Hairpin Crochet

Day 112: Here's a craft not often seen nowadays: hairpin crochet. Done on a smaller scale, it's known as hairpin lace, but you'd be hard put to find a staple (aka "loom" or "fork") of a size suitable for anything finer than sport yarn on today's market. Originally made on real hairpins using fine-gauge threads, the modern version generally uses an adjustable staple and yarn. I own two set-width staples (1" and 1.5", the latter in use here) as well as an adjustable model which makes strips up to 4" wide. Work begins with a loop of yarn knotted in the open center of the fork. The fork is then given a half turn and a single crochet is made through the top loop on the left side (opposite for left-handers). The fork is given another half turn, another single crochet is made, and the work continues in the same manner until the desired number of loops has been achieved. When the strip is complete, it is secured and removed from the staple. A second strip is made, and can be joined to the first in a number of different ways depending on the desired effect. For a simple scarf in sport-weight yarn, draw loops through each other three at a time for a "braided" look (photo). Hairpin can be used for afghans, doilies, edgings or even garments. Different crochet stitches can be used to achieve a more textured appearance to the centers of the strips, or beads can be added if desired.