Getting Started with Thread Crochet
Make a Plan Before You Start
Each doily project begins with a pattern. You can find
doily pattern book in almost any craft store. Patterns are also available
online for a minimal charge or free. One of my favorite online pattern
libraries is The Antique Pattern Library. Magazine Subscriptions are great source for patterns and inspiration - and you will keep them forever. A great crochet magazine is Crochet! At the end of this post I list some good books you might want to check out too! For your first thread
project I suggest you start with a beginners pattern, one which has few
rounds - perhaps a snowflake?
Before beginning any project, check the 'explanation of
stitches' in the book containing your pattern. Some very old pattern books refer
to (dc), which is actual made like a (sc) and (tr) which is actually made like
a (dc). Confused? Anyways, always check the 'explanation of
stitches' in the pattern book before you start your project.
Always make sure to have enough thread to complete your
project. Some old pattern books don't exactly clarify how much thread (yardage)
is necessary for a project, so you may have to do a little calculating. When in
doubt, purchase in abundance. If you prefer to work with #10 thread, but your
pattern calls for #20, go ahead and use #10. Your project will simply turn out larger
than the pattern states and you'll use a little more thread.
Small projects are great for beginners because satisfaction
and accomplishment comes quickly. Which is encouraging! I find these two books
full of fun, colorful small projects. These books teach the proper way to start
and finish rows, how to join colors and weave in ends. "Crochet
Garden: Bunches of Flowers, Leaves and Other Delights" and "Crochet
Bouquest: Easy Designs for Dozens of Flowers" both by Suzann Thompson.
These books go into thread crochet appliqué and/or Irish crochet, which is the
same methodology as doily or lace making, just smaller. Most projects in these
books are made with yarn, but you can adapt them into thread project, or not.
They are just too fun!
Know Your Materials
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| Linen |
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| Bamboo |
Tools of the Trade
Your most important tools are your hands. Your second most
important tool is your hook. Do not
purchase cheap, off brand steel hooks, you will not be satisfied, only
frustrated. When you do buy steel hooks, always purchase the same brand as they
are made with exactly the same type of notch in every size hook, which will
keep your technique and work consistent. I use only Boye hooks. I have worked
with Boye hooks for 40 years; it is what I am used to working with and I have
to say the sizing of the hooks is perfect.
A good quality hook has a tapered throat that is baby butt smooth with a
rounded head. The hook should work easily and quickly without snagging or
dropping the thread. If you can't smoothly and effortless grab your thread and
pull it smoothly through, then your not using a good quality hook and/or not using the right size hook for the thread. For consistencies sake, find a good quality
brand hook you like and stick with it.
Maintain Your Machinery
YOU are the machine that creates the product. Okay, so your
not really a "machine", but without you there would be no product.
Without your talented hands, there would be no product. Your hands are your
most valuable asset - take care of them! I kinda treat my hands as if I were a
super-hand-model. I always wear gloves
when working outdoors in the winter AND
summer. One frostbitten finger and you won't be crocheting for weeks. Frostbite,
arthritis, tendonitis, cuts and blisters all put a damper on creating
handwork. Prevention is the best
medicine. Crochet hooks with a rubber contoured handle alleviate stress in your
hand and wrist. One example is Armour
Steel Hooks. I also use SortKwik on
my hands and fingers to keep a good grip on my hook and thread.
Eye glasses; get them if you need them. Working with thread
takes a toll on you eyesight. Don't keep straining. Get your eyes checked and
wear glasses if needed.
Muscles tighten up when you sit in the same position for
hours. When you crochet for long
intervals take a break every once and while and walk around. When you sit in a
chair for long periods, putting a pillow behind your head for support will alleviate
tension in your neck. Getting a massage will take the tension out of your neck
and shoulders - and make you feel unbelievable!
Quality Assurance
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| Photo 2 |
Paying attention to detail, taking your time and applying
those finishing touches makes all the difference in the final piece. While your
creating check your work every few rows for errors. Should you find an error,
it’s a lot easier to rip out three rows than it is to rip out twenty rows. Marking
your stitches can be helpful. In this pattern (see photo #2 & #3) I need to increase
at the corner stitch in every row for about thirty rows. Its much easier (and quicker) to find this
corner stitch if it is marked. I use a
pink thread to mark the corner stitch of every row as I work. Because this
particular design calls for me to turn my work (work on both the right and
wrong sides) I use a yellow thread to mark the 'right' side of my work. I use
thread to mark my
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| Photo 3 |
stitches because stitch markers are simply too large to use
in thread making.
Always work with clean hands. You will mostly be working
with white or beige thread which tends to get dirty quickly. Keep unused thread and unfinished projects sealed tight in zip lock bags. You'll also want
to prevent any hairs or fuzz from becoming entwined in the thread. I use duct
tap wrapped around my hand sticky side out to remove lint from my work and
clothes. After you've completed a
project you'll want to wash and block it. See my "Care
Instructions" page in this blog for washing details.
Practice Makes Perfect
When I was a small girl my Grandmother taught me to knit and
crochet. The first project I ever accomplished was an afghan made entirely out
of one knit stitch. 600 rows later I had perfected that stitch, my tension and
my consistency.
It is easiest to begin doily making with a larger thread
size (3 or 5) and a larger steel hook size (2 or 3). Choose a
simple pattern with fewer rounds say 5 or 10 rounds. Practice with this larger
thread and hook until your comfortable and your tension is uniform. The amount of difficulty will increase as the thread gets finer and hook gets smaller.
When your comfortable working with size 5 thread, graduate to a size 10 thread
and size 8 hook, then to 20 thread and 10 hook; and when you feel like you can take
over the world with crochet, move to a 30 thread and 12 hook.
Enjoy what you do and be proud of your accomplishments.
With Best Regards,
-Denise
PostScript:
The subject of my next
post will be "stitches and stitch patterns" in doily making.
Some good books for thread crochet are:
"Complete
Guide to Thread Crochet" (Leisure Arts #3225) by Leisure Arts
Expand your crochet horizons with:
"Crochet
Master Class: Lessons and Projects from Today's Top Crocheters" by
Jean Leinhauser & Rita Weiss
Love a good mystery novel AND
love to crochet?
Check out books by Betty Hechtman:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/betty-hechtman
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| The finished Irish Crochet Hexagon Doily This pattern can be found in the 1915 Priscilla crochet book 'Center Pieces & Doilies' www.antiquepatternlibrary.org/pub/PDF/RobinsonPriscillaCenterpieces1-23.pdf |