Free Bruges Crochet Lace Tutorial
Bruges crochet lace tutorial
Learn a new crochet skill with this Bruges crochet lace tutorial video and you’ll be ready to tackle your first Bruges lace crochet project.
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Table of Contents
What is Bruges lace crochet?
Traditional Bruges lace is tatted. It has designs outlined with a tatted “tape” that is connected with a thin lace mesh. Different kinds of shapes are formed from the tape like flowers or geometrical designs.
As crocheters, we can mimic this lovely traditional artform by crocheting thin rows of double crochet to form the tape and making turns in it to resemble the swirling designs of the original lace.
Then we connect the various sections of this double crochet tape with connected chain loops.
For this beginning tutorial, I will show you how to make the double crochet tape with simple U-turns, connected as you go by chain loops.
Then, as you try different Bruges lace projects, you can try your hand at more and more complex designs using the technique.
What can I crochet with Bruges lace?
I have three crochet patterns that use Bruges lace crochet.
First is Bruges Bracelet, a very basic beginner Bruges lace pattern. This pretty bracelet doesn’t include any turns, but it’s a good way to try crocheting the tape and chain loops while making something quick-finish, pretty, and very giftable!
Bruges Bracelet crochet pattern here.
Next is Scamp Bandana, available from Interweave because it originally appeared in Interweave Crochet magazine. You’ll love this retro head scarf for road trips and days in the sun!
Scamp Bandana crochet pattern here.
The second, and much newer pattern is Pensacola Poncho, a women’s poncho in lace. This pattern is available free on my website and it’s perfect for spring and summer!
Pensacola Poncho Bruges lace crochet pattern here.
Bruges lace crochet written pattern
By April Garwood of Banana Moon Studio
(C)2024 April Garwood. As with all my patterns, please do not make paper or digital copies for others. Instead, please direct them to my website to get their own. Thank you!
Difficulty Level: Intermediate
Materials: Yarn of your choosing and a crochet hook of appropriate size for your yarn.
Notes:
This pattern is written in standard US terms. For help with abbreviations, get my free printable crochet abbreviations list here.
For help with basic crochet stitches, visit my Learn to Crochet page here.
For additional help, watch the Bruges crochet lace tutorial video below.
Basic Bruges Crochet Lace
First Column
Ch 8
Row 1: Dc in 6th ch from hook and in next 2 chs – 3 dc.
Row 2: Ch 5, turn, dc in each st.
Rows 3-10: Repeat Row 2.
Turning
Row 1: Ch 2, sl st in the middle ch of ch-5 sp 2 rows below, ch 2, turn, dc in each st.
Row 2: Ch 5, turn, dc in each st.
Row 3: Ch 2, sl st in same ch as in Row 1, ch 2, turn, dc in each st.
Rows 4-5: Repeat Rows 2 and 3.
Second Column
Row 1: Ch 5, turn, dc in each st.
Row 2: Ch 2, sl st in middle ch of next open ch-5 sp from previous column, ch 2, turn, dc in each st.
Rows 3-8: Alternate repeating Rows 1 and 2.
Alternate repeating Turning and Second Column instructions until you have achieved the desired width. My swatch includes 5 turns.
Finishing
Bruges crochet lace looks its best when it is blocked. For natural fibers, wet-blocking is best. For synthetic fibers, steam blocking is best.
Enjoy!
Bruges lace crochet video
Learn how to crochet Bruges lace with my video! Click to watch on YouTube.
Happy crocheting!
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