Lace Crochet

Found this resource and wanted to pass it on. Although these mini crochet hooks are used by tatters, knitters and laceworkers, they are also great for slipping those tiny seed beads onto crochet thread. If you’d like to try adding beadwork to your lace crochet items but didn’t have the patience for adding them – how WOULD you add them any other way? – get a mini crochet hook and let us know how it worked for you!

Click here:  Lacis Tools & Materials

I recently came across Bruges lace crochet in a recent issue of Interweave’s Crochet magazine. It had a pattern in there for a scarf using Bruges lace crochet technique. Strips of crocheted ‘ribbons’ are shaped into forms. For the scarf, it consisted of a repeating S shape. The ribbons were joined by stitches between them. Check out this page for a better description:

Bruges’ lace consists of the ribbons which form beautiful ornaments. These ribbons are united when crocheting by small chains out of the chain stitches, and they are decorated by the chains so that an exact copy of the bobbin laces is done.

Crocheted lace of the Bruges The history of the crocheted lace The technique of making the ribbon for the Bruges’ crochet lace

Ravelry, in case you don’t know,  is a pretty cool social media network for knitters and crocheters. I was playing around there and discovered a pretty cool feature. When I queued up a new project, at the bottom of the page was a bookmarklet. A bookmarklet is a link you can drag to you toolbar so every time you find something online you’d like to queue up, it takes you right to your Ravelry page, adds to your queued projects where you can edit.

Of course, the trick now is to find the time to actually start AND complete one of those projects.

Is there really an argument here? IMHO? Not really. Depends upon your choice of style. The vintage crochet look of doilies, table runners, bedspreads etc are a classic, timeless tradition. Some designs, though can look out-dated and not always what you want.

For a comprehensive collection of vintage crochet patterns, check out Vintage Crochet here.

Check out Crochet Lace Patterns for a couple of designers who have successfully taken the vintage crochet look and made it contemporary. I love their designs. Participate in the polls too, while you’re there.

Found this posting for an Irish Crochet Lace workshop in Ireland on June 6th, 2009. If you’re in the area…

Click here

I haven’t tried Irish lace crochet myself, but it looks intricate and time consuming. Like any of these traditions, though, it is worthwhile preserving them. I’m thinking you’re drawn to a particular type of crochet due to many factors. For the kind of crochet I prefer, such as doilies and filet crochet, it’s because it’s what my mother does (or did).  What others might find intricate and complicated in my preferred style, I find easy because of the tradition aspect.

Whatever your preference, keep the tradition of lace crochet going! Happy hooking!

Demet does the most beautiful doilies I’ve ever seen. Here’s her blog post from yesterday:

Demet’s Turkish Lace Crochet Blog

She’s entered this doily in an Etsy contest and the link can be found in that post. The contest ends May 31st, 2009, so hurry on over there to vote for her artistry.

Awesome idea to promote your LYS (little yarn shop) although, by the signs of the picture on their website, Natural Stitches is nowhere near little. I would LOVE to have a place like that here in my smallish city.

Maybe one day.

But I digress! They have started their second annual Summer of Socks and Lace contest. If you’re in the area, check it out. Double yardage for yarn purchased at Natural Stitches store. Great idea for other LYS’s.

Check out Nexstitch.com for Free Crochet Video Tutorials. It’s the site of a fellow Ravelry member, Amie Hirtes. Does that make her a Ravelr? Or just a Ravelry member?

Amie is a teacher and designer of crochet, so I thought I’d pass this info on to you. The first step in creating a lacy crochet piece has to begin with the basics.

Quite a few really nice (and free) crochet patterns available from Berroco.com. I particularly like this lace crochet evening jacket and I can’t wait to try it. I’ll probably have to substitute the yarn, which is always a bit of a hassle for where I live, unless I purchase online. Even then, the cost goes up astronomically, so I will have to settle for a local alternative.

The yarn they suggest looks a little scratchy, anyways. I can see this in a nice silk yarn, or maybe a soft alpaca? What do you think?

I just need to make sure I can get the gauge right and that it feels right. You don’t want the garment to be too dense that it doesn’t float like the designer intended.

Beautiful design, though.

This beautiful lace crocheted wrap was created by Kristen Omdahl and is featured in Interweave Press’ Knitting Daily TV show. The pattern looks easy enough to do and I can’t wait to try it. It would be worthwhile investing in a decent yarn. Kristen is a designer with Blue Sky Alpacas and alpaca would, no doubt, look and feel quite beautiful for this project. The design is very versatile and will take well to being folded in half and draped over the shoulders or folded 1/3 and pinned in front.

I can’t show you a photo due to copyright, but there is one here of Kristen’s for viewing.

Click here for a video of Kristen showing how the Stella Wrap is done.

One of the smart things this designer has done is to have the number of stitches in each star point to correspond with the row you’re on. For example, on row three, you’re putting three stitches in each star section, in row 10 you’re putting 10 stitches in each star section, etc.

Kristen Omdahl has a very straightforward way of explaining in this video. I’ve looked at the pattern for this shawl and it is very easy to read. I doubt anyone with average abilities would have any difficulty with following these instructions.

The pattern is available for free on KnittingDailyTV. com and, while you’ll have to become a member (for free) to access the pattern, it’s more than worth it. Click here for her entire book Wrapped in Crochet Scarves, Wraps, Shawls.

Tell me what you think of this pattern and if you plan to make it at all. I can picture it done in a soft, white alpaca for summer.