When I was a child, I saw my grandma making doilies, and it interested me greatly. Unfortunately, I was too clumsy for fine needlework then. I reacquainted myself with crochet in 2012 and set out to master the art of fine thread. After a year of crocheting snowflakes and other small things, I had enough confidence to begin more intricate patterns. The doilies pictured here are just a few of the many I have crocheted since 2013. Only one of them has been stiffened, but I plan on stiffening the rest.
This is a cute Lace Wheat doily . It took some time finishing because of all the ripe wheat heads.
I found this Cluster Stitch doily incredibly challenging. The pattern used for this is free and was found at freevintagecrochet.com.
Small and cute, these are Grape Harvest doilies. Popcorn stitches make up the grapes.
Fabric Stiffener was diluted and applied to this Snowflake doily. The picots were trying on my fingers.
Leisure Arts published a really wonderful doily pattern book called, Absolutely Gorgeous Doilies, designed by Patricia Kristoffersen. Every pattern in the book is described in detail, and there are pictures of each one. This is #3, Sunflower Bloom, from the book.
After working with so many doilies, I became interested in Irish crochet. Because of that, it’s been about a year since I finished my last doily. Maybe I should start another one soon. After all, they are very fun to work with and will last a long time. Some say crocheted doilies are old-fashioned and not relevant, but I think they still have a place in society. They provide relaxation while crocheting and decoration when finished. My grandma’s doilies are very special and are kept as heirlooms. Some women even use them to make their own wedding dress. So there is still relevancy to be found!