Lace Exploration Series: Irish Crochet

This series provides the opportunity to learn about the history of and techniques for creating a variety of handmade laces.

Background/History:

Irish crochet consists of individually made motifs connected together by net filler patterns. Traditionally, the motifs are basted to a stabilizer fabric, connected with filler crochet, and when complete, the basting and fabric are removed. This style of crochet was a faster way of creating lace that mimicked the more complicated needlepoint and bobbin laces, thus making it more affordable as well.

"Crochet began as a cottage industry in Ireland with a lace called Irish crochet or guipure lace. In the mid 1800's it became a large industry because of the need of the people to supplement their income due to the great potato famine of that time. It has been suggested that four Irish nuns who were trained in a French convent introduced crochet to Ireland. It was a common practice in that time for each person to become skilled in making one thing and one thing only, such as a leaf or a flower. Another person would then crochet the different motifs together using a background stitch." Source: The History of Victorian Crochet

• Article on the history of Irish lace: The Art That Saved the Irish From Starvation By Zelda Bronstein

• More history including info on Clones lace: http://lace.lacefairy.com/Lace/ID/IrishCrochet.html

• This video shows how the motifs are basted to fabric and connected together with filler: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBWGTNM8SMU

• Photos of modern-made Irish crochet: http://www.flickr.com/groups/irishcrochetlace/pool/

Motifs:

• http://www.crochetpatterncentral.com/directory/flowers.php (most of these are shown in yarn, but can be adapted to thread)

• http://www.smart-knit-crocheting.com/irish-crochet.html (motifs with charted instructions)

• http://craftymainer.5u.com/icmotifs.htm (this page is very large, but it shows illustrations of the different motifs from the vintage books that can be obtained from Antique Pattern Library, below) (Drat! This site is temporarily down! Hopefully it comes back up soon!)

Patterns/Projects:

• Heirloom Crochet (includes several vintage Irish crochet projects in PDF)

• A Pincushion to Make in Irish Crochet (requires free registration)

• The Antique Pattern Library is an excellent resource for lacemaking. You can filter by Technique to look at just the crochet and lace books. Or you can search the entire catalog page by using CTRL+F in your browser to find the word "Irish" to look for books that include Irish crochet. If you're overwelmed, the following two books are good ones to begin with:

  Hadley, Sara. Irish Crochet Lace

  Harvey, Lula M. Priscilla Irish Crochet Book

  http://www.antiquepatternlibrary.org/html/warm/catalog.htm (I had to install the latest version of Adobe Reader 9.4.0 in order to open the PDF files.)

The Swap:

• Create a small project for your partner utilizing Irish crochet techniques.
• Include at least a short note to your partner telling about your experiences learning Irish crochet.
• Use a small crochet hook (size 1 / 2.75 mm or smaller) and thread suitable to the hook size.
• There is not a minimum project size, but please spend a couple of hours working on the project.... aim for a minimum of 5 motifs.
• Send a completed item. If you need more time, send a message to your partner and swap host.
• Examples of projects: pincushion, journal cover, towel/napkin/handkerchief embellishment, barrette/brooch, sachet, glasses or phone case.

Remember, this is an opportunity to learn (it is possible that your partner may never have crocheted before).... please be respectful.

If you have any questions or you run into problems after the sign-up date has passed, please contact me, Cirsium.

Photo credit: Interweave: Knitting Daily