The Teal Garden Paisley is a lacy teardrop motif in warm cream and dusty teal. A cream-outlined open window sits at the center. Around it is a solid band of teal double crochet, then open cream arches with five small teal fans, and a picot edge to finish.
The style is part Irish lace and part folk paisley. It works well as a stand-alone appliqué, a coaster, a bookmark-style ornament, or as a test piece before you start a bigger lace project. This pattern makes one motif.
The pattern uses US crochet terms. The finished motif measures 6.5 in (16.5 cm) tall × 5.5 in (14.0 cm) wide after blocking.
You work the motif in the round, starting from a chain ring. Rounds 1–2 shape the ring into a teardrop by changing stitch heights. Rounds 3–4 add the teal band. Round 5 is the cream outline. Rounds 6–7 build the lace arches, Round 8 places the teal fans, and Round 9 is the picot border.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: 6.5 in (16.5 cm) tall × 5.5 in (14.0 cm) wide
- Skill level: Intermediate
- Terminology: US crochet terms
- Yarn weight: DK (#3) mercerized cotton
- Hook: 3.5 mm (E/4)
- Number of pieces: 1
- Layout: single motif, pointed tip at the top
- Piece size before border (after Round 7): 5.75 in (14.6 cm) × 4.75 in (12.1 cm)
- Border depth (Rounds 8–9): 0.375 in (1.0 cm) on each side
Materials
Use a smooth mercerized cotton or cotton blend in DK weight. Mercerized cotton shows the lace clearly, blocks crisply and holds the picots. A soft, fuzzy yarn will blur the open window and the arches.
- Color A – Cream: 12 g / 25 m
- Color B – Dusty Teal: 8 g / 17 m
These quantities include a margin of about 20% for swatching and tails.
Tools:
– 3.5 mm (E/4) crochet hook
– Tapestry needle
– Scissors
– 1 locking stitch marker
– Rustproof pins and a blocking mat or folded towel
– Spray bottle with cool water
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch – chain
- sl st – slip stitch
- sc – single crochet
- hdc – half double crochet
- dc – double crochet
- BLO – back loop only
- sp – space
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- sk – skip
- rep – repeat
Special stitch – picot: ch 3. On the border round, the picot sits between 2 sc in the same arch or stitch. It counts as a ch-3 space, not as a stitch.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Swatch gauge: 20 sc = 4 in (10.2 cm). For a quick check, chain 22 and work 4 rows of sc (21 sc per row). Your swatch should measure about 4.2 in (10.7 cm) wide.
Gauge matters for one motif more than you might expect, because every round builds on the shape of the round before. If the center is too loose, the teardrop goes round. Make one full motif before committing to a larger project.
Measurement checkpoints (measure flat, tip to bottom × widest point):
– After Round 2: 2.25 in (5.7 cm) × 1.75 in (4.4 cm)
– After Round 4: 3.5 in (8.9 cm) × 3 in (7.6 cm)
– After Round 5: 3.75 in (9.5 cm) × 3.25 in (8.3 cm)
– After Round 6: 4.75 in (12.1 cm) × 4 in (10.2 cm)
– After Round 7: 5.75 in (14.6 cm) × 4.75 in (12.1 cm)
– After Round 9, blocked: 6.5 in (16.5 cm) × 5.5 in (14.0 cm)
If your motif is too big by more than 0.25 in (0.6 cm) at any checkpoint, go down to a 3.25 mm hook. If it is too small, go up to a 3.75 mm hook. Change hooks at the start, not partway through, so every round stays in proportion.
Pattern
Rounds 1–2: Center Window (Color A)
Foundation: With A, ch 20 and sl st in the first ch to form a ring. The ring will become the open teardrop window.
Round 1: Ch 1, work 30 sc into the ring (over the chain, not into the chains), and sl st to the first sc. (30 sc)
Place a marker in the first sc. This stitch becomes the tip.
