Family Crochet Appreciation

I have so many talented friends in my Rainy Sunday Knitters group. Vicki, one of my good friends, recently brought in and shared a lovely tablecloth that her grandmother had made. Take a look!

It was quite large and I wanted to be respectful, so I didn't unfold it all the way. The tablecloth looked to be made of motifs in a join-as-you-go style. Vicki said her grandmother, who lived almost 104 years, made a tablecloth for each granddaughter. Wow! Her grandmother made the tablecloths out of different brands of cotton thread that she happened to collect and then tea-stained the finished projects to give them a uniform color. How neat! Just look at those stitches... her grandmother had perfect tension.

Thanks for sharing, Vicki!

Book Review: Crochet Lace by Pauline Turner

The Good
This book has some interesting information on the history of different styles of crochet lace. It also has one of the clearest explanations of filet that I've seen so far. The book goes into great depth in its descriptions. There are several motif patterns as well as a few edging patterns. The author herself is an accomplished crocheter with many publications.

The Bad
There isn't necessarily a picture for every pattern. The book focuses more on the general application and formation of the crochet pieces rather than focusing on finished objects, so it may confuse those who are looking for clear start-to-finish patterns. Also, I expected a book about crochet lace to have more doily patterns and examples.

The Verdict
If you're looking for an interesting read and introduction to crochet lace and object construction in a general sense, this book is a yes. If you've been having trouble with filet and want another take on it, this book is a yes. If you are looking for a book with many fully-formed start-to-finish lace patterns, especially doilies, this book is a no.

Sometimes You Just Gotta Put Stuff On Your Head

I really like doilies and motifs. They embody all of the best things about crochet - it's light feeling, airy stitches, and beautiful stitch combinations. However, I have no idea what I would do with a doily after finishing it because I don't have any place to set a doily where it would be safe from little cat claws. Motifs are great...until you realize you need to make about a million of them to finish your blanket/table runner/curtain. Even so, I wanted to practice motif making. I chose one I liked from a book and whipped it up with some yarn that's been sitting around forever. When it was finished I decided to put it on my head.

I finished out my project by turning the motif into a hat. It has kind of a hippie or patchwork feel.

It's pretty unusual, but I like it. Have you ever done something unexpected with a doily or motif? I've seen wedding dresses made out of them! I've also seen folks use very large yarn to make them into rugs. I'm going to keep brainstorming new and exciting ways to use them.