Handkerchief Edging Pattern #51

Edgings for handkerchiefs are usually very dainty and require a very fine size of thread. Use No. 70 or No. 100 White Clark's O.N.T. or J. & P. Coats Mercerized Crochet and No. 14 Milward's steel crochet hook.

Cut the edges of handkerchief on a thread. Make the narrowest possible hem, and draw a thread just inside it to make it easy to insert the needle when crocheting the edge.

These edging designs are also appropriate for lingerie and collar and cuffs; worked in heavier thread they make attractive trimming for towels, pillowcases, luncheon sets and scarfs.

If the edge of the material is shaped or scalloped, it may be machine hemstitched and the edging worked directly into the hemstitching. Or, if you prefer, stitch along the edge with an unthreaded sewing machine needle of a coarse size. The needle makes a hole in preparation for the crochet hook.

You will feel a greater appreciation for crochet when you realise that it is one of the few creative arts left to womankind which no machine yet devised has accurately reproduced.

Turn a tiny hem and baste in place. 1st row: S c closely all around over the hem, ch 1. 2d row: 1 s c in 1st s c of 1st row, ch 7, skip 4 s c, 1 cluster in next (same as in No. 49), ch 7, skip 4 s c, 1 s c in next, ch 7, skip 4 s c, 1 cluster in next, and so on around, at the corners skipping 3 s c instead of 4. Join with sl st to the 4th st of ch-7. 3d row: Ch 7, s c under ch-7 of previous row, ch 9, s c under next ch-7, ch 7, s c under next ch-7, and so on around. The ch-7 should be over the cluster and the ch-9 over the 1 s c. Join. 4th row: Sl st to center of 1st ch-7, ch 5, 1 tr in 5th st of ch-9, 1 ch-5 p, 1 tr in same st, 1 p, 1 tr in same st, 1 p, 1 tr in same st, ch 5, 1 s c under ch-7, ch 5, and repeat the 4 tr and 3 p as before. Continue around to the end. At each corner increase the number of tr to 6 and the number of p to 5.