Corrections marked in red.
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 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, sc in small
hole at the base of the first picot. Ch 4, sc 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. In making the picots 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.
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.
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.
2-picot
loop. Skip 3 ch in foundation chain, sc in next ch.
2-picot
loop. Skip 3 ch, sc in next ch.
Ch
5, skip 3 ch.
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.
Ch
7, turn.
Results (leaving out the ch 6 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.
Tr in tr.
Mesh made.
2 tr in
next space (5-ch space). Block made.
1-picot
loop, sc between picots in next 2-picot loop in previous row.
2-picot
loop, sc between picots in next 2-picot loop in previous row.
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.
Sc
(the end of the 7 ch) between picots in next loop (the 2-picot loop
in Row 1).
2-picot
loop, sc after picot in 1-picot loop in Row 1.
Ch
5.
Skip
2 tr, tr in tr.
Ch
2, tr in tr.
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.
Tr in next
tr.
2 tr in
next 5-ch space. Block made.
1-picot
loop, sc between picots in 2-picot loop of previous row.
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:
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: *!*!*!*!*!*!
Sl
st in first (Inside) picot in last 2-picot loop of previous row.
Ch
1, turn.
Row 4 -- Five Small Meshes
Row (in Fan)
Sl st into the top of the nearest tr.
Ch 3 (equals a dc).
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.
2-picot
loop, sc between picots in 2-picot loop in previous row.
2-picot
loop, sc after picot in 1-picot loop in previous row.
Ch 5, skip
2 tr, tr in next tr.
Ch 2, skip
2 ch, tr in last tr.
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.
Tr in next
tr. 2 tr's in next 5-ch space. Block made.
1-picot
loop, sc between picots in 2-picot loop in previous row.
2-picot
loop, sc between picots in 2-picot loop in previous row.
2-picot
loop. This one isn't anchored with an sc.
Cluster in
first ch 2 mesh. Ch 5. (See Terminology and attempt to explain
clusters after the picture.)
Cluster in
each of the next three 2-ch meshes, ch 5 after each cluster, then
make a cluster in the last mesh.
Ch 1, sl st
in Outside picot of 2-picot loop in previous row.
Ch 1, turn. OMIT this ch 1.
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.
Sl st in
top of last (closest) cluster. DON'T DO THIS. Start the first trefoil at the sl st in step 7 of Row 5.
Ch 3, make
a trefoil, ch 3, sc in 5-ch space between cluster and next cluster.
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.
2-picot
loop, sc between picots of 2-picot loop in previous row.
2-picot
loop, sc between picots of 2-picot loop in previous row.
2-picot
loop, sc after picot of 1-picot loop in previous row.
Ch 5, skip
2 tr, tr in tr. Mesh made.
Ch 2, tr in
tr. Mesh made.
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
TWO kinds of
picots. 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 picots
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.
