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Sea Froth Ruffled Doily (1949): vintage crochet pattern

A round lace doily with lengthening chain loops that form a soft frill, lightly starched. It measures 15½ inches across. Originally published as "Sea Froth" in Fine Crochet and Tatting by The Spool Cotton Company in 1949, it is now in the public domain.

By the crochetpatterns.io editorial team · Reviewed · Editorial policy

US termsUK terms

By the crochetpatterns.io editorial team · Reviewed September 14, 2026 under our editorial policy · pattern testing in progress

Round ruffled doily photograph printed after the Sea Froth instructions
White · EcruSave to Pinterest
Pattern at a glance
DetailValue
Skill levelIntermediate
Yarn weightLace (#0)
Yardage4 small balls of J. & P. Coats or 5 small balls of Clark's O.N.T., as printed — check the ball band for yardage
Hook1.25 mm
GaugeNot given in the original — work to the printed finished size (Doily measures 15½ inches in diameter.).
Finished sizeDoily measures 15½ inches in diameter. (about 39 cm)
Timeabout 10 hours

Materials

  • Size 30 six-cord mercerized crochet thread (printed: J. & P. Coats or Clark's O.N.T. Best Six Cord, size 30)
  • Yardage: 4 small balls of J. & P. Coats or 5 small balls of Clark's O.N.T., as printed — check the ball band for yardage
  • Tapestry needle, rustproof pins and starch for blocking
  • Hook: Start with a 1.25 mm steel hook for size 30 thread and change size to reach 15½ inches across (the printed hook is a No. 10 steel).

Abbreviations (US terms)

ch
chain
sl st
slip stitch
sc
single crochet
dc
double crochet
tr
treble crochet
st
stitch
sp
space
rnd
round

Notes before you start

  • Source: "Sea Froth" (CT-231), Fine Crochet and Tatting, The Spool Cotton Company, 1949. Public domain in the USA.
  • As printed — materials: J. & P. Coats or Clark’s O.N.T. Best Six Cord Mercerized Crochet, Size 30: Small Ball: J. & P. Coats—4 balls of White or Ecru, or Clark’s O.N.T.—5 balls of White or Ecru.... Steel Crochet Hook No. 10.. Gauge: Not given.
  • Modernisation note: Transcribed from the original publication; stitches, repeats and their order are unchanged.
  • Modernisation note: Run-on paragraphs split into one round, row or step per line.
  • Modernisation note: The source leaflets already use US crochet terms; only abbreviations and wording were modernised.
  • Modernisation note: Round/row labels rewritten in modern form (e.g. “2nd Round.” → “Rnd 2:”, “7th to 10th rnds incl:” → “Rnds 7–10:”)
  • Modernisation note: “break off” → “fasten off”
  • Modernisation note: Page numbers, page-continuation notes and illustration references removed.
  • Modernisation note: No gauge is printed. Suggested check: work to the printed finished size (Doily measures 15½ inches in diameter.) and change hook size if your piece is noticeably larger or smaller.
  • Modernisation note: Stitch counts have not been added; where the original prints a count it is kept as printed.

Instructions

  1. Starting at center, ch 6. Join with sl st to form ring.
  2. Rnd 1: Ch 1, 12 sc in ring. Sl st in first sc.
  3. Rnd 2: Sc in first sc, * ch 3, sc in next sc. Repeat from * around, ending with ch 1, half dc in first sc.
  4. Rnd 3: * Ch 4, sc in next loop. Repeat from * around, ending with ch 2, half dc in half dc.
  5. Rnd 4: * Ch 5, sc in next loop. Repeat from * around, ending with ch 2, dc in half dc.
  6. Rnd 5: * Ch 6, sc in next loop. Repeat from * around, ending with ch 3, dc in dc.
  7. Rnd 6: * Ch 7, sc in next loop. Repeat from * around, ending with ch 3, tr in dc.
  8. Rnd 7: Ch 13, * tr in next loop, ch 9. Repeat from * around, ending with ch 4, d tr in 4th ch of ch-13.
  9. Rnd 8: Ch 7, tr in sp formed by d tr, * ch 9, in next sp make tr, ch 3 and tr. Repeat from * around, ending with ch 4, d tr in 4th ch of ch-7.
  10. Rnd 9: * Ch 7, sc in next loop. Repeat from * around, ending with ch 3, tr in d tr.
  11. Rnd 10: Ch 13, * tr in next loop, ch 9. Repeat from * around, ending with ch 4, d tr in 4th ch of ch-13.
  12. Rnd 11: Ch 7, tr in same loop, * ch 8, in next loop make tr, ch 3 and tr. Repeat from * around, ending with ch 4, tr in 4th ch of ch-7.
  13. Rnd 12: * Ch 6, sc in next loop. Repeat from * around, ending with ch 3, dc in tr.
  14. 13th and
  15. Rnd 14: * Ch 6, sc in next loop. Repeat from * around, ending with ch 3, dc in dc. 15th,
  16. 16th and
  17. Rnd 17: Ch 11, * tr in next loop, ch 7. Repeat from * around, ending with ch 3, tr in 4th ch of ch-11.
  18. Rnd 18: Ch 12, * tr in next loop, ch 8. Repeat from * around, ending with ch 4, tr in 4th ch of ch-12.
  19. Rnd 19: Ch 7, tr in same loop, * ch 9, in next loop make tr, ch 3 and tr. Repeat from * around, ending with ch 4, d tr in 4th ch of ch-7.
  20. Rnd 20: * Ch 6, sc in next loop. Repeat from * around, ending with ch 3, dc in d tr.
  21. Rnd 21: Ch 10, * tr in next loop, ch 6. Repeat from * around, ending with ch 3, dc in 4th ch of ch-10.
  22. Rnd 22: Ch 5, tr in same loop, * ch 6, in next loop make tr, ch 1 and tr. Repeat from * around, ending with ch 3, dc in 4th ch of ch-5.
  23. Rnd 23: * Ch 4, sc in next ch-1 loop, ch 4, sc in next loop. Repeat from * around, ending with ch 1, dc in dc.
  24. 24th to
  25. 32nd rnds incl: * Ch 4, sc in next loop. Repeat from * around, ending with ch 1, dc in dc.
  26. Rnd 33: * Ch 7, skip next loop, sc in next loop. Repeat from * around. Join.
  27. Rnd 34: 7 sc in each loop around. Join.

Continue this pattern

The rest of the Sea Froth Ruffled Doily (1949) pattern is in the Heirloom Doilies & Tablecloths

Still to come in the full pattern:

  • Ruffle

Included with 48 patterns for $19 — $0.40 per pattern.

See what's inside
Original mid-century photographs from the doilies collection

Errata

No corrections have been published for this pattern. Found a mistake? Tell us and we will log the fix here with a date.

Frequently asked questions

Where is the Sea Froth pattern from?

It was published as "Sea Froth" in Fine Crochet and Tatting by The Spool Cotton Company in 1949. The publication is in the public domain in the United States; this version is transcribed and modernised by crochetpatterns.io.

What yarn or thread do I need for the Sea Froth?

Size 30 six-cord mercerized crochet thread. 4 small balls of J. & P. Coats or 5 small balls of Clark's O.N.T., as printed — check the ball band for yardage

What hook should I use?

Start with a 1.25 mm steel hook for size 30 thread and change size to reach 15½ inches across (the printed hook is a No. 10 steel). Gauge: Not given in the original — work to the printed finished size (Doily measures 15½ inches in diameter.).

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