Crocheted doilies and table mats are delicate, lace-like pieces made using thin thread and small hooks. They are usually worked in the round from the center outward, forming repeating motifs such as petals, pineapples, fans, or shells.

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🧶 1. Materials You Need

Thread

• Use cotton crochet thread, usually:
  • Size 10 for beginners (easier to see)
  • Size 20 or 30 for finer lace

Hook

• Steel crochet hooks, typically:
  • 1.5 mm – 1.75 mm for size 10 thread
  • 1.0 mm – 1.25 mm for size 20/30 thread

Other Supplies

• Small scissors
• Tapestry needle
• Starch (optional for stiffening)
• Blocking board + pins

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🔤 2. Basic Stitches You Should Know

These are the stitches most commonly used in doilies:

Stitch	Abbreviation	Description
Chain	ch	Used to start rounds and create spaces
Slip Stitch	sl st	Joins rounds or moves position
Single Crochet	sc	Short, tight stitch
Double Crochet	dc	Common in lace patterns
Treble Crochet	tr	Taller stitch for lacework
Double Treble Crochet	dtr	Very tall stitch, often in radiating designs
Picot	—	A little decorative knot of 3 ch

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🔄 3. General Structure of a Doily Pattern

Most doilies follow this structure:

Round 1: Center

• Start with a magic ring or chain-4 ring
• Work a small number of stitches inside the ring

Rounds 2–5: Expansion

• Add stitches evenly around the center
• Use dc, tr, and chains to create open lace sections

Rounds 6–20+: Pattern Rounds

• Form motifs such as:
  • Pineapple shapes
  • Shell patterns
  • Fan shapes
  • Petals (like the ones in your photo)
• Patterns repeat symmetrically (6, 8, 12, or 16 repeats)

Final rounds: Edging

• Often picots, shells, or arches
• Adds decorative finish and stability

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✏️ 4. Example: Simple Doily Pattern (Beginner-Friendly)

This is a generic small doily you can make to build skill.
(You can expand it by continuing similar rounds.)

Round 1

• Make a magic ring
• Ch 3 (counts as dc), work 11 dc into ring (12 total)
• Join with sl st

Round 2

• Ch 4 (counts as dc + ch1)
• *dc in next stitch, ch 1* repeat around (12 ch-1 spaces)
• Join

Round 3

• Sl st into first ch-1 space
• Ch 3 + 2 dc in same space (shell)
• *3 dc in next space* repeat around

Round 4

• Ch 5 (counts as tr + ch1)
• *tr between shells, ch1* repeat

Round 5

• Into each ch-1 space work: 2 dc, ch1, 2 dc (V-shell)
• Repeat around

Round 6

• Ch 4, dc into same space
• Ch 3, V-stitch into next ch-1 space repeat

Round 7

• Ch 3, dc in same stitch
• Ch 5, 2 dc in next ch-1 space repeat

Round 8 (Final Edging)

• In each ch-5 space: sc, ch 3, sc, ch 3, sc
• Creates a pretty picot lace edge

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✨ 5. Tips for More Professional Results

✔ Keep tension even

Fine thread makes tension more noticeable.

✔ Use blocking

• Wet the doily
• Stretch flat
• Pin into shape
• Let dry completely
  This makes the lace crisp and perfect.

✔ Use starch (optional)

Spray starch or sugar starch can stiffen the doily.

✔ Practice reading chart diagrams

Most advanced doilies use symbol charts that show the motifs clearly.

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🌼 6. How to Make Doilies Like the Ones in Your Image

The doilies in your photo feature:

• Large petal motifs
• Tall stitches (tr, dtr)
• Open mesh between petals
• Symmetrical circular construction

To make similar doilies, look for patterns involving:

• Pineapple motif rounds
• Fan or shell petals
• Petal-based doily charts
• 10–12 repeating segments

Or I can write a custom pattern for one of the designs you showed —
just tell me:

👉 Do you want:

• The left doily pattern?
• The right doily pattern?
• Or a simplified beginner version inspired by them?

I can create a full row-by-row pattern for you.

Video tutorial: