by That is a wonderful and comprehensive request! Crochet lace motifs, doilies, and mandalas all share the same radial (circular) construction techniques, relying heavily on increasing chain spaces and taller stitches to create an intricate pattern.
I will detail a tutorial for the “Textured Star Lace Motif,” which is versatile enough to be a small Doily, a repeating Lace Motif, or the foundation for a larger Mandala.
🌟 Textured Star Lace Motif Tutorial
This pattern uses simple double crochet clusters and chain spaces, along with a few taller stitches (trebles) to create points, giving it a beautiful, flowing, lace texture.
Materials You’ll Need
- Thread/Yarn:
- For fine lace/doily: Size 10 or 20 Cotton Thread.
- For a larger mandala: DK (Size 3) or Sport Weight yarn.
- Crochet Hook: A size appropriate for your material (e.g., 1.5 mm – 3.5 mm).
- Scissors, Tapestry Needle, Blocking Pins.
Key Crochet Terms
| Abbreviation | Stitch Name |
| ch | Chain |
| sl st | Slip Stitch |
| sc | Single Crochet |
| dc | Double Crochet |
| tr | Treble Crochet (Triple Crochet) |
| Picot | ch 3, sl st into the first ch |
Part 1: Establishing the Center
Round 1: Foundation
- Start: Make a Magic Ring. ch 3 (counts as dc). Work 15 dc into the ring.
- Finish: Pull the tail tight. Join with a sl st to the top of the ch 3. (16 sts).
Round 2: Creating Spoke Loops
- ch 1. Work sc in the same st.
- Spoke Loop: ch 5. Skip 1 stitch.
- Repeat: [sc in the next st, ch 5, skip 1 st] 7 more times. (8 ch-5 loops).
- Finish: Join with a sl st to the first sc.
Part 2: Building the Lace Design
Round 3: The Star Points
We use a combination of stitches to create the height variation necessary for the points.
- sl st into the first ch-5 loop.
- Point Shell: ch 3 (counts as dc). Work (dc, tr, ch 2, tr, 2 dc) into the same ch-5 loop.
- Anchor: Work sc into the next sc anchor.
- Repeat: Work [Shell (2 dc, tr, ch 2, tr, 2 dc) into the next ch-5 loop, sc into the next sc anchor] 7 more times.
- Finish: Join with a sl st to the top of the beginning ch 3. (8 defined points).
Round 4: Lacy Mesh and Picots
This round creates the open space between the points and adds decorative texture.
- sl st over to the ch-2 peak of the first shell.
- Peak: Work sc, Picot, sc into the ch-2 space.
- Side Mesh: ch 5. Work sc into the sc anchor between the shells.
- Side Mesh: ch 5.
- Repeat: Continue the sequence [(sc, Picot, sc) in the ch-2 peak, ch 5, sc in anchor, ch 5] 7 more times.
- Finish: Join with a sl st to the first sc.
Part 3: Finalizing the Motif/Doily
Round 5: Stabilizing the Edge
This round secures the motif shape and prepares it for stiffening.
- ch 1. Work sc in the next Picot peak.
- Filling Gaps: Work 5 dc into the next ch-5 loop.
- Center Anchor: Work sc into the next sc anchor.
- Filling Gaps: Work 5 dc into the next ch-5 loop.
- Repeat: Continue the sequence [sc in the Picot peak, 5 dc in ch-5 loop, sc in anchor, 5 dc in ch-5 loop] 7 more times.
- Finish: Join with a sl st to the first sc. Fasten off.
Adaptation for Different Uses
| Project Type | Size & Expansion | Finishing Notes |
| Small Lace Motif | Stop after Round 5. | Ready for joining into garments or used as a coaster. |
| Doily/Mandala | Continue working additional rounds. Increase the chain counts on the side mesh (e.g., use ch 6 or ch 7 loops) and use taller stitches (tr or dtr) in the peak shell to maintain the flat circular shape. | For a finished doily, repeat Round 5 structure (using slightly more stitches to fill the larger loops) as the final round. |
Final Step: Blocking (Absolutely Critical)
For any crocheted lace motif, blocking is essential to open up the pattern and define the points.
- Dampen: Wet the motif thoroughly (you can use liquid starch for extreme stiffness).
- Pin: Pin the center, then carefully pin out every single peak and point of the motif (the 8 Picot peaks from Round 4) onto a blocking mat, ensuring the piece is perfectly symmetrical.
- Dry: Allow the motif to dry completely while pinned. This final step transforms the texture and size.
Video tutorial:
