Pink Swirl Lace Crochet Bedspread

Materials

• DK weight cotton, rose pink about 3,050 m for a bedspread (15 skeins of 100 g / 210 m), or 550 m for a runner (3 skeins), for the swirls
• DK weight cotton, light pink about 1,800 m for a bedspread (9 skeins), or 330 m for a runner (2 skeins), for the lace rings and webs
• 3.5 mm (E-4) crochet hook
• Stitch markers to mark the first post st of each rnd
• Blocking mats and rust-proof pins
• Tapestry needle and scissors

Abbreviations

How the Swirl Works

The swirl is a flat circle of double crochet with 16 raised ridges. Each ridge is a front post double crochet (fpdc), which sits on top of the fabric instead of in it. On every round you work the new fpdc around the stitch just after the old one, then a dc into the top of that same stitch. That one move does two jobs: it adds 16 stitches per round so the circle stays flat, and it shifts every ridge one stitch along, so the straight spokes bend into a spiral.

After Rnd 4 the rule never changes: work a dc in each stitch up to the post, a dc in the top of the post, then the new post and its partner dc. Count the stitches between two posts at the end of a round; that number goes up by one every round, so you can always check where you are.

This pink version has 16 ridges, which makes a tighter, busier spiral like a rose. Because it adds 16 stitches per round, the swirl wants to lift slightly in the middle; cotton yarn and a firm block keep it flat, and the small dome helps the 3D look in the photos.

Sizes and How Many Motifs

• Each joined motif takes up about 18.5 x 18.5 cm, and the free shells add about 2 cm on each outer edge.
• Table runner: 3 x 8 = 24 motifs and 14 webs, about 55 x 150 cm.
• Baby blanket: 4 x 5 = 20 motifs and 12 webs, about 75 x 95 cm.
• Throw: 7 x 8 = 56 motifs and 42 webs, about 130 x 150 cm.
• Queen bedspread: 11 x 12 = 132 motifs and 110 webs, about 205 x 225 cm.
• King bedspread: 13 x 12 = 156 motifs and 132 webs, about 240 x 225 cm.
• Yarn per motif, to plan any size: about 23 m rose pink and 13 m light pink. Each web uses about 1 m of light pink.

Rose Swirl (make 132 for a bedspread, 24 for a runner)

1. Every rnd starts with ch 2 (does not count as a st) and is joined with a sl st to the first st.
2. Rnd 1: with rose pink, MR, ch 2, 16 dc in ring, join. Pull the ring tight. (16 sts)
3. Rnd 2: ch 2, *fpdc around next st, dc in top of same st; rep from * 15 more times, join. (32 sts, including 16 fpdc)
4. Rnd 3: ch 2, *dc in top of next fpdc, fpdc around next st, dc in top of same st; rep from * 15 more times, join. (48 sts)
5. Rnd 4: ch 2, *dc in each st up to the next fpdc, dc in top of the fpdc, fpdc around next st, dc in top of same st; rep from * 15 more times, join. (64 sts)
6. Rnds 5-6: rep Rnd 4 twice. Fasten off. (Rnd 5: 80 sts, Rnd 6: 96 sts)
7. The 16 ridges twist a little more each rnd, so they curve into a tight spiral. The swirl measures about 11 cm across.

Light Pink Lace Ring (worked on every swirl)

1. Rnd 7: join light pink in any st. Ch 5 (counts as dc and ch 2), sk next 2 sts, *dc in next st, ch 2, sk next 2 sts; rep from * 30 more times, join with sl st to 3rd ch of ch 5. (32 dc, 32 ch-2 sps)
2. Rnd 8: sl st in next ch-2 sp, ch 1, sc in same sp, *ch 5, sc in next ch-2 sp; rep from * 30 more times, ch 5, join with sl st to first sc. (32 ch-5 loops)
3. Rnd 9 (first motif only): sl st in next ch-5 loop, ch 1, sc in same loop, *shell in next loop, sc in next loop; rep from * 14 more times, shell in last loop, join with sl st to first sc. Fasten off. (16 shells)
4. Count the shells as 4 sides of 4. The 2 middle shells of each side join to the next motif; the 2 shells at each corner stay free for the webs.

Joining as You Go

1. Layout: 11 motifs across and 12 long for a bedspread, or 3 across and 8 long for a runner.
2. Work Rnds 1-8 of the next motif, then work Rnd 9 until you reach the first shell that must join a finished motif.
3. Joining shell: work 3 dc and ch 1 in the loop, sl st in the ch-2 tip of the matching shell on the finished motif, ch 1, then work 3 dc in the same loop.
4. Join the next shell the same way, then finish the rnd as usual. (2 joined shells per shared side)
5. From the second row on, join the top side to the motif above and the left side to the motif on the left.

