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A History of Crochet Patterns

RELIGION

The earliest known recorded crochet patterns where printed in 1824, and yet there is a
great deal of evidence pointing to the fact that woman particularly have been recording
and sharing crochet patterns since well before then.
While the exact origins of Crochet are unclear as the skill was originally word of mouth, Lis
Paludan theorises that crochet evolved from traditional practices in Iran, South America or
China, but there is no decisive evidence of the craft being performed before its popularity
in Europe during the 19th century.
What is Crochet
Crochet is a process by whichyarn or thread and a single hook of any size can be used to
make fabric, lace, garments and toys. Crochet may also be used to make hats, bags and
jewellery.

Crochet as we say in the English Language is derived from the French word croche, which
literally means hook. Like knitting, crochet stitches are made by pulling the yarn through
an active loop. While knitting involves a row of open active loops (or stitches) the process
of crochet only uses one loop or stitch at a time. A variety of textures, patterns and shapes
can be created through varying tension, dropping and adding stitches, and wrapping the
yarn around the hook during a stitch.
There is no limit to the materials that can be used to crochet. Throughout history people
from all over the world have used thread, wool, yarn, grass, rope, wire, silk; even dental
oss and hair have been crocheted.
An article by Ruthie Marks states that Research suggests that crochet probably
developed most directly from Chinese needlework, a very ancient form of embroidery
known in Turkey, India, Persia and North Africa, which reached Europe in the 1700s and
was referred to as tambouring, from the French tambour or drum. At the end of the 18th
century, tambour evolved into what the French called crochet in the air, when the
background fabric was discarded and the stitch worked on its own.
Sharing the Art of Crochet
For a long time the skill of Crochet was shared verbally between friends and family;
stitches and patterns where copied directly from original work. This resulted in highly
inaccurate crochet making, and an evolution away from the original piece the more times
an item was copied.
What evolved from this practice was the simple idea that speci c stitches could be learnt
and shared via a small sample that could be made and kept as a main reference in each
house. Samples of stitches were eventually made and then stitched onto scraps of paper
to make a type of soft book that could be passed around through womens circles. In her

travels, author Annie Potter found some of these scrapbooks -dating from the late 1800sstill in use by nuns in Spain.
The rst printed crochet patterns were from 1824and were typically luxury patterns for
purses of gold and silver silk thread. These early patterns, which often were not accurate,
would drive a modern crocheter crazy. An eight-pointed star, for example, might turn out
to possess only six points. The reader was expected, it turns out, to read the pattern but to
use the illustration as the more accurate guide. these patterns still relied on the reader
copying from the original image. It relied heavily on the crocheters intuition for stiches and
reading patterns and pictures.
Crochet began turning up in Europe in the early 1800s and was given a tremendous boost
by Mlle. Riego de la Branchardiere, who was best known for her ability to take old-style
needle and bobbin lace designs and turn them into crochet patterns that could easily be
duplicated. She published many pattern books so that millions of women could begin to
copy her designs. Mlle. Riego also claimed to have invented lace-like crochet, today
called Irish crochet.
Another way to collect stitch samples was to crochet di erent stitches together in long,
narrow bands some made by adults, some begun in school and added on to over the
years.
From 1900 to 1930 women were also busy crocheting afghans, slumber rugs, traveling
rugs, chaise lounge rugs, sleigh rugs, car rugs, cushions, co ee and teapot cozies and hotwater bottle covers. It was during this time that potholders made their rst appearance
and became a staple of the crocheters repertoire. It was during this time that many types
of yarn also came with small pattern samples and crochet guides.
The Rise of Crochet in the 1960s

In the 1960s and 1970s crochet took o as a freeform means of expression that can be
seen today in three-dimensional sculptures, articles of clothing, or rugs and tapestries that
depict abstract and realistic designs and scenes.
Modern day crochet patterns have become incredibly detailed intricate as you can see
from the popular crochet pattern website Crochet Universe, where there are crochet
patterns available to crochet your very own Elizabeth Bennett, Frida Kahlo or Coco Chanel.
References
A Living Mystery, the International Art & History of Crochet,
Annie Louise Potter, A.J. Publishing International, 1990
Crochet Universe, Kathleen Brewster 2014

50

AUGUST 29, 2014 BY HISTORY COOPERATIVE

WRITTEN BY HISTORY COOPERATIVE

The History Cooperative is a collective of history bu s, interested authors,
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3 COMMENTS
DAWNA KING

REPLY

December 15, 2014 at 2:24 am

Big Thanks. Very interesting and helpful. So good to know. Please do

keep up the good work uncovering the history of Crochet and keep me
posted. Dawna.

SYLVIE DAPONTE

REPLY

March 21, 2015 at 2:24 am

Love the info, interesting. History. And cool. That you put the site of work
crochet. Going to have fun with that .. Thanks

MRS. CARYL TUNSTALL

REPLY

December 31, 2015 at 2:25 am

I am so glad to know the background information of crocheting. It is so

liberating!

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