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Picot Fan Guest Towel Edging #8116 (1951): vintage crochet pattern
A simple two-row repeat edging of five-double-crochet fans with a triple picot, worked lengthwise for the end of a guest towel. Originally published as "Guest Towel Edging" in Edgings: crocheted, tatted, hair pin lace (Star Book No. 81) by American Thread Company in 1951, it is now in the public domain.
By the crochetpatterns.io editorial team · Reviewed · Editorial policy
By the crochetpatterns.io editorial team · Reviewed September 14, 2026 under our editorial policy · pattern testing in progress
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Skill level | Easy |
| Yarn weight | Lace (#0) |
| Yardage | 1 ball (as printed; yardage not given) |
| Hook | 1 mm |
| Gauge | Not given in the original. Suggestion: work 10 repeats of rows 2–3 and measure; divide the towel width by that measurement to find the number of repeats. |
| Finished size | Not given in the original; worked lengthwise on an 11-chain foundation for the width of the towel. |
| Time | about 2 hours |
Materials
- Size 30 crochet cotton, shaded light yellow — check the ball band for yardage
- 1.0–1.1 mm steel crochet hook
- A guest towel
- Sewing needle and thread
- Hook: Start with a 1.0 mm or 1.1 mm steel hook (the original No. 12 or 11) and change size to match the gauge
Abbreviations (US terms)
Notes before you start
- Source: "Guest Towel Edging" (#8116), Edgings: crocheted, tatted, hair pin lace (Star Book No. 81), American Thread Company, 1951. Public domain in the USA.
- As printed — materials: “GEM” CROCHET COTTON Article 35, size 30 — 1 ball Shaded Light Yellows or any color desired — steel 11 or 12; or “STAR” CROCHET COTTON Article 30, size 30 — 1 ball Shaded Light Yellows or any color desired — steel 11 or 12; 1 Guest Towel. 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: the original Gem/Star crochet cottons are size 30; modern size 30 crochet cotton is still made. Ball yardage differs from the 1951 balls — check your ball band.
- Modernisation note: Finishing steps are our addition.
Rows
- Ch 11, dc in 4th st from hook, ch 2, skip 2 sts of ch, dc in next st of ch, ch 3, skip 3 sts of ch, 5 dc in next st, ch 3, turn.
- 2nd Row—Sl st in 3rd st from hook for picot, * ch 3, sl st in 3rd st from hook for picot, repeat from * once, 5 dc in 1st dc, ch 3, skip 3 dc of same group, sc in next dc, ch 3, dc in next dc, ch 2, 1 dc in next dc, dc in 3rd st of ch, ch 3, turn.
- 3rd Row—D c in next dc, ch 2, dc in next dc, ch 3, 5 dc in next dc, ch 3, turn.
- Repeat the 2nd and 3rd rows for length desired.
- Sew to end of towel.
Continue this pattern
The rest of the Picot Fan Guest Towel Edging #8116 (1951) pattern is in the Vintage Crochet Edgings & Trims
Still to come in the full pattern:
- Finishing
Included with 18 patterns for $9 — $0.50 per pattern.
Errata
No corrections have been published for this pattern. Found a mistake? Tell us and we will log the fix here with a date.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the Guest Towel Edging pattern from?
It was published as "Guest Towel Edging" in Edgings: crocheted, tatted, hair pin lace (Star Book No. 81) by American Thread Company in 1951. 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 Guest Towel Edging?
Size 30 crochet cotton. The original uses 1 ball; check your ball band.
What hook should I use?
Start with a 1.0 mm or 1.1 mm steel hook (the original No. 12 or 11) and change size to match the gauge Gauge: Not given in the original. Suggestion: work 10 repeats of rows 2–3 and measure; divide the towel width by that measurement to find the number of repeats.
