White and Gold Star Lace Crochet Bedspread

Materials

• DK weight cotton yarn, white about 2,920 m for a queen bedspread (15 balls of 100 g / 200 m), or 1,350 m for a throw (7 balls)
• DK weight gold yarn a metallic blend or a gold-colored cotton, about 1,620 m for a queen bedspread (9 balls of 100 g / 200 m), or 760 m for a throw (4 balls)
• 3.5 mm (E-4) crochet hook
• Stitch markers to mark the joining popcorns
• Blocking mats and rust-proof pins
• Tapestry needle and sharp scissors metallic yarn frays, so cut it cleanly

Abbreviations

How the Star Medallion Works

The medallion is built in layers that switch between solid and open. The dc center gives the star a firm base to sit on, the two rounds of chain loops open the lace, and the band of 80 dc closes it again so the gold dot ring has something solid to sit on. Then the long arches of Rnd 7 open the lace once more, and the scallops and gold rim finish the circle.

The gold dots are popcorns. Because you close each popcorn through the front of its first dc, it pushes out toward you and looks like a little gold bead in the photos.

The star is made on its own. Each petal is worked along a chain with stitches that grow from a sl st at the tip to a tr in the middle and back down, which gives the leaf shape. The outline round goes up one side of the petal and down the other with a ch-2 point at the tip, so each petal has a ridge down the center and a sharp point.

Sizes and How Many Medallions

• Each joined medallion takes up about 22 x 22 cm. The fillers sit in the gaps and don’t add to the size.
• Cushion front: 4 medallions (2 x 2) and 1 filler, about 44 cm square.
• Baby blanket: 4 x 5 = 20 medallions and 12 fillers, about 88 x 110 cm.
• Throw: 6 x 7 = 42 medallions and 30 fillers, about 132 x 154 cm.
• Queen bedspread: 9 x 10 = 90 medallions and 72 fillers, about 198 x 220 cm.
• King bedspread: 11 x 10 = 110 medallions and 90 fillers, about 242 x 220 cm.
• Yarn per medallion, to plan any size: about 30 m white and 18 m gold (8 m for the star, 10 m for the two gold rounds). Each filler uses about 3 m white.

White Lace Medallion (make 90 for a bedspread, 42 for a throw)

1. Rnd 1: with white, MR, ch 3 (counts as dc here and throughout), 15 dc in ring, join with sl st to top of ch 3. Pull the ring tight. (16 sts)
2. Rnd 2: ch 3, dc in same st, 2 dc in each st around, join. (32 sts)
3. Rnd 3: ch 1, sc in first st, *ch 4, sk next st, sc in next st; rep from * 14 more times, ch 4, sk last st, join with sl st to first sc. (16 ch-4 loops)
4. Rnd 4: sl st in next 2 ch, ch 1, sc in same loop, *ch 5, sc in next loop; rep from * 14 more times, ch 5, join. (16 ch-5 loops)
5. Rnd 5: sl st in next loop, ch 3, 4 dc in same loop, 5 dc in each remaining loop, join. Fasten off. (80 dc) The circle measures about 12.5 cm across.
6. Rnd 6 (gold dots): join gold in any st. Ch 1, *sc in next 4 sts, pc in next st; rep from * 15 more times, join. Fasten off. (64 sc and 16 pc)
7. Rnd 7 (arches): join white in the top of any pc. Ch 1, sc in same st, *ch 7, sc in top of next pc; rep from * 14 more times, ch 7, join. (16 ch-7 arches)
8. Rnd 8: sl st in next arch, ch 1, 7 sc in each arch around, join. (112 sc)
9. Rnd 9 (scallops): ch 1, sc in first st, *sk next st, 5 dc in next st, sk next st, sc in next st; rep from * around, ending with sk next st, 5 dc in next st, sk last st, join. Fasten off. (28 scallops)
10. Rnd 10 (gold rim, first medallion only): join gold in any sc of Rnd 9. Ch 1, *sc in sc, sc in next 2 dc, pc in center dc, sc in next 2 dc; rep from * 27 more times, join. Fasten off. (28 pc, 1 at the peak of each scallop)

Gold 8-Point Star (make 1 per medallion)

1. Rnd 1: with gold, MR, ch 1, 8 sc in ring, join with sl st to first sc. Pull the ring tight. (8 sts)
2. Rnd 2: ch 1, 2 sc in each st around, join. (16 sts)
3. Rnd 3 (petals): *ch 8, starting in 2nd ch from hook work sl st, sc, hdc, dc, tr, tr, dc (7 sts), sk next st of Rnd 2, sl st in next st; rep from * 7 more times. (8 petals)
4. Rnd 4 (outline): do not turn. *Working up the next petal, sc in the free loop of each of the 7 ch, (sc, ch 2, sc) in the tip, sc in each of the 7 sts down the other side, sl st in the sl st between the petals; rep from * 7 more times. Fasten off with a 40 cm tail. (16 sc and a ch-2 tip on each petal)
5. Pinch each petal lengthwise and press it with your fingers so the center ridge stands up. The star measures about 11 cm from tip to tip.

Sewing On the Star

1. Lay the star on the RS of the medallion, centered over Rnds 1-5, with the petal tips pointing between the ch-5 loops.
2. With the gold tail, sew the center of the star (Rnds 1-2) down to the dc center of the medallion with small stitches all around.
3. Tack each petal tip to Rnd 5 with 2 small stitches. Leave the sides of the petals free so the star stands up from the lace.
4. Weave the tail in on the WS under the white dc center, where it can’t show through the lace.

