Those of us who sew for Hitty are aware of the difficulty of finding tiny trims and lace in the right scale. Purchased trim often looks too big and bulky. When we do find something tiny enough to use, there is rarely an option for any color other than white. This crocheted lace pattern makes great trim for doll clothing. It is very versatile: you can experiment with the hook and thread sizes for different results. Try making cute collars, as well as trim for dresses and petticoats.
Download the Tiny Crochet Lace Pattern Here!
Many thanks to the Hitty & Friends Facebook group members (Shelia B.W., Penny G., Sue H., Judy K., and Nancy R.) who helped me test this pattern.
I used this pattern to make beautiful heirloom lace for my reproduction of Hitty’s Library Dress. Making your own crocheted lace is a bit time-consuming, but the result is worth it. Before you know it, your dolls will be clamoring for lace in every color under the sun.
This pattern is recommended for crocheters with intermediate experience. The stitches are basic, but the small size can be a challenge. Good lighting is essential, and a magnifying visor is very helpful. If you are a beginner, and especially if you have never made anything with steel hooks, be patient. It takes time to learn to adjust the tension for thinner cotton yarns. Try making up a sample with a larger thread and hook for practice.
Steel hooks can be uncomfortable to crochet with for long periods of time. You can purchase hooks with ergonomic handles, or add a crochet hook cover, like the ones by Susan Bates called “Comfort Cushions.” Since these are getting harder to find, I came up with an alternative method. I use self-adhesive bandage wrap in the four inch size, also called “vet wrap” (available from Amazon). Just wrap the stretchy bandage around the lower part of the hook. You can use as much cushioning as you like, and when it feels right to you, cut off the excess. One package of vet wrap will cover several hooks. I also added a little piece of white duct tape to the bottom and used a Sharpie to write the hook size on it, because once the handle is covered up, it’s hard to know what size the hook is.
For Hitty’s Library Dress, I purchased cream colored Lizbeth brand size 80 tatting thread from Amazon. It’s a nice, smooth thread, and it’s available in many different colors.
Although I used a size 6 steel hook (1.80 mm), a more typical size hook for tatting thread would be a size 12 (1 mm) or 14 (.9 mm). Using a larger hook will give the lace a more open and airy feel. By larger, I mean the width of the hook, not the number. Steel hooks are numbered from 00 (2.7 mm) to 14 (.9 mm). The larger the number, the smaller the width of the hook. It is a good idea to do a test of the pattern, and if you don’t like it, try going up or down in hook sizes until you get the effect you want. The tutorial will show the steps using tatting thread, but the same method will apply to alternative hook and thread sizes.
Tiny Crochet Lace Instructions
Materials:
Size 80 cotton tatting thread (Lizbeth brand or equivalent)
Metal crochet hook size 6 (1.80 mm)
Magnifying visor (recommended)
CROCHET REPEAT PATTERN
Foundation Chain: make as many chains as you need for length (in odd numbers) plus one.
Note: extra chains are not a problem, because you can always gather the lace to fit. For Hitty’s Library Dress, I used 33 chains for the two sleeve pieces and 49 chains for the neckline piece.
Row 1: sc in each ch to end; ch 1, turn. The chain will tend to twist as you work, so make sure each stitch is worked into the top loop of the chain.
Row 2: sc in first sc; *(ch 1, dc, ch 1) in same sc, skip one sc, sc in next sc; repeat from * to end. Fasten off.
The finished lace will have a tendency to curl. You can press it with a warm iron to flatten it. Here is a photo of the finished lace after pressing. It is quite tiny.
Weave in ends with a large-eyed needle. For the two sleeve pieces, I also sewed the edges together with the yarn tail to reduce bulk in the seam allowance. I pressed the lace with a warm iron once again after weaving in the ends.
I sewed the lace onto the dress using a simple whipstitch.
Here is the finished lace on the dress. Doesn’t it look pretty?
Variations
Size 30 crochet thread also makes a beautiful lace. This is easier to find than the tatting thread since many craft stores have it in stock.
I made a collar for Dede from size 30 cotton crochet thread and a size 3 hook (2.10 mm), with a foundation of 33 chains.
Hitty Maeve is wearing a similar collar along with matching trim on her petticoat and pantaloons. The petticoat lace required 145 chains. Each leg of the pantalets required 31 chains.
Here is photo of the finished petticoat lace before I attached it.
After pressing, it measured 13.5″ long. I gathered the foundation edge with a doubled length of thread. Then I used a running stitch to attach it to the right side of the petticoat.
Below are two more suggestions for some alternative hook and thread sizes to try. Notice that as the thread size gets thicker, the amount of chains needed for the same length will decrease.
Hitty Cleo is wearing a red collar made from size 10 cotton crochet thread and a size 6 hook (1.80 mm), with a foundation of 27 chains.
Kitty Friend Aisling is wearing a green collar made from size 3 cotton crochet thread and a size 3 hook (2.10 mm), with a foundation of 23 chains.
Have fun experimenting with lace for your own dolls!
