Clover Hair Pin Lace Tool Review and Giveaway

The Clover Hair Pin Lace Tool is so easy to use, it will have you crocheting this unique and special way in just minutes! See how it works and enter to win your own on Moogly!

Disclaimer: This post includes affiliate links; giveaway sponsored by Clover USA. 

What Is Hairpin Lace?

Hairpin (or hair pin - opinions vary) Lace is a type of crochet that uses a special tool - very cleverly called a Hair Pin Lace Tool! Hairpin Lace has been around for a long, long time - some credit its invention to Katherine of Aragon, who lived from 1485-1536. This is as old as crochet itself (although there's lots of debate there too)! When crochet surged into popularity in the Victorian era, this technique was already being called "old fashioned."

Originally done on a simple lady's hairpin, there have been many versions of the hairpin lace tool over the centuries. Clover has updated this tool and made it easier to use and more versatile than ever!

How to Use the Clover Hair Pin Lace Tool

First Let's Examine the Tool

First, let's take a look at the tool itself. There are 5 pieces in the package - a top clip, a bottom clip (these are identical), and 3 metal pins. Plus instructions in several languages!

There are markings on the clips, so you can adjust the width of the braid that the tool makes, and you can use just 2 pins at a time, or all three.

When I opened this package, I had never made hairpin lace before. But it was so easy I was off and running in just minutes!

How to Make Hairpin Lace

First, you set up the Clover Hair Pin Lace tool. Insert 2 or 3 pins in one of the clips - I went with just two since it was my first time. Be sure to insert them eyelet (hole) side down - this will come in handy later.

Second, you put a slip knot in your yarn, slide the knot onto the left pin, and then insert the tail end into the large hole in the center of the clip. Holding the yarn so that it goes around the front of the right pin to the back of the tool, make sure the slip knot is in the middle.

Now, use a crochet hook to go into the slip knot from underneath. Then, yarn over with the yarn behind the tool, and pull that loop up through the slip knot loop.

Yarn over again and pull through both loops to finish your single crochet stitch!

One stitch is made! Now, flip your crochet hook up so it's vertical between the pins, and turn the whole tool over clockwise as you continue to hold the yarn in back. This will twist the yarn so that you can insert your crochet hook through the top stitch on the left, yarn over, and make another single crochet.

Keep turning and crocheting - you're making Hair Pin Lace!

When the tool gets full of loops, you can put the second clip on the top of the pins, and put a stitch marker in your working loop (the one on the crochet hook). Remove the bottom clip, and you can pull some of the loops off the pins.

Put the bottom clip back on when you have enough room, remove the top clip and stitch marker, and make more lace! If you are going to do this though, be sure to read through the finishing first (below) so you can use those eyelets...

How to Finish Your Hairpin Lace

When you're all done making your strip of Hairpin Lace, you can simply cut the yarn and pull the end through the loop on the crochet hook to secure that final stitch.

Then, you'll want to get your loops of the tool and turn them into something pretty! Clover makes this easier than ever. Remember those eyelets on the pins? Before you pull any loops off those pins, cut two lengths of scrap yarn, longer than your hairpin lace strip.

Tie a piece of scrap yarn to each of the eyelets - secure, but not so much so that you can't untie or cut them off later. Then, when you are ready to take loops off the tool, you take off the bottom clip and slide the loops off the tool - and onto the scrap yarn!

This keeps your loops all nicely sorted, in order, and facing the same direction. Now, it's time to turn that strip into a project!

What to Make With Hairpin Lace

So you have a strip of hairpin lace... now what? There are lots of possibilities, from the simple to the sublime. I put together a list of 15 free hairpin lace patterns - click here to check them out!

To finish off the strip I made, I took more of the same yarn, and single crocheted into groups of 3 loops, working 2 chains between every single crochet.

I did this along each side. And the result looks like broomstick lace - how fun!

Where to Buy a Clover Hair Pin Lace Tool

The Clover Hair Pin Lace Tool is available on Clover USA, on Amazon US, and may pop up in your local craft store! Prices can vary widely, so check around for the best deal!

And be sure to check out all the other great giveaways happening on Moogly too! But first…

The Clover Hair Pin Lace Tool Giveaway