Round 2 (shaping round): Ch 1, then work (sc, ch 2, sc) in the marked st for the tip. Sc in the next 4 sts, hdc in the next 4 sts, dc in the next 12 sts for the rounded bottom, hdc in the next 4 sts, and sc in the next 5 sts. Sl st to the first sc. (31 sts + 1 ch-2 tip sp)
Check: the 29 stitches after the tip (4 + 4 + 12 + 4 + 5) plus the 2 sc in the tip stitch give 31. The short stitches at the top and tall stitches at the bottom pull the ring into a teardrop. Fasten off A.
Rounds 3–4: Teal Band (Color B)
Round 3: Join B with a sl st in the ch-2 tip sp. Ch 3 (counts as dc), then (dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in the same sp. Dc in the next 9 sts (the tip sc, 4 sc and 4 hdc). Work 2 dc in each of the next 12 dc. Dc in the next 10 sts (4 hdc, 5 sc and the last tip sc). Sl st to the top of the beginning ch-3. (47 dc + 1 ch-2 tip sp)
Breakdown: 4 tip dc + 9 + 24 + 10 = 47.
Round 4 (BLO texture round): Sl st in the next dc and into the ch-2 sp. Ch 3, then (dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in the sp. Working in BLO from here: skip the next dc, then dc in the next 10 sts. Across the bottom, work [dc in the next st, 2 dc in the next st] 12 times (36 dc). Dc in the next 10 sts. Leave the beginning ch-3 and dc of Round 3 unworked (you passed them with sl sts) and sl st to the top of the beginning ch-3. (60 dc + 1 ch-2 tip sp)
Breakdown: 4 tip dc + 10 + 36 + 10 = 60. The free front loops leave a ridge that radiates from the center. Fasten off B.
Round 5: Cream Outline (Color A)
Round 5: Join A with a sl st in the ch-2 tip sp. Ch 1, then work (sc, ch 3, sc) in the sp. Sc in each of the next 60 sts all the way around, and sl st to the first sc. (62 sc + 1 ch-3 tip loop)
The 62 stitches are: 1 tip sc, 60 body sc, 1 tip sc. Do not fasten off.
Rounds 6–7: Lace Arches (Color A)
Round 6: Ch 1 and sc in the same sc. Ch 5, sk the next 2 sts (the tip sc and body st 1), and sc in body st 2. Then [ch 5, sk 2 sts, sc in the next st] 19 more times; your last sc lands in body st 59. Ch 5, sk the last 2 sts (body st 60 and the tip sc), and sl st to the first sc. (21 sc + 21 ch-5 loops)
Check: 2 + (20 × 3) = 62 stitches used. The loops are symmetrical, and each side of the tip skips exactly 2 stitches.
Round 7: Sl st in the first 3 ch of the next loop. Ch 1, sc in the same loop, then [ch 7, sc in the next loop] 20 times. Ch 7 and sl st to the first sc. (21 sc + 21 ch-7 arches) Fasten off A.
Arch numbering: Count the arches clockwise from the first sc of Round 7, starting with Arch 1. Arch 21 sits over the tip, and Arches 10 and 11 sit at the bottom. Arch k mirrors Arch (21 – k).
Checkpoint: 5.75 in (14.6 cm) × 4.75 in (12.1 cm), measured flat.
Border
The border has two parts. Round 8 places the teal fans, and Round 9 finishes the edge in cream. Border gauge: each finished arch measures about 0.75 in (1.9 cm) along the edge and adds 0.375 in (1.0 cm) of depth.
Round 8 (teal fans, Color B): Work fans in Arches 5, 8, 13, 16 and 21 only. For each one: join B with a sl st in the arch, ch 3 (counts as dc), work 8 dc in the same arch, and fasten off. (5 fans × 9 dc = 45 dc)
The pairs 5/16 and 8/13 mirror each other. The fan in Arch 21 crowns the tip. Weave in the teal tails now, before they get trapped under the border.
