Wide Irish lace, corrected.

Corrections included, not marked.

This beautiful Irish-style edging looks like it's worked longways, but it isn't. You start at the narrow end and work sideways for as many motifs as you need, without having to do a lot of measuring in advance. Another version is found in the Dover book “150 Favorite Crochet Patterns” edited by Mary Carolyn Waldrep (Dover, 1995), derived from a pattern booklet sold or given away by a thread company. This version has been changed and entirely rewritten and I took these photos.

Long piece of the lace, ironed

One complete motif

Materials:

• Size 10 white thread. I used DMC Baroque. Ecru might do, but I prefer white for Irish crochet.
• Try smaller threads. This would look very delicate in size 30, e.g. DMC Cebelia 30. But learn the pattern with 10.
• Size 8, 9, or 10 hook (American). I prefer 9 (1.40 mm). Not too loose or too tight.
• Tapestry needle for weaving in ends

Instructions in American terms with notes.

Photos of details to come.

Notes at the end, including how to make a 3-tr cluster and details about picots.

Terminology used throughout. Please read this!

I have given names to some repeated sequences instead of spelling out how to do them every time. Other terms are standard -- ch, sl st, sc, dc, tr, cluster.

Picots are made with 4 ch throughout with one exception***. For instance, ch 6 and then sc in 4th chain back from hook, not counting the one the hook is presently sticking through. For most picots, put the hook through both top threads, then make an sc. This creates a neater, tighter picot. DON'T do this in the first trefoil picot! See below for more about the trefoil picots.

Picot loops

Both picot loops use a 4-ch picot (ch 4, sc in 4th ch from hook).

1-picot loop means a short chain with one picot in the middle: 2 ch, picot, 2 ch. Like this: oo^oo, attached at both ends to the previous row with an sc or a tr.
To make: Ch 6, sc in 4th ch, ch 2.

2-picot loop means a series of ch's with 2 evenly-spaced picots in it, like this: oo^oo^oo, attached at both ends to the previous row with an sc or other stitch.
To make: Ch 6, sc in 4th ch back from hook (which leaves 2 ch before the picot), ch 6, sc in 4th ch back from hook (a 2-ch space and a picot), ch 2.

2-picot loop anchored in the outside 2 ch of a 2-picot loop: Small x = sc.

oo^oo^oox ==> (reading left to right, one 2-picot loop)

.....oo^oo!!!oo! <== (reading right to left, mesh, block, 1-picot loop, etc.)

Mesh is an open square or oblong, made with dc, ch 2, dc ( like this, !**! where ! is a dc and * is a chain) in the previous row of dc's. The Inside edge column is all meshes. The second column is alternating meshes and blocks. Note: In some rows, the open mesh is made with 6 ch at the end of the previous row. Using 7 ch increases the elastic quality of the outer column.

Block is three dc's in a row, !!!, made in one dc and the 5-ch space on the previous row.

Cluster is made with three tr joined at the top. Look this up on YouTube, or see attempt at how-to at end of instructions, after the picture.

***Trefoil is 3 picots made on the same base. Hard to describe, but here goes: Ch 8, sc in fifth st from hook. The ch 5 picot will look the same as the others. Ch 4, sl st in small hole at the base of the first picot. Ch 4, sl st in the small hole in the base of the 2 previous picots. There are four trefoils (each made of 3 picots) in each fan. They are the outer edge of the lace. NOTE: In making the first picot for the trefoils, insert the hook into the single thread at the top of the ch, not under the two at the top.

Tail: The string hanging off the start of the foundation chain. Make it at least 6 inches long so you can use it for reverse chains if necessary. Weave it in when you're done with it. Then cut off the part that still hangs out.

Outside: Away from the plain edge (the meshes and blocks). For instance, the trefoils are on the Outside side.

Inside: Toward the plain edge. The meshes and blocks are all on the Inside side of the work (not counting the 5 small meshes in the fan).

“Inside” and “Outside”

The plain (Inside) edge is one column of meshes, then one column of alternating meshes and blocks. The Outside edge is the trefoils.

Rows

The pattern consists of a foundation chain, base row, and rows 1-6. Rows 1 through 6 make up the motif, which you repeat to make the lace as long as you need.

INSTRUCTIONS

Leave a long tail, at least 6 inches, in case you have to do a couple of chains in the reverse direction, and to weave in the end.

Foundation chain: ch 26, or a number close to it.

Base row. This is the hardest thing you'll have to do. Everything else is easier! And you only have to do this once.

This row has three 2-picot loops. It has two meshes at the Inside edge.

