π⚓ π§ The Captain’s Compass: Charting New Waters Online ⚓π
Hooks & Horizons: A Pirate’s Voyage Through the Net π§Άπͺπ Cyber meets Fiber adventure....

π§Our pirate, Captain Blacklace Doily, has set her sights on new seas — and aye, they’re not waters of salt and tide, but the swirling currents of today’s technology. She surfs the waves of the web, balancing between satellites and space junk, her sails filled with hope as she rides the digital oceans.
Anchoring ship in such ports as; Substack, YouTube, Etsy, and my blog — each a different island along our map. πΊ️
Some shores hold free patternsπ, like a messages in a bottle drifting to you ππΎ, while others guard new releases, treasures I’ve worked long and hard to uncoverπ, too precious to be given away.
Follow the links as Captain Blacklace Doily shares free treasured secrets in LINKS TO FREE PATTERNS
The tides of technology rise and fall, but our compass points ever toward creativity. This is just the beginning, mates — a fresh pattern release has surfaced, with more charted on the horizon.
Set sail aboard the waves of Christmas Mandala Doily Pattern Tutorial on
Hopes are high. If the wind continues to favor us, we’ll carry on into uncharted waters — and you’re welcome aboard for every stitch and every storm.
So raise your hooks, keep your eyes sharp, and sail with me. The web is wide, the adventure grand, and our ship’s only just left port. π§Άπͺ
Thank you for stopping by.
Best wishes, and happy crocheting!
~ Pirate Blacklace Doily π§Ά
π✨ Back to School with a Fresh Pattern Update! ✨π
Celebrating back to school....
Doily Designs just added something new to the Phone Pouch Pattern ~ now it comes with the Apple Tote design! Perfect for carrying your phone, or a few small essentials, and keeping it all stylish and hands free while you are on the go, or for making that perfect teachers gift.
Make in an assortment of colors!
Whether heading back to school, getting ready for fall, or just looking for a quick and practical crochet project, this updated bundle is a fun and easy bundle put together for you. π§Άπ
✨Included:
π§Ά Original Phone Pouch Pattern
π§Ά New Apple Tote Design with Apple Leaf
π§Ά Cross Charm
π Grab the updated pattern today and start the season with handmade style!
Thank you for stopping by.
Find external links in sidebar.
Best wishes, happy crocheting, and have a great year!
~ Cathleen
Crochet 2 Pattern Bundle! π₯³
New Boho Granny Mini American Flag, 2 pattern Bundle.
You get the new, recently released Mini Boho Granny American Flag, paired with the adorable, tiny American Flag Heart Plush, sold in a 2-pattern set to crochet a few little patriotic treasures.
πΊπΈ Pattern 1; The Boho Granny Mini American Flag π
This crochet flag is made in a timeless granny style, resembling the original Boho Granny American Flag Blanket, with beautiful texture and cozy stitch work, but miniaturized. Great as a wall hanging, table display, or decorative accent piece for holiday gatherings, or everyday Americana dΓ©cor.
Pattern 2; The American Flag Heart Plush Keychain π
Carry a little patriotism with you wherever you go! This tiny plush heart is quick and easy, beginner-friendly pattern, for use as a keychain, bag charm, or a small keepsake gift.
Bundle includes both patterns together at a special value price
Easy to follow instructions
Perfect for holiday projects, gifts, or just celebrating your love of country in the form of crochet
Grab the 2 Pattern Bundle and get started on your πΊπΈ Patriotic crochet journey today.
π click Doily Designs Etsy link below to find these patterns and more.
Thank you for stopping by.
Best wishes, and happy crocheting!
~ Cathleen
We've Set Sail and found our first TREASURE ⛵️ π₯³
Ahoy, mateys! ππ΄☠️ We’ve set sail, and the wind's are in our favor ~ our grand adventure is officially underway.
With needle and yarn as our compass, we’re charting a course toward treasures that can be held, hugged, and handed down. π§Άπͺ
What be our first discovery, you ask? None other than this Mini Boho Granny American Flag ~ a charming heirloom design that waves with timeless beauty. This tiny treasure carries the spirit of freedom, stitched square by square, stitch by stitch, and it’s waiting to be recreated by your own hands.
With the replicating power of patterns, you too can bring this flag to life ~ a small treasure mighty in meaning.
Whether you make it to display, gift, or cherish, this little flag will stand as a symbol of creativity, tradition, and the adventures that lie ahead.
⚓️ The voyage has only just begun. Stay tuned, sailors ~ more treasures await on the horizon.
Follow this link ahead to dig up more treasures; Doily Designs Etsy
And yet another to follow us along the shores of SubStack.
Thank you for stopping by.
Best wishes, happy sailing, and happy crocheting!
Mini American Flag
New! π₯³
American flag crochet pattern, with the same charm as the original Boho Granny American Flag Blanket pattern, just ... MINIATURIZED. π€
Thank you for stopping by.
Stop by Doily Designs Etsy to see find this pattern and more.
Best wishes, happy crocheting, and God bless!
~ Cathleen
Doily Designs Setting Sail
Doily Designs Sets Sail
Doily Designs is beginning a new, unique adventure on SubStack!
