Crochet Doilies are my exploration of something I really enjoy, being so engrossed in a a pattern that it feels like I’m getting lost in it, shutting out the world to make something beautiful is my idea of heaven.
My inspiration for Crochet Doilies comes unexpectedly, from my Grandmother ‘Nanny’. When I started my crochet journey and began to produce lots of beautiful things my Mum gave me a piece of crochet my grandmother made
a beautiful delicate pomander. I had never seen it and had no idea my Mum even had it or that my Nan did this type of crochet. All I remember of the crocheted pieces Nanny made where the beautiful crochet baby blankets she made for each expectant grandchild. I couldn’t understand why I was drawn to thread crochet but this explained it, it’s in my blood I’m meant to do it.
I bought this book, Simple Crochet by Sara Sinaguglia.
You can buy it on Amazon. It has lots of little projects for different skill ranges for me to practice my craft. I started with the apple cosy you can see on the front page and then moved swiftly on to a small crochet coaster. To start with I made it in a larger thread so it’s more of a jug coaster than a cup coaster. My mum is the recipient, I never took a photo but it was a thank you for sharing my Nan’s pomander.
Crochet Coaster
This is the second one I made in the correct size thread and using the right hook size. It’s been well used on my coffee table so please excuse the stain. It’s been laundered but tea and coffee are hard to shift on something so delicate. The stitches are very simple, its a really good project if you’ve never crocheted with cotton thread before.
I’ve researched Crochet Dollies and have a stack of projects waiting to be started. Since the simple coasters I’ve made two more beautiful things.
This one I made for a very close friend who married last year. A Nancy Hearne free pattern, she also sells patterns on Craftsy.
My friends husband is of Irish decent and on researching traditional Irish wedding gifts, Irish lace is prominent for wishing good luck. I found the pattern on Ravelry but Nancy Hearne has a webesite, it’s a bit clunky to navigate but once you worked it out there is a treasure trove of lacy patterns. I want to make lots of her beautiful Crochet Doilies.
I’ve made an ‘easy to travel’ Crochet Doily. This one is from Simple Crochet again and is one of the many Christmas gifts I hooked last year.
I called it ‘easy to travel’ as it needed to fly to get to my sister in Australia. A jug cover with hearts perfect for the hot climate. I hadn’t quite anticipated starting the blog when I took this picture so it could have been better not a great feast for the eyes in the picture, but it is beautiful in reality.
This project needed was a challenge for me, thread crochet with beads is very fiddly and you need good lighting as the stitches are extra small. I am very pleased with the outcome it was a real achievement to not get the thread all knotted up with all those beads attached to it.
So what’s next for thread crochet? I’m mulling over two options, this one from Simple Crochet, Sara Sinaguglia writes easy to follow patterns and I’ve admired this pattern since I first bought the book.
The other option is inspired by my love of gardening. These are two beautiful Dahlia’s from my garden last summer.
After some web research and looking through some of my favourite blog sites, the other option is this one on the US Red Heart web site.
This Crochet Dollie will be for my Mum she wants one for her table and she loves Dahlias as much as I do. So I’m erring towards some pretty spring colours.
Whichever pattern I choose watch out for a future blog post on the Crochet Doily journey.
I love crochet doilies and working in thread. It also comes from the crochet my Nana did and so I do think it’s in the blood! I struggle with thicker yarns now.
That’s why teaching is so important. I don’t have any daughters so can’t pass it on that way. But I have recently reacquainted my sister with crochet, she made a cool hat and is now hooked again. I need to wait for grand daughters to pass it on to the next generation – but that might be a while yet 🙂
I love Doilies! Just like you there was a tradition in my family of my grandmother and aunts making them and ever since I was a little girl I just loved to look at them and touch them and try to trace the intricate stitch pattern with my finger! I have been crocheting for decades but was always intimidated by doilies. I just made my first one this February. I loved working with the thread and as soon as I have time away from other projects I want to make more of them! 😀
I work full time and do most of my crochet in the evenings to help relax. I have found that thread crochet is hard to do when your tired so I try to do them when I’m on holiday. I have a few projects waiting for the next week off we have planned. A good light is also essential for those tiny stitches, especially when I’m rushing to finish a gift.