MANDALILY, a FREE crochet doily pattern

Working with thread is a passion of mine.  For a few years while we were stationed overseas I ONLY did thread work.  Making doilies and home decor items with a fervor.  Since returning state side my thread work has fallen to the wayside and I have worked primarily with heavier yarns.  But recently I felt a longing to go back to my roots (the beautiful background you see on my page was created by my great grandmother).

The name for the doily came from a bit of miscommunication.  I was taking suggestions for names and misunderstood as I was told the name over the phone.  After I posted the suggestions to my Facebook page and I let people vote for their favorite.  The name "Mandalily" was the favorite by far. A big THANK YOU goes out to all those who suggested names and who gave wonderful compliments of my work. Your kindness and participation made this process so much easier.  

The design began in my sketch notebook and then took off as I put hook to thread.   I have a software for making this design charted....but it is slow going.  Be patient and I may one day have that finished as well!!  I do hope you enjoy this design as much as I enjoyed creating it.  

Remember....I am a human and sometimes make mistakes!!  If you find an error with my pattern, please let me know in the comment section and I will try to correct it as soon as possible!!!

This is an Original Design by Amy B Stitched. Feel free to make for profit, but remember to give credit to me, and link back to my blog www.amysastitchatatime.blogspot.com  

Thank You!!! Amy B

A lot of hard work goes into writing patterns.  Please feel free to share the link, but do not copy and distribute this pattern by any other means.

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Blessings!!!

Amy B

Mandalily 

Size: 14-1/2” square

Skill level: Intermediate

Materials: size 7 (1.65mm) crochet hook, Aunt Lydias Classic 10 cotton crochet thread (0, lace weight, size 10), pins, blocking board, and your choice of blocking medium (water, starch, or steam).

Gauge: Rnd 1 completed measures 5/8” before blocking (gauge is not necessarily important unless you want your doily to be the exact same measurement as mine)

Stitches and Terms:

• Ch - chain
• sl st - slip stitch
• dc - double crochet
• beg - beginning
• sk - skip
• st (sts) - stitch (stitches)
• dc2tog - double crochet two together
• dc3tog - double crochet three together
• dc4tog - double crochet four together

Ch 4, sl st in first ch to form ring.

Rnd 1: Ch 3, 11 dc in ring.  Sl st in top of beg ch 3 to join. (12)

Rnd 2: Ch 3, 2 dc in same st as beg ch.  * Ch 5, sk 2 sts **, 3 dc in next st. Repeat from * around ending at **. Sl st in top of beg ch 3 to join.

Rnd 3: Ch 3, dc in same st as beg ch.  Dc in next st, 2 dc in next st. * Ch 3, sc in sp, ch 3 **.  2 dc next st, dc next st, 2 dc next st.  Repeat from * around ending at **. Sl st in top of beg ch 3 to join.

Rnd 4: Ch 3, dc in same st as beg ch. 2 dc next st, dc next st, 2 dc next st 2 times. *Ch 6 **, 2 dc next st 2 times, dc next st, 2 dc next st 2 times.  Repeat from * around ending at **. Sl st in top of beg ch 3 to join. 

Rnd 5: Ch 2, dc next 6 sts, dc2tog over next 2 sts. * Ch 5, sc next ch sp, ch 5, ** dc2tog over next 2 sts, dc next 5 sts, dc2tog over next 2 sts. Repeat from * around ending at **. Sl st in top of first dc to join.

Rnd 6: Ch 2, dc next 4 sts, dc2 tog over next 2 sts. * (Ch 5, sc next ch sp) 2 times, ch 5 **. Dc2tog over next 2 sts, dc next 3 sts, dc2tog over next 2 sts. Repeat from * around ending at **. Sl st in top of first dc to join.

Rnd 7: Ch 2, dc next 2 sts, dc2tog over next 2 sts. * (Ch 5, sc next ch sp) 3 times, ch 5 **. Dc2tog over next 2 sts, dc next st, dc2tog over next 2 sts. Repeat from * around ending at **. Sl st in top of first dc to join. 

Rnd 8: Ch 2, dc2tog over next 2 sts. * (Ch 5, sc next ch sp) 2 times, ch 3, 3 dc next sc, ch 3, (sc next sp, ch 5) 2 times **, dc3tog over next 3 sts. Repeat from * around ending at **. Sl st in top of first st to join.

