Grandma Smith's Crochet

I've completed my project to document Grandma Eva Smith's crochet legacy, beginning with my November 10, 2008 post . This represents a project that has spanned decades as I found the time to work on it. I've examined samples of Grandma Smith's crochet and developed written patterns for them. Each blog posting beyond the first few introductory posts is a different pattern and the pictures with each pattern are the samples I worked to test the patterns. You can browse the patterns sequentially starting from the introduction, or hop around by viewing the November 2008 blog archive list on the right side of the screen - just click on the little triangle next to 'November' and the list of items in the archive will appear ... just remember the chronologically first item is at the bottom of the list and the last is at the top.

Grandma Smith's Crochet , er... Knitting - "Erin" Knitted Mittens

While Grandma did a lot of crocheting, she also did quite a bit of knitting. Just about every year she would make the grandkids new mittens. Mary remembers each year Grandma having her trace her hand so Grandma could get the size right. Since this was such a regular event, I thought the pattern should be included here. Shown are a pair of ladies' size medium mittens that I made, copying a pair made by Grandma

The directions below are given for a general mitten, following Grandma's method, regardless of needles/yarn/gauge, so you can feel free to choose your yarn and needle size to suit you. Numbers in parentheses are given for the specific mitten knitted as a copy of the actual mittens knitted by Grandma-- I matched her gauge and stitch count pretty closely.

Grandma Smith's Crochet - "Kelly" Potholder

Shown: No 3 cotton thread (Aunt Lydia’s Fashion Crochet Thread in cream, by Coats) for body; No. 30 variegated cotton thread for border, and size 6 (1.6mm) steel crochet hook crochet hook.

Grandma Smith's Crochet - "Nicole A" Tablecloth Border

The sample shown at the left was worked with #10 crochet cotton using a size 6 (1.6mm) steel crochet hook. It measures 5.5” in depth.

This tablecloth border is suited for a round tablecloth since it has a natural curve. The cloth portion of the tablecloth should be preshrunk and finished, including the hem, before undertaking the crocheted border. The tablecloth border is worked in three stages: the filet point border, the point edging, then the round motifs that are attached to the 'V' spaces between the points.

Grandma Smith's Crochet - "Sheryl" pillowcase lace

DMC cotton #30, steel crochet hook size 10

Grandma Smith's Crochet - "Marilyn" pillowcase lace

DMC cotton #30, steel crochet hook size 10

Grandma Smith's Crochet - "Lori" teacloth trim

Border
DMC cotton #30, steel crochet hook size 10






Insertion
DMC cotton #30, steel crochet hook size 10

Grandma Smith's Crochet - "Annalisa" pillowcase lace

DMC cotton #30, steel crochet hook size 10

Grandma Smith's Crochet - "Kim" pillowcase lace

Use size 30 crochet cotton in 2 colors, such as Pink or Blue for Main Color (MC) and White for Contrasting Color (CC), size 12 (1.0mm) steel crochet hook.

Each square motif is made separately, the pillowcase is hemmed into V-scallops and the motifs are then stitched to the pillowcase one by one.

Grandma Smith's Crochet - "Christine" pillowcase lace

DMC cotton #30, steel crochet hook size 10

Grandma Smith's Crochet - "Bev" pillowcase lace

DMC cotton #30, steel crochet hook size 10

Grandma Smith's Crochet - "Debbie" pillowcase lace

DMC cotton #30, steel crochet hook size 10

Grandma Smith's Crochet - "Joyce" pillowcase lace

DMC cotton #30, steel crochet hook size 10

Grandma Smith's Crochet - "Nancy S" pillowcase lace

DMC cotton #30, steel crochet hook size 10

Grandma Smith's Crochet - "Peggy" pillowcase lace

Shown:DMC cotton #30, steel crochet hook size 10

Grandma Smith's Crochet - "Nancy C" pillowcase lace

The sample at the left was worked with DMC #30 crochet cotton using a US size 10 (1.15mm) steel crochet hook. The edging is 3 3/8" in depth.

Grandma Smith's Crochet - "Barbara" pillowcase lace

DMC cotton #30, steel crochet hook size 10

Grandma Smith's Crochet - "Mary" bootie

Note: Grandma’s Pattern swatch for the bootie uses very fine yarn (appears to be #1), crocheted with a small hook, with a gauge of 9 sc = 1 inch. The bootie at the left was done with #3 baby yarn, producing the same size bootie with bigger and fewer stitches ( 51/2 sc = 1 inch ) than Grandma's,. The pattern below should work regardless of the yarn/gauge, since it is based on finished measurements, not an absolute stitch count.