Chain Web Fillers (make 110 for a bedspread, 14 for a runner)

1. Work one web in each gap where four motifs meet. Each gap has 8 free shells around it.
2. Rnd 1: with light pink, MR, ch 1, 8 sc in ring, join with sl st to first sc. Pull the ring tight. (8 sts)
3. Rnd 2: *ch 6, sl st in the ch-2 tip of the next free shell, ch 6, sl st in next sc of Rnd 1; rep from * 7 more times. Fasten off. (8 spokes)
4. Pull each spoke straight before you weave in the end, so the web sits flat and centered in the gap.

Straight Edge Border (optional)

1. Work this only if you want a straight edge for a tablecloth or a bed. The runner in the photos uses the free shells as its edge.
2. Rnd 1: with light pink, join in the ch-2 tip of a corner shell. Ch 1, sc in same sp, *ch 6, sc in the ch-2 tip of the next free shell; rep along each motif side. Between two motifs, work ch 4, sc in the joined tips, ch 4. At each outer corner work (sc, ch 8, sc) in the corner shell. Join.
3. Rnd 2: ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in each sc and 6 dc in each ch-6 loop, 4 dc in each ch-4 loop and 11 dc in each corner loop. Join.
4. Rnd 3: ch 1, sc in first st, *ch 3, sk 1 st, sc in next st; rep from * around. Join and fasten off. (small picot-like loops along the edge)
5. The border is about 4 cm wide.

Matching Rose Cushion

1. Front: join 4 motifs in a square, 2 x 2, and work 1 web in the center gap.
2. Fill the edge gaps with half webs: MR, ch 1, 5 sc, then work 4 spokes into the 4 free shells around the gap.
3. Back: use a pink cotton fabric 40 x 40 cm, or crochet a rose pink square in rows of dc.
4. Sew the front onto the back with light pink yarn and fill with a 38 cm cushion form.

Finishing

Weave in all ends on the WS. Run the rose pink tails up into the post-stitch ridges and the light pink tails through the mesh, so nothing shows through the lace.

Cotton lace needs a good block. Wet the finished piece, roll it in a towel to remove the extra water, then lay it flat and pin the outer shells into even points. Let it dry fully before you put it on the bed or table.

Tips for Success

• Use a marker in the first fpdc of every rnd. If the count is off, you’ll see it right away.
• Make the swirls in a batch of ten, then add the lace rings, so you only switch colors once per batch.
• Choose a mercerized cotton for the swirls. The shine makes the twisted ridges stand out.
• Keep the ch-5 loops in Rnd 8 even; they set the size of the shells and the spacing of the joins.
• Join the motifs on a table, not in your lap, so the joined part lies flat and doesn’t twist.
• Starch the finished runner lightly with spray starch if you want the shells to stand up crisply on a table.
• Keep a cotton swatch for washing tests; cotton can shrink a little the first time.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• A cupped swirl. Each rnd must add 16 sts. If you forget the dc in the top of the same st after a post st, the motif will curl up.
• Ridges that don’t twist. The new fpdc always goes around the st after the old one; working around the old post makes straight spokes.
• Shells joined at the wrong place. Mark the 2 middle shells of each side before Rnd 9 so the motifs line up in a grid.
• Webs that pucker. Work the ch 6 spokes loosely; tight spokes pull the corners of the motifs into the gap.
• Skipping the blocking. Unblocked cotton lace looks crumpled; a wet block opens the mesh and shows the shells.
• A swirl that domes too much. Make sure Rnd 1 has exactly 16 dc and block the motif wet while pressing the center flat.
• Using acrylic with this hook. Acrylic DK is thicker than cotton DK; go up to a 4 mm hook if you change yarn.

Ways to Customize This Pattern

• Make a two-tone runner with rose swirls on one row and light pink swirls on the next.
• Make a set of coasters or doilies from single motifs; one motif is a perfect place mat.
• Change the colors to lilac and white, or mint and cream, for a fresh spring look.
• Make a baby blanket of 4 by 5 motifs in a soft cotton, about 75 x 95 cm.
• Add one more swirl rnd (112 sts) and work the mesh with sk 2, ch 3 for a bigger motif of about 22 cm.
• Make an ombré bedspread: deepest rose motifs at the center and lighter pinks toward the edges.