Monday Project - Crochet Edged Tablecloth

I've made scores of flannel baby blankets with crocheted edgings, but for some reason never thought of putting one on a tablecloth!  This piece of ice dyed fabric looks so much like fall chrysanthemums that it just seemed like it needed to be a tablecloth for one of our patio tables.  I started to just hem it when I suddenly thought of those flannel baby blankets - hmmmm.  Usually I put a simple edging without many loops on those so that little baby fingers don't get caught up, but this time I came up with a loopy, flowery looking easy edging.

There are two different ways I edge things.  If they are already hemmed, I first sew a blanket stitch along the hem and then start crocheting on top of that - as if it were a foundation chain.  See this post for how I did that to edge pillowcases. 

 For flannel receiving blankets that I make by edging a yard of fabric, I just poke the crochet hook right through the fabric to form the foundation row so I decided to try that on this tablecloth.  I used a size 7 steel hook and size 10 thread.  With the right side of the fabric toward you, push the hook through the fabric and pull the crochet thread through.  Chain 1.  Push the hook through the fabric again about 1/8 inch from the first hole, chain 1 .... just keep repeating this all the way around the fabric, going through each corner hole three times for three foundation stitches.

This is what the foundation row looks like:

For this edging, I then single crocheted in each foundation row stitch for row 1.  For row 2, single crochet in the first stitch, chain 2, and skip 1 stitch, single crochet in the next stitch.  Repeat all the way around - on the corners put three chain 2 stitches in a row without skipping stitches.  For row 3, chain 6.  In the first chain 2 space, do one double crochet, chain 3, double crochet, chain three, double crochet.  *Single crochet in each of the next two chain 2 spaces.  In the next chain 2 space, double crochet, chain 3, double crochet, chain 3, double crochet, chain 3, double crochet.  Repeat from * all the way around.  Fasten off and weave ends in.

I like this so much, I might have to see if I can get enough fabric ice dyed for a tablecloth that's big enough for my dining room table ....

Happy Creating!  Deborah