Irish Crochet Lace

This lace may be made of silk, linen, or cotton, whether fine or coarse depends upon the use to which the lace is to be put. It may be used for dress trimmings, medallions, edgings, and yokes, and when made of colored silks or even silkatine, is most effective on colored dresses. There are a number of cotton and linen threads imported for the work, Manlove cotton possibly being the favorite, though Madonna cotton does excellent work. Any of the crochet cottons are suitable, and ordinary spool cotton will make a good strong durable lace.

Madonna cotton No. 80, Manlove cotton No. 50, and Coats's cotton No. 60, with a number 11 or 12 needle, are best for fine work.

Manlove cotton No. 36, Crochet cotton No. 50, and Coats's cotton No. 24, will make a coarse, firm and durable beading, insertion, or edge, for cotton dresses and heavy linen or cotton crepe shirt waists.

Explanation Of Stitches

A chain stitch is a series of loops drawn with the crochet needle through the preceding loop.

Single crochet is made by inserting the hook in the work and drawing the thread through the work and the stitch on the needle.

A double crochet is made by putting the needle or hook through the work, thread over needle and draw through the work (thus giving two stitches on the needle), then draw the thread through these two stitches.

A treble crochet is made by putting the thread over the hook, the hook through the work, thread over and draw through the work (thus giving three stitches on the needle), then draw the thread through two (this still leaves two on the needle), and finish by drawing the thread through the last two.

Picot means a loop and is made up of a chain stitch in different lengths depending on the work.

A Narrow And Simple Edge

Make a chain the length desired. Crochet chains of five and catch in every fourth stitch of the long chain to the end, and break off the thread. Fill the first of these loops at the starting-point with 8 doubles; the second loop with 4 doubles; turn, chain 5 and catch to the centre of the 8 doubles; fill this chain of 5 with 4 doubles and 1 picot (which is a chain of 4), 4 doubles, and the remaining space in the loop with 4 doubles. This makes one scallop; continue by repeating.

Narrow Edge

This can be crocheted directly into the muslin if desired by omitting the chain at first. For an edge to sew on material, make a chain the length desired. Crochet chain of six and fasten to the foundation chain; skipping four stitches, make these loops the entire length of chain and break off the thread. Into first loop of 6 chain, crochet 6 doubles, a picot of 4 chain, 4 doubles. Chain 8 and fasten back into the middle of the 6 doubles; fill the chain of 8 with 2 doubles and a picot for six times, or until there are 6 picots; then 2 doubles into the same scallop, and 2 more doubles into the chain of 6; this completes the tiny scallop. Into next loop of 6 chain, crochet 6 doubles, a picot of 4 chain, 4 doubles. Repeat; and so on to the end of the long chain.

Pretty edge crocheted on goods. First overcast the material, or turn it over once and baste closely, crocheting deeply into the goods. Crochet 15 doubles into goods, chain 51 and fasten back over 10 of these doubles, fill this loop of 15 chain with

5 doubles, 1 picot (a chain of 4)

5 doubles, 1 picot

5 doubles, 1 picot

5 doubles.

(This makes 3 picots in all and 5 doubles at each end of the scallop.) Crochet 5 doubles into edge of goods. Chain 10 and fasten back into first picot of scallop; chain 13 and fasten into third picot of scallop (skipping the middle one); chain 10 and fasten at the starting-point, or over the first 5 doubles that were left.

5 doubles, 1 picot Fill first loop of 10 with 3 3 doubles, 1 picot