💜 The Lavender Pinwheel Doily: A Detailed Crochet Pattern

🌟 Introduction

Add a touch of vibrant elegance to your home with the Lavender Pinwheel Doily! This captivating design begins with a unique, spiraling solid center that gracefully transitions into an intricate, multi-layered lace border, adorned with delicate picots. It’s a truly rewarding project for those who enjoy working with crochet thread and appreciate the beauty of complex, handcrafted lace.

Skill Level: Advanced Intermediate (Requires careful counting, precise stitch placement, and attention to detail).

Finished Size (approximate): 8 inches (20 cm) in diameter, when using thread.

🧵 Materials & Gauge

✨ Materials Needed

Yarn/Thread: Approximately 80-120 yards of Size 10 Cotton Thread (Lace Weight/Fingering). Cotton thread is essential for achieving the crisp stitch definition and maintaining the intricate shape of the lacework. (The sample is a beautiful lavender purple.)
Hook: Steel Crochet Hook Size 7 (1.65 mm) or size needed to obtain gauge. (Check your thread label for the recommended size.)
Notions: Small sharp scissors, tapestry needle for weaving in ends, and T-pins for blocking.

📏 Gauge (Crucial for Sizing!)

Rounds 1-4 (Central Pinwheel) should measure approximately 1.25 inches (3.2 cm) in diameter.
Crucial Check: Your work must lie perfectly flat at the end of each round. If it cups, your tension is too tight or you need more stitches; if it ruffles, it’s too loose or you have too many stitches.

💡 Special Stitches & Abbreviations

📝 Pattern Abbreviations (US Terms)

⭐ Special Stitches (Written Instructions)

Picot: Ch 3, sl st back into the first chain.
V-st (V-Stitch): Work (dc, ch 1, dc) all into the indicated stitch or space.
Shell: Work (3 dc) all into the indicated stitch or space.

💜 The Pattern: Lavender Pinwheel Doily (12-Point Repeat)

Note: The pattern is worked in joined rounds. The ch-3 at the beginning of DC rounds counts as the first dc. The pattern establishes 12 repeating sections.

Part 1: The Pinwheel Center

Foundation: Start with a Magic Ring (MR).

Round 1: Ch 3 (counts as 1 dc), 17 dc into MR. Sl st to the top of the starting ch-3 to join. (18 dc)

Round 2: Ch 4 (counts as 1 dc, ch 1). Dc in the same st. Ch 1, sk 1 st. V-st in the next st (dc, ch 1, dc). Ch 1, sk 1 st. Rep from * 7 more times. Sl st to the 3rd ch of the starting ch-4 to join. (9 V-sts, 9 ch-1 sps)

Round 3: Sl st into the ch-1 sp of the V-st. Ch 3, 2 dc in the same ch-1 sp. Ch 1. 3 dc in the ch-1 sp of the next V-st. Ch 1. Rep from * 8 more times. Sl st to the top of the starting ch-3 to join. (9 3-dc Shells, 9 ch-1 sps)

Round 4 (Solid Spiral): Sl st into the next ch-1 sp. Ch 3, 2 dc in the same ch-1 sp. 3 dc in the next ch-1 sp. Rep from * 7 more times. Sl st to the top of the starting ch-3 to join. (27 dc)

Round 5 (Defining the Spiral): Ch 3, dc in the next 2 dc. [Post Stitch] FPdc around the 3rd dc of the next 3-dc group from Rnd 3. Dc in the next 2 dc, FPdc around the 3rd dc of the next 3-dc group from Rnd 3. Rep from * 8 more times. Sl st to the top of the starting ch-3 to join. (27 dc, 9 FPdc)

Part 2: Mesh and Lace Expansion

Round 6: Ch 1, sc in the same st. Ch 3, sk 2 sts. Sc in the next FPdc. Ch 3, sk 2 sts. Rep from * 8 more times. Sl st to the first sc to join. (9 sc, 9 ch-3 sps)

Round 7 (Star Points): Sl st into the first ch-3 sp. Ch 3, 2 dc in the same ch-3 sp. [Side] Ch 2, sk sc, 3 dc in the next ch-3 sp. Ch 2, sk sc, 3 dc in the next ch-3 sp. Rep from * 7 more times. Sl st to the top of the starting ch-3 to join. (9 3-dc shells, 9 ch-2 sps)

Round 8 (Arc Detail): Ch 5 (counts as 1 dc, ch 2). Dc in the next dc. Ch 2, dc in the next dc (center of 3-dc Shell). Ch 2, dc in the next dc. Rep from * 2 more times. [Corner Point] Ch 5, dc in the next dc. Ch 2, dc in the next dc. Rep from * around. Sl st to the 3rd ch of the starting ch-5 to join. (multiple ch-2 sps, 12 dc)

Part 3: The Scalloped, Picot Edge

Round 9: Ch 1, sc in the first dc. [Scallop Base] Ch 3, sc in the ch-2 sp, ch 3, sc in the next dc. Ch 3, sc in the ch-2 sp, ch 3, sc in the next dc. Rep from * 2 more times (working along a point). [Deep Arch] Ch 5, sc in the ch-5 sp (center point). Ch 5. Sc in the next dc, ch 3, sc in the next ch-2 sp, ch 3, sc in the next dc. Rep from * around. Sl st to the first sc to join. (approx. 24 ch-3 sps, 12 ch-5 sps)

Round 10 (Final Picot Edge): Sl st into the first ch-3 sp. Ch 1, sc in the same sp. [Picot Cluster] (Ch 3, Picot, ch 3, sc in the next ch-3 sp). Rep from * 2 more times. [Point Picot] Ch 3, sc in the next ch-5 sp. Ch 3, Picot, ch 3, sc in the same ch-5 sp. Ch 3, sc in the next ch-5 sp, ch 3. Sc in the next ch-3 sp. Rep from * around. Sl st to the first sc to join.

Fasten off.

Video Tutorial:

✂️ Finishing & Blocking

🧺 Blocking is Mandatory!

Wet Blocking: For this intricate doily, wet blocking is absolutely mandatory to define the shape, open the lace, and flatten the spiraling center.
Soak the doily thoroughly in cool water, with liquid fabric starch recommended for a crisp finish.
Gently squeeze out excess water.
Pin the doily out firmly onto a blocking board. Ensure the outer 12 points are pulled taut and symmetrical. Pin out all the inner arches to open the lacework.
Allow the motif to dry completely before unpinning.

✨ Conclusion

Weave in all your ends securely on the back of the work.

Congratulations! You have created the stunning Lavender Pinwheel Doily! Its unique design is a true testament to the beauty of crochet lace.

💜 The Lavender Pinwheel Doily: A Detailed Crochet Pattern

🌟 Introduction