This week I have completed this scarf.

I absolutely love it.  It’s probably one of the prettiest things I have ever made.  I am increasingly in love with vintage patterns.  For some reason the patterns seemed simpler and the designs more elegant than you find today.  The principle of Hairpin Crochet is incredibly simple, as long as you can manage a double crochet, you can do hairpin crochet. I cannot believe that something so straight forward can achieve such amazing results.

I have been introduced to hairpin crochet as a part of the International Diploma in Crochet.  I will admit, I left it until the end to try to master this skill.  It looked so complicated and I could not for the life of me understand how or why I would ever use it.  I am required to make an accessory, using the hairpin technique and a thin yarn.  Having made this scarf I am thinking of all the different ways I could use the technique to produce items of clothing and accessories in the in the main part.

The pattern I used was one printed by Moore Batley Ltd.  It is called Nine New Designs with Hairpin Crochet by Jane Koster and Margaret Murray and it is one I found on eBay.  I don’t know when it was first printed, but it cost 1/6 – so I know for certain it puts it prior to 1971 and judging by the models I would say it’s more than likely from the 1960s.  I’ve typed up the pattern and attached it as a PDF.  I have amended some parts slightly as I felt the instructions weren’t quite as good as they might be in a couple of areas and I have included details of 21st century materials.  The Clover Hairpin lace tool is excellent and very easy to use.  Clover have a video on YouTube which shows you clearly how to use the tool.

I used Rowan Kidsilk Haze to make the scarf.  It met the requirements of both a thin yarn and a fashion yarn for the purposes of the International Diploma.  I’m not overly keen on the yarn – being a mohair it’s incredibly frustrating to work with and impossible to unravel if you make a mistake. As a consequence progress was very slow.

I really hope you enjoy this pattern and the resulting scarf.  Please click the attached link to download the pattern.  hairpin-cosy-scarf