Information on Irish Crochet
Irish crochet is the quintessential crochet lace. It takes full advantage of crochet's unique ability to produce dimensional details by incorporating flowers that pop out from a lace background. Simple to produce in its most basic form, it is a favorite among more advanced crocheters for items of all kinds. Its popularity has waxed and waned throughout the 20th century, enjoying a strong revival in the 1980s as part of the neo-Victorian trend in clothing and home decor. Currently, as all types of crochet are growing in popularity, it is poised to make a significant comeback.
Other People Are Reading
-
History
-
Irish crochet developed in Ireland in the 1900s as a commercial lace, made for sale by professionals. Hundreds of people, men as well as women, worked as crochet lace makers, making the production of this specific lace a vital industry in Ireland. The country exported trims, collars, clothing and household linens to the United States and Europe well into the 20th century.
Basic Style
-
Irish crochet is often incredibly ornate; however, the principles behind its construction are simple, making it an accessible type of lace for today's crocheters. The foundation is a simple mesh made of chain stitch, to which the designer adds three-dimensional roses, as well as shamrocks and geometric flourishes. Many simple but beautiful Irish lace designs consist of nothing but mesh and rose motifs.
-
Applications
-
Irish crochet is most popular in home decor, and is most often seen on cushions, table runners and mats, doilies, and curtains. It was once highly popular for clothing as well, especially collars; entire garments, especially blouses, were also sometimes made in Irish crochet, especially in the late Victorian and Edwardian eras.
Materials
-
Fine cotton thread is the normal material for creating Irish crochet. Small steel hooks are the appropriate tool for working with these fine threads. Traditionally, only white is an acceptable color, although today's fiber artists are open to making Irish crochet in a wide range of other shades, and even expanding the list of acceptable materials to include wool, acrylic or silk yarns. The only limitation on materials is that only a smooth yarn will show the details of the stitches.
Learning Irish Crochet
-
Those with intermediate crochet skills can be self-taught in Irish crochet. Numerous books and websites provide basic instruction on the craft. In essence, Irish crochet requires only basic stitches well-known to all experienced crocheters, such as chain stitch, single and double crochet. The complexity lies in arranging these stitches in the ornate patters, and in maintaining gauge when working in such a small scale.
-
References
Resources
- Photo Credit hand crocheted lace with green background image by AardLumens from Fotolia.com
