Alice Brooks 7246: The Complete Guide to Crocheting a Medallion Bedspread

There is something deeply satisfying about a crochet bedspread made from medallions. Each small, finished circle or square becomes a building block, and over weeks or months of work, those individual pieces transform into something large enough to drape across a bed and become a family heirloom. The Alice Brooks 7246 pattern is one of those enduring designs that has captured the imagination of crochet enthusiasts for generations, and if you have stumbled across a copy at an estate sale, downloaded a scan from a vintage pattern archive, or simply heard about it from a fellow crafter, you are in for a rewarding project.

This guide walks you through everything you need to know about the Alice Brooks 7246 medallion bedspread pattern — its history, the materials you will need, how to approach the medallion construction, how to join your pieces, and tips for finishing and caring for your completed bedspread. Whether you are a seasoned crafter looking for a new challenge or an intermediate crocheter ready to take on a larger project, this pattern has something to offer you.

What Is the Alice Brooks 7246 Pattern?

Alice Brooks was a pen name used by the needlework editors at the Chicago Tribune’s Women’s Service Bureau, which distributed syndicated needlework and craft patterns to newspapers and magazines throughout the mid-twentieth century. These patterns were wildly popular and were often ordered by mail directly from the newspaper column for a small fee — usually just a few cents plus a self-addressed envelope. The Alice Brooks name appeared on hundreds of different patterns covering everything from embroidered pillowcases to tatted doilies, but the crochet designs, particularly the bedspread patterns, hold a special place in vintage craft history.

Pattern number 7246 is a medallion-style bedspread pattern, meaning the finished bedspread is composed of many individual motifs that are worked separately and then joined together. Medallion bedspreads were enormously popular during the 1940s and 1950s because they were portable — you could carry a single motif in your purse and work on it during spare moments — and because the repetitive nature of making identical squares or rounds is both meditative and approachable for crafters at many skill levels.

The 7246 design typically features a centered medallion motif with decorative stitch work radiating outward, finished with a lacy or textured edging that connects cleanly to neighboring motifs. The overall effect, once all the pieces are assembled, is a richly textured surface that catches the light beautifully and looks far more complex than any individual piece would suggest.

Gathering Your Materials

Before you cast on a single stitch, taking the time to gather the right materials will make a substantial difference in your finished piece.

Thread is the most important choice you will make. The original Alice Brooks 7246 pattern calls for a fine crochet cotton thread, typically a size 10 mercerized crochet thread. Mercerized cotton has a beautiful sheen that shows off the stitch definition in medallion work, and it holds its shape well through washing and use. Popular brands include Aunt Lydia’s Classic Crochet Thread in size 10, Coats and Clark South Maid, and DMC Cébélia. For a traditional white or ecru bedspread, you will want a natural or bright white. Many contemporary crafters also choose soft ecru or cream tones, which are a little easier on the eyes during long work sessions and give the finished piece a warmer, antique look.

Estimating thread quantity for a full bedspread is tricky because it depends heavily on your gauge and the finished size you are targeting. As a rough guide, a full-size bedspread worked in size 10 thread will typically require between 20 and 30 balls of 350-yard thread. It is always a good idea to buy more than you think you need and from the same dye lot, since slight color variations between lots can be visible in white or ecru thread.

Your hook should correspond to the thread weight you choose. For size 10 crochet thread, a steel crochet hook in size 7 (1.65mm) is a common starting point, though the original pattern may specify a slightly different size. Work a test swatch and measure your gauge against the pattern before committing to your hook size. Even a small difference in gauge will affect the final dimensions of your medallions significantly, and since all the motifs need to match each other in size for joining to work smoothly, consistent gauge throughout the project is essential.

Blocking tools are worth investing in from the beginning. Medallion bedspreads benefit enormously from wet blocking, in which each finished motif is dampened, shaped to its correct dimensions on a flat surface, and allowed to dry completely before joining. You will need rust-proof pins — a large supply of them — a foam blocking mat or several interlocking puzzle-style foam tiles, and a spray bottle. Some crafters prefer a blocking board with a printed grid, which makes it easy to check that each medallion is square or perfectly round.

You will also want a blunt-tipped tapestry needle for weaving in ends and joining motifs, small stitch markers or safety pins for marking position, and a ruler or measuring tape.

