Work in progress - capelet in Maltese crochet
Finally, I’ve gotten down to using my hairpin lace staple and here’s my new work in progress - a capelet for my 80-year old auntie. However, I fear that it is starting to look too fancy for her. We met her near the church the other day and I saw that she was carrying a simple mustard color silk scarf. So now I am thinking of making another shawl (capelet, scarf, stole, or whatever comes up) that has a more subdued design.
In the meantime, I’m still undecided as to whether I should use buttons (and of what color, presumably crocheted buttons would be nice), whether I should make the crocheted lace edging longer and whether I should make the collar bigger. Some subtle beadwork might be nice too.
While I’ve already done a number of Maltese crochet or Hairpin lace projects, I still need to get more acquainted with it.
Also, it seems that there are two methods of making hairpin lace. One involves turning the crochet hook upside down as the hairpin is turned; the other involves simply dropping the loop as the hairpin is turned and putting the hook back in pace again.
The first technique is described in a website called Wrights. The instructions are:
1. To begin, loop yarn around each prong of fork and tie knot in center tightly (See illus. 1).
2. Hold fork in left hand and crochet hook in right hand.
3. Bring yarn from ball around right prong of fork from front to back. Insert hook between the 2 strands of loop on left prong (See illus. 2). Yarn over and draw loop through, then chain 1.
4. Leaving loop on hook, turn hook upside down and move handle of hook through top center of fork to opposite side (See illus. 3). Turn fork 1/2 turn from right to left, wrapping yarn around other prong of fork (See illus. 4).
5. Holding hook in correct position in right hand, insert hook in new loop on left prong (See illus. 5). Yarn over and draw loop through (2 loops now on hook), yarn over and draw loop through both loops on hook (single crochet made).
6. Continue as in Steps 3 and 4, turning the fork from right to left after completing each stitch and then working single crochet in loop on left prong (See illus. 6).
The other method is described in one of the scarf patterns on the FreeVintageCrochet website. The instructions are:
Hairpin Lace: Make a loop at end of yarn and place left prong of staple in loop just made, wind yarn around right prong of hairpin staple, insert plastic crochet hook in loop, yarn over hook and draw loop through keeping work at center of staple, * drop loop from hook, turn staple 1/2 turn to the left, pick up the dropped loop at center, yarn over and pull through loop, insert hook through top part of loop on left hand prong, yarn over and pull through (2 loops on hook), yarn over and pull through both loops completing the single crochet (sc), repeat from * for desired length.
I find the second method easier, although I have been using the first method more when I am working with cotton threads. The first method seem to be more suitable for acrylic yarns, mohair and bulky threads that don’t slip out of the stitches as easily as cotton or rayon threads.
There may be other methods out there. Nevertheless, do experiment and see which is most suitable for you and your projects.