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Fleur de FilHandcrafted Crochet Atelier

Technique family · Fine work

Thread Crochet

Crochet worked in fine cotton thread with steel hooks — the basis of doilies, lace edgings and most heirloom crochet.

Difficulty
Advanced
Category
Techniques
Common fibres
Crochet Thread, Mercerized Cotton, Linen thread

Definition

Thread crochet uses numbered cotton threads, typically size 10 to size 80, with steel hooks sized in fractions of a millimetre.

Overview

Thread numbering runs counter-intuitively: the higher the number, the finer the thread. Size 10 is the usual starting point, while size 80 is closer to sewing thread and is reserved for very fine lace.

Thread does not stretch or fluff, so stitches stay crisp and blocking sets the shape permanently. That precision is exactly why lace traditions such as Irish, filet and pineapple crochet developed in thread rather than yarn.

Characteristics

  • Steel hooks, usually 0.6–1.75 mm
  • Crisp stitch definition with no halo
  • Blocks to a sharp, stable finish

Typical uses

  • Doilies and table linen
  • Lace edgings
  • Bridal accessories
  • Fine appliqué motifs

Questions

What does size 10 thread mean?

It is a thickness grading for crochet cotton. Higher numbers are finer: size 20 is thinner than size 10, and size 80 is finer still.

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Related entries

Follow the thread

Technique

Filet CrochetA grid technique in which filled and open squares form pictures, lettering and motifs, worked almost entirely in double crochet and chain.

Technique and regional tradition

Irish CrochetA fine motif-based lace in which padded roses, leaves and shamrocks are made separately and joined with a crocheted net ground.

Technique

Micro CrochetExtremely small-scale crochet worked in fine thread with hooks well under one millimetre, producing miniature and jewellery-scale pieces.

Treated natural fibre

Mercerized CottonCotton treated for lustre and strength — the classic thread of doilies and fine lace.

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