My One Weakness (among all my other One Weaknesses – there are many!) is vintage linens embroidered with whitework. I have a hard time resisting beautiful vintage linens, and I’ve collected quite a few over the years. When I can’t get my paws on “new” additions to the collection because the budget just won’t allow – and because, really, where could I possibly put another one? – I have a worrying habit of crawling the internet for photos of luscious old linens embellished with whitework.

It’s a curse. Or a blessing. It all depends on how you look at it! I find heaps of inspiration in old embroidered linens. They are a great springboard for design ideas, and a wonderful source for the study of embroidery techniques.

Several years ago (back in 2008!), I wrote a short article about a vintage embroidered linen with a pretty crocheted edge. The whitework embroidery on the linen is very pretty, but the real eye-catcher on the whole piece is the edging.

And then I found out I’m not the only one out there who takes inspiration from vintage linens. While I might concentrate on the embroidered aspect of them, Megan Mills is enchanted by the crocheted edgings.

Upon seeing the edging on the vintage linen above, Megan contacted me to find out if she could reproduce the edging as a crochet pattern.

I thought that was a terrific idea, and, to help her out, I sent along some higher resolution photos. They weren’t the best photos in the world, but apparently they worked for her, because…..

… she did it! Hurrah!!

I do so admire folks who can crochet beautiful, complex edgings like this when following a pattern. But to see an edge and reproduce it so perfectly just from pictures – I am all agog with admiration for that feat!

Megan has written up a pattern for the crocheted edging and made it available on her website for free. If you have a hankering for making your own new vintage linen – for encircling a round anything with a beautiful crocheted edge – do check it out!

Ah, me. If only I could crochet…