Free preview · full pattern in the Heirloom Doilies & Tablecloths
Pineapple and Shamrock Centerpiece (1915): vintage crochet pattern
A 27-inch centerpiece with a linen centre and a pointed border worked back and forth in scallops, each with a mesh triangle, a pineapple and clusters of picot-loop shamrock leaves along the outer edge. Originally published as "Pineapple and Shamrock Design (Plate No. 4)" in Center Pieces and Lunch Sets in Crochet Work by Anne Orr in 1915.
By the crochetpatterns.io editorial team · Updated · Editorial policy · pattern testing in progress
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Skill level | Advanced |
| Yarn weight | Lace (#0) |
| Yardage | 5 balls as printed; ball yardage not printed. |
| Hook | 1.4 mm |
| Gauge | Not given in the original — work to the printed size of 27 in (69 cm). |
| Finished size | 27 in (69 cm) as printed. |
| Time | about 5 hours |
Materials
- 5 balls size 15 mercerised cotton crochet thread, or size 20 (ball yardage not printed — check your ball band)
- Round linen centre (not listed in the original; size not printed — see the photograph)
- Tapestry needle
- Hook: Start with 1.4 mm (US steel 9), the modern hook of the printed number, and change size to reach the printed finished size.
Smart Yarn Matcher
Compare all yarns →Yarn Kit & Substitution Options
This pattern calls for 350 yards of weight #0 yarn. Select a suggested yarn to see required skeins and estimated cost:
Caron Simply Soft · 100% Acrylic
315 yds per skein · High-yield yardage, silky no-scratch texture
2 skeins required
approx. $$10.98 total
Abbreviations (US terms)
- chain
- slip stitch
- single crochet
- stitch
- stitches
- space
- row
Notes before you start
- Source: "Pineapple and Shamrock Design (Plate No. 4)", Center Pieces and Lunch Sets in Crochet Work, Anne Orr, 1915. Public domain in the USA.
- As printed — materials: 5 balls of Cordonnet Crochet Cotton No. 15, Steel Crochet Needle No. 9.. Gauge: Not given.
- Modernisation note: "Makes 1 scallop, repeat until large as desired" is kept; the book does not say how the next scallop starts, how many scallops to make or how the border is joined into a ring and attached to the linen. The photograph shows about 16 points.
- Modernisation note: Check: this is a very condensed row-by-row text (e.g. "sc 1 2 ch sc 1 same st 4 times" in row 1, "in to sl st" in row 11). Commas were added between stitch groups but every stitch is as printed; test one scallop against the photograph.
- Modernisation note: Check: "Form leaf as in 2d row" refers to the three 5-sc petals (the shamrock) worked into the ch-2 spaces; "point of leaf" is the centre of that group.
- Modernisation note: Check: row 1 prints "skip 8 ch, st, 1 sc into 9th st of ch"; the stray "st" is read as part of "skip 8 ch st".
- Modernisation note: Stitch names mapped by the book's own definitions: its single crochet = modern US sc, double crochet = modern US dc, treble crochet = modern US tr, slip stitch = sl st, picot = ch 4, sc in 4th ch from hook. These match modern US usage, so no stitch was converted; only the abbreviation "tc" (treble crochet) is written "tr".
- Modernisation note: The book calls every round a "Row" ("First Row—"). Pieces worked in joined rounds are labelled "Rnd 1:" etc.; pieces worked back and forth keep "Row". Run-on paragraphs were split into one round or step per line; no stitches were added, removed or reordered.
- Modernisation note: Anne Orr's phrasing "1 sc, join into …" / "join to top of sc" means work the stitch into the place named; it is kept as printed. "St of ch" (e.g. "middle st of ch 5") is kept.
- Modernisation note: Steel crochet needle (hook) numbers of 1915 were not standardised to millimetres; the starting hook is the modern US steel hook of the same number. Change size so the piece reaches the printed size.
- Modernisation note: Cordonnet Crochet Cotton No. 15 was a hard-twisted mercerised crochet cotton; the nearest modern equivalent is size 15 mercerised cotton crochet thread (size 15 is now uncommon — size 10 or 20 are the nearest common weights).
- Modernisation note: Thread is printed in balls only; ball yardage is not printed, so no yardage has been invented. Buy the printed number of balls of a comparable modern thread and check your ball band.
- Modernisation note: No gauge is printed in the book.
- Modernisation note: Metric conversions and modern thread and hook suggestions were added; they are not in the original.
