The History of Crochet, then and now…………
Compared with knitting, crochet has a much shorter history, and is thought to have developed from lace-making. The origin is debatable, but research suggest that it became a pastime for high-born ladies in Europe in the 16th century. It was said to be passed down by Italian nuns, who were the main teachers of lace-making at the time. Crochet was an imitation of lace-making because lace was very expensive and most could not afford it. The word “Crochet” comes from the French word for “hook.”
Crochet evolved from a form of needlework called tambour, which was a cross between lace-making and crochet. It got its name because it was originally worked in a frame which resembled a tambourine. It looks like chain stitches (used in embroidery) and was used to make decorative flower motifs on muslin and other fabrics.
Once it was discovered that patterns of chain stitches could be made by joining them together without the need for a frame or fabric, lace-making developed into the art we know today as crochet, although at that time it was done with extremely tiny hooks and fine thread (sort of like what you would use to make doilies, but thinner).
The first written mention of crochet, was for slip stitch crochet/shepherd’s knitting, from The Memoirs of a Highland Lady, by Elizabeth Grant (1797-1830) in the 19th century. Some claim that the first published crochet patterns appeared in the Dutch magazine, Penelope’ in 1824. Crochet patterns were also found in the Swedish magazine, “Konst och nyhetsmagasin from 1819. Then there was another publication in “A Winter’s Gift,” which contained detailed instructions on crochet stitches. In 1846 and 1847 “Goodey’s Lady’s Book, refered to “crotchet” before the spelling standardized in 1848.
In 1846, Mademoiselle Riego de la Blanchardiere, is credited with the invention of Irish Crochet (my favorite), and published the first book of patterns.
Irish Crochet is said to be the finest form of crochet. Exceedingly intricate and complicated patterns are worked with fine thread. Queen Victoria loved this form of crochet so much that she learned how to do it herself.
Crochet has undergone some changes since Victorian times. It has also been in and out of fashion for centuries. During World War I & II, only small items were made because material was so expensive.
In post-war years larger articles were made, such as tablecloths and clothing.
In the 1960′s crochet clothing and accessories were very popular.
Recently there has been a resurgence in its popularity. Today’s crochet patterns show how a traditional craft can be used to make some of the most fashionable and stylish pieces around, such as clothing, accessories, afghans, tablecovers, runners, and the list goes on and on………
It’s amazing how far crochet has come since the sixteenth hundreds! There are many things that you can use this age-old art for today.
Some of my favorite styles/techniques of crochet are: Irish, Bavarian and Russian:
In the following installments of “The History Of Crochet: We’ve Come A Long Way Baby! I will be showcasing some amazing talents of today. Some are new comers to this timeless art and some are old pros. All are extremely talented and will some day be a lasting part of this time-honored art………
Look for my first Crochet Artist, tomorrow: Mamta Motiyani
*If you are interested in purchasing am extended version of my blog article please follow this link to get your copy: http://www.PDF-Patterns.com/historyofcrochetebook.html
