Commencing in the 1830s and later taught in convents and cooperatives, Irish crochet was initially developed as a substitute for costly Venetian lace. Eventually, crocheting the lace provided income for industrious workers and offered a measure of relief for many during Ireland’s Great Famine that had begun in 1845. A button is a great entrée into the fanciful world of singular stitches and dimensional lace motifs that are the characteristic features of Irish crochet.

Finished Size Seventh-Wheel Button: 1 7⁄8 inches (4.8 cm) in diameter. Roll-Stitch Button: 1 1 ⁄8 inch (2.9 cm) in diameter.

Yarn Seventh Wheel Button: DMC Pearl Cotton, size 12, 100% mercerized cotton thread, 131 yard (119.8 m) / 10 gram (0.4 oz) ball, 1 ball of #712 Cream. DMC Pearl Cotton, size 3, 100% mercerized cotton thread, 16 yard (14.6 m) / 14 gram (.5 oz) skein, 1 skein of # 712 Cream.

Roll-Stitch Button: DMC Cebelia, size 30, 100% mercerized cotton thread, 567 yard (518.5 m) / 50 gram (1.75 oz) ball, 1 ball of #712 Cream

Hook Steel, size 6 (1.00 mm)

Notions Knitting needle, size 6 (4 mm); Dritz Half Ball Cover Buttons, size 75, 1 7⁄8 inches (4.8 cm) and size 45, 1 1/8 inches (2.9 cm); cotton fabric, lightweight to cover button form; John James Needle, tapestry, size 24.

Gauge Petal measures about 1 inch (2.5 cm) long. Bullion st is about .5 inch (1 cm) tall.

Notes The Seventh Wheel Button is composed of a seven-petal motif—a center circle motif and seven eyelet rings that are crocheted separately and then attached together.