Anyone made a doily from Beeton's Book of Needlework?

[Katy]

Hi. I am new. I found Crochetville while searching on Beeton after I had discovered the book and downloaded it. I wondered if anyone has made one of the "Doilies in Imitation of Point Lace Work"? And if so, how did it go? were the motifs hard to put together, did it come out nicely? any tips? I have figured out the instructions, British I guess where a double is a single, etc. And a picot isn't mentioned by name but exist, etc. I am about to start D'Oyley No. 2. If anyone has done one of these, I'd love to know how it went.

Thanks,

Katy

[Katchkan]

I wish you the best of crocheting on that doily. It is a lovely design. I have never done any of those in that book. Though I have made simular ones in my time. Look forward to seeing yours done. What size thread are you planning on using?

[Katy]

Hi. Thanks for the encouragement. I am using Valdani #12 and a 1.15 mm hook. I have no idea if that's ok. I discovered this thread last summer and like it very much. It costs too much. It has pretty varigated colors that probably hide my patterns a bit. But I still like it. I guess the #12 is probably equal to a DMC 20 I think. pretty fine but not tiny, I unwound and it has 2 strands of thread. Otherwise I am afread this would get too big. My doilies got bigger and bigger, til I wondered what in the world people could do with them when I gave them out. So I am trying my eyes with littlier thread.

Thanks,

Katy

[Gran]

Here's the link if anyone wants to see it:

 

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/15147/15147-h/15147-h.htm

 

There are lovely things indeed there.

 

Katy, all the best to you with your project. Those doilies look quite challenging!

[Katchkan]

Hi. Thanks for the encouragement. I am using Valdani #12 and a 1.15 mm hook. I have no idea if that's ok. I discovered this thread last summer and like it very much. It costs too much. It has pretty varigated colors that probably hide my patterns a bit. But I still like it. I guess the #12 is probably equal to a DMC 20 I think. pretty fine but not tiny, I unwound and it has 2 strands of thread. Otherwise I am afread this would get too big. My doilies got bigger and bigger, til I wondered what in the world people could do with them when I gave them out. So I am trying my eyes with littlier thread.

Thanks,

Katy

It should be lovely. A lot of Irish crochet elements in that one. I have never used that thread, since I am not partial to varigated thread. I don't want the colors to compete with the pattern. But that is just me.I will be curious to see how it works up for you.

[Wendy79]

Good luck! I've done some other patterns from that book, but none of the "d'oyleys". I'd love to see what they look like in real life.

[Katy]

I think it's not to hard once I've gotten used to reading the instructions. It was putting it together I wondered about. So thought I'd see if anyone had already done one of these. Well, I will post here when it's done and try to put a picture. BTW Valdani comes in straight colors too. It's very easy to work with.

[Katy]

I have a question for you guys familiar with these D'Oyley patterns from Beeton: When I found this forum I was looking for someone who had made one of these doilies and had any suggestions. I still haven't found anything like that, and got an idea that it needed to exist. I am working on one of the doilies, and it isn't very hard, except you have to read between the lines. I think I would have loved a book that laid these doilies out with pictures and good instructions. In the old Beeton book (free now) there is a picture of each doily, but it isn't too good, and there is no picture of each motif.

A book with:

1) each motif with instructions and a picture. There's like maybe 20 of them in the base set, and each doily used a subset of these made and put together in a pattern. The motif instructions need some interpretation, like how to start the round, how to end it, how many whatevers there are in the round, and English instructions instead of British. Not rocket science, but possibly enough to stop a crocheter who happened on these in the old book and didn't want to delve into it.

 

2) A picture of each doily. There are 10.

A list of what Motifs to make the particular doily and how many of each. And instructions for sewing them together for this particular D'Oyley which motifs to use and how to sew them together.

There could be a preface with a little history of the Beeton book, and the D'Oyley story would be interesting, at least I thought it was.

A book like this wouldn't be very hard to write, just time consuming. It would be very very fun cause I would get to crochet each one of the Beeton D'Oyley and drool over them as I crochet. You wouldn't need to be too expert to follow these instructions from a book like this and I don't think I've seen anything like it out there, and I have a lot of doilies books.

I can't get doing this out of my head. Does anyone have a comment?

[Tracey4610]

Katy: It sounds pretty cool to me...I'm also working on Irish Crochet, and have been following the directions from the Priscilla Irish Crochet Book (also found at the Gutenberg Project site). Perhaps some of the motifs can be found there? The stitch translations are still UK standard (I don't know when we "Americanized" them, here), but it's pretty easy to convert...

sl st is still slip stitch

ch is still ch,

dc=American sc

htr=American hdc

tr =American dc

dtr = American tr

 

 

I was trying to download this book, but it's taking forever becasue the file is so huge (and we have broadband! ), and I wanted to see the pics of what you're talking about, but couldn't. I wish you luck!

[Katy]

Hi. I just looked at the Irish Crochet motifs on the Gutenberg site and you're right, it's very similar stuff. Maybe when I get stuck on some of this I can cross reference and get some help. Thanks for the tip. What are you doing with these motifs anyway? I'd love to see what you're doing.

 

http://www.allfreecrafts.com/crochet/BeetonCrochet.pdf

[Katchkan]

The Priscilla Books are a great beginning book for Irish Crochet. I learned a lot of the methods in those 2 books. I highly recommend them for getting started.

Here is a doily I designed using those methods.

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a219/Katchkan/ICIrishDoily2.jpg

Here it is on the paper after I worked the fill in lace.

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a219/Katchkan/ICReadytosnip.jpg

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a219/Katchkan/ICwipdetail.jpg

one detail shot

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a219/Katchkan/ICICdoilydetail.jpg

And a Collar I also designed.