Understanding the Medallion Construction

The heart of the Alice Brooks 7246 pattern is, of course, the medallion itself. While the specific stitch count and row-by-row instructions are contained within the original pattern, understanding the general construction logic will help you work more confidently and troubleshoot any confusion in the written directions.

Most vintage medallion patterns begin at the center and work outward in rounds. The center ring is typically created with a foundation chain joined into a ring, or using the magic ring method if you prefer a tighter center with no hole. The first few rounds establish the character of the design — whether the center will be a solid cluster, an open picot ring, a popcorn stitch, or another feature element.

As you work outward, each successive round adds dimension and complexity. In the 7246 pattern, the medallion develops with increases distributed evenly around each round to keep the work flat. If a round has too many stitches it will ruffle; too few and it will cup. Learning to recognize and correct these tendencies as you work is part of mastering any medallion pattern.

The outer rounds of the medallion typically create the joining edge — the border along which adjacent motifs will be connected. Some vintage patterns join as you go, meaning you attach each new motif to previously completed ones during the final round rather than sewing or crocheting them together afterward. Other patterns complete all motifs independently and join in a separate step. The original Alice Brooks instructions will specify which method is intended, but both approaches have their advocates, and experienced crafters sometimes substitute one for the other based on personal preference.

Working the Pattern: Round-by-Round Tips

Working a large project made of repeating motifs has a rhythm all its own. Here are some tips that will help you work through the Alice Brooks 7246 efficiently and enjoyably.

Read through the entire pattern before you begin. Vintage pattern writing has its own conventions and vocabulary, and an instruction that seems puzzling on first read often becomes clear once you understand where the pattern is headed. Take particular note of any asterisks, brackets, or repeat markers, as vintage patterns sometimes use these differently than modern publications.

Work your first three or four medallions slowly and carefully, measuring each one after blocking to confirm it matches the specified dimensions. These early medallions are your calibration — if they are coming out slightly too large or small, adjust your hook size accordingly before you have committed hours of work to an incorrect gauge.

Maintain consistent tension throughout your work sessions. Many crafters find their tension shifts when they are tired, excited, or distracted. Some people crochet more tightly in the morning and more loosely in the evening. If you notice your motifs are varying slightly in size even after blocking, pay attention to whether there is a time-of-day pattern, and try to do the majority of your work during your most consistent period.

Weave in ends as you go rather than leaving them all for the end. With a medallion bedspread, you will accumulate a truly remarkable number of ends — every time you start a new ball of thread and every time you complete a motif, there are ends to manage. If you leave them all until the assembly stage, the task becomes overwhelming. Building end-weaving into the natural pause after finishing each motif keeps the project manageable.

Blocking Your Medallions

Blocking is what transforms a slightly rumpled, uneven crochet piece into something that looks professionally finished. For a medallion bedspread, blocking each motif individually before joining is a practice that pays off dramatically in the finished piece.

To wet block a medallion, fill a small basin with cool water and submerge the motif, pressing gently to ensure the thread is fully saturated. Do not wring or twist. Remove the motif and press it gently between two towels to remove excess water. Lay it on your blocking mat and use pins to shape it to its correct dimensions, checking against your measurements as you go. For a square motif, make sure the corners are at right angles. For a round motif, check that the diameter is consistent in every direction.

Allow the motif to dry completely — usually overnight — before removing the pins. The cotton thread will stiffen slightly as it dries, holding the blocked shape. Once you have blocked several dozen motifs and seen the difference between blocked and unblocked pieces, you will never want to skip this step again.

Joining Your Medallions

Assembly is the moment when your collection of individual motifs begins to look like a bedspread, and it is one of the most satisfying stages of the project. How you join your medallions affects both the appearance and the drape of the finished piece.

The most common joining methods for vintage medallion bedspreads are the flat slip stitch join, the join-as-you-go method, the flat single crochet join, and the sewn whip stitch join. Each creates a slightly different look at the seam line.

The flat slip stitch join creates a subtle, tight seam that lies flat and is nearly invisible when worked in matching thread. Hold two motifs with right sides facing each other, insert your hook through corresponding stitches on both motifs, and work a slip stitch along the joining edge. Turn the work right side out and the seam will appear as a fine line.

