Red and White Oval Lace Doily
Advanced
For experienced crocheters who enjoy complex shaping, fine detail, and ambitious construction
Weekend Project
A satisfying weekend make — start Friday, finish Sunday, enjoy forever.
Handmade Gift
A beautiful keepsake — free forever. Read online or print at home.
About This Red and White Oval Lace Doily
A striking oval doily in red and white: a filet-style red centre crossed by concentric white puff-stitch arches, finished with a dramatic fan-shell flower border that alternates red and white. It is bold, intricate and lies beautifully flat as a centrepiece or under a vase.
About this design
The oval centre is worked in the round over a long foundation, with a red mesh ground and raised white puff stitches worked in concentric oval ‘rainbows’. The border is a round of large fan shells, each tipped with a little white flower, giving the scalloped, feathered edge you see in the photo.
Pro tips for a flawless finish
Keep the two straight sides of the oval matched — mark each end and count your repeats. The white puff arches need firm, even puffs to pop against the red, so close each puff snugly. Carry colours neatly on the back during the two-colour rounds, or use short lengths and weave in as you go.
Blocking & finishing
Block hard: pin the oval to shape, square the mesh, and pin every fan point so the border sits flat and even. A light starch keeps the fans crisp for a centre-table piece.
How to style it at home
Lay it under a clear vase or a bowl of baubles so the red-and-white pattern frames the centre, or let it sit alone on a dark table where the contrast really sings.
Ready to make it?
The full written pattern — materials, round-by-round instructions, abbreviations, FAQ and troubleshooting — is all right here on this page, 100% free. Grab your hook, take your time, and enjoy every stitch. When you finish, you will have an heirloom-quality piece that looks like it came from a boutique.
Starting rounds — magic ring and first increases
Why You'll Love This Pattern 💛
The red-and-white contrast with raised white arches makes this doily look far more complex than it is. It's a true statement centrepiece that blocks out crisp and flat.
Shaping with increases — building the body
Switch Things Up 🎨
Work it in red + gold for Christmas, or all-ecru for a classic vintage doily.
Colour variations — personalise your make
Common Mistakes & How to Fix Them 🔧
Your puffs are too loose. Use 4–5 loops per puff and close them tightly so they stand up against the red mesh.
Mark both ends and count repeats on each half before every border round; adjust a straight section so the two curves mirror each other.
Too many fans on the straight sides — skip an extra base stitch between fans there, and ease more fans around the curves.
Change colour on the final yarn-over of the previous stitch and give the new colour a gentle tug to close the join.
Assembly stage — pinning pieces before sewing
Materials Needed for Red and White Oval Lace Doily
🪝Tools & Notions
Red, approx 110 g
White, approx 70 g
— Gauge:
first 5 rounds = 8 cm
— Finished Size:
~55 × 42 cm oval
— Yarn Weight:
Fine cotton thread (size 10)
— Hook:
2.5 mm (US B/1 – C/2)
— Terms:
US Crochet Terminology
— Cost:
FREE ✓
Crochet Abbreviations
Red and White Oval Lace Doily — Full Pattern
🧶Pattern
Assembly & Finishing Tips
💡 Weaving in ends
Use a tapestry needle to weave each tail back and forth through at least 5–6 stitches in different directions. A tiny dot of washable glue on the final stitch before trimming adds extra security for toys used by children.
💡 Sewing pieces together
Pin each piece firmly to the body before sewing. Use mattress stitch for the most invisible join — insert the needle under the same yarn bar on alternating pieces and pull firmly. Knot securely at start and end, weave both tails deep into the body.
💡 Positioning safety eyes
Take time here — eye spacing determines the character's entire personality. Closer eyes look more intense; further apart looks more friendly and playful. Pin both positions and step back before snapping the backs on permanently. Once snapped, eyes cannot be moved without damaging the fabric.
💡 Blocking
Not required for amigurumi, but lightly steam-blocking any warped pieces will relax the fibres. Hold a steam iron a few centimetres away — never let it touch the stuffing or safety eyes directly.
💡 Care instructions
Handwash in cool water with mild detergent, press gently to remove excess water, lay flat to dry. Many acrylic yarns are machine washable on a gentle cycle in a laundry bag — always check your yarn label.
⚠️ Important Notes
- Use stitch markers at the start of every round — don't rely on memory to count.
- Work with consistent tension throughout. Gauge swatch before starting if in doubt.
- Fasten off leaving long tails for sewing — at least 30cm for each piece you'll need to attach.
- Pin and check positioning of all pieces before sewing any of them permanently.
Beginner's Guide to Amigurumi 🌱
Amigurumi (Japanese: ami = knitted/crocheted + nuigurumi = stuffed toy) is the craft of making small crocheted characters. You start with a magic ring, work in continuous spiral rounds of single crochet, and shape the piece through increases and decreases — no seams, no joins, no turning.
The magic ring creates a closable centre with no hole. Wrap yarn around two fingers, insert the hook, yarn over and pull through. Work your first round into this ring, then pull the tail to close tight. Practise a few times — it becomes effortless quickly.
The invisible decrease — insert your hook through the front loop only of the first stitch, then the front loop only of the second stitch. Yarn over, pull through both loops, then yarn over again and pull through the remaining two. Working through front loops only makes the decrease blend into the fabric instead of leaving a bump.
Tension matters most. Amigurumi needs tight, firm tension so stuffing can't show through. If you can see white fiberfill peeking between your stitches, go down one hook size. The fabric should feel dense and firm — like a tightly woven canvas, not a loose net.
The finished Red and White Oval Lace Doily — ready to gift or display
You Ask, We Answer ❓
You draw up several tall loops in the same stitch and close them all together, making a soft raised bump. Here the white puffs create the ribbed arches over the red mesh.
Yes — a single-colour version (all red, or all white) is elegant and a little easier because you skip the colour changes. The texture still shows beautifully.
Check the end increases — curves need more stitches than the straights. A firm wet-block fixes mild waviness; strong cupping means add stitches at the ends.
Use colourfast mercerised cotton and wash cool. Test a scrap first if you're unsure about the red.
Yes, finished handmade pieces may be sold with credit to Cozy Amigurumi. The pattern itself may not be resold or redistributed.
