Scalloped Turkish Towel Edging #8117 (1951): vintage crochet pattern

Materials

• Mercerised crochet cotton similar to size 10, shaded green — check the ball band for yardage
• 1.65 mm steel crochet hook
• A terry (Turkish) towel
• Sewing needle and thread
• Hook: Start with a 1.65 mm steel hook (the original No. 7) and change size to match the gauge

Abbreviations (US terms)

ch

chain

dc

double crochet

hdc

half double crochet

sc

single crochet

sl st

slip stitch

sh

shell

sk

skip

st

stitch

rep

repeat

Notes before you start

• Source: "Green Turkish Towel Edging" (#8117), Edgings: crocheted, tatted, hair pin lace (Star Book No. 81), American Thread Company, 1951. Public domain in the USA.
• As printed — materials: AMERICAN THREAD COMPANY “PURITAN” CROCHET COTTON, Article 40; or; “DE LUXE” CROCHET COTTON, Article 346; 1 ball Shaded Nile Greens or color desired; 1 Turkish Towel; Steel crochet hook No. 7. Gauge: Not given.
• Modernisation note: Abbreviations respelled to modern US style using the leaflet's own abbreviation table: s c → sc, s d c (short double crochet) → hdc, d c → dc, tr c → tr, d tr c → dtr; “thread over” → “yarn over”. Stitches, order and counts are unchanged.
• Modernisation note: Instructions split into one row, round or step per line; the original prints them as running paragraphs.
• Modernisation note: Hook conversion: the leaflet uses the mid-century US steel hook numbering; the metric size given is the usual modern equivalent (No. 7 ≈ 1.65 mm, No. 11 ≈ 1.1 mm, No. 12 ≈ 1.0 mm, No. 13 ≈ 0.85 mm). Old hooks varied — match the gauge suggestion rather than the number.
• Modernisation note: Thread: “Puritan” (Article 40) and “De Luxe” (Article 346) were heavier mercerised cottons with no size printed; modern size 10 crochet cotton is the closest common equivalent. Check your ball band.
• Modernisation note: The 4th and 6th rows use the leaflet's “s d c” (short double crochet), respelled hdc; the original definition matches the modern US half double crochet.
• Modernisation note: Finishing steps are our addition.

Rows

1. Ch 12, 2 dc in 7th st from hook, ch 1, 2 dc in next st of ch, ch 1, skip 2 sts of ch, 2 dc in next st, ch 1, 2 dc in next st, ch 3, turn.
2. 2nd Row—2 dc, ch 1, 2 dc (shell) in next ch 1 loop, ch 1, skip next ch 1 loop, 2 dc, ch 1, 2 dc in next ch 1 loop, ch 1, dc in end loop, ch 4, turn.
3. 3rd Row—Shell in center of 1st shell, ch 1, shell in center of next shell, ch 6, sl st in the ch 3 of previous row, ch 2, turn.
4. 4th Row—8 hdc over loop just made (hdc: yarn over hook, insert in space, pull loop through, yarn over and pull through all loops at one time), ch 1, shell in center of 1st shell, ch 1, shell in center of next shell, ch 1, dc in 3rd st of end ch, ch 4, turn.
5. 5th Row—Shell in center of 1st shell, ch 1, shell in center of next shell, ch 6, sl st in the ch 1 of previous row next to the 1st scallop, ch 2, turn.
6. 6th Row—4 hdc over loop just made, ch 6, drop loop from hook, insert hook in center st of previous scallop, pick up loop and pull through, ch 2, 4 hdc over loop just made, ch 3, sl st in top of last hdc for picot, 4 hdc over same loop, 4 hdc over remainder of previous loop, ch 1, shell in center of next shell, ch 1, shell in center of next shell, ch 1, dc in 3rd st of ch, ch 4, turn.
7. 7th Row—Shell in center of 1st shell, ch 1, shell in center of next shell, ch 6, sl st in the ch 1 of previous row, ch 3, turn.
8. 8th Row—8 dc over loop just made, ch 1, shell in center of shell, ch 1, shell in center of next shell, ch 1, dc in 3rd st of ch, ch 4, turn.
9. 9th Row—Shell in center of 1st shell, ch 1, shell in center of next shell, ch 1, skip the 2 dc of same shell, 1 dc in each of the next 8 dc with ch 1 between each dc, ch 1, sl st in 4th hdc where previous scallop is joined, turn.
10. 10th Row—Ch 4, sl st in 3rd st from hook for picot, ch 1, sc between 1st 2 dc, * ch 4, sl st in 3rd st from hook for picot, ch 1, sc between next 2 dc, repeat from * 6 times, ch 3, shell in center of next shell, ch 1, shell in center of next shell, ch 1, dc in 3rd st of ch, ch 4, turn.
11. Repeat from 3rd row for length desired.
12. Sew to end of towel.