12 Crochet Doily Free Patterns
A crochet doily is small, pretty and quick, and it is a great way to try lace without a big project. Doilies are back in style too. People use them under plants and lamps, frame them, hang them on walls, or stack them on a tea tray.
This list has 12 free patterns we checked on each designer’s page. It starts with chunky doilies made in regular yarn, which are perfect for beginners, and moves on to classic thread doilies for when you are ready for fine lace.
Crochet Doily Free Patterns
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What You’ll Need
- Worsted or DK cotton yarn for chunky doilies
- Size 10 crochet thread for classic doilies
- Steel crochet hook set
- Regular crochet hooks (3.5 mm to 5 mm)
- Blocking mats and rust-proof pins
- Spray starch
- Small scissors and a tapestry needle
1. Chunky Crochet Doily in Two Sizes
Photo: Petals to Picots
These little doilies have the look of old lace but use worsted cotton and a regular hook. Each one has a scalloped edge with picots. They are 5 or 6 inches across and work up fast. Stitch diagrams are included.
- Designer: Petals to Picots
- Skill level: Easy
- Yarn: Worsted cotton
- Hook: 5 mm (H)
- Price: Free
- Get the pattern: Get the free pattern →
2. Rustic Christmas Flower Doily
A 6-inch flower doily in green and a soft gray, worked in just six rounds. It uses front post stitches and cluster stitches for texture. Set it under a candle or a small tree for the holidays.
- Designer: Rhondda Mol / Oombawka Design Crochet
- Skill level: Easy
- Yarn: DK (#3)
- Hook: 4.5 mm (US 7)
- Price: Free
- Get the pattern: Get the free pattern →
3. Bright Doily Tutorial
Photo: Janette / The Green Dragonfly
The designer calls this “a doily with attitude.” It is a bright, multicolor doily in 8 ply cotton with 13 rounds of basic stitches. It is a fun way to use up colorful scraps, and it ends up about 22 cm across.
- Designer: Janette / The Green Dragonfly
- Skill level: see pattern
- Yarn: 8 ply (DK) cotton
- Hook: 4 mm
- Price: Free
- Get the pattern: Get the free pattern →
4. April Garden Motif and Doily
Photo: Mrs. Micawber (Sue)
Small 2-inch flower motifs in several colors are joined into a 7-inch round doily with lacy loops. Charts are included. It looks like a little spring garden and is a great stash buster.
- Designer: Mrs. Micawber (Sue)
- Skill level: see pattern
- Yarn: Cotton (any yarn with the right hook, see pattern)
- Hook: 3.25 mm (D)
- Price: Free
- Get the pattern: Get the free pattern →
5. Tea Time Doily
Photo: Toni / Foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains
A 9.5-inch doily made from one ball of worsted cotton, meant to sit under a teapot or dish. Readers say the clusters look like little rosebuds around the edge. Only ten rows, so it is quick.
- Designer: Toni / Foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains
- Skill level: see pattern
- Yarn: Worsted cotton
- Hook: G
- Price: Free
- Get the pattern: Get the free pattern →
6. Sun-Flower Doily
Photo: Rhelena / Crochet N Crafts
A 13-inch doily with a sunny center and a flower-like outline. It uses size 3 thread, which is thicker than classic doily thread, so it is a nice bridge between yarn and fine lace. Only basic stitches are used.
- Designer: Rhelena / Crochet N Crafts
- Skill level: Easy
- Yarn: Size 3 crochet thread
- Hook: 3.5 mm (E)
- Price: Free
- Get the pattern: Get the free pattern →
7. Serendipity Hearts Doily
Photo: DearestDebi
Three rounds of hearts make this a sweet doily for Valentine’s Day or a gift. It uses DK yarn with cluster stitches and v-stitches. The designer suggests it as a centerpiece or placemat. The free download includes the written pattern and a picture/chart file.
- Designer: DearestDebi
- Skill level: Intermediate
- Yarn: DK (#3)
- Hook: 4 mm (G)
- Price: Free PDF download
- Get the pattern: Get the free pattern →
8. Petite Independence Day Doily
Photo: Cylinda Mathews / Crochet Memories
A small 7-inch doily in red, white and blue, with an optional star edging. It is a lovely touch for a Fourth of July table and uses only small amounts of thread.
- Designer: Cylinda Mathews / Crochet Memories
- Skill level: Easy
- Yarn: Size 10 cotton thread
- Hook: 1.5 mm (steel size 8)
- Price: Free
- Get the pattern: Get the free pattern →
9. Two-Tone Doily
A 9-inch thread doily in two colors: one for the center and edge, and white or a contrast color in between. It has 18 rounds. Pick colors to match your room.
- Designer: Tina Calabrese / Totally Free Crochet Pattern Blog
- Skill level: see pattern
- Yarn: Size 10 crochet thread
- Hook: Steel size 7
- Price: Free
- Get the pattern: Get the free pattern →
10. Exquisite Flower Doily
Photo: Aunt Lydia’s / Yarnspirations
A spring-inspired floral doily made in classic crochet thread. The free PDF has both written instructions and diagrams, which helps a lot with lace. Check the PDF for the finished size and hook.
- Designer: Aunt Lydia’s / Yarnspirations
- Skill level: Intermediate
- Yarn: Aunt Lydia’s Classic Crochet Thread
- Hook: see pattern
- Price: Free PDF download
- Get the pattern: Get the free pattern →
11. Pansy Doily
Photo: Janet McMahon
A 12-inch round doily with a band of pansies. The designer rewrote it from a doily she made nearly 30 years ago. It uses fine #12 thread, so it is a slower, more delicate project.
- Designer: Janet McMahon
- Skill level: see pattern
- Yarn: Size 12 crochet thread
- Hook: 1.75 mm
- Price: Free Ravelry download
- Get the pattern: Get the free pattern →
12. Star Center Doily
Photo: American Thread Company (Star Doily Book #137) / Free Vintage Crochet
A true vintage pattern with 29 rounds, a star center, cluster sections, mesh and a picot edge. It finishes at about 15 inches. This is the one to make when you want a classic heirloom doily.
- Designer: American Thread Company (Star Doily Book #137) / Free Vintage Crochet
- Skill level: see pattern
- Yarn: Mercerized crochet cotton (see pattern)
- Hook: Steel size 7
- Price: Free
- Get the pattern: Get the free pattern →
Which One Should You Make?
- Never made a doily? Start with #1. It uses yarn and a normal hook.
- Want color? #3 and #4 are bright and scrappy.
- Decorating for a holiday? Try #2 for Christmas, #7 for Valentine’s Day or #8 for the Fourth of July.
- Ready for thread? #6 uses thicker size 3 thread, then move on to #8 or #9.
- Want an heirloom piece? #12 is a classic vintage doily.
FAQ
Can a beginner crochet a doily?
Yes. Start with a chunky doily made in worsted or DK yarn, like #1 or #2. You use the same stitches as thread doilies, but the yarn is easier to see and hold. Once you know how doilies grow in rounds, try thread.
What thread size is used for crochet doilies?
Size 10 cotton thread is the most common, usually with a 1.5 to 1.75 mm steel hook. Size 3 thread is thicker and easier for practice. Size 12 and higher is finer and gives very delicate lace.
How do I make a crochet doily lay flat?
Block it. Wet the doily, gently squeeze out water, and pin it flat on a blocking mat, pulling each point or loop into place. Spray with starch if you want it stiff. Let it dry fully before you unpin it.
Start small, enjoy the lace, and soon you will have a doily for every table in the house.