How to Use the Clover Hair Pin Lace Tool

Thanks to our friends at Clover Needlecrafts, I broadcasted live on Facebook TWICE this week. The first, of course was the usual, Ask Me Monday series. The second, focused on a new tool for an old craft: the Hair Pin Lace tool.

Hair Pin Lace Tool

Hairpin lace is a method of lace-making which involved a crochet hook and a loom which traditionally consists of two parallel rods. According to Wikipedia, the original looms were “U” shaped as a hair pin is, so thus the name. Loops with a braided center are created using this method, while the real lace-like effect occurrs off the loom when pieces are connected in various ways.

Clover’s Hair Pin Lace Tool applied the exact same principle as the original loom, but with a few advances to add versatility and ease to the process for the modern crafter. The first update is the option of a 3rd rod (or pin), which can be added or removed from the center position. It’s purpose is purely to keep the braid in the center, without the crafter having to think about it. It’s kind of like a training wheel option — but one I really liked having, especially when working on a wider piece. This brings me to the second feature: movable rods, which allow for different widths of lace to be created.

The next update is the inclusion of guide thread holes on the pins. Guide threads allow loops to hang off of the loom (for longer pieces), while all staying oriented in the same direction. Unlike with knitting, there aren’t live loops (or stitches) to be held, but keeping the loops all same-faced helps with the assempbling of multiple pieces later.

The last addition to the Hair Pin Lace tool are removable, bottom and top clips which keep the working loops from sliding off the bottom of the tool while you’re working, and from the top of the tool when you’re moving length from the tool to the guide threads.

Watch & Learn How to use the Clover Hair Pin Lace Tool!

The folks at Clover and I can’t wait to see what types of pieces you come up with using the Hair Pin Lace Tool. Check back on this blog tomorrow for a leather wristband project, then on Friday we’ll have (both here and on the Clover blog) a chunky, hair pin lace scarf pattern.

Enjoy!

xx,
Vickie