This set of forums is an archive of our old CGI-Based forum platform (UBB.Classic) that was never imported to our current forum (UBB.threads); as such, no new postings or registrations are allowed here.

Please instead direct all questions and postings to the our current forum here.
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
#126534 June 21st, 2005 at 03:38 AM
Joined: Oct 2004
Merme Offline OP
Member
OP Offline
Member
Joined: Oct 2004
Does anyone else here do thread crochet? Vintage pattern work?

It's my specialty endeavor and I'd like to chat and/or share patterns with anyone else who does the same.

Merme

#126535 June 21st, 2005 at 05:16 AM
Joined: Mar 2005
T
Official Blabber Mouth
Offline
Official Blabber Mouth
T
Joined: Mar 2005
I can't even see the hook for that small of work. My hat is off to you Merme. I'd be glad to hear anything you have to say on the subject even if I can't do it.

#126536 June 21st, 2005 at 07:48 AM
Joined: May 2005
Member
Offline
Member
Joined: May 2005
I've done some crochet with thread in the past. I used to do the Annie's attic barbies, wearing the real frilly historic dresses and such. I never had much patience for hankies, tablecloths or bedspreads though. Not sure if I have any patterns. I know there are lots of freebie patterns online. Anything specific you're lookin for?

#126537 June 21st, 2005 at 08:03 AM
Joined: Oct 2004
Merme Offline OP
Member
OP Offline
Member
Joined: Oct 2004
Although I do all manner of thread crochet, including filet pieces, my real specialty is with preservation work for vintage patterns.

Centuries ago women made their own collars,cuffs, yokes, garment decorations and handbags knowing that the crocheted work would outlast the garment. They'd have sets of things, an assortment of collars and cuffs, for instance, which they could put onto new dresses when they made those, or trade with a friend or give to a daughter.

These delicate patterns were not written down because 1) most women were illiterate and 2) everyone "just knew" how to do it all.

This is our misfortune because when machine work came into vogue with the industrial revolution, much skill and knowledge was "lost".

So the work of preservationists is to simply investigate a surviving pattern whether it is a sample piece or perhaps a sketch or even later, an odd kind of notation that early pattern writers used.

We look it over carefully and try to figure out eactly how to duplicate it and then write down our work in modern pattern language.

This effort can be tricky in several ways....
Many existing samples are in museums and not accessable to an amatuer.
Many textile that were in common use at the turn of the 20th Century are no longer available.
Plus just the effort of trial and error.

If I am working on a vintage rose reproduction and it begins looking more like a sneaker, then I figure I've gone awry somewhere and start again. And again.

Of course with later "modern" patterns, say 1900 to 1930, there were penny magazines published by the thread companies. But even so, the terms used are very obscure to a current day crocheter.

I recently completed work on a yoke meant to be sewn to the top of a nightgown from 1917. I got the updated version on-line but even so, it was a task and a half to complete!

When I finished it, my friends begged me to not put it on a nightie where no one would see it but to use it as the collar overlay on a pretty black dress, which is what I did with it.

Of course I also do simple modern patterns such as angels and snowflakes and baskets for Christmas.

Then of course there is a huge variety of edgings for sheets, pillowcases, socks, fine linens or hankies.

My work is NEVER for sale. I make what I have the heart to make for my friends, family and myself. There is too much invested in any single item to ever dream of putting a $ tag on it...how to account for the time, the tears, the weariness that can overwhelm when a mistake is caught too late and a piece must be taken apart and redone, the prayers, the fond thoughts of the person I am creating the item for? I wouldn't consider going through all that for money; it only for love.

Love of the preservation work, love of the item I've made, love of the person I've made it for.

But truly, it is a fascinating process and all my local friends who do not crochet at all often will stop by regularly to check on my progress with a specific work or will call me each day to ask about it. They get so psyched, knowing who it is for and why it is being done and seeing samples of a centuries old skill appear before their eyes. Even the guys I know get really excited!