In these shifting seas of creativity, I find myself riding the wild currents of change, perched atop a beast of burden in this vast and unpredictable market. The waters are teeming with fierce and talented makers—each vying for their own glimmering treasures. Yet I hoist my flag with pride, setting my sights on heirloom troves and hidden knowledge, ready to carve out my own place among them.
This voyage won’t be easy. The world of crochet design is full of competition, and every new stitch feels like a battle won. But with hook in hand, imagination as compass, and courage as crew, I press forward—charting a course through storm and sunshine alike.
Why Set Sail Now?
The seas of handmade design are more crowded than ever. There are countless brilliant crafters, each offering their own patterns, techniques, and treasures. It would be easy to feel swallowed by the waves.
But every sailor knows: the sea is vast enough for many ships. My work—my doilies, shawls, ponchos, and playful creations—isn’t just about patterns. It’s about story, memory, and the joy of turning a ball of yarn into something timeless.
This Substack is my logbook, my captain’s journal, a place to share the maps I draw (patterns), the ports I visit (projects), and the treasures I uncover along the way (tips, inspiration, maybe even a few secrets).
What You’ll Find Here
Patterns & Projects: Some free, some exclusive—woven with care.
Behind the Scenes: The design process, the challenges, and the triumphs.
Treasure Maps: Tutorials, tips, and heirloom wisdom passed down through stitches.
Adventure & Storytelling: Crochet is more than loops of yarn—it’s a journey worth telling in tales of storm and sparkle.
The Pirate Spirit of Making
To crochet is to be part pirate, part poet. We take humble string and steal back time from the endless rush of life. We craft beauty from chaos, treasure from the ordinary. And yes, in a market where competition is fierce and the winds are unpredictable, we need that pirate’s daring spirit to survive and thrive.
I may not have a ship’s wheel or a parrot on my shoulder (though a crochet hook tucked behind the ear feels close enough), but I do have the same hunger for discovery, the same stubborn spark to chase after what’s just beyond the horizon.
So come aboard. Grab your yarn, sharpen your hooks, and sail with me into this adventure. The seas are wide, the competition fierce, and the treasures endless. Together, we’ll stitch our own legends.
Fair winds,
Cathleen of Doily Designs πͺ (a.k.a. Captain Blacklace Doily π§Ά
Find me on SubStack in link between ✨'s π
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American Flag Blanket
Junior American Flag Afghan
SubScribe on SubStack for the latest Doily Design's crochet designs, or follow this blog to support Cathleen and her Doily Designs.
Best wishes!
Cross Starching ✝️
Crochet Cross Pattern, and Cross stiffening ✝️
Elegant, lacy, jeweled CROSSES made with various yarn sizes, and various jewels.
Crosses where first tested with a half and half glue/water mixture, which works well.
Secondly tested with 4 cups water to 1/4 cup cornstarch for stiffening, or starching, which also worked very well.
π Some were stiffened with jewels others without. When you attach your jewels only seems to matter if you used a water soluble adhesive. There was one cross that it would have been better to apply the jewel before starching.
When gifting Jeweled Crosses π✝️, why not consider letting the recipient choose the jewel, and maybe even yarn colors, and plank ends.
I have had several people prefer them not stiffened, and to attach their own jewels.
Drying times varied, based on yarn, and climate.
These varied from half a day, to a day and a half for bulky acrylic cross.
You can view the entire stiffening process on YouTube
Thank you for stopping by.
Best wishes, happy crocheting, and God bless.
Ai Crochet π€― π§Ά
People at it again...
Watch out for Ai crochet pattern scams.
Have you seen this rooster? π€¨
For a split second I got excited, thinking that someone actually figured out how to create this cute Rooster, only to snap to my senses before ever daring to click the link.
Yes it is people at it again, and the crochet rooster photos seen below are Ai.
Keep these scams in mind when scrolling, and seeing pictures like this one with unrealistic crochet objects and links to free patterns. These are Ai rendered photos, and this is a trending scam, that may even include a 'pattern'. Which in some reported cases are also ai generated 'patterns', and not a real pattern at all. Leaving people confused and disappointed.
Notice anything weird? π€
One difference is this latest one has more recognizable 'stitches', giving it the appearance that it is the real deal. Yet they are almost identical in most aspects. A second attempt perhaps.
Thank you for stopping by.
Best wishes, and happy real time crocheting!
To see Doily Designs real crochet pattern catalog, go to Doily Designs Etsy
Jeweled Crochet Cross π✝️π§Ά
Crochet Cross Pattern π§Ά✝️❤️
Crochet an elegant lace, jeweled CROSS. Add jewels for beautiful finishing touch.
Leave your cross soft, and subtle, or follow simple steps to stiffen crosses with items that you probably already have at home.
Jeweled Cross pattern works up quickly, for lovely handmade gifts, to be used as Cross wall hangings, Holiday decoration, Cross doilies, and more.
This pattern came to me overnight, and I have cherished these times. Find some Cross Stiffening videos on YouTube :
Thank you for stopping by.
Best wishes, happy crocheting, and God bless!
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