Irish Roses and Leaves Crochet Doily Free Pattern

What a gorgeous doily! But all the roses and leaves are surely a lot of work!

The vintage pattern is from Crochet Gay and Gifty Ideas, Star Book No. 80 by American Thread Company, 1951.

ROSE: With Yellow ch 5, join to form a ring, ch 5, d c in ring, * ch 2, d c in ring, repeat from * 3 times, ch 2, join in 3rd st of ch, cut thread. Attach Shaded Pinks in loop, 1 s c, 5 d c, 1 s c in same space, * 1 s c, 5 d c, 1 s c in next loop, repeat from * 4 times, join.

Next Row—* Ch 5, sl st in back of work between next 2 petals, repeat from * 5 times.

Next Row—Over each loop work 1 s c, 7 d c, 1 s c, join.

Next Row—* Ch 7, sl st in back of work between next 2 petals, repeat from * all around.

Next Row—Over each loop work 1 s c, 2 d c, 5 tr c, 2 d c, 1 s c, join, cut thread. 

Work 9 more roses in same manner.

CENTER: With White ch 7, join to form a ring, ch 1 and work 10 s c in ring, join.

2nd Row—Ch 3, 2 d c in same space keeping last loop of each d c on hook, thread over and pull through all loops at one time, * ch 3, cluster st in next s c (cluster st: 3 d c in same space keeping last loop of each d c on hook, thread over and pull through all loops at one time), repeat from * 8 times, ch 3, join.

3rd Row—* Ch 4, s c in next loop, ch 4, s c in next cluster st, repeat from * all around (20 loops).

4th Row—Sl st into loop, * ch 4, s c in next loop, repeat from * all around, ending row with ch 1, d c in same space as beginning (this brings thread in position for next row).

5th Row—Ch 3 (counts as part of 1st cluster st), cluster st in same space, * ch 4, s c in next loop, ch 4, cluster st in next loop, repeat from * all around, ending row with ch 4, s c in next loop, ch 4, join in 1st cluster st.

6th Row—Sl st into loop, * ch 5, s c in next loop, repeat from * all around.

7th Row—Sl st into loop, ch 3 (counts as part of 1st cluster st), cluster st in same space, * ch 5, 2 s c in next loop, ch 5, cluster st in next loop, repeat from * all around ending row with ch 5, 2 s c in next loop, ch 5, join.

8th Row—Sl st into loop, ch 1, 2 s c in same space, * ch 7, 2 s c in next loop, repeat from * all around, ending row with ch 3, tr c in 1st s c.

9th Row—Ch 3, cluster st in same space, ch 5, cluster st in same space, * ch 1, 2 cluster sts with ch 5 between in next loop, repeat from * all around, ch 1, join, cut thread.

10th Row—Attach Green in the ch 1 between cluster sts, ch 4, cluster st in next ch 5 loop, ch 1, s c in center st of any petal of rose, * ch 1, cluster st in same space on center, ch 4, s c in the ch 1 between next 2 cluster sts, ch 4, cluster st in next ch 5 loop, ch 1, s c in center st of next petal of same rose, ch 1, cluster st in same space on center, ch 4, s c in next ch 1 loop between next 2 cluster sts, ch 4, cluster st in next ch 5 loop, ch 1, join to center st of any petal of next rose, repeat from * until all roses are joined ending row to correspond, join, cut thread.

LEAF: With Green ch 11, s c in 2nd st from hook, 1 s c in each of the next 8 sts of ch, 3 s c in last st, working on other side of ch, 1 s c in each of the next 8 sts.

2nd row—Ch 2, turn, working through back loop of sts only, skip 1 s c, 1 s c in each of the next 8 s c, 3 s c in next s c, 1 s c in each of the next 8 s c. Repeat the 2nd row 5 times.

Next Row—Ch 1, turn, join to center st of 2nd free petal on right hand side of any rose (to join: drop loop from hook, insert in petal, pick up loop and pull through), skip 1 s c on leaf and working through back loop of sts only, 1 sc in each of the next 9 s c, join to center st of next free petal of same rose, s c in same space on leaf, join to center st of 1st free petal on left hand side of next rose, s c in same space on leaf, 1 s c in each of the next 8 s c, join to center st of next petal of same rose, ch 1, s c in next s c on leaf, cut thread. 

Work 9 more leaves joining between roses in same manner.