Welsh Lace Trim to Crochet

We asked Toni Rexroat to re-create the pattern from one of the pieces of lace brought to Oklahoma from Wales by Linda Ligon’s mother’s stepmother. Here is the result. The original pieces of lace were intended to be trim for petticoats. It will look equally as well on table or bed linens.

One of the original lenghty pieces of lace crocheted by Linda Ligon’s grandmother’s favorite sister. Linda Ligon’s great aunt standing at left and grandmother at right with a friend while performing Pirates of Penzance. Circa 1905. Linda Ligon’s grandfather before he immigrated to America. Circa 1905. The lace measures about 75 inches (190 cm) long and 2 inches (5.1 cm) wide at the widest point. Collection of Lind Ligon

[PAYWALL]

Materials

Handy Hands Lizbeth, 100% cotton thread, size 20, 210 yards (192.0 m)/25 gram (0.9 oz) ball, 1 ball of #603 Ecru Crochet hook, size 9 (1.4 mm)

Finished size: Each repeat measures about 11 inches (28 cm)
Gauge: 3 columns and 6 shells = 2 inches (5.1 cm)

See https://pieceworkmagazine.com/abbreviations/ for Abbreviations and Techniques

Special Stitches

Picot (p): Ch 3, sl st in base of ch 3.
Picot join (p join): Ch 1, sl st in picot of adjacent motif, ch 1, sl st in base of ch 3.

INSTRUCTIONS

Notes: Do not turn work when crocheting shells. Shell columns are worked with short rows and the right side facing throughout.

Petticoat Lace

Column 1 (3 shells),

Row 1: Ch 16, without turning, sl st in last chain from hook.
Row 2: Ch 3, ([dc, p] 2 times, [3 dc, p] 2 times, dc) in ch sp, ch 10, sl st in 5th dc from beg.
Rows 3 and 4: Rep Row 2.
Row 5: Ch 3, ([dc, p] 2 times, [3 dc, p] 2 times, 4 dc, p, 2 dc) in ch-10 sp, work ([2 dc, p] 2 times, 2 dc) in remainder of ch-10 sp in each lp below.

Column 2 (5 shells),

Row 1: Ch 16, without turning, sl st in last chain from hook.
Row 2: Ch 3, (dc, p join in last pc of adjacent motif, dc, p, [3 dc, p] 2 times, dc) in ch-10 sp, ch 10, sl st in 5th dc from beg.
Rows 3–5: Rep Row 2.
Row 6: Ch 3, (dc, p join, dc, p, [3 dc, p] 2 times, 4 dc, p, 2 dc) in ch-10 sp, work (2 dc, p, 2 dc, p join, 2 dc) in remainder of ch-10 sp in each lp below.

Column 3 (6 shells),

Row 1: Ch 16, without turning, sl st in last chain from hook.
Row 2: Ch 3, (dc, p join, dc, p, [3 dc, p] 2 times, dc) in ch-10 sp, ch 10, sl st in 5th dc from beg.
Rows 3–6: Rep Row 2.
Row 7: Ch 3, (dc, p join, dc, p, [3 dc, p] 2 times, 4 dc, p, 2 dc) in ch-10 sp, work (2 dc, p, 2 dc, p join, 2 dc) in remainder of ch-10 sp in each lp below.

Column 4 (7 shells),

Row 1: Ch 16, without turning, sl st in last chain from hook.
Row 2: Ch 3, (dc, p join, dc, p, [3 dc, p] 2 times, dc) in ch-10 sp, ch 10, sl st in 5th dc from beg.
Rows 3–7: Rep Row 2.
Row 8: Ch 3, (dc, p join, dc, p, [3 dc, p] 2 times, 4 dc, p, 2 dc) in ch-10 sp, work (2 dc, p, 2 dc, p join, 2 dc) in remainder of ch-10 sp in each lp below.