Round 9 (picot border, Color A): Join A with a sc in the first sc of Round 7 (just after Arch 21). Then work around:
– Plain arch: (4 sc, ch 3, 4 sc) in the arch. (8 sc + 1 picot)
– Fan arch: sc in the next 4 dc, (sc, ch 3, sc) in the center dc, and sc in the last 4 dc. (10 sc + 1 picot)
– Between arches: sc in each Round 7 sc.
End with a sl st to the first sc.
Counts by section:
– Right side (Arches 1–10): 8 plain arches × 8 = 64, plus 2 fans × 10 = 20, plus 10 sc between arches = 94 sc, 10 picots
– Left side (Arches 11–20): 8 plain × 8 = 64, plus 2 fans × 10 = 20, plus 10 sc between = 94 sc, 10 picots
– Tip (Arch 21 + the starting sc): 10 + 1 = 11 sc, 1 picot
– Total: 94 + 94 + 11 = 199 sc + 21 picots
Why the math works: Round 7 has exactly 21 sc and 21 arches. Each sc gets 1 border sc, so that accounts for 21 sc. Each arch gets 8 sc (plain) or 10 sc (fan): 16 × 8 + 5 × 10 = 178 sc. 21 + 178 = 199, with one picot per arch. Nothing is added at a “corner”, because a teardrop has no corners; the tip is just Arch 21.
Fasten off and weave in all ends.
Final Blocking
- Weave in every tail at least 1.5 in (3.8 cm), working through stitches of the same color.
- Lay the motif face down on the blocking mat.
- Pin the tip, the bottom center (between Arches 10 and 11) and the two widest points. Measure: 6.5 in (16.5 cm) × 5.5 in (14.0 cm).
- Pin the picot of each arch so the scallops spread out evenly.
- Pin a small loop through the center window to hold its teardrop shape open.
- Mist with cool water until damp, not soaked.
- Let it dry completely, at least 6 hours, before you unpin.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- [ ] Center window is open and teardrop-shaped, not round
- [ ] Round 4 shows 60 dc, with the ridge facing front
- [ ] Round 5 has 62 sc plus the tip loop
- [ ] Rounds 6 and 7 each have 21 loops or arches
- [ ] Teal fans are in Arches 5, 8, 13, 16 and 21
- [ ] Round 9 has 199 sc and 21 picots
- [ ] Blocked size is 6.5 in (16.5 cm) × 5.5 in (14.0 cm)
- [ ] No tails show on the front
Troubleshooting
Center is round, not teardrop-shaped: In Round 2, check that the 12 dc are at the bottom, opposite the tip. Tighten your sc at the top.
Teal band ruffles: Round 4 has too many stitches, or your tension is loose. Recount to 60, or drop one hook size for Rounds 3–4.
Teal band cups: You probably skipped some increases. The bottom section must have 36 dc.
Arches pull the edge tight: Make looser chains, or go up 0.25 mm for Rounds 6–7 only.
Fans flare past the edge: Work 7 dc instead of 9 in each fan. On Round 9, work the fan arch as sc in 3, (sc, ch 3, sc) in the center dc, sc in 3. Each fan then has 8 sc, and the total becomes 189 sc.
Picots lean: Pin each picot straight while blocking.
Care
Hand wash in cool water with mild soap, press out the water in a towel, and dry flat, pinning it to shape again if needed. Do not tumble dry.
Final Notes
The measurement chain runs like this: the 20-ch ring and 30 sc become a 2.25 in (5.7 cm) teardrop. The teal band brings it to 3.5 in (8.9 cm), and the cream outline to 3.75 in (9.5 cm). The lace arches reach 5.75 in (14.6 cm), and the picot border finishes at 6.5 in (16.5 cm) × 5.5 in (14.0 cm). Check each stage and the final motif will come out true.
Happy crocheting!