Welcome to my themed blog series, Crochet Specialty of the Month! Each month in 2015, I’ll feature a specialized crochet technique, stitch pattern, or project type through several posts.
I first discovered broomstick lace back in 2007. I was taking the Craft Yarn Council’s Certified Instructors Program in Crochet at the Fashion Institute of Technology. Arnetta Kenney, the fabulous instructor, gave us a sampling of different crochet techniques including broomstick lace.
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After the class, I forgot about broomstick lace for a while. It was a tough time for me because my grandmother became ill and passed away shortly afterwards. She was my first crochet teacher and she inspired my love of the craft. One of the books I inherited from her happened to have a very well illustrated broomstick lace tutorial, which I later used to refresh my memory about Arnetta’s lesson.
So, what is broomstick lace anyway?
Broomstick lace is a technique where you form loops with the aid of an object with a large diameter – such as a broomstick, knitting needle, large emory board, or folded cardboard – and then crochet into these loops to create lace. It’s also sometimes called jiffy lace.
What’s special about broomstick lace?
To make broomstick lace, you only need to know basic crochet stitches, such as the chain and single crochet, but it looks much more complex.
Many broomstick lace patterns can be crocheted without turning with the right side facing.
To see more examples, check out my growing Broomstick Lace Crochet Pinterest board!
Follow Underground Crafter’s board Broomstick Lace Crochet on Pinterest.
Free Broomstick Lace Crochet Tutorials for Beginners Roundup
There are many great beginner broomstick lace tutorials online! Here are a few of my favorites.
- I included a step-by-step beginner-friendly photo tutorial with my free broomstick lace shawl pattern, Quadrilateral.
- Kathleen Sams shared the history of broomstick lace, as well as tips for holding the “broomstick,” in this video tutorial on Red Heart.
- Crochet Spot has a series of beginner and intermediate broomstick lace photo tutorials that you can access from this page. Each tutorial included step-by-step photos for righties and lefties.
- If you’ve tried broomstick lace before but need a refresher, this infographic from Lion Brand Yarn is a great “cheat sheet.”
- Kati Donahue from KatiDCreations shared the basics along with a tip about how to pick up a dropped loop in this video tutorial.
Beyond Basic Broomstick Lace Class on Craftsy!
- It’s no secret that I love making baby blankets, so I guess it’s no surprise that I love the Broomstick Lace Baby Blanket Photo Tutorial by Celina Lane on Simply Collectible!
- Kim Guzman has designed several patterns using “drop stitch crochet,” a variation on broomstick lace. This video tutorial demonstrates drop stitch crochet.
I hope you enjoyed this post! I’ll be back later this month to share more broomstick lace crochet fun!
I haven’t tried Broomstick Lace Crochet but My hands are itching to try something new. When I have finished the scarf I’m making at the moment, I will try this new stitch. Thanks.