1. Starting from the end of the 26/7/8 ch, make the first 2-picot loop, made slightly differently. Here's how you do this one. ALL others will be as described in Terminology. {Sc in 4th ch back from hook (picot made). Ch 6, sc in 4th ch from hook (another picot), ch 2.} This is an 2-picot loop using 2 of the foundation ch's for the first two ch's.
2. Skip 5 ch's in the foundation chain, counting back from the first picot you made, and sc in the next ch. You might want to count back 6, or even 7 and see how it looks.
3. 2-picot loop. Skip 3 ch in foundation chain, sc in next ch.
4. 2-picot loop. Skip 3 ch, sc in next ch.
5. Ch 5, skip 3 ch.
6. Tr in next ch, ch 2, skip 2 ch, tr, skip 2 ch, tr in last ch of foundation. Two meshes made. If this comes out even, give yourself a pat on the back.
7. Ch 7, turn.

Results (leaving out the ch 7 turning chain at the end): 2-picot loop, sc, 2-picot loop, sc, 2-picot loop, sc, 5 ch, tr, ch 2, tr (three 2-picot loops connected to a mesh, then another mesh), or, when turned, tr, 2 ch, tr, 5 ch, sc, 2-picot loop, sc, 2-picot loop, sc, 2-picot loop.

This is supposed to add up to 26. When I finish the base row, it adds up to 23 or sometimes 28. Don't worry about it. Just make sure you have the right number of meshes and 2-picot loops. If you run out of foundation chain, use the thread tail to make a ch or two in the opposite direction. If it's short and leaves a chain or two hanging, take a look at the proportions of the 2-picot loops and see if they seem right. You can fold over the extra chains when you weave in the tail and nobody will notice. I ended up sc'ing 7 or 8 ch's back from the first picot, and found myself short a ch at the Inside end of the foundation, so I made a ch going the other way with the tail and put a tr into that.

Rows

Row 1 -- Contains Seven-Chain Base of Fan

The ch 7 you made at the end of the previous row = the first tr and 2 ch of this row's Inside mesh. This outward-working row has a mesh and a block.

1. Tr in tr. Mesh made.
2. 2 tr in next space (5-ch space). Block made.
3. 1-picot loop, sc between picots in next 2-picot loop in previous row.
4. 2-picot loop, sc between picots in next 2-picot loop in previous row.
5. Ch 7, turn.

This 7 ch is the base of the fan. Here are the stitches of Row 1, showing the 7-ch at the end. The x's are sc's.

Outside <== Worked outward Inside

*******x**^**^**x**^**!!!**!

Row 2 -- Shortest Row, Anchoring Base of Fan

This inward-working return row has one 2-picot loop in it and two meshes on the Inside edge.

1. Sc (the end of the 7 ch) between picots in next loop (the 2-picot loop in Row 1).
2. 2-picot loop, sc after picot in 1-picot loop in Row 1.
3. Ch 5.
4. Skip 2 tr, tr in tr.
5. Ch 2, tr in tr.
6. Ch 7, turn.

Row 3 -- Fan of Triples Row

This outward-working row has one 2-picot loop in it and has one mesh and one block on the Inside edge.

1. Tr in next tr.
2. 2 tr in next 5-ch space. Block made.
3. 1-picot loop, sc between picots in 2-picot loop of previous row.
4. 2-picot loop. This 2-picot loop is not anchored with an sc.

Next row of the fan, still part of this row of the pattern:

5. In the 7-chain loop (base of fan, previous row), make 6 tr's separated by 1 ch, and a ch at the end. Like this: *!*!*!*!*!*!
6. Sl st in first (Inside) picot in last 2-picot loop of previous row.
7. Ch 1, turn.

Row 4 -- Five Small Meshes Row (in Fan)

1. Sl st into the top of the nearest tr.
2. Ch 3 (equals a dc).
3. Ch 2, dc in next tr. Do this 6 times. You should have 6 dc's with 2 chains between them; a row of small square meshes. Like this, only the first dc is really 3 ch.
   |**|**|**|**|**| The last dc is in the last tr.
4. 2-picot loop, sc between picots in 2-picot loop in previous row.
5. 2-picot loop, sc after picot in 1-picot loop in previous row.
6. Ch 5, skip 2 tr, tr in next tr.
7. Ch 2, skip 2 ch, tr in last tr.
8. Ch 7, turn.

Row 5 -- Cluster Row, 5 Clusters

This row has two 2-picot loops and a mesh and block on the Inside side.

1. Tr in next tr. 2 tr's in next 5-ch space. Block made.
2. 1-picot loop, sc between picots in 2-picot loop in previous row.
3. 2-picot loop, sc between picots in 2-picot loop in previous row.
4. 2-picot loop. This one isn't anchored with an sc.
5. Cluster in first ch 2 mesh. Ch 5. (See Terminology above, and attempt to explain clusters below, after the pattern.)
6. Cluster in each of the next three 2-ch meshes, ch 5 after each cluster, then make a cluster in the last mesh. Total 5 clusters.
7. Ch 1, sl st in Outside picot of 2-picot loop in previous row.