Column 5 (8 shells),

Row 1: Ch 16, without turning, sl st in last chain from hook.
Row 2: Ch 3, (dc, p join, dc, p, [3 dc, p] 2 times, dc) in ch-10 sp, ch 10, sl st in 5th dc from beg.
Rows 3–8: Rep Row 2.
Row 9: Ch 3, (dc, p join, dc, p, [3 dc, p] 2 times, 4 dc, p, 2 dc) in ch-10 sp, work (2 dc, p, 2 dc, p join, 2 dc) in remainder of ch-10 sp in each lp below.

Column 6 (9 shells),

Row 1: Ch 16, without turning, sl st in last chain from hook.
Row 2: Ch 3, (dc, p join, dc, p, [3 dc, p] 2 times, dc) in ch-10 sp, ch-10, sl st in 5th dc from beg.
Rows 3–9: Rep Row 2.
Row 10: Ch 3, (dc, p join, dc, p, [3 dc, p] 2 times, 4 dc, p, 2 dc) in ch-10 sp, work (2 dc, p, 2 dc, p join, 2 dc) in remainder of ch-10 sp in each lp below.

Column 7 (10 shells),

Row 1: Ch 16, without turning, sl st in last chain from hook.
Row 2: Ch 3, (dc, p join, dc, p, [3 dc, p] 2 times, dc) in ch-10 sp, ch-10, sl st in 5th dc from beg. Rows 3–10: Rep Row 2.
Row 11: Ch 3, (dc, p join, dc, p, [3 dc, p] 2 times, 4 dc, p, 2 dc) in ch-10 sp, work (2 dc, p, 2 dc, p join, 2 dc) in remainder of ch-10 sp in each lp below.

Column 8 (11 shells)

Row 1: Ch 16, without turning, sl st in last chain from hook.
Row 2: Ch 3, (dc, p join, dc, p, [3 dc, p] 2 times, dc) in ch-10 sp, ch 10, sl st in 5th dc from beg. Rows 3–11: Rep Row 2.
Row 12: Ch 3, (dc, p join, dc, p, [3 dc, p] 2 times, 4 dc, p, 2 dc) in ch-10 sp, work (2 dc, p, 2 dc, p join, 2 dc) in remainder of ch-10 sp in each lp below.

Column 9 (12 shells),

Row 1: Ch 16, without turning, sl st in last chain from hook.
Row 2: Ch 3, (dc, p join, dc, p, [3 dc, p] 2 times, dc) in ch-10 sp, ch 10, sl st in 5th dc from beg.
Rows 3–12: Rep Row 2.
Row 13: Ch 3, (dc, p join, dc, p, [3 dc, p] 2 times, 4 dc, p, 2 dc) in ch 10 sp, work (2 dc, p, 2 dc, p join, 2 dc) in remainder of ch-10 sp in each lp below.

Columns 10–17,

Rep Columns 2–8 in reverse order beg with Column 8.

Base

Row 1: Turn column section upside down and beg working in the bottom ridge lp of chains. Sl st in any bottom ridge lp to join, ch 3 (counts as dc here and throughout), working in the bottom ridge lps and row end dc, work a multiple of 4 dc (about 8 dc per shell) around.
Row 2: Ch 3, dc in next dc, ch 1, sk next 2 dc, *dc in next 2 dc, ch 1, sk next 2 dc; rep from *, sl st in top of beg ch-3 to join.
Row 3: Ch 3, ch 1, sk next dc, dc in next ch, dc in next dc, *ch 1, sk next dc, dc in next ch, dc in next dc; rep from * to last dc, ch 1, dc in next ch, sl st in top of beg ch-3 to join.
Row 3: Ch 3, dc in each dc and ch around, sl st in top of beg ch-3 to join.

Interested in learning more about Welsh lace? Find this pattern and its companion article in the November/December 2012 issue of PieceWork.

Also, remember that if you are an active subscriber to PieceWork magazine, you have unlimited access to previous issues, including November/December 2012. See our help center for the step-by-step process on how to access them.

Toni Rexroat is the former editor of CrochetMe.com. While she is always excited to try a new crochet technique, her first love will always be crochet-thread lace.

Originally published April 7, 2020; updated September 4, 2024.