Rnd 9: Ch 1, (sc, ch 5, sc) in top of first st. *  (Ch 5, sc next ch sp) 3 times, Ch 3, 2 dc next st, dc next st, 2 dc next st, ch 3, (sc next ch sp, ch 5) 3 times **. (sc, ch 5, sc) in top of next st. Repeat from * around ending at **. Ch 2, dc in first st to join. 

Rnd 10: Ch 1, sc in sp below.  (Ch 5, sc next sp) 4 times. * Ch 3, dc in last ch of next ch sp, dc next 2 sts, ch 3, sk next st, dc next 2 sts and in first ch of next ch sp, ch 3, sc in next ch sp (not the one you just put a dc in). ** (Ch 5, sc next sp) 6 times. Repeat from * around ending at **. Ch 5, sc next sp, ch 2, dc in first sc to join. 

Rnd 11: Ch 1, sc in sp below (Ch 5, sc next sp) 4 times. * Ch 3, dc in last ch of next ch sp, dc next 2 sts, ch 5, sc next ch sp, ch 5, sk next st, dc next 2 sts and in first ch of next ch sp, ch 3, sc in next ch sp (not the one you just put a dc in). ** (Ch 5, sc next sp) 5 times. Repeat from * around ending at **. Ch 2, dc in first sc to join. 

Rnd 12: Ch 1, sc in sp below. * (Ch 5, sc next sp) 2 times. Ch 5, sc in same sp. (Ch 5, sc next sp) 2 times. * Ch 3, dc in last ch of next ch sp, dc next 2 sts, (Ch 5, sc next sp) 2 times, ch 5, sk next st, dc next 2 sts and in first ch of next ch sp, ch 3 **, sc in next ch sp (not the one you just put a dc in). Repeat from * around ending at **. Sl st in top of first sc to join.

Rnd 13: Sl st in next 2 ch. Ch 1, sc in sp below. * (Ch 5, sc next sp) 4 times.  Ch 3, dc in last ch of next ch sp, dc next 2 sts, (Ch 5, sc next sp) 3 times, ch 5, sk next st, dc next 2 sts and in first ch of next ch sp, ch 3 **, sc in next ch sp (not the one you just put a dc in). Repeat from * around ending at **. Sl st in top of first sc to join.

Rnd 14: Sl st in next 2 ch. Ch 1, sc in sp below. * (Ch 5, sc next sp) 3 times.  Ch 3, dc in last ch of next ch sp, dc next 2 sts, (Ch 5, sc next sp) 4 times, ch 5, sk next st, dc next 2 sts and in first ch of next ch sp, ch 3 **, sc in next ch sp (not the one you just put a dc in). Repeat from * around ending at **. Sl st in top of first sc to join.

Rnd 15:  Sl st in next 2 ch. Ch 1, sc in sp below. * Ch 5, sc next sp, Ch 5, sc in same sp, ch 5, sc next sp. Ch 3, dc in last ch of next ch sp, dc next 2 sts, (Ch 5, sc next sp) 2 times, 10 dc in next ch sp, (sc next sp, ch 5) 2 times. Sk next st, dc next 2 sts and in first ch of next ch sp, ch 3 **, sc in next ch sp (not the one you just put a dc in). Repeat from * around ending at **. Sl st in top of first sc to join.

Rnd 16: Sl st in next 2 ch. Ch 1, sc in sp below. * (Ch 5, sc next sp) 2 times. Ch 3, dc in last ch of next ch sp, dc next 2 sts, (Ch 5, sc next sp) 2 times, (Ch 1, dc in top of next dc) 10 times. Ch 1, (sc next sp, ch 5) 2 times. Sk next st, dc next 2 sts and in first ch of next ch sp, ch 3 **, sc in next ch sp (not the one you just put a dc in). Repeat from * around ending at **. Sl st in top of first sc to join.

Rnd 17: Sl st in next 2 ch. Ch 1, sc in sp below. * Ch 5, sc next sp. Ch 3, dc in last ch of next ch sp, dc next 2 sts, (Ch 5, sc next sp) 2 times, (Ch 2, dc in top of next dc) 10 times. Ch 2, (sc next sp, ch 5) 2 times. Sk next st, dc next 2 sts and in first ch of next ch sp, ch 3 **, sc in next ch sp (not the one you just put a dc in). Repeat from * around ending at **. Sl st in top of first sc to join.

