Modern Rustic Place Mats (1941): vintage crochet pattern

Materials

• Knit-Cro-Sheen mercerized cotton (a size 10 weight today)
• Yardage: 4 balls main colour and 8 balls contrasting colour for the full set, as printed — check the ball band for yardage
• Tapestry needle, rustproof pins and starch for blocking
• Hook: Start with a 1.5 mm (US 8) steel hook and change size to reach the printed measurements (the printed hook is Milward's No. 8 or 9).

Abbreviations (US terms)

ch

chain

dc

double crochet

Notes before you start

• Source: "Modern Rustic" (7140), Old and New Favorites (Book No. 172), The Spool Cotton Company, 1941. Public domain in the USA.
• As printed — materials: J. & P. COATS KNIT-CRO-SHEEN, 4 balls of White or Ecru for main color (to be referred to as “M”), and 8 balls of a contrasting color (to be referred to as “C”).; Milward’s Steel Crochet Hook No. 8 or 9.; The above amount of materials is sufficient for 4 place mats, each about 11½″ x 17″, and a center mat about 14″ x 32″.. Gauge: 12 dc make 1″; 4 rows make 1″..
• Modernisation note: Transcribed from the original publication; stitches, repeats and their order are unchanged.
• Modernisation note: Run-on paragraphs split into one round, row or step per line.
• Modernisation note: The source leaflets already use US crochet terms; only abbreviations and wording were modernised.
• Modernisation note: Round/row labels rewritten in modern form (e.g. “2nd Round.” → “Rnd 2:”, “7th to 10th rnds incl:” → “Rnds 7–10:”)
• Modernisation note: “attach” → “join”
• Modernisation note: “break off” → “fasten off”
• Modernisation note: Page numbers, page-continuation notes and illustration references removed.
• Modernisation note: Hook numbers in the original are Milward's steel hook sizes; a starting size is suggested from the thread weight instead of converting the old numbering.
• Modernisation note: Stitch counts have not been added; where the original prints a count it is kept as printed.

Place Mats

1. (Make 4)... Starting at long side, with C color ch 192 (to measure about 18″).
2. Row 1: Dc in 4th ch from hook, dc in each ch across (190 dc, counting turning ch-3 as 1 dc). Ch 3, turn.
3. Row 2: Dc in each dc across. Ch 3, turn.
4. Row 3: Dc in each of 5 dc; dc in next dc, leaving the last 2 loops on hook, drop C, join M color, and * draw through 2 loops. Then, holding C along top of previous row, make dc in each of next 4 dc (thus concealing C); dc in next dc, leaving the last 2 loops on hook, drop M, pick up C and draw through 2 loops; dc in next dc, leaving the last 2 loops on hook, drop C, pick up M and draw through 2 loops; dc in each of next 5 dc, leaving the last 2 loops on hook and concealing C as before; drop M, pick up C and draw through 2 loops. Then, holding M along top of previous row, make dc in each of 4 dc, leaving the last 2 loops on hook (thus concealing M); drop C, pick up M. Repeat from * across, ending row with 5 M dc and 7 C dc. Ch 3, turn. Hereafter work as follows, changing color and concealing unused color as before.
5. Row 4: 6 C dc, * 3 M dc, 5 C dc, 3 M dc, 4 C dc. Repeat from * across, ending with 7 C dc. Ch 3, turn.
6. Row 5: 6 C dc, * 5 M dc, 1 C dc, 5 M dc, 4 C dc. Repeat from * across, ending row with 7 C dc. Ch 3, turn.
7. Row 6: 17 C dc, * 4 M dc, 11 C dc. Repeat from * across, ending row with 18 C dc. Ch 3, turn. The last 4 rows (
8. 3rd to
9. 6th rows incl.) constitute the pattern. Repeat pattern 10 more times, but omit the 6th row of the last pattern. Fasten off M, and work 2 rows of C dc. Fasten off.