Row 6 “The Biggie” -- Trefoil Row

This return row has three 2-picot loops after you make the trefoils, and completes the fan. It has two meshes on in the Inside edge. It is the last row in the pattern. After this you can repeat the pattern, starting with Row 1, for as long as you want.

1. Ch 3, make a trefoil, ch 3, sc in 5-ch space between cluster and next cluster.
2. Make three more of these trefoil loops, attaching them with sc's in the spaces between the clusters. Total of four. The last trefoil loop is attached with an sc in the last 5-ch loop.
3. 2-picot loop, sc between picots of 2-picot loop in previous row.
4. 2-picot loop, sc between picots of 2-picot loop in previous row.
5. 2-picot loop, sc after picot of 1-picot loop in previous row.
6. Ch 5, skip 2 tr, tr in tr. Mesh made.
7. Ch 2, tr in tr. Mesh made.
8. Ch 7, turn.

Repeat from Row 1 for the length you need.

How to make a cluster of three tr's:

Step 1, first tr:

Wrap the thread around the hook twice.

Insert through the mesh and catch the working thread (the thread coming from the skein).

Pull it back through. Four loops on hook.

Catch the working thread and pull it through the two closest loops on the hook. Three loops on hook.

Pull the working thread through next two loops. Two loops on hook. Leave them there. Go to step 2.

Step 2, second tr:

Wrap the thread around the hook twice.

Insert through the mesh and catch the working thread.

Pull it back through. Five loops on hook.

Catch the working thread and pull it through two loops. Four loops on hook.

Catch the working thread and pull it through two loops. Three loops on hook. Go to step 3.

Step 3, third tr:

Wrap the thread around the hook twice.

Insert through the mesh and catch the working thread.

Pull it back through. Six loops on hook.

Catch the working thread and pull it through two loops. Five loops on hook.

Catch the working thread and pull it through two loops. Four loops on hook.

Catch the working thread and pull it through ALL FOUR loops.

Sc.

Isn't that pretty? It takes practice. In making a cluster to identify the steps here, I had to rip it out and redo it about four times. But once you get into the rhythm of it, it's... I hate to say it ... but it's easy.

Notes

It's quick and easy to iron. Press out the trefoils with your fingers and go over the lace with steam at the cotton setting (if you used cotton, of course).

All rows have at least one 2-picot loop.

All blocks (outward-working rows) are followed by a 1-picot loop.

All returning rows (worked from Outside to Inside) have the last 2-picot loop attached to the 1-picot loop in the previous row. This is the 2-picot loop showing where it is attached to the 1-p loop in the previous row.

...**^**^**y~~!**!*******

...^**y**^**!!!**!

where * is a chain, ! a tr, and the x's are the sc's attaching the loops to the loop on the previous row. After that, 5 ch represented by ~~ because they fit, and !**! followed by 7-ch turning ch = first mesh.

Why a 7-ch turning ch on the Outside edge? It makes more even meshes.

More on Picots

There are THREE kinds of picots in this pattern. Most are made with the hook through the lower opening in a chain stitch. See diagram below. - ~ - stacked up represent the top thread, the middle thread which is a flat sideways S-curve, and the bottom thread.

-
~
* HERE
-

This makes neat, firm picots.

The first picot making up the leaflets of the trefoils, however, should be made like this:

-
* HERE
~
-

because that leaves a small hole at the base of the first picot into which the second and third are worked. I have not found a better way than this but one might exist.

In the trefoils, I tried 4-ch p, 5-ch p, 4-ch p, but it looked like a rude gesture. 4- ch p x 3 is best.

Speed

These are biggish, complicated motifs, so they take a few minutes apiece. As you make more, you will speed up. However, make sure you get 1-p loops and 2-p loops where they belong. COUNT as you go! 1-p loops are always and only after a block. 2-p loops occur in both outgoing and returning rows.

The fan part consists of:

7 ch base (followed by a row where it's anchored)
6 tr's separated by 1 ch
5 dc, ch 2, dc meshes
5 3-tr clusters
4 trefoils basically like this ***^^^*** only the picots are worked on the same base to make a triple leaf, like poison ivy (!).

Not to close on that note, I will say that this is the best be'be' Irish edging I have ever seen. I urge you to buy the Dover book in which the original appears, or at least download from Dover the PDF of the page where it accompanies two other patterns for comparison. The book has numerous fine patterns in it.

I believe this is an improvement on the original wide Irish lace, and it's certainly an improvement (in my opinion) on the original thread-company instructions.