Crochet Irish Lace

Irish lace is a quicker form of lace making that was developed in Ireland during the Great Famine. This type of lace making uses a crochet hook and cotton yarn to make lace designs for tapestries and clothing that were more cost-effective. Making a lace tablecloth might take someone over 200 hours to complete, but someone using the crocheted Irish lace method could produce the same tablecloth in about 20 hours.[1] You can easily learn this lace making method as long as you have some basic crocheting skills. You will need to make several leaves and flowers (also known as motifs) and then sew them onto a crocheted background.

Steps

Crocheting a Leaf

  1. Chain 13. To start your first leaf, make a chain of 13 stitches. This chain will be the center and base of your leaf.[2]
    • To chain, yarn over your hook twice, and then pull the first loop through the second loop. Then, yarn over your hook again and pull through the loop. Repeat this process until your chain is the length you want it to be.[3]
  2. Skip two and single crochet twice. Skip the first two links in your chain and then single crochet twice into the next two links of the chain.[2]
    • To single crochet, insert the crochet hook into the chain and then loop your yarn over the hook. Pull the yarn through the chain to create a new loop. Then, yarn over again and pull the yarn through both of the loops.[4]
  3. Do a half double crochet into each of the next two chains. Follow the single crochet stitches with two half double crochet stitches into the next two chains.[2]
    • To Half-Double-Crochet-(HDC), yarn over and insert the hook into the chain. Then, yarn over and pull the yarn through the first loop on the hook. Then, yarn over again and pull through all three loops on the hook.[5]
  4. Double crochet into the next two chains. Next, double crochet into each of the next two chains.[2]
    • To double crochet, yarn over the hook, and insert the hook through the chain. Yarn over again. Pull through the first stitch, and yarn over again. Next, pull through the next two stitches on the hook, and yarn over again. Pull through the last two stitches on the hook.[6]
  5. Work a triple crochet stitch into the next four chains. As you near the end of your leaf, triple crochet into each of the next four chains in the row.[2]
    • To Treble-Crochet, yarn over the hook twice and insert the hook into the chain and yarn over again. Pull the yarn through the chain, and yarn over again. Pull through the first two loops on the hook. Then, yarn over and pull through two more. Yarn over again and pull through the last two stitches on the hook.[7]
  6. Do six triple crochet stitches into the last stitch in the chain. To work around to the other side of the leaf, work six triple crochet stitches into the last stitch in your chain. This will cause the end of the leaf to have a rounded, fanned out effect and then you will be able to start crocheting into the other side of the chain.[2]
  7. Crochet four triple crochet stitches into the opposite side. As you begin working in the opposite side of the chain, keep in mind that you are simply mirroring the stitches you did on the other side of the chain. Start with four triple crochet stitches into the next four chains.[2]
  8. Do two double crochet stitches into the next two chains. Follow up the triple crochet stitches with two double crochet stitches into the next two chains.[2]
  9. Work two half double crochet stitches into the next two chains. Next, do two half double crochet stitches into each of the next two stitches in your chain.[2]
  10. Single crochet the next two stitches. Follow the half double crochet stitches with two single crochet stitches in the last two stitches of the chain.[2]
  11. Finish with a slipstitch into the end. Now, you should be back at the beginning of the leaf and you will just need to slipstitch into the end of the leaf to finish it.[2]
    • To slipstitch, insert the hook into the stitch, then yarn over and pull through both loops on the hook.

