By Julia Schwartz

Photos: Julia Schwartz

Difficulty: Experienced

The Lacey Japanese Lantern is a concept that I came up with after seeing a lot of different ways to make lamps in do-it-yourself magazines. “Wow, that would be really easy,” I thought. I combined that with crocheted Christmas ornaments, just on a much bigger scale. Since I live in an apartment with no overhead lighting, this was a way for me to get a little more light in the room, as well as a great decorative piece.

Finished Measurements: Large motif measures 7″ before starching; lantern has 31″ circumference after starching

Materials:

• Crochet Cotton Thread
• Crochet steel hook size 7/1.65MM
• Sugar starch
• Stitch marker
• Punch ball (large balloon toy)
• Wax paper
• Tongs
• Swag lamp kit
• 15 watt light bulb

Note: Inspiration for the large motif came from a picture of a vintage pattern: Waldrep, Mary Carolyn, ed. “Cluny Runner” In 150 Favorite Crochet Designs (New York, Dover Publications Inc. 1995: 33).

Special Stitches
Dtr (double treble): Yarn over 3 times, then insert your hook into the stitch or space indicated. Yo and pull up a loop. (5 loops on hook) Yo and draw through 2 loops. (4 loops on hook) Yo and draw through 2 loops. (3 loops on hook) Yo and draw through 2 loops. (2 loops on hook) Yo and draw through 2 loops.

Leaf stitch: Ch 5, *yo 2 times, insert hook into 5th chain from hook, yo and pull through. Yo, pull through two loops twice [you should have 2 loops on the hook]* repeat once (3 loops), yo and pull through 2 loops 2 times.

Picot: Ch 4, sl st into tr just made.

Tr3tog: *Yo 2 times, insert hook into desired stitch, yo and pull through, yo pull through two loops twice* repeat two more times. You should have four loops on the hook. Yo and pull through all four loops.

Directions

First Large Motif

Rnd 1: Ch 6, slip stitch into beginning ch to form ring, ch 8. *Tr in ring, ch 4.* Repeat 6 more times; sl st into 4th ch of ch-8. (8 Tr and 8 ch-4 spaces)

Rnd 2: Sl st into ch-4 space, ch 1. *Make 5 sc in ch-4 space.* Repeat till end, sl st into first sc. (40 sc)

Rnd 3: Ch 1, sc in same stitch. *Leaf stitch twice (one will be on top of the other) skip 4 sc, and sc in next stitch. Repeat from * around to end, ending with 2 leaf stitches; sl st into beginning sc. (16 leaf stitches)

Rnd 4: Ch 5, *leaf stitch, tr between two leaf stitches of previous row, picot, leaf stitch, Dtr in sc.* Repeat 6 times, end with leaf stitch, tr between two leaf stitches, picot, leaf stitch, sl st into 5th chain of beginning stitch. (16 leaf stitches)

Rnd 5: Ch 8, *[tr3tog, ch 3 in picot of previous row] 3 times. Dtr in dtr of previous row, ch 3.* Repeat * to * 6 times. [Tr3tog, ch 3] 3 times, sl st into 5th ch of beginning ch-8. (24 tr3tog)

Rnd 6: Ch 8, [tr in tr3tog of last round, ch 4] 3 times. *Tr in dtr of last round, [ch 4, tr in next tr3tog] 3 times.* Repeat from * to * until end. Sl st into 4th ch of beginning ch-8. (32 tr)

Rnd 7: Ch 1, sl st into ch-sp, *make 3 sc, 4 ch, 3 sc in each ch-4 space.* Repeat from * to * around. Sl st into beginning st. Finish off.

Second and Third Large Motif

Rnds 1- 6: Follow directions from first motif.

Rnd 7: Ch 1, sl st into ch-sp. [Make 3 sc in ch-sp, ch 2. Take hook out of loop; insert hook into corresponding loop of next motif and back onto the ch 2. Draw through, ch 2, make 3 sc in same ch-4 space as previous 3 sc] 4 times. *Make 3 sc, ch 4, 3 sc in next ch-4 space.* Repeat from * to * around. Sl st into beginning st. Finish off. (32 ch-4, 28 free, 4 connected to first motif)

Fourth Motif

Rnds 1- 6: Follow directions from first motif.

