Crochet Tips – Irish Lace

The delicate three-dimensional flowers, leaves and sprays that characterize Irish crochet are considered by many to be the finest example of the crocheter’s art. This beautiful craft was originally developed in mid-19th century Ireland as a method of imitating expensive Venetian point laces. In Irish crochet, separate motifs are worked, often over a foundation or filling cord, then joined to one another with an openwork ground. Each Irish crochet piece uses three different sizes of thread – a thick thread for the foundation, a medium thread for the motifs, and a thin thread for the ground.