Here is a beginner-friendly tutorial to make the lace stitch shown in your photo.
This pattern is a delicate fan/shell lace stitch (often called V-shell lace or open fan lace).
🌿 Full Detailed Crochet Lace Pattern Tutorial
This stitch is made of repeating shells (5 double crochets) and V-stitches (dc, ch1, dc).
It creates the same soft, drapey lace as your sample.
🧶 1. Materials
- 1.75–2.5 mm hook (for thin cotton yarn)
- Lace or fingering cotton
- Scissors
- Darning needle
🧵 2. Foundation Chain
The pattern repeat is:
Multiple of 6 + 1
Examples:
37, 43, 49, 55, 61…
Let’s use 49 chains for explanation.
🌸 3. Row-by-Row Instructions (Very Detailed)
🔹 Row 1 — Shell Setup Row
- Insert hook in 2nd chain from hook → sc.
- Ch 3, skip 2 chains.
- In next chain: 5 dc (this is your shell).
- Ch 3, skip 2 chains.
- In next chain: sc.
➡️ Repeat steps 2–5 across.
✨ Row 1 visual pattern:
sc – ch3 – shell – ch3 – sc – ch3 – shell – … – sc
At the end, you should finish with a single crochet.
🔹 Row 2 — V-Stitch Row
- Turn.
- Ch 4 (counts as dc + ch1).
- Dc in the first sc of the row.
- Ch 3.
- Sc in the center dc of the shell
(the 3rd double crochet inside the 5-dc shell). - Ch 3.
- In the next single crochet: dc, ch1, dc (V-stitch).
➡️ Repeat steps 4–7 to the end.
Finish with dc, ch1, dc in the last sc.
🔹 Row 3 — Shell Row
- Turn.
- Ch 1, sc in first dc.
- Ch 3.
- In the V-stitch (dc, ch1, dc): 5 dc.
- Ch 3.
- Sc in the sc.
➡️ Repeat steps 3–6 across.
Finish with sc in the last dc.
🔁 Repeat Pattern
After Row 3, you simply repeat:
✔️ Row 2
✔️ Row 3
over and over until you reach your desired size.
🌸 HOW IT WORKS (EXPLANATION)
- Row 1 creates shells separated by sc.
- Row 2 creates spaces & V-stitches for next shells to sit on.
- Row 3 builds new shells on the V-stitches.
This creates the delicate, scalloped lace seen in your photo.
✨ Optional: Border (same as your sample)
Once finished:
Work 1 round of:
- sc in each stitch
- 3 sc in each corner
- Along the side edges: 1 sc into each row end
This gives a smooth, finished rectangle.