Rnd 18: sl st in next 2 ch. Ch 1, (sc, ch 5, sc) in same sp as join. * Ch 3, dc in last ch of next ch sp, dc next 2 sts, (Ch 5, sc next sp) 2 times. Ch 1, (dc, ch 1, dc) in the next 11 ch 2 sps, ch 1, (sc next sp, ch 5) 2 times.  Sk next st, dc next 2 sts and in first ch of next ch sp, ch 3 **.  (Sc, ch 5, sc) in next sp. Repeat from * around ending at **. Sl st in top of first sc to join.

Rnd 19: Sl st in next 2 ch. Ch 1, sc in sp below. * Ch 3, dc in last ch of next ch sp, dc next 2 sts, (Ch 5, sc next sp) 2 times. Ch 2, sk next ch 1 sp, (dc, ch 2, dc) in the next 11 ch 1 sps, ch 2, sk next ch 1 sp, (sc next sp, ch 5) 2 times.  Sk next st, dc next 2 sts and in first ch of next ch sp, ch 3 **.  Sc in next sp. Repeat from * around ending at **. Sl st in top of first sc to join.

Rnd 20: Sl st in next 3 ch. Ch 3, dc in next 2 sts. * (Ch 5, sc next sp) 2 times.  Ch 3, sk next ch 2 sp, (dc, ch 3, dc) in the next 11 ch 2 sps, ch 3, sk next ch 2 sp, (sc next sp, ch 5) 2 times.  Sk next st, dc next 2 sts and in first ch of next ch sp, ch 3 **, dc in last ch of next ch sp, dc next 2 sts. Repeat from * around ending at **. Sl st in top of beg ch 3 to join.

Rnd 21: Ch 3, dc in next st. * (Ch 5, sc next sp) 2 times.  Ch 4, sk next ch 3 sp, (dc, ch 4, dc) in the next 11 ch 3 sps, ch 4, sk next ch 3 sp, (sc next sp, ch 5) 2 times.  Sk next st, dc next 2 sts and in first ch of next ch sp, sk 1 ch, dc in last ch **, dc next 2 sts. Repeat from * around ending at **. Sl st in top of beg ch 3 to join.

Rnd 22: Sl st in next st and next 2 chs. Ch 1, sc. Ch 5, sc next sp, *ch 5, sk next ch 4 sp, (dc, ch 5, dc) in the next 11 Ch 4 sps, ch 5, sk next ch 4 sp, (sc next sp, ch 5) 2 times. Sk next st, dc4tog over next 4 sts **. (Ch 5, sc next sp) 2 times.  Repeat from * around ending at **. Ch 2, dc in first sc to join.

Rnd 23: Ch 1, sc in sp below. (Ch 6, sc next sp) around. Ch 3, dc in first sc to join.

Rnd 24: Ch 1, sc in sp below. (Ch 7, sc next sp) around. Ch 3, trc in first sc to join.

Rnd 25: Ch 1, sc in sp below. * Ch 3, dc next sc, ch 3, sc next sp. Repeat from * around. Ch 2, sc in first sc to join.

Rnd 26: Ch 1, sc in sp below. *Ch 1, sc next sp, ch 6, sc next sp. Repeat from * around. Sl st in first sc to join.  Finish off and weave in ends. 

Blocking:

** My measurements in the blocking section are not critical, unless you want your piece to measure the exact same.  As long as you have the same measurements on each side from the center to the edge, your doily will have a nice even shape....and that is the most important :)

I use a childrens foam play mat for my blocking board.  You could also use a piece of Styrofoam or cardboard as well, as long as your surface can be pierced with pins. This shape can be difficult to get.  I'll explain how I was able to quickly pin so that you are not ripping your hair out trying to get it straight.  You will be referencing the image below. 

1) First thing is to place a pin in the very center of the doily.  

2) Next, you will stretch your doily to the correct measurement on the red lines, pinning into place. Mine measured 14-1/2 inches across (7-1/4 inches from center to edge) I also pinned my tape measure in place to assist in the process.  

3) Next you will stretch and pin the blue lines.  These corners do not have ONE center point, so your measurement will be for both chain spaces.  I stretched my tape measure between the two and pinned on either side.  Mine measured 17-1/2 inches from corner to corner ( 8-3/4 inches from center to corner). 

4) Then using the placed pins as a guide, pin the remaining chain spaces. 

 My preferred method to block is steam.  I have a garment steamer and can quickly set the stitches and then allow to dry for approximately 10 minutes and then remove the pins.  It will hold it's shape (it may slightly shrink) and have a beautiful drape.  You can also use a spray bottle and wet the doily with water or a starch solution.  Then place a fan blowing on it and allow to completely dry before removing the pins.