The single crochet join creates a slightly raised ridge on the right side of the work, which some crafters find adds decorative interest to the finished piece, almost like a secondary design element running between the motifs.

The sewn whip stitch join, worked with a tapestry needle, is the most flexible and can be easiest to control for new joiners, though it requires some practice to maintain even tension.

Before joining your full bedspread layout, pin or arrange your motifs on a flat surface to plan the arrangement and confirm the overall dimensions. A twin bedspread typically requires a different number of motifs than a full or queen, so calculating your layout carefully will save you from having to add extra rows later.

Finishing the Edges

Most medallion bedspreads look best with a finished border around the entire perimeter, and the Alice Brooks 7246 pattern likely includes instructions for this. A border serves several purposes: it unifies the outer edge, covers any slight irregularities in the outermost row of motifs, and gives the piece a polished, completed look.

Common border treatments for vintage bedspreads include picot edging, shell stitch borders, fan stitch edging, and simple rows of single or double crochet worked in rounds around the perimeter. Whatever border the pattern specifies, work it at the same tension as your motifs, and block the finished border to ensure it lies flat.

If the original pattern does not include a border you love, there is nothing wrong with substituting a different one that suits your taste. The edge of a bedspread is a relatively straightforward canvas for experimentation, and many crafters use a favorite border from another vintage pattern or design their own simple edging.

Caring for Your Finished Bedspread

A crochet bedspread worked in mercerized cotton is surprisingly durable, but it deserves thoughtful care to stay looking its best for decades.

Wash the finished bedspread in cool water with a gentle detergent suitable for fine cotton. Many crafters prefer to hand wash a piece of this size, though a machine’s gentle cycle in a large-capacity washer with the bedspread placed in a mesh laundry bag is also effective. Avoid hot water, which can cause cotton to shrink and lose its luster.

After washing, roll the bedspread in towels to absorb excess water, then lay it flat to dry. Never hang a wet crochet bedspread, as the weight of the wet thread will stretch and distort the work. If you have blocked your medallions carefully and the joins are secure, the finished piece will dry beautifully flat and retain its dimensions wash after wash.

Store the bedspread folded loosely in a cotton pillowcase or breathable cloth bag rather than a plastic bin, which can trap moisture. If it will be stored for a long period, refold it differently every few months to prevent permanent crease lines from developing along the same fold lines.

Why This Pattern Is Worth Your Time

There are thousands of crochet bedspread patterns available today, both vintage and contemporary, so it is a fair question to ask what makes the Alice Brooks 7246 special enough to devote the considerable time a full bedspread requires.

Part of the answer is historical. Working a mid-century pattern connects you to a long tradition of American home crafters who created beautiful, functional textiles for their homes at a time when handmade goods were considered a sign of skill and care rather than nostalgia. Many of the women who first ordered this pattern from a newspaper column in the 1940s or 1950s would have worked on it at kitchen tables, on front porches, and in living rooms after the children were in bed. The pattern carries that history with it.

Part of the answer is practical. The medallion format means you are never more than a few hours from a small, tangible sense of completion. Unlike a large garment worked in one piece, where you might work for days without seeing the finished form take shape, a bedspread made of motifs gives you a steady supply of small victories.

And part of the answer is simply aesthetic. The finished result, with its repeating medallions and their rhythmic, lacy texture, is genuinely beautiful. It is the kind of piece that becomes an heirloom — something a grandchild might pull out of a cedar chest decades from now and wonder about the person who made it.

That is ultimately what makes a pattern like the Alice Brooks 7246 worth your time: not just the bedspread at the end, but the particular pleasure of making something by hand that is built to last.

Final Thoughts

If you are searching for the original Alice Brooks 7246 pattern and do not already have a copy, check vintage pattern archives, estate sale listings, crochet collector communities on social media, and sites like Etsy or eBay where sellers frequently list original vintage pattern leaflets. Digital scans of many Alice Brooks patterns have also been shared by generous collectors in online crochet communities and archives.

Once you have your pattern in hand, give yourself permission to take the project at whatever pace feels right. A full bedspread is a long project, and there is no deadline. Work a few medallions, see how you love them, let the rhythm of the work settle into your hands. You may find, as so many crafters have before you, that a bedspread made one small medallion at a time is one of the most satisfying things you have ever made.