IC Tips-Hook and Thread Size Guide

Chart from Maire Treanor’s book “Clones Lace”, currently available from her website:

Thread          Hook              Irish-UK     US
#10               1.50mm              10            12
#20               1.0 or 1.25mm    12            13
#40               0.75mm              13            13 
#60               0.60mm              14            14 
#80               0.50mm              15            15 
#100             0.50 or 0.40mm   16            16

This is for general guidance. Always be ready to change your hook size to suit your individual tension and the motif you are making. Irish crochet, unlike many other forms of crochet, looks its best when worked to a firm tension.

“All the stitches in Irish lace must be firm and even, loose or ragged crochet makes inferior lace, wanting in crispness”, Needlecraft No 21, published by Manchester School of Embroidery. This is from the Introduction which has some useful tips on Irish crochet and is available for free download fromwww.antiquepatternlibrary.com

from pages, Irish Crochet Lovers Group on Ravelry