Basic Broomstick Lace

About 5 years ago, The Animator's Wife was introduced to a crochet technique known as broomstick lace. At the time it was a very obscure technique; a relic from the 70s, but which actually dates back to the pioneer days when women would work it on a broomstick (hence the name). Now, as crochet is experiencing a renaissance of sorts, it has come back in popularity, and we have decided to put together a tutorial on the technique.

Broomstick lace today is no longer worked on a broomstick, but rather a 20-25mm knitting needle that is also known as a broomstick lace pin (but it is still a crochet technique, not knitting). Each row is first casted onto the knitting needle, and then crocheted off. As you can see, this technique produces an eyelet-type of lace, with each eyelet comprised of groups of long, twisted loops that are held together with single crochet stitches.

Materials
Size H-J crochet hook
20-25mm knitting needle
Worsted weight yarn

Casting on the First Row

Begin by crocheting a number of chain stitches divisible by 5.

1. Slide the last chain over the end of the knitting needle and remove the crochet hook from the chain.

2. Insert the crochet hook into the next chain.

3. Yarn over and pull a loop through through that chain.

4. Slide that loop over the end of the knitting needle.

5. Remove the crochet hook from the loop and pull the loop snug, but not too tight, over the knitting needle.

6. Repeat steps 2-5 for each of the remaining chain stitches. When you have finished, you will have the same number of loops on the knitting needle as you had chain stitches.

Crocheting Off

1. Insert crochet hook under the first 5 loops on the knitting needle.

2. Yarn over and pull a loop through all 5 loops.

3. Chain 1 at the top of the group of 5 loops. This serves as your turning chain.

4. Slide the group off the knitting needle, taking care not to twist or separate them, and work 5 single crochets in the top of the group. Note how the loops naturally twist as you work the single crochets.

5. Without dropping the last loop on the crochet hook, insert hook under the next 5 loops on the knitting needle.

6. Yarn over and pull a loop through all 5 loops. You should now have 2 loops on the crochet hook. Carefully slide the group of 5 loops off the knitting needle.

7. Yarn over and pull a loop through both loops on the crochet hook to complete a single crochet stitch.

8. Work 4 more single crochets in the top of the group.

9. Repeat steps 5-8 until all the remaining loops on the knitting needle are crocheted off.

Casting on Subsequent Rows

1. You should have one loop on your crochet hook at the end of your last row. Slide that loop over the end of your knitting needle.

2. Remove the crochet hook from the loop on the knitting needle and insert it into the next single crochet stitch.

3. Yarn over and draw a loop through the single crochet stitch,

4. Slide that loop over the end of the knitting needle and remove the crochet hook from the loop. Again, pull the loop snug, but not too tightly, against the knitting needle.

5. Repeat steps 2-4 with each remaining single crochet across.

6. To crochet these loops off, the technique is the same as described above.

Now that you know the basic broomstick lace stitch, stay tuned later this month for a tutorial on how to do decreases.