Grandma Smith's Crochet - "JeanneAnn" pillowcase lace

Shown: DMC cotton #30, steel crochet hook size 10

Grandma Smith's Crochet - "Patty" pillowcase lace

Shown: DMC cotton #30, steel crochet hook size 10

Grandma Smith's Crochet - "Bernadine" pillowcase lace

DMC cotton #30, steel crochet hook size 10

Grandma Smith's Crochet - "Lorraine" - pillowcase lace

Shown: DMC cotton #30, steel crochet hook size 10

Grandma Smith's Crochet - "Eva" pattern - Bedspread, Tablecloth, or Chair Tidy Motif

This motif must be made in multiples that are sewn together to make a bedspread or tablecloth.  Sewing them together permits repairs in the future, so don't be tempted to crochet the motifs together

Grandma Smith's Crochet - Decoding her patterns and General Instructions

The articles which follow are Grandma’s crochet patterns written out as text. These were done by examining Grandma’s Pattern Swatches and samples closely and writing instructions out in typical written crochet pattern style. The pictures accompanying each pattern in the instructions are my own crocheted copies of Grandma’s Pattern Swatches.

The patterns are named after women in Grandma Smith’s family.

Below are  abbreviations and general instructions for completing the patterns.

Grandma Smith's Crochet - Other samples of her work

Below are pictures of other items that Grandma Smith has crocheted. These were loaned or gifted by Lorraine Davis, Bernadine Allen, Patty Dobosenski for purposes of adding to the pattern collection.

Grandma Smith's Crochet - Her sample bag of Pattern Swatches

Grandma Smith kept her Pattern Swatches along with her latest projects in her needlework workbag, a folding cloth bag with a built-in wooden stand to hold it open and upright. It was always near her favorite chair in her li
ving room. On the following pages, are images of Grandma’s Pattern Swatches. She used these instead of written patterns to guide her crochet projects. Although not represented in her swatches, the pillowcase edgings she made were often further embellished with a border of colored thread. As her grandson Robert said, “You felt extra special if you got one of the colored ones.” Grandma’s typical pillowcases she gave to our family used #30 cotton thread and a size 11 or 12 steel crochet hook. Some of her patterns used #40 or #50 thread and finer crochet hooks. It is recommended that the pillowcase laces be done using #30 cotton thread or finer and they be worked using a crochet hook size 10 or finer.

Grandma’s stitches were very fine and even. If the reader would like to make lace that closely resembles Grandma's, please note that Grandma made fine tight stitches and she often increased the height of her stitches by drawing up the lower loop (the thread that was pulled up after inserting the hook into the stitch of the row below, thread over, and then draw up through the stitch) very tall. This was particularly used when she crocheted with very fine thread.

Grandma Smith's crochet - Introduction

Grandma Smith crocheted many items that are now treasured by her family and friends. Grandma edged pillowcases in crocheted lace and was generous in giving them spontaneously or as presents for celebrations and showers. She was very quick to share a smile, a hug, a cookie, or these lovely and delicate lace works. Grandma worked from crocheted swatches of her patterns, not written patterns. She kept a small bag of these pattern swatches in her needlework workbag. When Grandma passed away in 1983, I asked her daughter Lorraine, my husband's mother, to please let me translate her crochet patterns to written text to preserve her crocheted lace legacy. At the time, I was the only one in the family who crocheted lace like this. This translation project was begun immediately after Grandma’s passing, back in the early 80’s, but was never completed due to the demands of family and career. Retirement now allows me to finish the project and share the legacy with our family and friends. I've enjoyed remembering Grandma Smith while working on this.

Below are some thoughts about Grandma from her family.

How to Clean or Brighten Antique and Vintage Linens

I found information for cleaning antique and vintage fabrics here:

http://www.dollsandlace.com/howto.htm

These instructions work for me for just about anything except rust stains.  Embroidery colors don't fade.

Repairing Crochet - Carol's Bedspread

Here is a beautiful heirloom bedspread made by Daisy B___ (1884-1966), pictured below.
Daisy (pictured above) passed the heirloom bedspread to her daughter, Margaret (1907-1974), (pictured at left) who had married and had a son, Richard G. A____, to whom she then passed it on. Richard married Carol J. H___ . Carol is a friend of my sister-in-law, Patty, and she described a calamity involving her Laborador retriever named Boomer (Hunters Marsh High Flying Thunder is his real name), pictured to the right. It seems that Boomer got into the guest bedroom and gnawed a couple of holes in the family heirloom!  Carol hoped to be able to repair the damage...

Mom's Knitted Cowboy Baby Booties

These boots pictured were made by Mom, probably from a pattern, but the pattern is long gone. This pattern has been written by examining the booties themselves. It has been tested once and edited. The edits have not been re-tested (yet).

Grandma's Recipe Box

Grandma Eva S____ passed away in 1983. She passed her tried and true Betty Crocker cookbook to her daughter Lorraine D____ and her recipe file box to her daughter Bernadine A___. Aunt Bernie, in turn, has passed Grandma's recipe file box to her own daughter, Peggy M___.

Peggy was kind enough to allow my husband, Bob (her cousin) and me scan the recipe files so I could type them up and share with the family (thanks Peggy!). The scanned recipe file is at the link below. The typed recipes are being personally mailed to family members.
Grandma Eva S____'s Recipe Box album

I've enjoyed the walk through time in working with these recipes and remembering Grandma.