"Hairpin Lace Creations" Patterns For Sale

Alison found a few great books from the 1930s and 1940s for hairpin lace. I have a hairpin lace tool/loom, so it looks like work is piling up for me.... The original name of our store was "My Sister's Sweatshop" because Alison was always (ALWAYS) finding patterns that she wanted me to make - either for her or just because.

This is one of the cool new books...

Vintage hairpin pattern booklet taken from a 1936 booklet, called "Hair Pin Lace Creations Made in a Jiffy with Bear Brand and Bucilla Yarns, Volume 89" 11 Designs are in the book.

Includes Ladies Dresses, Blouses, Cuffs and Collars, Purse, and, Girl's Dresses.

Hairpin Lace work is an old art revived but there is a new twist to it now for fashion tells us to use it for making smart wearing apparel and accessories--grandmother used it for making edges and insertion.

Materials required: 

Yarns - Glossilla Bouclette, Bear Brand or Bucilla French Zephyr, Glossilla Petite Bouclette, Bear Brand or Bucilla Twinkle Crepe, Adjustable Hairpin Lace Loom Bone or Bucilla crochet hook

  

To see the individual patterns, just click on the links: 

• Girl's Dress
• Girl's Cape Collar Dress 
• Frill Blouse
• Back Button Blouse 
• Purse  
• Cuffs and Collar  
• Shirtwaist Blouse
• Cape or Bed Jacket  
• Puff Sleeve Dress  
• Cover Dress

I guess this means I have to try one of these patterns, unless I can sweet talk one of my friends into learning a new craft. 

Happy hairpinning!

Crocheted Party Dress: The Finale

It's done! I can't believe I completed the Crocheted Party Dress so quickly. I don't think I have ever (and I mean ever) finished a project in a month and a half.

And the best part is - the dress looks really cute. My behind is too big to fit in the dress, so we used a dress form to showcase our little gem.

I have to say, this was a great pattern:

• It was easy to follow.
• Easy to memorize the lace shell patterns.
• The shell patterns changed often enough to keep me from getting bored.
• There were no side seams. I can't stress how awesome this was for me.
• The finishing around the neckline and the sleeves was super easy. 

Finished measurements (all taken laying flat):

• Width at waist: 15.5 inches
• Width at bottom of armhole/bust:  18.5 inches
• Width at hem:  23 inches
• Sleeve length:  25 inches
• Length from neckline to hem:  33 inches

Hop on over to our Etsy store to find the pattern. It contains three different sizes allowing for customization of the pattern.

Partying On - Crochet Party Dress Update

Sleeves are complete! The skirt is coming along nicely. The pattern is easy. I find that I cannot stop in the middle of a row, otherwise I get turned around and head back in the direction I just crocheted - which makes the skirt a little lopsided - not a good look.

I was surprised at the waistline that showed up. I hadn't expected there to be much of a defined waistline with this pattern. But the waist pulls in and should look great when worn.

The top photo shows the dress with 67 rows completed on it. I have used all of the taupe yarn (all 315 yards of it) on the sleeves and the skirt.

A closeup of the waistline and top of the skirt. 

There are 9 more rows to complete the skirt. I'm really looking forward to finishing the dress. This has been a great project. It has gone fast - I haven't completed a project this fast EVER; it doesn't have side seams - I'm not great at seaming yet; and the pattern stitches change just enough that it is not a pain to memorize, but they hold my interest. 

I can't wait to have a finished project to show.

Happy Crocheting!

It's a Bodice!

I've been trying to work on the Crocheted Party Dress as much as possible. After a couple of days of working on an event for the little one's school, I'm back to crocheting.

The bodice of the Crocheted Party Dress. 35 rows completed.

Crocheted Party Dress - Motivation

When Alison first sent me pattern for the Crocheted Party Dress, I knew I had to make it. But it was a big project - an entire dress - and I hadn't ever started, let alone completed, a big garment before. Still, I knew at some point I would make this dress. The best part is that is's a crochet pattern with worsted weight/light worsted weight yarn, so it would make up relatively fast.

25 rows completed. Once the bodice and skirt are completed the sleeves are added.

The dress is working up pretty quickly, even if I'm a slow crocheter. The lace pattern is easily memorized. I like that a lot!

I purchased a 1 pound mill end of off white Caron Simply Soft online for next to nothing. I knew at the time that I don't particularly like working with the yarn, but it looks so pretty made up that I had to buy it. That mill end turned out to be the perfect yarn in my stash to make dress.

Out shopping one afternoon, we were talking about the dress and how cool it would look if it were an ombre instead of a solid color dress. We picked up a skein of coral and taupe yarns. I am hopeful that I can get the dress to turn out like I envision it in my head.

I am using the postings of my progress as motivation. I want to be able to show my progress on the dress each time I post an update. I'm not always so good at completing projects, so I have to find motivation where I can.

The original dress.

Happy crocheting!