Hairpin Crochet

Hairpin crochet is worked on a very strong steel fork resembling a hairpin, and a crochet hook. With the help of these forks, lace, fringes, fancy trimmings and a host of other small items can be made in a quite unique style.

The work is begun with a very loose chain stitch. The thread is wrapped around one side of the pin, and a double crochet stitch secures it. Subsequently the thread is wound around the opposite side of the pin, and again secured with another double crochet stitch, and so on until the required length is reached.

If the target length is longer than the pin can hold, then the work is slipped off the pin, and the last three or four stitches returned to the pin and the work continued.. As with all needlework, the size of the pin and the weight of the thread determine the final result.

There is only one example of this medium in the Brain-Watkins collection, but it is an important reminder of what has become an almost unknown craft. It is a blue doily of reasonably coarse thread, and now much faded.