Crochet was something that people in the past uptain to enhance their garments. It is a process of creating fabric from yarn of threadusing a hook. The word is French and means hook. Crocheting is similar to knitting in that it consists of pulling lookps of yarn through other loops. It differs in that only one loop is active at a time. In Ireland and northern France, crocheting became a thriving industry supporting the communities whose traditional livelihoods had been damaged by wars. Women would creat things such as clothes and blankets to make money. Thos who had their nose up in the air and could afford lace thought that crochet lace was a cheap copy. This partially mitigated by Queen Victoria. She mainly uptain her lac from the Irish. She herself learned to crochet. Patterns as early as the 1840 were varied and complex.

Crocheting fabric by placing a slip-knot look on the hook, pulling another loop through first created a chain around the fabric. Tunisian crochet however, draws all the loops for an entire row onto a long hook before working them off one at a time. Crocheting is different from knitting in that is uses one hook while in most knittings uses two needles. In knitting each stitch is supported buy the corresponding stitch in the row below. In crochet each stitch is only supported by the stitch on either side of it. Another difference is knitting can be done with a machine, but crochet can only be done by hand.

Crochet was popular in the 1800s, but  fashion changed about the 1890s. Its peak in popularity between 1910 and 1920 again and even was more elaborate in texture and stitching.  Down through history color and fashion changed as events and style of clothing changed.  In the 40's until the 60"s it became poplur again and many new designs published with color for doilies, potholders, rugs and many other household items.  1970's a new generation of crochet granny squares and round and motif with bright colors became popular.  It decline again but has been revived again due to crafters wanting hand crafts items.  Filet crochet, Tunisian crochet, broomstick lace, hairpin lace, cro-hooking, and Irish crochet are all variants of the basic crochet method.  

This art form is truely elegant in so many ways.  Today I feel it could become alost art if we don't pass these skills on.  I have learned to do a little bit of crochet but it does take time and I would love to master this talent someday.  What do you think?  Is it going to be a thing of the past?