Merme

#126538 June 21st, 2005 at 08:10 AM
Joined: Oct 2004
Merme Offline OP
Member
OP Offline
Member
Joined: Oct 2004
Hi Mary~

We posted at the same time!

No, I'm not looking for anything in particular except for the elongated finger purses from about 1820. I have samples of the round ones, but I also like the more tublar style.

And I'm very excited to hear you say about dressing dolls in historic clothes! When I was young, my grandmother made me a collection of what she referred to as "bed dolls" small dolls that you sat on the bed so that their elaborate dresses formed a huge circle around them. Unfortunately this collection was lost to me many years ago and I'd like to make at least one.

My mom also kept a doll with an beautiful gown on over a spare roll of toilet paper on the back of the toilet tank. These were dressed in the antebellum, Scarlet O'Hara style, with a large brim hat and a tiny basket of flowers. I would like to do one of those too.

Merme

#126539 June 21st, 2005 at 08:19 AM
A
Anonymous
Unregistered
Anonymous
Unregistered
A
I have enjoyed crocheting for many years...it almost does seem like a lost art Duh One of my most prized possessions is a set of twin bedspreads that my grandmother made for her hope chest. It consists of squares of different stiches,including popcorn. It also has the handsewn fringe along the edges. All done in a cream colored thread.

Along another line I also have my Grandmothers and Great-Grandmothers hand sewn embroidery,tablecloths,runners,napkins,etc. Some of the napkins have the crochet lace you are discussing,along the edges.

What a wonderful talent you have, Merme, to be able to create such delicate beauty [Linked Image]

G-Mom grinnnn

#126540 June 21st, 2005 at 11:24 AM
Joined: Mar 2005
T
Official Blabber Mouth
Offline
Official Blabber Mouth
T
Joined: Mar 2005
I have the toliet cover doll sitting on the peacock shelf. I'll try to get a good picture of it but I did it in a dark blue so there is no way the stitching is going to show up. I don't have the hat or the basket of flowers but now that you have mentioned them I definitely what to get them. That would complete the outfit perfectly. Unfortunately I haven't used a pattern in years. I just start out and keep going and if it goes wrong I pull out until it is back where it was when it was going right. The ruffle look as I'm sure you know is the double crochet chain double crochet row followed by sticking a many of the double crochets in the chains as possible. Then going back to the chain row and inserting my next chain row from that point increasing enough to make it bell outward. I guess that explanation explains why I don't use patterns lol [to confusing]. And I just can not count worth a hill of beans.

I pulled out a poncho sweater that I designed and crocheted a couple of years ago and I will try to get a picture of that too.

I did a black & gold open trellis shawl triangle shaped back awhile ago when I could still work with black that went to one of the residents of the building I worked at. She did pay me for the materials. And that is usually all I charged because I loved doing the work for people who really appreciated it. Keeping from breaking that metalic strand in the thread was a real pain.

While I worked at the same apartment building we had a manager who was an avid redskins fan. So one year the maintenance man wanted me to crochet a bed spread for her with the redskin picture on it. It was a community effort. One gal made a huge drawing of the picture. I graphed it. And the men of the apartment complex stood at the desk and kept the 20 different colors of yarn from becomming hopelessly tangled while I worked. Her son got the measurements of the bed. He measured her california king and her redskin room had the twin beds in it. It didn't get finished until Febuary rather than December when it was suppose to. But she loved it.

My daughter wanted a crocheted evening gown. That was tough because the yarn stretches when it gets that heavy but we did a formfit design with an open tulip bottom and rounded train in dark blue chenelle. It really turned out nice. But I made her line it and put in the zipper. She is a much better seemstress than I am.

#126541 June 21st, 2005 at 07:06 PM
Joined: Mar 2005
T
Official Blabber Mouth
Offline
Official Blabber Mouth
T
Joined: Mar 2005
Well here is a picture of the doll. I'm thinking I may have to take it outside to get a better one. Either that or invest in a flash for the camera. Can you still get those?

[Linked Image]

I had to lighten it quite a bit to get anything at all so it looks kind of funny.