Joining as You Go

1. Layout: 9 medallions across and 10 long for a queen bedspread, or 6 across and 7 long for a throw.
2. Number the 28 pc of Rnd 10 as you go: pcs 1-2 join on the first side, 8-9 on the next, 15-16 on the next and 22-23 on the last. The 5 pcs between each pair stay free.
3. Work Rnds 1-9 of the next medallion and sew on its star, then work Rnd 10 until you reach the first pc that must join a finished medallion.
4. Joining pc: work the pc, ch 1, sl st in the top of the matching pc on the finished medallion, ch 1, then continue with the next sc. Join the next pc the same way. (2 joined pcs per shared side)
5. From the second row on, join the top side to the medallion above and the left side to the medallion on the left.

Lace Fillers (make 72 for a bedspread, 30 for a throw)

1. Work one filler in each gap where four medallions meet. Each medallion has 5 free pcs facing the gap; you will join to the middle 3 (pcs 4, 5 and 6 of that side), 12 pcs in all.
2. Rnd 1: with white, MR, ch 1, 12 sc in ring, join with sl st to first sc. Pull the ring tight. (12 sts)
3. Rnd 2: *ch 8, sl st in the top of the next free pc around the gap, ch 8, sl st in next sc of Rnd 1; rep from * 11 more times, joining to the pcs in order around the gap. Fasten off. (12 joined chain spokes)
4. The spokes look like a little white lace star between the gold rims. If they pull, use ch 9; if they sag, use ch 7.

Straight Edge Border (optional)

1. The free scallops make the lacy wavy edge you see in the photos. Work this border only if you want straight sides.
2. Half fillers: in each gap along the outer edge, with white, MR, ch 1, 7 sc, do not join. Join to the 6 free pcs around the gap as in Rnd 2 of the filler, using the 6 sc between the first and last. Fasten off.
3. Rnd 1: with white, join in the top of a corner pc. Ch 1, sc in same st, *ch 6, sc in top of the next free pc; rep along each side, working ch 4, sc in the middle sc of each half filler, ch 4 at the half fillers and (sc, ch 10, sc) at each outer corner. Join.
4. Rnd 2: ch 2, hdc in each sc, 6 hdc in each ch-6 loop, 4 hdc in each ch-4 loop and 12 hdc in each corner loop. Join.
5. Rnd 3: with gold, ch 1, sc in each st around, working a pc in every 6th st and 3 sc in each corner st. Join and fasten off.

Matching Gold Star Cushion

1. Simple version: sew one finished medallion to the center of a 40 cm gold or cream satin cushion cover, tacking it down at each of the 28 gold popcorns.
2. Full lace front: make 4 medallions and join them 2 x 2 with 1 filler in the middle. Work 4 half fillers and Rnds 1-2 of the Straight Edge Border. It measures about 46 cm square.
3. Back: cut a gold or cream fabric 49 x 49 cm. Sew the lace front onto it around 3 sides, insert a 45 cm cushion form and sew the last side closed.

Finishing

Weave in all ends on the WS. Run white tails through the solid dc rounds (Rnds 1-2, 5 and 8), never through the arches where they would show. Hide gold tails inside the gold rounds; metallic yarn slips, so weave it in one direction, then back the other way through different stitches.

Lay the bedspread flat, mist it with water and pin each medallion into a true circle, with a pin through each arch of Rnd 7 and each scallop of the rim. Keep the pins off the stars so they stay raised. Let it dry completely before you unpin.

Tips for Success

• Make the stars in a batch with a fresh ball of gold; you will learn the petal by heart after a few.
• Work all medallions up to Rnd 9 first, then add the gold rims as you join, so you can count the joining pcs on each one.
• Put a marker in pcs 1, 8, 15 and 22 of each rim; they show you where each joining side starts.
• Make your popcorns all the same: 4 full dc, closed tightly, so the gold dots look like real beads.
• If your gold yarn splits, use a hook with a rounded head and work a little slower.
• Join the medallions on a big table and check that the rows stay straight every few medallions.
• Keep the white work in a clean cotton bag; white cotton shows every mark.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Popcorns that pop to the back. Always close the pc through the front of the first dc, with the RS facing you.
• A medallion that cups. Check Rnd 5 has 80 dc and Rnd 8 has 112 sc; too few sts make the lace pull in.
• Arches of different sizes. Rnd 7 needs exactly ch 7 between every pc, or the scallops won’t line up.
• The wrong number of scallops. Rnd 9 must give 28 scallops, one for every 4 sc, or the joining pcs won’t fall in the right places.
• Flat, rounded petals. Don’t skip the outline round; the (sc, ch 2, sc) tip is what makes the sharp point.
• A star sewn down flat. Only the center and the tips are sewn; the petal sides stay free.
• Gaps that sag. Each filler must catch all 12 pcs around the gap.

Ways to Customize This Pattern

• Swap gold for silver for a cool white and silver bedspread, or use a pale sand beige for a softer look.
• Make the whole medallion in white and only the star in gold, for fewer ends and a calmer bedspread.
• Use a single medallion as a doily, a coaster set or a wall hanging; it is the size of a dinner plate.
• Make a table runner of 2 x 6 medallions, about 44 x 132 cm, with fillers between them.
• Work the star in white and the dots and rim in gold for a lighter, all-lace look.
• Use fine cotton thread and a 1.75 mm hook to make small 10 cm medallions for a lace tablecloth.