Origins of Crochet: Follow Crochet Through the Years

Reality is that the history of crochet can’t narrow down exactly when it was created. Crochet has noted in the history books to have been first noticed by French nuns in France but is noted that it could be found much earlier such as 1500–1800 BC. Based on the hand technique of crochet, it’s more than likely that it is a Middle Eastern technique that has shifted over time to other civilizations.
 
Now, how someone knew to shape the hook and start in the first place is a mystery but what I find more interesting is how it has changed over time to today.
 
Back when the nuns were crocheting, they were doing very complex lacing with very fine materials like table clothes. It was considered valuable and something found in churches as part of the decor. They say only the nuns knew how to crochet and was considered part of their work.

As time progresses it was noted to move to England and Scotland. Crochet took an evolution change and more people started picking up the skill. Going from the exclusivity of just nuns, it went into the hands of posh upper class. Crochet circles have been noted as a past time for upper-class ladies to perform the skills.

The project evolved from just delicate lacy patterns to something not as complex to complete but still extravagant. The poor were not privy to learning the craft. I would be willing to bet though, some fabulous posh upper lady decided to teach some of her servants which helped get the skill to be more known in the decades to come to regular people like you and me.

In the early 1900s, the skill had been evolving and again the crochet was noted to deplete again in skill level. As yarns have changed, so has the level of what you can do with the yarn. Patterns continue to simplify and many yarns have started to get much thicker and crochet hooks have been increasing in size to accommodate the new yarns selections.

These days, the nuns of yesteryear would be laughing at us. Our skill level is fabulous by today’s standards but would be considered primary school levels. With automation and cheap imports of products, crochet of today has become something where fewer people desire to learn because they don’t need to.

Gone is the era where you would make socks because you couldn’t afford to buy another pair. Memories of making that custom made afghan for your couch when society is perfectly contented in purchasing something mass produced.
 
Very few people at home can make a crochet item and be compensated properly for the materials and time if they were to sell it. With automation has come “instant gratification”. See Now… Want Now… many people lack the desire to sit and take a few weeks or months to complete something completely original just for themselves.

In today’s society, the most popular patterns are simple afghans, baby clothes, scarves, and socks. Usually made from thick materials such as 4 ply worsted yarns. I would conclude that to be contributed to lack of time and wanting to get projects quickly done due to either a lack of patience or the speed at which today’s society flows. The sizes of yarn today makes for the projects to grow extremely faster.
 
What’s to come in the future? That’s up to you… you have the power with today’s technology to get on board and learn this skill for free on the internet through well put together sites like AllFreeCrochet and The Crochet Crowd to show you how to do it. The real question... do you have the desire to take advantage of these free tutorials and patterns to create something unique and just for you.