Celebrate Irish tradition on St. Patrick’s Day, or anytime a little luck is in order, by practicing two customs at once—Irish crochet a shamrock.
Irish Crochet
Irish crochet is based on Venetian and Guipure laces; the motifs are connected by a background network of lace stitches, either chain lace or picot lace. The whole of the background is traditionally made first, the motifs are made separately, and then the motifs are sewn into place afterwards. The shamrock described here is a motif.
Traditional Irish crochet design starts with padded cord for the center of the motifs and has a final row or round worked over a padded cord. However, a quicker and just as lovely adaptation does not use padded cord. This pattern does not require padding, but it can be used if so desired to cluster several clovers together.
Materials
- Choose a cotton mercerized thread (size 5 or 8 thickness) if this is a first project. Thinner threads can be used for a more dainty, a smaller, or a lacier item. This shamrock motif does not have any ends to darn in.
- A steel crochet hook should be used. Try a size 7, but if it’s not working, feel free to go larger or smaller, depending on the size of the thread and the experience of the crocheter.
Pattern
- Make a slip knot, being sure it slips from the tail end of the thread and not the ball end. To do this, wrap the tail end of the thread over the continuous thread running from the ball.
- Make two chains. With the smooth side of the chain facing, work into the top strand of the second chain from the hook, 17 treble crochets, 1 double crochet, and fasten off. If the slip knot has been made correctly, it will get larger as more stitches are made into it. Draw the string tightly enough to make a well-shaped leaf of the shamrock.
- Make a second leaf in the same way as described in the previous paragraph.
- Make a third shamrock leaf, but do not fasten off.
- Link the three leaves together by inserting the hook through the central hole and join with a slip stitch. Five long strands should be running from this point, as well as the working thread.
- Work as many dc as required over the five strands of cotton work for the length of stem needed. Fasten off the working thread. Run this end up through the middle of the stem to complete the clover. Cut the rest of the threads level with the last stitch worked.
- Press or block the shamrock if needed.
Related Article: Crochet a Clover
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