Serene Swans Doily: A Free Crochet Pattern For You

Several years ago I designed a set of doilies for Annie's Attic called 'Vintage Floral Doilies.' The publishing rights have now reverted back to me, and I am now happy to make these patterns available to you for free. I will be adding the other doilies in the set though the coming months, so please check back for the others. 

These are my original patterns, so they are written differently from the ones AA published, but they are the same designs.

Today, I have the third pattern in the set for you, Serene Swans Doily. I hope you will enjoy it!

 Serene Swans Doily

By Elizabeth Ann White

For BellaCrochet

Skill Level: Experienced--for those who are adept at working with size 10 thread and steel hooks, and who have an  advanced knowledge of crochet

Size: About 22 1/2” long

Materials:
Size 10 Cotton Thread:
  200 yards Shaded Blue

  75 yards each Shaded Pink, Yellow and White

Fabric Glue

4 Black Seed Beads (for Swan’s eyes)

2 White chenille stems

Heavy starch

Size 7 (1.65 mm) Steel hook

Special Stitches

For Beginning Small Shell (beg sm shell), (sl st, ch 3, dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in stitch or ch space indicated

For Small Shell,  (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in stitch or chain space indicated

For Beginning Large Shell (beg lrg shell), (sl st, ch 3, 2 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in stitch or ch sp indicated

For Large Shell, (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in stitch or chain space indicated

For 3 dc cluster, holding back the last lp of each st on hook,  work 3 dc in place indicated, yo, pull through all lps on hook.

For 5 dc cluster, holding back the last lp of each st on hook, work 5 dc in place indicated, yo, pull through all lps on hook.

To work “Shell in Shell” work into the ch space at center of shell indicated.

Center

Rnd 1: With yellow, ch 6, join with sl st in first st to form ring, ch 1, 10 sc in ring, join with sl st in front lp of first sc.

Rnd 2: Working this round in front lps only, ch 1,  (sc, ch 5, sc, ch 5) in first st,  (sc, ch 5, sc, ch 5) in each st around, join with sl st in both lps of first sc. Fasten off. (20 ch-5 sps)

Rnd 3: Working in remaining back lps of Rnd 1, join shaded pinks with sc in first st, sc in same st as joining, 2 sc in each st around, join. (20 sc)

Rnd 4: Ch 1, sc in each st around, join.

Rnd 5: Ch 1, sc in first st, ch 10, sc in second ch from hook, hdc in next ch, dc in each of next 2 chs, tr in each of next 3 chs, dc in next ch, hdc in next ch, skip next st on Rnd 4, (sc in next st on Rnd 4, ch 10, sc in second ch from hook, hdc in next ch, dc in each of next 2 chs, tr in each of next 3 chs, dc in next ch, hdc in next ch, skip next st on Rnd 4) around, join. (10 petals made)

Rnd 6: Working behind petals in back lps of skipped sts on Rnd 4, ch 1, sc in   first skipped st, ch 4, (sc in next skipped st between petals, ch 4) around, join.  (10 ch-4 sps made)

Rnd 7:  Ch 1, sc in first ch sp, ch 12, sc in second ch from hook, hdc in next ch, dc in next ch tr in next ch , dtr in each of next 5 chs, tr in next ch, dc in next ch, (sc in next ch-4 sp, ch 12, sc in second ch from hook, hdc in next ch, dc in next ch,  tr in next ch , dtr in each of next 5 chs, tr in next ch, dc in next ch) around, join. Fasten off. (10 petals made)

Rnd 8: Join shaded blue with sc in tip of any petal on Rnd 7, (ch 4, tr in 4^th ch from hook) 3 times, *sc in tip of next petal on Rnd 7, (ch 4, tr in 4^th ch from hook) 3 times; repeat from * around, join. (30 ch sps made)

Rnd 9: Beginning small shell (see Special Stitches) in first ch sp, small shell (see Special Stitches) in each ch sp around, join with sl st in top of ch-3. (Beg small shell counts as first sm shell; 30 sm shells made)

Rnd 10: Sl st to ch sp at center of first small shell, beg sm shell  in ch sp of first sm shell, sm shell in ch sp of each sm shell around, join.

