Scallop Motif Place Mat Border and Napkin Edge #817 (1951): vintage crochet pattern

Materials

• Size 30 crochet cotton, shaded or variegated light yellow — check the ball band for yardage
• 1.0 mm steel crochet hook
• 1½ yd (1.4 m) of 35 in (90 cm) wide dark green linen for 4 mats and 4 napkins
• Sewing needle and thread
• Hook: Start with a 1.0 mm steel hook (the original No. 12) and change size to match the gauge

Abbreviations (US terms)

ch

chain

sc

single crochet

dc

double crochet

tr

treble crochet

sl st

slip stitch

cl

cluster

sk

skip

sp

space

st

stitch

rep

repeat

Notes before you start

• Source: "Green Place Mats and Napkins" (#817), Edgings: crocheted, tatted, hair pin lace (Star Book No. 81), American Thread Company, 1951. Public domain in the USA.
• As printed — materials: AMERICAN THREAD COMPANY “GEM” CROCHET COTTON, Article 35, size 30; 5 balls Shaded Lt. Yellows or color desired; or “STAR” CROCHET COTTON, Article 30, size 30; 14 balls Shaded Lt. Yellows or color desired; Steel crochet hook No. 12; 1½ yds. 35 inch Dark Green linen will make 4 place mats and 4 napkins.. Gauge: Not given.
• Modernisation note: Abbreviations respelled to modern US style using the leaflet's own abbreviation table: s c → sc, s d c (short double crochet) → hdc, d c → dc, tr c → tr, d tr c → dtr; “thread over” → “yarn over”. Stitches, order and counts are unchanged.
• Modernisation note: Instructions split into one row, round or step per line; the original prints them as running paragraphs.
• Modernisation note: Hook conversion: the leaflet uses the mid-century US steel hook numbering; the metric size given is the usual modern equivalent (No. 7 ≈ 1.65 mm, No. 11 ≈ 1.1 mm, No. 12 ≈ 1.0 mm, No. 13 ≈ 0.85 mm). Old hooks varied — match the gauge suggestion rather than the number.
• Modernisation note: Thread: the original Gem/Star crochet cottons are size 30; modern size 30 crochet cotton is still made. Ball yardage differs from the 1951 balls — check your ball band.
• Modernisation note: The original's “Next Row” of the inside edge already prints “sc” and “dc” without spaces in places; spelling kept consistent.
• Modernisation note: Check: the napkin foundation of 785 chains turns into 65 meshes per side worked around the chain as printed; count your meshes on the first side before continuing.
• Modernisation note: The outside edge and napkins were printed on page 11 (“Continuation from page 11”) and are placed here in order.
• Modernisation note: Metric conversions added. Finishing steps are our addition.

Motif

1. Ch 5, join to form a ring, ch 5, dc in ring, * ch 2, dc in ring, repeat from * 5 times, ch 2, join in 3rd st of ch.
2. 2nd Row—* Ch 1, 1 sc, ch 3, 1 sc over next loop, repeat from * all around, join.
3. 3rd Row—Ch 3, dc in next ch 3 loop, ch 3, 5 dc over the dc just made, * dc in next ch 1 loop over the dc of previous row, dc in next ch 3 loop, ch 3, 5 dc over last dc made, repeat from * 6 times, join.
4. 4th Row—Ch 8, * sc in 1st dc of next scallop, ch 5, skip 4 dc of same scallop, dc over next dc of previous row, ch 5, repeat from * all around ending row with sc in 1st dc of next scallop, ch 5, join in 3rd st of ch, cut thread.