Free Downloadable Jane Austen Doily Pattern

Those who knew Margaret C. Sullivan, (author of The Jane Austen Handbook, There Must Be Murder, Jane Austen, Cover to Cover, and other Austen related works) either in person or through her stories and books, already appreciate her creative sense of humor and delightful style. What you might not be aware of was her award winning needlework. Maggie was as prolific in her handiwork as she was in her writing. Her talents often overlapped as she combined her love of Jane Austen's works with her projects. This doily pattern is only one such example, and we are honored to be able to offer here as a free download, through the generous permission of Margaret's family. 

 
About the Jane Austen Cameo Doily
A silhouette of a young woman bearing the legend “L’aimable Jane” (the amiable Jane) was found pasted into a second- edition copy of Mansfield Park. It was thought at the time that the silhouette, being of a young lady named Jane and found in a book by Jane Austen, must therefore be a silhouette of Jane Austen. The provenance is a bit dodgy, but Janeites have long accepted the silhouette as being a symbolic representation of their favorite author. We have formatted it into a filet crochet pattern that can be used to make a doily or any item that can be crocheted using the filet crochet method.

The final size of the doily depends upon the weight of thread and the size hook used. I have found that a doily made with size 30 thread and a No. 10 hook has been the most popular size and weight. A doily made with size 10 (bedspread weight) thread and a No. 6 hook frames nicely in an 8 x 10 frame. I have made this doily with size 100 thread and a No. 16 hook—using a magnifying glass!
- Margaret C. Sullivan