Shell and Cluster Handkerchief Edging #813 (1951): vintage crochet pattern

Materials

• Fine crochet cotton (about size 70–80), white — check the ball band for yardage
• 0.85 mm steel crochet hook
• An 11 in (28 cm) handkerchief
• Hook: Start with a 0.85 mm steel hook (the original No. 13) 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

sh

shell

cl

cluster

sk

skip

sp

space

st

stitch

rep

repeat

Notes before you start

• Source: "Crocheted Edging" (#813), 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 “STAR” TATTING CROCHET, Article 25; 3 balls White or color desired; 1—11 inch Handkerchief; Steel crochet hook No. 13. 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 “Star” Tatting Crochet (Article 25) is a fine mercerised cotton with no size printed; a modern fine crochet cotton (around size 70–80) is the closest match. Check your ball band for yardage.
• Modernisation note: Corrected obvious misprint in the 3rd row: “l tr c” (letter l) is read as “1 tr c”.
• Modernisation note: Check: the 4th and 5th rows describe the pattern repeat along one side and at the corners in a compressed way; work one side as a trial before continuing.
• Modernisation note: Finishing steps (weaving in, blocking) are our addition; the original ends with “cut thread”.

Rows

1. Attach thread in corner, ch 6, dc in same space, ch 10, 2 dc with ch 3 between in same space, * ch 10, skip about ⅝ inch space, 2 dc with ch 3 between in next space (shell), repeat from * 19 times ending in corner st, ch 10, shell in same space (corner), continue working all around in same manner having 20-ch 10 loops on each side and 1 loop in each corner space, ch 10, join in 3rd st of ch.
2. 2nd Row—Sl st to center of shell, ch 7, tr in same space, ** ch 3, sc in corner loop, * ch 3, sc in same loop, repeat from * once, ch 3, 1 tr, ch 3, 1 tr in next shell, * ch 3, sc in next loop, ch 3, sc in same loop, ch 3, sc in same loop, ch 3, shell in shell, repeat from * to 2nd shell before corner, ch 3, sc in next loop, * ch 3, sc in same loop, repeat from * once, ch 3, 1 tr, ch 3, 1 tr in next shell, repeat from ** all around in same manner ending row to correspond, join in 4th st of ch.
3. 3rd Row—Sl st into loop, ch 7, tr in same space, ** ch 3, skip 1 loop, sc in next loop, ch 3, sc in next loop, ch 3, skip 1 loop, 1 tr, ch 3, 1 tr in next loop, * ch 3, skip 1 loop, sc in next loop, ch 3, sc in next loop, ch 3, shell in next shell, repeat from * to last shell before corner group, ch 3, skip 1 loop, sc in next loop, ch 3, sc in next loop, ch 3, skip 1 loop, 1 tr, ch 3, 1 tr in next loop, repeat from ** all around in same manner ending row to correspond, join in 4th st of ch.
4. 4th Row—Sl st into loop, ch 4 (counts as 1 tr), 2 tr in same loop, ** ch 5, 3 tr in same loop, * ch 3, skip 1 loop, 3 tr, ch 5, 3 tr in next loop, repeat from * once, ch 3, skip 1 loop, sc in next loop, * ch 6, sc in next shell, ch 6, skip 1 loop, sc in next loop, ch 3, 3 tr, ch 5, 3 tr in next shell, ch 3, skip 1 loop, sc in next loop, ch 3, 3 tr, ch 5, 3 tr in next shell, ch 3, skip 1 loop, sc in next loop, repeat from * 5 times, ch 6, sc in next shell, ch 6, skip 1 loop, sc in next loop, ch 3, 3 tr in next shell, repeat from ** all around in same manner, join in 4th st of ch.
5. 5th Row—Ch 4 (counts as 1 tr), 1 tr in each of the next 2 tr, ch 5, sc in next loop, ch 5, * yarn over hook twice, insert in next tr, yarn over and work off 2 loops twice, repeat from * 5 times, yarn over and work off all loops at one time (6 tr cluster st), ch 5, 3 tr, ch 5, 3 tr in next loop, ch 5, cluster st over the next 6 tr, ch 5, sc in next loop, ch 5, 1 tr in each of the next 3 tr, * ch 3, skip 1 loop, sc in next loop, ch 3, sc in next loop, ch 3, 1 tr in each of the next 3 tr, ch 7, sc in next loop, ch 7, cluster st over the next 6 tr, ch 7, sc in next loop, ch 7, 1 tr in each of the next 3 tr, repeat from * 5 times, ch 3, skip 1 loop, sc in next loop, ch 3, sc in next loop, ch 3, repeat from beginning all around in same manner, join in 4th st of ch.
6. 6th Row—Ch 4, 1 tr in each of the next 2 tr leaving the last loop of each st on hook, yarn over and pull through all loops at one time, * ch 8, sc in next loop, repeat from * twice, ch 5, 1 tr in each of the next 3 tr, ch 5, sc in next loop, ch 5, 1 tr in each of the next 3 tr, ch 5, sc in next loop, * ch 8, sc in next loop, repeat from * once, ** ch 8, cluster st over next 6 tr, * ch 8, sc in next loop, repeat from * 3 times, repeat from ** 5 times, ch 8, cluster st over the next 6 tr, repeat from 1st * all around ending row with ch 8, 3 tr cluster st in last 3 tr group, join to 1st cluster st.
7. 7th Row—Ch 3, sl st in top of cluster st for picot, ch 3, sc in next loop, ch 3, sl st in sc for picot, * ch 7, sc in next loop, repeat from * once, ch 3 picot, ch 6, 3 tr cluster st over next 3 tr group, ch 3 picot, ch 6, sc in next loop, ch 7, sl st in 3rd st from hook for picot, ch 3, sc in next loop, ch 6, 3 tr cluster st over next 3 tr group, ch 3 picot, ch 6, skip 1 loop, sc in next loop, ch 3 picot, * ch 7, sc in next loop, repeat from * once, ** ch 3 picot, ch 3, sl st in top of next cluster st, ch 3 picot, ch 3, sc in next loop, ch 3 picot, ch 6, sc in next loop, ch 6, tr in next loop, ch 5, sl st in 4th st from hook for picot, ch 1, tr in same space, * ch 6, sc in next loop, repeat from * once, repeat from ** 5 times, ch 3 picot, ch 3, sl st in top of next cluster st, repeat from beginning all around, cut thread.