Yesterday, I decided to move on to the next Duplet Magazine with the determination to learn the technique of joining motifs as is done in Irish Crochet work. Being bull-headed, I was also determined to do it without the customary basting board.
I read in Complete Encyclopedia of Needlework the section on Irish Crochet that one needs to baste the motifs on a board with the tracing of the design on it. Usually the board is covered in silk. I was thinking of such a board covered in linen or other cheap fabric.
For making a dress in Irish Crochet, I thought that maybe I can use an old lining for a dress as tracing board where I can baste the motifs. At least that already has the shape of the dress/top that I want to make.
However, yesterday, I decided to take less control of how I work and develop a more “free-form” method of work.
My reference is this Duplet Magazine issue (below) which has numerous photographs and illustrations employing Irish crochet for clothing and jewelllery.
Duplet 112 Crochet Magazine
This particular page (below) seemed the easiest and provided the basis for several motifs that went into my first work. From the examples given in the magazine, I was also able to make new motifs usually just by omitting the last steps in the pattern.
A page in the magazine showing the motif patterns.
These are the motifs that I used in my first work. Joining them is the tricky part. What I usually do is lay out the motifs and arrange them in such a way that they took on the shape that I wanted to make. Here I arranged the motifs into a leaf-life shape.
Laying out the motifs and planning the direction of joining them together.
Joining the motifs starts on the outer edges and is based on the pattern: dc in st, ch 3, dc in same st, dc in next st, ch 3, dc in same st … and modifying as I go along. Here is the result.
Two of these make up the collar.
I made a second mirror-image shape this time employing a different way of joining. Instead of joining all the motifs along the outer edges alttogther, I joined half the set of motifs together resulting to two smaller shapes which I then joined into the larger whole. The result was a shape similar but not exactly the same as the first.
The edging is based on a pattern in the magazine (below) which was perfect because it easily “wove” into the [dc, ch 3, dc] mesh along the edges of the shape.
From this page of Duplet I found a pattern for edging the collar.
And here is the finished work – an Irish Crochet collar. The collar is made of two parts which are laced together at one end. To wear it, I made a flower with a braid for tying. The flower is decorated with a shell and a glass bead. I am extremely happy with the result of this exploration.
Irish Crochet Collar in pale lavender color available at The Crochetology Shop
I made another work in Irish Crochet using the same motifs. This time it is a single shape attached to a crocheted strap. Here’s the finished work, a necklace (of choker length) with a hook-and-eye enclosure.
Irish Crochet necklace in Natural Cotton Thread available at The Crochetology Shop.
For me, learning Irish Crochet techniques has been impossible until I saw the numerous photos and illustrations in Duplet. Somehow, seeing images of the motifs joined together created in my mind a generalized set of principles. Another important thing in learning is courage. The images look daunting and at times I felt that it was just impossible to join irregular shape motifs through crochet.
Also, quite important is not to take too much control. The method of Irish Crochet establishes the principles of free-form crochet, and that requires spontaneity and a certain level of freedom. My two shapes look different – not exactly alike – because they were made without a specific pre-determined pattern and that is what makes them beautiful.
The Irish Crochet Collar and Necklace may be found at The Crochetology Shop.
