Sew Wonderful : Crochet
Nowadays it seems like everyone has something that was crocheted, but what is it and why is it so special?
Crochet is an needle crafting art that uses a crochet hook and fiber such as yarn, thread, and even twine through a process of interlocking hoops of fiber to create textiles.
Now you might be thinking "Isn't that the same as knitting?"
Well even though they are similar they are very different. Knitting uses a pair of long needles to form the loops, moving a set of loops from one needle to another; the stitches are held on the needle. Crochet uses a single hook to hook the loops together directly on the piece. With knitting your focus is on a row that is stored on the needles whereas with crochet you only focus on the single stitch that is on your hook.
You know what it is , but where did it come from?
The first bit of evidence of crocheted fabric came from Europe during the 19th century. What was then identified as crochet was made by nålebinding, which is a different looped yarn technique. The first known instructions specifically using the term "Crochet" to describe the craft was shown in the Dutch magazine Penélopé in 1823. The earliest dated reference in English to clothing made of fabric produced by looping yarn with a hook, also known as sheperd's knitting, is in The Memoirs of a Highland Lady by Elizabeth Grant during the years of 1797-1830.
Even though crochet is seen everywhere especially today it is a very special process because it cannot be machine replicated. It is one of the few crafts that require human involvement to do.
You now know what crochet is, the difference between crochet and knitting, a bit of it's history, and why crochet is so special. However you might be wondering "How do I get into crochet?"
Here's some easy accessible links for you to learn from, or go ask your friends, your neighbors, look for groups and events. Crochet is everywhere now.
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