Rnd 11: Sl st to ch sp at center of first shell, beg sm shell in ch sp of first shell, ch 1, (sm shell, ch 1) in ch sp of each sm shell around, join.

Rnd 12: Sl st to ch sp at center of first shell, beg sm shell in ch sp of first sm shell, ch 2, (sm shell, ch 2) in ch sp of each sm shell around, join.

Rnd 13: Sl st to ch sp at center of first sm shell, beg lrg shell (see Special Stitches) in ch sp of first sm shell, ch 2, sc in next ch-2 sp, ch 2, *large shell (see Special Stitches) in ch sp of next sm shell, ch 2, sc in next ch-2 sp, ch 2; repeat from * around, join. Fasten off.

First Swan Motif

Row 1: With white, ch 29, sc in 12^th ch from hook (neck opening made), sc in each of remaining 17 chs, turn.

Row 2: Ch 1, sc in each of first 18 sts, sc in next 11 chs; working in remaining lps on opposite side of starting ch, skip next ch, sc in each of last 17 chs, turn. (46 sc made)

Row 3: Working this row in back lps only, sl st in each of first 2 sts, ch 1, sc in each st across to last 2 sts; leaving last two sts unworked, turn. (42 sc)

Row 4: Working this row in front lps only, ch 1, sc in each st across, turn.

Row 5: Repeat Row 3.

Row 6: Repeat Row 4.

Row 7: Repeat Row 3. 

Row 8: Repeat Row 4. At end of row, fasten off. (34 sc)

Rnd 9: Now working in rounds, join shaded blues with sc in first st, (ch 5, skip next 2 sts, sc in next st) 5 times, ch 5, skip next st, (sc, ch 5, sc) in next st, ch 5, skip next st, sc in next st, (ch 5, skip next 2 sts, sc in next st) 5 times,  ch 5, sc in end of row 6, ch 5, sc in end of row 4, ch 5, sc in end of Row 2, ch 5, sc in remaining end of Row 2, ch 5, sc in remaining end of Row 4, ch 5, sc in remaining end of Row 6, ch 5, join with sl st in first sc.

Rnd 10: Beg sm shell  in first ch sp, sm shell  in each ch sp around, join with sl st in top of ch-3.

Rnds 11-12: Sl st to ch sp at center of  first sm shell, beg sm shell in ch sp of first sm shell, ch 2, (small shell, ch 2) in ch sp of each sm shell around, join.

NOTE: For Joining Shell, (3 dc, ch 1, sl st in ch-2 sp of shell indicated on Center, ch 1, 3 dc) in large shell indicated

Rnd 13: For this round, work steps A- E:
A:  Sl st to ch sp at center of first shell, beg lrg shell in ch sp of first shell, ch 2, sc in next ch-2 sp, ch 2;

B: (large shell in ch-2 sp of next shell, ch 2, sc in next ch-2 sp, ch 2) 4 times,

C: in next shell work Joining Shell -see Note above- attaching to  any large shell on Center, ch 2, sc in next ch-2 sp on this Motif, ch 2,

D: (work joining shell in next shell attaching to next large shell on Center, ch 2, sc in next ch-2 sp on this Motif, ch 2) 2 times, 

E: (large shell in next shell, ch 2, sc in next ch-2 sp, ch 2) around, join. Fasten off.

Second Swan Motif

Rnds 1-12: Work the same as Rnds 1-12 of First Swan Motif.

Rnd 13: For this round, work steps A- E:
A:  Sl st to ch sp at center of first shell, beg lrg shell in ch sp of first shell, ch 2, sc in next ch-2 sp, ch 2;

B: (large shell in ch-2 sp of next shell, ch 2, sc in next ch-2 sp, ch 2) 4 times,

C: skip next 12 unworked shells on Center; work joining shell in next shell on Rnd 12 attaching to the next shell on Center, ch 2, sc in next ch-2 sp on this Motif, ch 2;

D: (Work joining  shell in next shell attaching  to next shell on Center, ch 2, sc in next ch-2 sp on this Motif, ch 2) 2 times;

E: (large shell in next shell, ch 2, sc in next ch-2 sp, ch 2) around, join. Fasten off.

