Winter’s First Snow doilies
Did I intimate that unless I’d made a doily I couldn’t consider myself a real crocheter? I suspect that I did. So I made one. In fact, I made two.
The first is made with size 20 crochet thread, using a 1.25mm hook. I found it bloody difficult. The pattern was straightforward enough (when I followed it properly – I had to pull out three rows of the outer lace because I’d assumed what would happen next instead of actually reading it and I was wrong) but keeping adequate tension on that stiff cotton thread was hard work. I did a better job of it once I got to the outside part. The inside is much too loose and the definition of the pattern is lost in all the loops. So I tried again in a thicker yarn.
This one is in 4 ply cotton, with a 3.5mm hook. The tension is much more consistent and the lace pattern more clearly defined. You can really see the difference between the two here.
The 4 ply doily ended up being almost 11 inches in diameter. The thread one is around 7.5 inches in diameter.
The pattern is a free one, Winter’s First Snow, available here. It was interesting to make these two but I doubt that I’ll become a regular thread crocheter. My crochet technique makes it hard to get the right tension. Possibly it’s partly due to my arthritic hands (I have rheumatoid arthritis in remission) but I think it’s likely to be the way I hold the yarn and hook (not the way that ANY of the books teach you). No matter! I enjoyed my foray into doilies.
Good on you Lara, they look great – I don’t think I could do that to save myself!!!
I am very impressed – they look terrific.
They both look great. Remember that thread doilies are meant to be blocked–which corrects a multitude of sins. Also, it takes practice to reduce your yarn/thread size. I find that crocheting tightly, which I do, is a problem with yarn, is not as big a problem with thread, but I still need to block the finished thread product. Not many crocheters that I have seen are good enough to crochet a doily that looks just as good before blocking. You should see some of my pre-blocked pieces!
If you try again, use a size 10 thread and work your way down to a size 30. It’s easier to adjust your tension slowly.
You really picked a challenging pattern to start with. It’s much easier to crochet pieces that contain lots of open loops and triple crochets and very few dense single-crochet sections.
Well, I’m in awe.
Clever clogs.
Hey – I picked up another crochet book for you today in an op shop. Not as whacky as the last one but you might find something useful in it….?
Your doilies are amazing. I’m in awe too.
Whoa – that’s SERIOUS stuff – and looking serious lovely…
WOW those are great!!! I’m a doily lover, I have a couple of antique ones. I’m amazed at the work that goes into them.
Lara they are fantastic – both of them!
I think they are both beautiful and doiles are my favorite crochet.
Wow! That is gorgeous. I’ve been thinking the same about needing to crochet a doily before I can say that I can crochet. My wrists are aching now too from all the practise.
They are so fantastic. How very clever.
Hello … Is this pattern English or American :-)? X
Hi there Abbie – it’s ages since I made this, and really can’t remember. If you can track down the pattern you can possibly work it out. I tend to assume that most patterns available online are American.