Broomstick lace

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Broomstick lace is a crochet technique that combines the use of a crochet hook and another long, slender item such as a knitting needle. Traditionally, a broomstick was used, but the modern variant is a lightweight plastic knitting needle or smooth wooden craft dowel. It is not recommended to use a dowel larger than 1 inch in diameter. Because the fabric created is soft yet stable, it is well suited for clothing and blankets. The base of the piece is a chain (as with most crochetting techniques) and the first row is single or half-double crochet stitches. The dowel is used in the second row, as you pick up a loop through each of the stitches in row one and transfer it from the crochet hook onto the dowel. This part of the process is similar to knitting. Once a loop has been pulled up through every stitch, the loops are worked back off the dowel by sliding them off three at a time and working three single or half-double crochet stitches through the top of all three loops at the same time. There are several variations with regard to the number of loops and the transition at the ends of each row that will change the appearance of the lace.