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.