Little is known of crochet's early history. It seems likely thatthe earliest crochet was made using fingers, rather than thehooks used today. There are theories that crochet could haveexisted as early as 1500 BC, as part of nun's work, whichincluded needlepoint lace and bobbin lace.

There are three main theories for the origin of crochet. Somebelieve that it originated in Arabia and spread eastward toTibet and then westward to Spain, finally following the Arabtrade routes to other Mediterranean countries. Alternatively,it's thought to have originated in South America, where aprimitive tribe used crochet adornments in puberty rites.Another alternative stems from the fact that in China, earlyexamples were known of dolls worked in crochet.

However, there is no solid evidence as to how old crochet is orwhere it originated. The evidence of it appearing in thesixteenth century is slight, and hotly disputed. There arereferences to a type of "chained trimming" made around 1580.However this appears to have been a type of cord, sewn ontofabric like an ornamental braid.

During the Renaissance, women crocheted several strands ofthread producing fabrics similar to lace.

The earliest evidence of crochet, as we know it, is firstcommonly seen in the second half of the eighteenth century.Crochet may have developed from Chinese needlework, an ancientform of embroidery known in Turkey, India, Persia and NorthAfrica, which reached Europe in the eighteenth century, and wasreferred to as tambouring. The main theory behind the origin ofcrochet seems to be that it began when it was realized thatchains worked in a pattern would hang together withoutbackground fabric. At the end of the eighteenth century, tambourevolved into what the French called crochet in the air, when thebackground fabric was discarded and the stitch worked on itsown. Tambour hooks were as thin as sewing needles, and thereforethe work must have been done with very fine thread.

Crochet began to emerge in Europe in the early nineteenthcentury, boosted by Mlle Riego de la Branchardiere, well knownfor her ability to take needle and bobbin lace designs and turnthem into crochet patterns that could be duplicated. Shepublished numerous patterns and also claimed to have inventedlace-like crochet, today called Irish crochet.

A type of lace called cheyne lace was made with a hook from thelate eighteenth century and a primitive form of crochet calledpjonting can be found from about 1820.

Copyright, http://www.officialguidetocrochet.com

About the author:Providing Tips and Help with Crochet for the beginner and moreexperienced. The Earliest info on Crochet:http://www.officialguidetocrochet.com/crochet-history-part2.html

Custom Search