Two-Colour Runner and Chair Set (1941): vintage crochet pattern

Materials

• Knit-Cro-Sheen mercerized cotton (a size 10 weight today)
• Yardage: Runner: 2 balls light and 3 balls dark; chair set: 2 balls light and 2 balls dark, 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 get 11 dc and 5 rows to 1 inch (the printed hook is Milward's No. 6 or 7).

Abbreviations (US terms)

ch

chain

dc

double crochet

Notes before you start

• Source: "Matching Set" (7165), 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. 2 balls of a light color and 3 balls of a dark color for runner; 2 balls of a light color and 2 balls of a dark color for chair set.; Milward’s Steel Crochet Hook No. 6 or 7.; RUNNER No. 7165-A. Gauge: 11 dc make 1″; 5 rows make 1″ (1 square is equivalent to 3 dc)..
• 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.

Instructions

1. Starting at short side, with dark color make a chain about 15″ long.
2. Row 1: Dc in 4th ch from hook, dc in each ch across until there are 141 dc in the row, counting turning ch as 1 dc. Cut off remaining chain. Ch 3, turn. 2nd,
3. 3rd and
4. Row 4: Dc in each dc across. Ch 3, turn. Do not ch 3 to turn at end of 4th row, but leave the last 2 loops of last dc on hook, join light color and draw through the 2 loops. Ch 3, turn.
5. Row 5: Holding dark color at top of previous row and working over it in order to conceal it, make dc in each of 2 dc, leaving the last 2 loops of 2nd dc on hook; * drop light color, pick up dark color, and draw through the 2 loops on hook; then, holding light color at top of previous row and working over it, make dc in each of next 3 dc, leaving the last 2 loops of last dc on hook. Drop dark color, pick up light color and draw through the 2 loops on hook; then, holding dark color at top of previous row and working over it, make dc in each of next 3 dc, leaving last 2 loops on hook. Repeat from * across, ending with 3 light dc. Ch 3, turn.
6. Row 6: Dc in each dc across, concealing dark color as before. Hereafter follow chart for runner, beginning at 7th row from bottom and working until 17 rows are completed, concealing unused color as before (count 3 dc for each square). Fasten off light color and continue with dark color, making dc in each dc across for 3 more rows. Hereafter follow chart, starting at the 21st row from bottom, and work to top of chart, but carry light color only as far as necessary to continue pattern on next row. Then reverse the design by working back to the
7. Row 1: Fasten and fasten off.