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a219/Katchkan/irishcrochetcollar.jpg

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a219/Katchkan/irishcrochetcoller.jpg

and my dress insert.

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a219/Katchkan/Insertfordress.jpg

These are just a few of the things I have done.

I love doing Irish Crochet. To me it's so elegant. I especially love it when It is done in fine threads.

 

The Doily you intend to make is very lovely and the motifs don't look all that difficult. But I would take the time to read through the Priscilla books especially the 1st one. It will make doing the doily easier for you in the long run. Again Good Luck

[Tracey4610]

Hi. I just looked at the Irish Crochet motifs on the Gutenberg site and you're right, it's very similar stuff. Maybe when I get stuck on some of this I can cross reference and get some help. Thanks for the tip. What are you doing with these motifs anyway? I'd love to see what you're doing.

 

http://www.allfreecrafts.com/crochet/BeetonCrochet.pdf

 

Katy: I'm experimenting with them right now...I hope to put together some shawls or other garments, eventually...I've really only had time to do 2-3 pieces before the holidays, but I plan to begin again here really soon. I think I'm going to put together a sampler book, much like ladies did before patterns were even written...You know, make a sampling of a stitch or motif, perhaps label it, and sew it onto some muslin or linen leaves. Then, sew the leaves together to make a book. I've seen them pop up here and there on eBay, but the true antique ones have gone for a few hundred dollars apiece. I don't know where I put my finished motifs, though...Might have to make some more...

[Katchkan]

I think it's not to hard once I've gotten used to reading the instructions. It was putting it together I wondered about. So thought I'd see if anyone had already done one of these. Well, I will post here when it's done and try to put a picture. BTW Valdani comes in straight colors too. It's very easy to work with.

Where did you find the Valdani thread in solid colors? I have only seen it in the varigated.

[Katy]

Ok. You guys obviously know what you're talking about here. I will check out the Pricella books now. I've botten 6 motifs done from my D'Oyley #2. And they aren't hard, but it does take some studying and guess work. Think I've been right so far, but if the Pricella books can make this easier, then YEA. For example one of the motifs at the end says to chain 3 and repeat. And for the longest time, I couldn't figure that I was making a whole nother leaf just like the first after the chain three. And, surprisingly when I finished the second it kindof ended right over the chain 3 and connected perfectly to the first one. But it took a lot of pondering that's for sure. But kinda fun though like Alice in crochet land. Your work is beautiful. So, if I work at this I will be able to make motifs, fit them together, and have something!!! That sounds awsome. But first I'll look into Pricella, and then I will continue with my D'Oyley designs. Then maybe I'll be ready to make one up. Thank you so much for talking about this with me.

[Katy]

Oh, and Kathy, one site with the valdani solid is a tatting place. The varigated must tat up really nice. I don't tat anymore. But I am working with some varigated valdani on my D'Oyleys and I think I like it. Seems rather forgiving of my fitting problems so far. And this irish stuff isn't like a round pattern where the mandala effect is so pleasing. I may change my mind, and if so, I'll move to valdani solid unless you can suggest someting else so fine and soft. http://www.ds9designs.com/t_valdani12_solids.html

[sail149]

size 12 thread is equal to a 40; the size 8 pearl cotton is about a 20.

[Katy]

If you guys that do the Irish crochet so beautifully have a minute to read this, I haven't been able to interpret motif #7 in my #2 D'Oyley in Beeton. I've been doing one at lunch time each day and keep going back to this one but haven't figured it out yet. With the other motifs I have been able to start working and the motif would sortof reveal itself as I went and I could figure out what the instructions meant, but this one is illuding me. I tried mapping it to one of the leaves in my irish crochet lace book, but no luck. If someone can picture this and give a description... pattern says:

 

No. 7.

1st row: Make a chain of 20 stiches. 1 long into the 15th, *, 2 chain, miss 2 loops, 1 long into the next, repeat from * to the end of the row.

OK I GOT THAT ONE

 

2nd row: Turn, into the 2 chain 1 double crochet, 2 long, 1 double crochet, repeat this to the end, then into the 5 chain 1 double crochet, 2 long, 1 double long, 2 long, 1 double crochet, work the other side to correspond.

AND I GOT THAT ONE

 

3rd row: 1 double crochet into the 1st double crochet in the last row, 7 chain, and repeat to the point, 7 chain, 1 double crochet into the double long, work the other side to correspond.

CAN"T FIGURE OUT "repeat to the point" AND SO LOST FROM THERE

 

4th row: Into the 7 chain 4 double crochet, 3 chain, 1 single into the last double crochet, 4 more double crochet into the same place, repeat.

 

 

If no one has time to fool with this that is fine. Eventually I'll figure it out, just trying to cheat and get help. I'm sure since there are a finite number of these little irish jigs I'll get to know them and be able to figure out these obtuse instructions. This stuff is facinating me though.

[Katy]

oh oh oh, sorry sorry. It means repeat the whole thing from the beginning and the chain 7 is like stem stuff between them. Right?

[Katy]

I am back to my Beeton D'Oyley #2. Stopped to finish a half done doily for a wedding present. I'll show it here soon as I get it pinned and starched, since I now have a place to say "wanna see my doily?" and not get the groans my family always gives. Anyway, back to Beeton. So I have read motifs from Priscilla books (got hard copies) thanks for the tip. But this stuff is very hard in the beginning I think. Can anyone give me a tip on keeping the little guys on the right side? As I go from leaf to leaf and such I have trouble getting it turned over and the last motif was half frontward and half backward. Anyone know what I'm trying to say and have advise, I'd love it. I fear though that the only way to get used to this is practice practice practice. Thanks, Katharine