Cotton or thread, wool
or silk, with a crochet-needle, are the materials required for working
crochet. The needle, whether it be steel or bone, must be smoothly
polished. The long wooden and bone crochet-needles are used for wool;
for cotton and silk work short steel needles screwed into a bone
handle are best. The beauty of the crochet-work depends upon the
regularity of the stitches, as is the case with every other style of
needlework. The stitches must be elastic, but if too loose they look
as bad as if too tight. The size of the needle and that of the cotton
or wool must correspond; work only with the point of the needle, and
never move the stitch up and down the needle. The cotton with which
you work must be of the very best quality; for borders, insertions,
rosettes, imitation of guipure, use Evans's crochet cotton; for
couvrettes, counterpanes, covers, &c., use knitting-cotton. All
crochet-work [186] patterns are begun on a foundation chain; there are
three kinds of foundation chains--the plain foundation, the double
foundation, and the purl foundation chain.
 Plain
Foundation Chain
The plain foundation chain consists of
chain stitches.
ILLUSTRATION 216.--Form a loop with
the cotton or other material with which you work, take it on the
needle, and hold the cotton as for knitting on the forefinger and
other fingers of the left hand. The crochet-needle is held in the
right hand between the thumb and forefinger, as you hold a pen in
writing; hold the end of the cotton of the loop between the thumb and
forefinger of the left hand, wind the cotton once round the needle by
drawing the needle underneath the cotton from left to right, catch the
cotton with the hook of the needle and draw it as a loop through the
loop already on the needle, which is cast off the needle by this means
and forms one chain stitch. The drawing the cotton through the loop is
repeated until the foundation chain has
[187]
acquired sufficient length. When enough chain stitches have been made,
take the foundation chain between the thumb and forefinger of the left
hand, so that these fingers are always close to and under the hook of
the needle. Each stitch must be loose enough to let the hook of the
needle pass easily through. All foundation chains are begun with a
loop.
 Double
Foundation Chain
ILLUSTRATION 217 (The Double
Foundation Chain).--Crochet 2 chain stitches, insert the needle
downwards into the left side of the 1st chain stitch, throw the cotton
forward, draw it out as a loop, wind the cotton again round the needle
and draw it through the two loops on the needle, * draw the cotton as
a loop through the left side of the last stitch (see illustration),
wind the cotton round the needle, and draw it through both loops on
the needle. Repeat from * till the foundation chain is long enough.
Purl Foundation Chain
ILLUSTRATION 218 (Purl Foundation
Chain).--* Crochet 4 chain stitch, then 1 treble stitch--that is,
wind the cotton round the needle, insert the needle downwards into the
left side of the 1st of the 4 chain stitches, wind the cotton round
the needle, draw it through the stitch, wind the cotton again round
the needle, and at the same time draw the cotton through the last loop
and through the stitch formed by winding the cotton round the needle.
Wind the cotton once more round the needle, and draw it through the 2
remaining loops on the needle. The 4 chain stitches form a kind of
scallop or purl. Repeat from *. The following
[188]
crochet stitches require foundation chains like Nos. 216 and 217; they
are all worked in separate rows excepting the two Nos. 222 and 234.
Make a loop at the beginning of every row, as has been described (No.
216), and take it on the needle.
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