Mesh Yarns, Hairpin Lace, and Heirloom Sewing

Hairpin lace on the loom

Hairpin lace loops bound singly or in groups (top side)

Hairpin lace is a crochet technique in which long strips of fabric are created with long, even, loops on both sides of a central pair of stitches. Typically, the loops are crocheted together singly or in bunches, after which the strip is crocheted to other similar strips to create a full garment, though there are patterns in which the loops on adjacent strips are chained into each other (interwoven), or in which the crochet stitches are stabilized and the loops left free.
 


Heirloom sewing is a collection of techniques used to add lace and embroidery to special-occasion garments, often with Edwardian- or Armistice-Era design elements. Among these techniques are lace insertion, in which a strip of lace with unembellished edges is inserted into the body of a garment piece (see images here), and the underlying fabric cut away to create an element of airiness, and puffing strips, in which a long strip of fabric is gathered on both long sides, attached to lace insertion on both sides, and then inserted into a garment to create a dimensional effect (images). Several lace insertions, with or without puffing strips, may be sewn one to the other to create a broader trim known as a fancy band.

Hairpin lace, heirloom lace insertions, puffing strips, and fancy bands are similar in that they are narrow strips of material that can be combined to create a wider material which can be used either to create a garment or as decorative elements within a garment. Hairpin techniques used to edge and join Sashay Lengths of mesh yarn can be used in place of strips of hairpin lace, or in the design space of lace insertions or puffing strips, to create similar effects in knitted and crocheted garments. One pattern that uses mesh yarn in place of hairpin lace is Red Heart Yarn's Wrap and Go Shawl.

Splicing together two strips of Starbella

To splice together two strips of mesh lace Match your thread size to the threads used to make the mesh yarn (Starbella takes size 20 or 30 crochet cotton) Count the number of stitches between a thread's connections to its adjacent thread (A), and the number of stitches in which it is connected to that adjacent thread (B). For the sample of Starbella above, A = stitches and B = 2 stitches along Thread 1. Choose a steel hook size to create same number of chains/stitches per inch with crochet cotton. (In the example to the right, I used a number 12 hook and size 30 crochet cotton. I should have probably used a number 9 hook.) Chain 1/2 A, then connect to Strip 1 with B stitches. Chain 1/2 A, then connect to Strip 2 with B stitches. Repeat until you run out of length on the two strips. Detail

Interweaving two strips of Sashay To interweave two strips of yarn together Detail Pull Thread 1 of the first strip through Thread 1 of the second strip.  Insert the hook (or needle) through the next open space on Thread 1 of the second strip; pull through the loop on the hook (or needle). Insert the hook (or needle) through the next open space on Thread 1 of the first strip, pull through the loop on the hook (or needle) Repeat as long as necessary to create the required length of ruffle yarn.