Rnd 7: Ch 1, sl st into ch-sp. *[Make 3 sc in ch-sp, ch 2. Take hook out of loop; insert hook into corresponding loop of next motif and back onto the ch 2. Draw through, ch 2, make 3 sc in same ch-4 space as previous 3 sc] 4 times. [Make 3 sc, ch 4, 3 sc in next ch-4 space] 12 times. Repeat from *; sl st into beginning st. Finish off.

After the fourth motif is made you should have the motifs connected in a circle. Fifth and sixth motifs will go on the top and the bottom.

Fifth and Sixth Motif:

Rnds 1-6: Follow directions from first motif.

Rnd 7: Ch 1, sl st into ch-space. *[Make 3 sc in ch-sp, ch 2. Take hook out of loop; insert hook into corresponding loop of 1st motif and back onto the ch 2. Draw through, ch 2, make 3 sc in same ch-4 space as previous 3 sc] 4 times. [Make 3 sc, ch 4, 3 sc in next ch-4 space] 4 times. Repeat from * 3 more times; sl st into beginning st. Finish off.

Before adding the small motifs, decide which holes will be used for the lamp. One hole will be left completely open, and the hole opposite of this will have the motif that the wiring will go through(the lamp motif). Mark these with some string or stitch markers.

Lamp Motif

Rnd 1: Ch 36, join together to form a ring. Ch 1, *make 4 sc in ring, ch 2. Take hook out of loop, insert hook into the second right loop of one of the large motifs, draw through. Ch 2, make 4 sc in ring, ch 4. Repeat from * around. Sl st into beginning st. (48 sc and six connecting loops and six free loops)

Small Motif:

Rnd 1: Make an adjustable ring. [Ch 4, tr, ch 4, sl st into adjustable ring] 5 times. Ch 4, tr2 tog. (Six petals made)

Rnd 2: Ch 1, sc in same space, ch 6. *Sc in next tr, ch 6. Repeat from * around. (Six sc and six 6 ch spaces)

Rnd 3: Sl st into ch-sp, ch 1. [Make 4 sc, ch 2. Take hook out of loop; insert hook into the second right loop of one of the large motifs, draw through. Ch 2, make 4 sc in same ch-6 space. Ch 4, make 4 sc, ch 2. Take hook out of loop; insert hook into the next loop of same large motif. Ch 2, make 4 sc in next ch-6 space, ch 4] 3 times. Sl st into beginning st. Finish off. (Six connecting loops, six free loops)

Repeat 5 more times.

Finishing

Now it is time to starch the lantern.

To create the sugar starch required to harden the lantern combine 1 cup of sugar with ½ cup of water. Heat the mixture on the stove until all of the sugar is dissolved. This will occur prior to the boiling point.

Carefully (it will be hot!) soak the lantern in the starch. Using tongs, pull the lantern out and squeeze out any extra. (Be careful not to burn your fingers!)

Insert the punch ball inside the lantern and make sure that the rubber band (which is attached to the punch ball) is sticking out of the lamp motif. Blow up the punch ball so that the lantern is slightly stretched. Tie a knot in the punch ball and hang the globe up by the rubber band of the punch ball so that it will dry. Place wax paper or newspaper under the lantern to catch the dripping water.

Air-drying the lantern may take approximately three days, but will vary with local weather conditions.

When the lantern is completely hardened, slowly release the air from the punch ball. I used scissors to cut the knot and then slowly pushed my fingers on the balloon and peeled it off of the starched thread. The hardened starch will have adhered to the balloon and will need to be removed slowly and carefully so the lantern does not become misshapen. Then pull the balloon out of the large hole in the globe.

Follow the manufacturing instructions when putting together the lamp. For fire safety, never use a bulb that is over 15 watts, and do not keep the lamp light “on” for long periods of time.

About the Designer
Julia Schwartz is the wife of a seminary student, a mother of a two year old daughter, and a daughter of a long line of crafters. She has been sewing since she was five, cross stitching since she was ten, and picked up crocheting and knitting in college. She also enjoys cooking, card making, and painting, but her true love will always be crocheting. She especially loves taking old patterns and making them contemporary.

Pattern & images © Julia Schwartz. All rights reserved.