Smart Pattern Companion
Row progress: 0 of 15 done (0%)
Scallop (worked in rows)
0 of 15 done- Make a chain of 64, turn.Mark row complete
- Row 1: 1 sc into 5th st of ch, 3 ch, sl st to 3d st of ch from sc, 3 ch, 1 sc to 3d again in ch, 3 ch, sl st to 3d st of ch, 3 ch, 1 sc to 3d st of ch, 3 ch, sl st to 3d st of ch, 3 ch, 3 sc into each 3d of ch, 8 ch, skip 8 ch st, 1 sc into 9th st of ch, 2 ch, 1 sc into same st, repeat 4 times, into same st 8 ch, skip 8 st of ch, into 9th st, sc 9 times, 8 ch, skip 8 st of ch, into 9th st, sc 1, 2 ch, sc 1 same st 4 times, turn.Mark row complete
- Row 2: 5 sc into 1st ch of 2, sl st to top of sc, 5 sc into 2d ch 2, sl st to sc, 5 sc into 3d ch 2, sl st to sc, 8 ch, sl st to 1st of sc 9, 4 ch, sl st to 2d st of sc 9, 4 ch, sl st to 3d st of sc, 4 ch, sl st to 4th of 9, 4 ch, sl st to 5th st of 9 sc, 4 ch, sl st to 6th st of sc 9, 4 ch, sl st to 7th st, 4 ch, sl st to 8th st, 4 ch, sl st to 9th st, 8 ch, sl st to sc 1, 5 sc into ch 2, sl st to sc 2, 5 sc into ch 2, sl st into sc 3, 5 sc into ch 2, sl st to sc 4, 8 ch, 2 sc into 1st sc, 1 sc into 2d sc, 2 sc into 3d sc, 6 ch, 1 sc to 1st sc, 6 ch, 1 sc to 2d sc, 6 ch, 1 sc into 3d sc, 1 ch, 1 sc into 3d st of ch, turn.Mark row complete
- Row 3: 4 ch, 1 sc to 1st sc, 3 ch, sl st to 3d st, 3 ch, 1 sc to 2d sc, 3 ch, sl st to 3d st, 3 ch, 1 sc to 3d sc, 3 ch, sl st to 3d st, 3 ch, 2 sc into 1st sc, 1 sc to 2d sc, 1 ch, 1 sc to 4th sc, 2 sc into 5th sc, 8 ch, 1 sc to middle point of leaf, 2 ch, 1 sc to same st, repeat 4 times, 8 ch, sl st to ch 4, repeat across, 8 ch, sc to leaf, repeat as before, turn.Mark row complete
- Row 4: Form leaf as in 2d row, 8 ch, sl st to ch 4, repeat across, 8 ch, sl st to sc 1, repeat leaf, 8 ch, 2 sc to 1st sc, 1 sc to 2d sc, 1 ch, 1 sc to ch 1, 1 ch, 1 sc to sc 2d, 2 sc to last sc, 6 ch, 1 sc to 1st sc, 6 ch, 1 sc to 2d sc, ch 6, 1 sc to 3d sc, 1 ch, 1 sc to 3d st, turn.Mark row complete
- Row 5: Repeat as in 3d row to sc in 1st sc, 1 ch, 1 sc to 2d sc, repeat, skipping one sc each time, 8 ch to middle leaf, repeat same across as row 4, turn.Mark row complete
- Row 6: Same as 4th row, turn.Mark row complete
- Row 7: Same as 5th row, turn.Mark row complete
- Row 8: Same as 6th row, turn.Mark row complete
- Row 9: Same as 7th row, turn.Mark row complete
- Row 10: Form leaf, 8 ch, sl st to ch 4, 8 ch, repeat same as row 8, turn.Mark row complete
- Row 11: Same as 9th row until point of pineapple, 1 sc, 1 ch, repeat 4 times in to sl st, 8 ch, 1 sc to point of leaf, repeat 4 times, turn.Mark row complete
- Row 12: Form leaf, 8 ch to 1 sc, form leaf, 8 ch to 1st sc, form leaf, and repeat as in 10th row, turn.Mark row complete
- Row 13: Same as 11th row to 1st sc, 2 sc into 1st sc, 1 sc to 2d sc, 8 ch, 1 sc to 5th sp, repeat 4 times, 8 ch, 9 sc into last st of sc, 8 ch, 1 sc to point of leaf, repeat 4 times, turn. Makes 1 scallop.Mark row complete
- Repeat until large as desired.Mark row complete
Working on:
Make a chain of 64, turn.
Errata
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Frequently asked questions
Where is the Pineapple and Shamrock Design (Plate No. 4) pattern from?
It was published as "Pineapple and Shamrock Design (Plate No. 4)" in Center Pieces and Lunch Sets in Crochet Work by Anne Orr in 1915. The publication is in the public domain in the United States; this version is transcribed and modernised by crochetpatterns.io.
What yarn or thread do I need for the Pineapple and Shamrock Design (Plate No. 4)?
Size 15 mercerised cotton crochet thread (size 20 is the nearest common weight). 5 balls as printed; ball yardage not printed.
What hook should I use?
Start with 1.4 mm (US steel 9), the modern hook of the printed number, and change size to reach the printed finished size. Gauge: Not given in the original — work to the printed size of 27 in (69 cm).
