Free Knitting Pattern for a Small Joined Motifs Placemat.
This pattern creates a rectangular place mat and a smaller, rectangular pitcher mat. Both are made by joining small, individual motifs together. The motifs have a textured, possibly floral or starburst-like design due to the use of treble crochets and picots.
Skill Level: Due to the small motifs, fine yarn and hook, and the joining process, this pattern is likely best suited for an intermediate to advanced crocheter. The required skills are:
- Chain (ch)
- Slip stitch (sl st)
- Treble crochet (tr) – The pattern does not state US or UK terminology, but the construction, yarn, and hook size strongly suggest it’s using US terminology. In US terms, this would be a double treble (dtr) or triple crochet (tr). This is a key point.
- Picot (a small loop formed by chaining and slip stitching)
- Working in the round
- Joining motifs (replacing chains with slip stitches to adjacent motifs)
- Following a diagram (essential for motif joining and overall arrangement)
- Creating fringe (optional)
- Forming a ring.
Sizing:
- Place mat: 17 1/4 inches by 12 1/2 inches
- Pitcher mat: 6 1/4 inches by 4 3/4 inches
Materials:
- Yarn: Cordonnet crochet cotton size 20, about 285 yards each of cream and mustard yellow. This is a very fine, thread-like yarn.
- Hook: Steel crochet hook US size 9 (1.25 mm) – This is a very small hook, appropriate for fine thread.
Gauge: One motif measures 1 5/8 inches in diameter.
Crochet Diagram
Construction:
- Motif:
- Each motif begins with a chain-15 ring.
- Round 1: Chain 8 (counts as a treble crochet and some chains), slip stitch in the 4th chain from the hook (to form a picot), then work a repeating sequence of (3 treble crochets, 1 picot) into the ring. The round ends with a picot and 2 treble crochets, joined to the top of the initial chain-8.
- Place Mat:
- The place mat consists of 8 rows of motifs (4 rows in cream, 4 rows in mustard yellow), with 10 motifs in each row.
- The motifs are joined as they are made. Starting with the second motif, you replace the 3rd chain of two consecutive picots with a slip stitch worked into the corresponding picot of an adjacent motif. This joins the motifs at specific points.
- The arrangement of the rows and the joining points are shown in diagrams (not included in the provided text, but referenced in the pattern).
- Pitcher Mat:
- The pitcher mat is made in the same way as the place mat, but with a different number of motifs and a different arrangement.
- Fringes (Optional):
- Fringes can be added to the place mat.
- For each fringe, five strands of yarn (4 inches long) are folded in half.
- Alternating cream and mustard fringes (8 of each color) are knotted in place, as shown in a diagram (not included).
Key Features:
- Motif-Based Construction: Both the place mat and pitcher mat are made from small, joined motifs.
- Textured Motifs: The combination of treble crochets and picots creates a textured design.
- Fine Yarn and Hook: Uses size 20 crochet cotton and a 1.25mm hook, resulting in a delicate, intricate piece.
- Diagram-Dependent: The written instructions frequently refer to diagrams (not included), making the diagrams essential for following the pattern.
- Joining-as-You-Go: The motifs are joined to each other as the picots are made.
- Optional Fringe: Adds a decorative finish to the place mat.
- Likely US Terminology: Although not explicitly stated, the pattern likely uses US crochet terms, meaning “tr” is a double treble/triple crochet. This is a critical point for interpreting the pattern correctly.
- Intricate pattern.