc3-cluster), ch 3, dc3-cluster in same space, ch 3, *in next ch5-space dc3-cluster + ch3 + dc3-cluster + ch3, repeat from* (32 dc3-clusters), end the round with (instead of 3ch) ch 1 and hdc in top of beg cluster.
Round 5 = ch 6 (counts as 1 st dc and 3ch), dc in 3rd ch from hook, dc in same beg space, *ch 3, skip next ch3-space, in next ch3-space dc + ch3 + dc in 3rd ch from hook + dc in same ch3-space, repeat from*, end the round with (instead of 3ch) ch 1 and hdc in 3rd beg ch.
Round 6 = ch 6 (counts as 1 st dc and 3ch), dc in 3rd ch from hook, dc in same beg space, *ch 4, in 2nd ch of next ch3-space dc + ch3 + dc in 3rd ch from hook + dc, repeat from*, end the round with (instead of 4ch) ch 1 and dc in 3rd beg ch.
Round 7 = ch 6 (counts as 1 st dc and 3ch), dc in 3rd ch from hook, dc in same beg space, *ch 5, in 2nd ch of next ch4-space dc + ch3 + dc in 3rd ch from hook + dc, repeat from*, end the round with (instead of 5ch) ch 2 and dc in 3rd beg ch.

Round 8 = ch 6 (counts as 1 st dc and 3ch), dc in 3rd ch from hook, dc in same beg space, *ch 6, in 3rd ch of next ch5-space dc + ch3 + dc in 3rd ch from hook + dc, repeat from*, end the round with (instead of 6ch) ch 3 and dc in 3rd beg ch.
Round 9 = ch 6 (counts as 1 st dc and 3ch), dc in 3rd ch from hook, dc in same beg space, *ch 7, in 3rd ch of next ch6-space dc + ch3 + dc in 3rd ch from hook + dc, repeat from*, end the round with (instead of 7ch) ch 3 and tr in 3rd beg ch.
Round 10 = ch2, (start dc in same space, leave last 2 loops on hook) twice, pull through all remaining 3 loops on hook (= beg dc3-cluster), ch 4, dc3-cluster in same space, *ch 5, sc in space between the horizontal ch3+dc on last round, ch 5, in next ch7-space dc3-cluster + ch4 + dc3-cluster, repeat from*, end the round with ch 5, sc in space between ch3+dc, ch 5 and sl st in 3rd beg ch.
Round 11 = sl st in next ch4-space, beg dc3-cluster, ch 3, dc3-cluster in same space, ch 3, dc3-cluster in next ch5-space, *ch 5, skip next sc, dc3-cluster in next ch5-space, ch 3, (dc3-cluster + ch3) twice in next ch4-space, dc3-cluster in next ch5-space, repeat from*, end the round with 5ch and dc3-cluster in next ch5-space, ch 3, sl st in top of beg cluster.
Round 12 = sl st in next ch3-space, beg dc3-cluster, ch 3, dc3-cluster in same space, (ch3 + dc3-cluster) twice in next ch3-space, *ch 2, skip next ch5-space, (in next ch3-space dc3-cluster+ch3+dc3-cluster+ch3) twice, in next ch3-space dc3-cluster+ch3+dc3-cluster, repeat from*, end the round with dc3-cluster+ch3+dc3-cluster in next ch3-space, ch 3, sl st in top of beg cluster.
Round 13 = ch 3, tr in same st, leave last 2 loops on hook, (start tr in top of next dc3-cluster, don’t finish) twice, pull through all remaining 4 loops on hook, [ch 5, sl st in 3rd ch from hook (= picot), ch 2, tr4-cluster with first leg (1st/2nd tr) going in same st as last leg of last tr4-cluster, and second leg (3rd/4th tr) going in top of next dc3-cluster] twice, *ch 1, skip next ch2-space, tr4-cluster with first leg (1st/2nd tr) going in top of next dc3-cluster, and second leg (3rd/4th tr) going in top of next dc3-cluster, (ch 5, sl st in 3rd ch from hook, ch 2, (tr4-cluster with first leg (1st/2nd tr) going in same st as last leg of last tr4-cluster, and second leg (3rd/4th tr) going in top of next dc3-cluster) 4 times, repeat from*, end the round with 1ch, skip next ch2-space, tr4-cluster with first leg going in top of next dc3-cluster, and second leg going in top of next dc3-cluster, ch 5, sl st in 3rd ch from hook, ch 2, tr4-cluster with first leg going in same st as last leg of last tr4-cluster, and second leg going in top of beg dc3-cluster, ch 5, sl st in 3rd ch from hook, ch 2, sl st in top of beg tr4-cluster.
Fasten off, cut off thread, weave in all ends and block the doily.

Want to crochet more doilies? Check out all my patterns and doilies in my doily library.

Happy crocheting!

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