The history of crochet is shrouded in mystery. Many cultures, including European, African and Asian, have claimed the origins of crochet as part of their ancient history.
Well-preserved examples of threadwork resembling crochet still exist. While it is difficult to verify where crochet originated, there is no doubt that modern crochet emerged sometime in the early 19th century using tools originally designed for embroidery.
The beginnings of modern crochet
The earliest known published crochet pattern cropped up in 1829, from Mademoiselle Riego de la Branchardiere. She later published a book of knitting and crochet patterns. A pattern for a child’s dress earned an award in the Great Exhibition in 1851.
During this period, the Great Famine of 1845-1852 claimed a million Irish lives, with more than one million more fleeing the country. Some families turned to lace making for survival, establishing cottage industries from which emerged the beautiful technique of Irish lace crochet. This lace, made by the poorest women in Ireland, adorned garments for the wealthiest families in Europe.
Forms of crochet proliferated over the following 150 years, such as Tunisian crochet patterns in the late 18th century. The earliest granny square patterns appeared in 1882. The art was exported to Japan in the 1870s; generations later, patterns for Japanese amigurumi crochet, creating small, stuffed toy animals, appeared in the 1920s.
The 20th century saw greater commercialisation of crochet and knitting patterns, from simple crochet blanket kits to complex patterns for advanced levels. The 1960s and 1970s saw people breaking free from conventional patterns, with the resulting freeform style creating stunning and individual pieces and garments.
Crochet today
Freeform crochet reinvented itself in the first decade of the 21st century through the yarn-bombing phenomena, with knitted and crochet street art brightening the unlikeliest of places. Crafts exploded in popularity during the Covid-19 pandemic, with online classes and starter kits available such as crochet blanket kits from Wool Couture.
Today, knitting and crochet are enjoyed by hobbyists of all levels, drawing from a rich variety of influences.
