Waltz Hairpin Lace Cape (1960): vintage crochet pattern

Materials

• Bulky (CYC #5) yarn: 7 oz (200 g) for the 15 in cape or 8 oz (230 g) for the 19 in cape; yardage was not printed, so check your yarn label
• Metallic crochet thread (the original was a mercerized cotton with metallic spangle): 2 balls — check ball yardage; a size 10 metallic thread is a close modern substitute
• Hairpin lace looms (forks) set to 2 in (5 cm), 3 in (7.5 cm) and 4 in (10 cm)
• Crochet hook for the yarn (original: plastic hook size F) and a fine steel hook for the thread (original: steel hook No. 7)
• 2 hooks and eyes
• Hook: Start with 3.75 mm (US F-5) for the hairpin strips and about 1.65 mm (steel 7) for the metallic joining; no gauge is printed, so check that your strips lie flat when joined

Abbreviations (US terms)

ch

chain

sc

single crochet

sl st

slip stitch

sp

space

yo

yarn over

lp

loop

rep

repeat

FO

fasten off

Notes before you start

• Source: "Waltz", Stoles: Knitted; Crocheted; Hairpin Lace (Star Stole Book No. 133), American Thread Co., 1960. Public domain in the USA.
• As printed — materials: AMERICAN THREAD COMPANY "DAWN" BULKY YARN; 7 ounces Buttercup for 15 inch length cape; 8 ounces Buttercup for 19 inch length cape and; The Famous "PURITAN" STAR SPANGLED MERCERIZED CROCHET COTTON, Article 40; 2 balls Gold Spangle or colors of your choice; 1—4 inch hairpin lace staple; 1—3 inch hairpin lace staple; 1—2 inch hairpin lace staple; Plastic crochet hook size F; Steel crochet hook No. 7; 2 hooks and eyes. Gauge: Not given.
• Modernisation note: Original is written in US crochet terms; kept as US terms (sc = single crochet, dc = double crochet).
• Modernisation note: Spaced period abbreviations (s c, d c, sl st) written as modern sc, dc, sl st; words spelled out where the original was ambiguous.
• Modernisation note: "Cut yarn" / "cut thread" / "break off" written as "fasten off"; "attach" written as "join".
• Modernisation note: Long printed paragraphs split into one row, round or step per line; stitch order unchanged.
• Modernisation note: The hairpin lace method paragraph split into numbered steps; wording unchanged apart from "yarn over" → "yo".
• Modernisation note: Each strip's joining and opposite-side edging given separate steps; the neck band's "Next Row" / "Next 5 Rows" / "Next Row" numbered as Rows 1–8 (same number of rows as printed).
• Modernisation note: Check: In the 4th Strip joining, the printed text reads "ch 3, sc through next 9 hairpin lace loops of 4th strip, ch 3, sc in next loop of 3rd strip, ch 3, sc in next hairpin lace loop of 4th strip, repeat from * 6 times" without the asterisk that the other strips have before the second "ch 3". Transcribed as printed; work it the same way as the 3rd and 5th Strips.
• Modernisation note: Corrected an obvious typo: "sc through next 13 hairpin lace loops of 6th strips" → "of 6th Strip".
• Modernisation note: "Weave in all ends" added as a finishing step (not printed).
• Modernisation note: Hook conversions (F → 3.75 mm, steel No. 7 → about 1.65 mm) are approximate; vintage steel hook numbering varied by maker.
• Modernisation note: Metric conversions added.

Hairpin lace (method)

1. Make a loop at the end of the yarn and place the left prong of the staple in the loop just made.
2. Wind yarn around the right prong of the staple, insert crochet hook in the loop, yo and draw a loop through, keeping the work at the center of the staple.
3. *Drop loop from hook, turn staple ½ turn to the left, pick up the dropped loop at the center, yo and pull through loop, insert hook through top part of loop on left-hand prong, yo and pull through (2 loops on hook), yo and pull through both loops to complete the sc; rep from * for desired length.
4. All strips are worked with Buttercup and the size F hook.
5. Note: When working strips, twists are taken out of all groups of loops and twist is left in all single loops. This will not be referred to again.