Crocheting a Simple Flower

  1. Chain five stitches and join in a ring. To make a simple flower, you will need to start by chaining five stitches. Then, join the first and last stitch in a ring using a slipstitch.[8]
  2. Chain one and single crochet 12 times into center of ring. To begin working your first round, chain one to provide a bit of slack. Then, single crochet into the center of the ring a total of 12 times.[8]
    • Slipstitch to finish the round.
  3. Chain one and single crochet. For the second round, start by chaining one. This will provide some slack to start the new round. Then, single crochet one time into the first stitch in the round.[8]
  4. Chain five and single crochet. Next, chain five stitches. Then, in the same stitch that you worked the previous single crochet stitch into, single crochet once again. This should leave you with a chain loop of five extending from the stitch.[8]
    • Repeat the sequence of ch1, sc, ch5, sc into each stitch for the whole round.
    • Finish the round with a slipstitch.
  5. Chain three and double crochet twice. For the third round, start by chaining three stitches. Then, double crochet twice through the chain five space that you made in the previous round and also through the first single crochet stitch from first round.[8]
    • Repeat this sequence of ch3 and dc into ch5 space and sc stitch of first round for the whole round.
    • Finish the round with a slipstitch to connect the first and last stitches in the round.
  6. Chain one, single crochet two, and chain five. For the fourth round, chain one stich and then single crochet twice into the first stitch in the round. Then, make a chain of five.[8]
    • Repeat the sequence of single crocheting twice and chaining five for every stitch in the round.
    • Finish the round with a slipstitch.
  7. Chain four and double crochet into chain five space. For the fifth round, make a chain of four and then double crochet it the chain five space.[8]
    • Chain one and double crochet into every chain five space for the entire round.
  8. Chain one and single crochet and chain five into every double crochet stitch. For the last round, start by chaining one and then single crochet into the first stitch. Then, make a chain of five and single crochet again. Continue to repeat this sequence to the end of the round.[8]
    • Finish the round with a slipstitch and your flower is complete!

Making a Simple Backdrop for Your Motifs

  1. Make a chain that is as long as you want your backdrop to be. Start by making a simple chain. You can make the chain as long or as short as you want it to be. Just keep in mind that this will serve as the backdrop for your motifs, so make sure to make it large enough to sew all of them onto.[9]
    • For example, you could make a small backdrop by chaining 40, or make a large backdrop by chaining 150. It’s up to you and what you need to complete your design.
  2. Single crochet into the tenth chain from the hook. To begin your first row, single crochet into the tenth chain from the hook. This will make a small chain loop.[9]
  3. Chain six, skip three, and single crochet. Next, chain six stitches, skip three chains and then single crochet into the base chain. This will create another chain loop. Repeat this sequence to the end of the row.[9]
  4. Finish the first row with a chain of nine, and turn. When you get to the end of your row, make a chain of nine for your turning chain. This will help to provide slack to work the next row and it will also serve as your first chain loop.[9]
  5. Work a single crochet into the next loop, chain six, and skip three. Start your new row with a single crochet stitch into the next loop in your row. Then, chain six stitches. Then, skip three and single crochet to connect the stitches. Repeat this sequence to the end of the row. [9]
    • Follow the last chain of six with a single crochet stitch.
    • Chain nine and turn your work again and then repeat the second row until your backdrop is the length you want it to be.
  6. Sew your motifs onto your background. When you have finished several motifs and your background is complete, thread a needle with the same color thread as your yarn and then begin sewing your motifs onto the background. You can place them however you like.
    • You may want to start by pinning them on to see how you would like to arrange them, and then sew them in place when you are happy with the arrangement.

Things You’ll Need

  • Cotton yarn. Opt for a light to medium weight cotton yarn to use for your Irish lace.
  • Crochet hook appropriate for the yarn. Check the label to find size recommendations. Remember that the smaller the needle, the more delicate your lace will be.
  • Scissors
  • Needle and thread

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://mypicot.com/irish_crochet_patterns_t01.html
  2. ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 http://mypicot.com/irish_crochet_patterns_t03.html
  3. ↑ http://newstitchaday.com/crochet-101-how-to-crochet-the-chain-stitch-for-beginners/
  4. ↑ http://www.craftyarncouncil.com/instructions_cr.php3
  5. ↑ http://newstitchaday.com/crochet-101-how-to-crochet-the-half-double-crochet-for-beginners/
  6. ↑ http://www.craftyarncouncil.com/mar06_dc.html
  7. ↑ http://newstitchaday.com/how-crochet-triple-crochet-stitch/
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 8.6 8.7 http://mypicot.com/ic2.html
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 http://www.antiquepatternlibrary.org/pub/PDF/6-TA008Clarks132.pdf
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