Kristin Omdahl Releases Free Shell Fold Napkin Edging Crochet Pattern

Kristin Omdahl, long-time knit and crochet designer and author, released a free pattern for the Shell Fold Napkin Edging on March 19, finishing at 20 inches (50cm) square with gauge noted as non-critical. The pattern belongs to her Sea Glass Journal series and joins related free designs on her site.

The technique is a two-round construction worked directly into the napkin fabric itself. Round 1 establishes a foundation of chain-5 spaces by joining yarn with a single crochet at the corner, 1/4 inch (0.6cm) from the edge, then spacing subsequent single crochets 1 inch (2.5cm) apart across each side. Round 2 builds the shell edging over those spaces, placing a seven-double-crochet shell in each corner chain-5 space and five-double-crochet shells across the 17 spaces along each side, before a final slip stitch join and fasten off. The stitch vocabulary is limited to chain, single crochet, slip stitch, and double crochet, and each abbreviation in the pattern links to a video tutorial on Omdahl's site.

One practical note in the pattern addresses a question crocheters often have about working on woven fabric: using a loosely woven napkin paired with a small hook lets you pierce the cloth without damaging it, keeping Round 1 clean and snag-free.

Finishing is straightforward: weave in ends, hand wash, lay flat to dry, and press lightly if desired. The assembly instructions are what give the project its name. Starting along one flat edge, accordion fold the napkin into 1-1/2 inch (3.8cm) folds, fold the entire strip in half, then slide the folded edge through a napkin ring and let each side of the folds open up, fanning the shell edge into display.

The pattern is tagged as a lace fingering yarn project and sits alongside other free home décor and crochet-on-fabric patterns in the Sea Glass Journal collection. Omdahl's site is also currently running a 30 percent discount on all eBooks with the code EBOOKS30 at checkout.