Water lily (make 4)

Rnd 1: With yellow, ch 2, 6 sc in second ch from hook, join with sl st in first sc. (6 sc made)

Rnd 2: Ch 1, sc in first st, ch 3, (sc in next st, ch 3) around, join. Fasten off.

Rnd 3: Join shaded pink with sl st in any ch sp, (ch 2, 3 dc cluster, ch 3, sl st in top of cluster just made, ch 2, sl st) in same sp as joining sl st, (sl st, ch 2, 3 dc cluster, ch 3, sl st in top of cluster just made, ch 2, sl st) in each ch sp around, join. (6 petals made)

Rnd 4: Working behind petals, ch 4, (sl st between next 2 petals, ch 4) around, join.

Notes: For Joining Petal, (sl st, ch 2, 5 dc cluster -see Special Stitches- ch 1, sl st in ch-2 sp of large shell on Center or Swan Motif, ch 1, sl st in top of 5-dc cluster, ch 2, sl st) in same ch sp.

For Petal, (sl st, ch 2, 5 dc cluster, ch 3, sl st in top of cluster just made, ch 2, sl st) in ch sp indicated.

Water lilies are joined to ch sps of first unworked shells of both Center and Small Motifs

Rnd 5: Joining Petal (see Notes) in first ch sp joining to first unworked shell on Center or Swan Motif, Petal (see Notes)  in next ch-4 sp, Joining Petal in next ch-4 sp joining to first unworked shell on Center or Swan Motif, Petal in each remaining ch sp around, join. Fasten off.

Swans Head and Neck (make 2)

Note: Work in rounds, do not join or turn. Mark first st of each round.

Rnd 1: With yellow, ch 2, 4 sc in second ch from hook. (4)

Rnd 2: (2 sc in next st, sc in next st) 2 times. (6)

Rnd 3: Sc in each st around, changing to white in last st. Fasten off yellow.

Rnd 4: With white, sc in each st around.

Rnd 5: (2 sc in next st, sc in next 2 sts) 2 times. (8)

Rnd 6: (2 sc in next st, sc in next 3 sts) 2 times. (10)

Rnds 7-10: Sc in each st around.

Rnd 11: (Sc next 2 sts tog, sc in next 3 sts) 2 times. (8)

Rnd 12: Sc in each st around. Repeat Rnd 12 until piece is 4 ½” long. At end of last round, sl st in first st, fasten off.

Wing (make 4)

Rnd 1: With white, ch 6, sl st in first ch to form ring, ch 6, (tr in ring, ch 2) 14 times join with sl st in 4^th ch of ch-6.

Rnd 2: (Sl st, ch 1, sc) in first ch sp, ch 3, (sc in next ch sp, ch 3) around, join with sl st in 1^st sc. Fasten off.

Finishing

1: Spray finished doily with spray starch, shape and allow to dry.

2: Cut one chenille stem in half.  Insert folded end in Head and Neck of one Swan. Bend to desired shape. Cut away excess chenille stem. Glue black seed beads to Head for eyes. Insert end of Neck in opening of Swan Body, glue in place. Repeat on remaining Swan.

3: Fold Wings in half. Glue to Swan Bodies as shown in photos.

 Special thanks go to E. J. Miller, Jolene Ortiz, Debbie Peters, Karen Misiunas and Jewel Fernley for testing these patterns.

 Copyright BellaCrochet 2011. All rights reserved. Please do not redistribute or share this pattern; do not post it on any website. DO NOT make videos or tutorials of it for distribution on YouTube or any other site. You may share the link to the pattern only (and link shares are greatly appreciated, please tell your crocheting friends who might enjoy this pattern!) 
This pattern has been tested for accuracy and clarity, and I can offer no additional information, photos or help with it.

If you have enjoyed this design, I hope you will check out my other free patterns: