Pineapples / doily motifs as garments?

[BoxOfRocks]

I've been wanting to learn thread crochet and make my mom and MIL lace shawls for some time now.  I'm finding some really cool pineapple and non-pineapple motifs and doilies that I could replicate to make shawls, but I'm afraid that it will look like they're wearing tablecloths.  Well, it's 'cause they are.

My fellow crocheters, do you think it will look odd?  "Oh my God, she's wearing a table runner!"

(FTR, I'm aware of Doris Chan's book "Amazing Crochet Lace" but would not be using patterns from the book.  I'd be using actual motifs and doilies like the ones on "Celt's Vintage Crochet.")

[RebelTrendsetter]

Well the thing is you will have to think like Doris Chan and make it into a shawl, not just take a pattern and make it bigger then it really will look like a table runner lol
But I also know that there are some really cute motifs that if done in a different yarn just look lacy and i think that's pretty much what Doris Chan does. You just have to pick the right motif, use the right yarn with it, and make it your own.

BTW I've made a shawl from Amazing Crochet Lace in microspun + mohair held together and it SO Does not look like a table runner. On that note, I'd probably avoid white yarn or thread since that's typical for a table runner lol

[BoxOfRocks]

Thanks for your input.  I don't think I was clear in my previous message that I wouldn't be don't quite what Chan was doing, which is making a huge wearable "doily" out of, say, worsted weight yarn.  Honestly, I think those are really impractical--too lacy for warmth, which is the practical application for a shawl in the first place.  Neither my mother or MIL, the recipients, would wear something just because it's pretty.

I mean actually taking a doily or pineapple motif out of thread and replicating it as directed in the Celt's site.  Except instead of making, say 300 motifs for a bedspread, making 100 for a shawl-sized item.

[RebelTrendsetter]

Well this is just my opinion based on making the shawl from doris chan's book, I used microspun and mohair like i said above and it was EXTREMELY warm. I was wearing it as I was making it to keep warm.
But I personally don't think cotton thread would be warm. And if u used cotton thread I think it would look like a table runner. Not trying to be mean or anything, but using different types of yarn not exactly worsted weight is what makes it not look old and table runner-esque. I would suggest using a light weight lacy yarn instead of cotton. But like you said it might not be as warm as you want it to be.
At the end of the day though, I say just try it and see how it looks like. I could be wrong and it could look fabulous but you won't know until you try. And from there you can figure out if you want to use different yarn or if you want to tweak the pattern a little or not. Or you can see the finished product and see if a cute edging/border that would take it from table runner to lacy shawl. But it's hard to say without seeing it first.

[bjrjames]

I don't know what kind of yarn shops you have available locally, but some of the ones that sell over the net have some lace weight yarns in beautiful colors.  There are even baby yarn or fingering yarn which are almost the same size as the cotton thread, but more like yarn than thread.  And they come in many more colors than you will find available locally.  I don't have the links right now, but if you Google yarn, I'm sure you can find them on line.  You would be surprised how warm these yarns would be, even if they do look lacy.  The baby or fingering yarn would be cheaper than lace yarn, I think.  And the colors will surprise you, even black.  I think that you will find that color will be the factor that keeps the shawl from looking like a table runner.

Good luck.

[BoxOfRocks]

Thanks for your suggestions.  I will check out other yarns.  I wasn't clear in my previous messages, but I also want the shawl to be suitable for formal events (weddings, etc.).  Would such yarns be appropriate?