Crochet History Fun Facts You Didn’t Know
Crochet history and how it originated, has always intrigued me. Throughout my research on the topic, I ended up discovering this awesome book called The Crochet Stitch Bible .
*Affiliate disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases from Amazon.com
This book not only taught me everything I needed to know about crochet history, but it also features fun extras including crochet essentials, the different types of stitches, abbreviations and symbols and much more! Since the book offers so much useful information, I thought I’d share with you my favorite facts that I learned from the book.
The origins of crochet are somewhat a mystery.
Spooky, right? Ok, not really, but the fact that the origins of crochet are vague fascinates me. Only a few early examples of crocheting have been found across the world. These places include China, Africa, Turkey, Europe, the United States and South America. It really makes you wonder what they were crocheting that long ago. The book mentions cloaks, blankets and hats. But what else were they making that we have yet to discover? Maybe we’ll never know.
There’s also a really cool story about Italian nuns and fine steel hooks, but I’ll let you read the book instead of spoiling it.
The word “crochet” derives from the French “croc,” meaning a hook (or crook).
No, I’m not talking about the footwear called Crocs. (That would be pretty funny though, right?) But I guess this explains why we use “hooks” to crochet.
Amazingly enough, that’s not the only neat tidbit about the name. Here’s another one: “Shepherd’s knitting” is an old Scottish name for crochet.
There are over 200 crochet stitches.
If you’re a crocheter and think you know all the tricks to the trade, think again. Believe it or not, there are currently over 200 different types of stitches that have been developed over the centuries including:
- Basic Stitches
- Textured Stitches
- Fans and Shells
- Mesh and Filet Stitches
- Openwork and Lace Stitches
- Trims and Edgings
- Clusters, Puffs, and Bobbles
- Spike Stitches
- Relief Stitches
- Tunisian Stitches
- Multi-color Patterns
- Squares
- Shapes and Motifs
- Special Stitches
Who knew there were that many stitches? Maybe there are even more we have yet to discover. (Who knows!) But what I do know is if you want to improve your stitching skills, The Crochet Stitch Bible will teach you everything you need to know about each stitch.
And there you have it: that’s a short summary of the history of crocheting. If you’re interested in learning more about crochet history, The Crochet Stitch Bible does an excellent job at explaining this “mysterious” hobby. I cannot say enough good things about this book.
Are there any interesting crochet history facts that I missed? What’s your favorite stitch? Which stitch do you want to learn next? Let me know in the comments below!
Oh, and don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel and check out my other blog posts for more crocheting tips and easy DIY tutorials.
