Hairpin lace: Needlework technique that’s new (to me)
I attended my local Embroidery Guild of America chapter yesterday afternoon and embarked on a sewing experience the likes of which I’d never seen before. I knew we were going to have a class on “hairpin lace crochet,” but I had no concept of what that was.
At the last meeting, I was told to either purchase a hairpin lace loom or fashion one out of a coat hanger. Since I had no idea how to do the latter, I opted for the former (it set me back about $4, so I figured it was one of my cheaper forays into new techniques — many of which, unfortunately, have me scurrying back into the comforting arms of counted cross-stitch).
During our “Show and Tell” segment, several members passed around shawls, blankets, lace-edged hankerchiefs and other pretties that were made from this technique. To be fair, a couple of members brought some examples last month, too, and while I admired the handiwork then, it was really being brought home to me at this month’s meeting because I knew I was going to learn it as soon as our business meeting ended.
The interesting thing is that the history of hairpin lace is very, very old — some believe even during Shakespeare’s time, the loom was the common folks’ way of making lace, which was a sign of wealth back then. Experts site Victorian-era patterns that refer to the technique as “Old-Fashioned.”
Our members brought in books from the 1940s, ’50s, ’60s and ’70s, and some of the older ladies distinctly recall making afghans this way during the salad days of being newly married or on their own. They brought in hairpin forks, as opposed to my more modern(?) loom. Stitch Diva has a great description and photos comparing the two types, although my budget-conscious version is from Coats and Clark, the Susan Bates Hairpin Lace Loom.
Our teacher is convinced it’s poised for a comeback — as evidenced by the range of lessons available on YouTube. So does Kate Pullen, a guest author on BellaOnline, and evidently some of the manufacturers out there creating modern patterns (or at least photographing vintage patterns with modern models), like the aforementioned Coats and Clark, Wrights, and Berroco.
I enjoyed learning how to create hairpin lace very much, and while my efforts today ended up becoming “Drake the Snake” for my fourth-grader this evening, I am definitely ready to do some more.
I’m interested in hearing from folks in the industry, though: Is the hairpin lace the equivalent of “comfort food” needlework in trying times, as it is comparatively inexpensive to get into, and is a quick and easy way to use up one’s stash? Do you see it making a comeback? Let me know in the comments below, or email me at positiveyarn@goochandgooch.com.
Tags: Bella, Berroco, Coats and Clark, craft, crochet, economy, EGA, embroidery, hairpin, lace, loom, Pullen, Susan Bates, thread, trends, vintage, Wrights, yarn
