I decided to include a section on The Crafty Tipster which indexed all of the free vintage craft projects that appear across the site.
The vintage crochet, knitting, spool knitting and craft projects in this category are all quite old but their appeal is timeless. I see many of the techniques, styles and shaping being incorporated into modern patterns and were I to post some of these patterns with new pictures, I doubt that many would know their true age.
My research of copyright law and the materials themselves would indicate that all of the patterns in this section are in fact in the public domain and may be used however you wish. My designation of public domain follows the copyright laws of the United States and if you live elsewhere, you may wish to confirm the pattern’s status in your own country with the information provided.
I hope that you can utilize these public domain craft projects and would love to see how they turn out for you. If you have any suggested corrections or find any instructions that could use clarification or further explanation, please leave your comments on that post so that others may benefit from your advice.
Most importantly, have fun!
The great thing about this spool knitted doll skirt pattern is it is so easily adaptable for any size doll. The doll skirt pattern dates back to 1909. Little girls today should have even more fun making skirts for their dolls with all of the new pretty colors and textures of yarn available.
This pretty crochet jacket pattern is over 90 years old, yet would be a fashionable addition to any modern wardrobe. This free crochet apparel pattern is made with "fourfold Germantown" yarn, best we can tell that is roughly equivalent to the typical four-ply acrylic yarns.
We haven't tried this vintage pattern yet but have reviewed the pattern and it looks fairly straightforward. The pattern calls for Shetland Floss. Another site estimates that this is roughly equivalent to light fingerling yarn. Sorry, you'll be a bit on your own on this one to determine the appropriate yarn/needle/finished size ratios. But hey, it's a really cute little crochet hat and the pattern's free.
A vintage spool knitting project that takes 2-post cording and uses it to create a flat mat.
Olive Squares is another vintage crochet doily pattern I've found. The original pattern designer suggests using this pattern to make a counterpane. To me, the pattern is interesting enough to be made into a doily or pillow cover.
The Flower Stand doily is one of several patterns from The Lady's Album of Fancy Work. This pattern, along with a number of others was first published in 1850.
The Mat for Flower Vase is one of several patterns from The Lady's Album of Fancy Work. This vintage crochet doily pattern, along with a number of others was first published in 1850.
The D'Oyley is one of several vintage crochet doily patterns from The Lady's Album of Fancy Work. This pattern, along with a number of others was first published in 1850.
A free vintage crochet pattern to make a crochet basket filled with crochet flowers and leaves.