#126542 June 21st, 2005 at 08:07 PM
Joined: Jun 2005
V
Member
Offline
Member
V
Joined: Jun 2005
I do lots of crochet! I even own a yahoo group for it! But sadly, I am pregnant and the baby is apparently sitting on a nerve or something and I can only crochet for about 30 mins and my hook hand goes numb. So, I have taken up gardening in the meantime. Hopefully after this baby is born I can resume my first habit of crochet.

#126543 June 21st, 2005 at 08:11 PM
Joined: Oct 2004
Merme Offline OP
Member
OP Offline
Member
Joined: Oct 2004
Nice doll, tk.

G-mom, any chance of you posting a photo of one of those twin bed sampler spreads? I'd love to get an close eye of the stitches used....they must be works of art.

Merme

#126544 June 21st, 2005 at 08:17 PM
A
Anonymous
Unregistered
Anonymous
Unregistered
A
I'll try and dig it out today after I get back from the DR.s with Missy. I've got them packed away but,it shouldn't be too hard to get one out thumbup

G-Mom grinnnn

#126545 June 21st, 2005 at 10:16 PM
Joined: Oct 2004
Merme Offline OP
Member
OP Offline
Member
Joined: Oct 2004
Thanks, G-mom! thumbup

Vada, which type of crochet do you prefer? Yarn or thread? Both?

When I get tired with the fine work and ohsothin thread, I like to get out some big fat yarn and go a-mile-a-minute on something that works up fast, comparitively speaking!

Merme

#126546 June 22nd, 2005 at 01:14 AM
Joined: Jun 2005
V
Member
Offline
Member
V
Joined: Jun 2005
I do both, I prefer thread but I can't do any thread at all right now. I have never done anything any smaller than size 10. I can see those itsy bitsy tiny hooks! SO, I mostly work with yarn. I have lots of pictures in my yahoo photo album. Vada\'s Crochet pics

Try that and see if it works. If not let me know and I will move them to photobucket.

#126547 June 22nd, 2005 at 02:28 AM
Joined: May 2005
Member
Offline
Member
Joined: May 2005
Hey sorry I lost this 'thread' (hehe get it?) LOL anyway...I post too much and then lose the threads I'm posting to...just get lucky and find my way back sometimes. I'll see if I can find some pics of the dolls I've done and post them...gotta run right now, but I'll be back (I hope!)

#126548 June 22nd, 2005 at 02:39 AM
Joined: Jun 2005
V
Member
Offline
Member
V
Joined: Jun 2005
a great site for free patterns is

http://home.inreach.com/marthac/links.html

This is where I get almost all of my patterns from. If you are looking for something particular here ya go! grinnnn

#126549 June 22nd, 2005 at 03:19 AM
Joined: Oct 2004
Merme Offline OP
Member
OP Offline
Member
Joined: Oct 2004
Thanks, Vada, for sharing your album. You have some very lovely pieces! thumbup

Most of my work is with 20 or 30 thread....I haven't done any 50 in a while. Occasionally I will use 10, depending on how I want the final heft to be.

This winter I did a very large doily in 10. It's a pattern from the late 1930's and features a handsome spiral in the center and ends with a huge ruffle that required HOURS to go around once. The entire piece is 30 inches in diameter and is in the middle of my dining room table.

Mary, I wonder what happened to you and hope to see your pictures, too!

Merme

#126550 June 22nd, 2005 at 03:59 AM
Joined: Jun 2005
V
Member
Offline
Member
V
Joined: Jun 2005
Ohhh I love spirals and pineapples. I have some pics somewhere of some of the doilies that I have made but I don't know what happened to them and of course I gave the finished product away!


Link Copied to Clipboard
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5
(Release build 20201027)
Responsive Width:

PHP: 7.3.33 Page Time: 0.026s Queries: 47 (0.013s) Memory: 0.8060 MB (Peak: 0.9142 MB) Data Comp: Zlib Server Time: 2024-03-28 23:25:46 UTC
Valid HTML 5 and Valid CSS