A Round of Crochet

I have a sneaking fondness for crochet.

There, I’ve admitted it out loud. Crochet does have a grandma-ish reputation, conjuring up visions of crocheted blankets and doilies; it is not of those multi-coloured relics I speak.

I don’t like crochet quite as much as lace, but there is a style of Irish crochet lace that very much resembles the Flemish needle lace that I so love.

There seems to be some controversy amongst fashion historians about the origins of crochet, but most agree that there is no record of this form of needle art prior to the 1800s. Certainly it was not until the 1840s that written instructions were published. It was the Irish who became world famous for their crochet or guipure lace in the mid nineteenth century, because of the need of the people to supplement their income due to the great potato famine.

My version of multi-coloured crochet.

Over the years I have managed to collect a few crocheted items: heavy vintage cardigans made from silk or rayon thread, a multicoloured skirt, a pair of gloves, and even a bag that appears to be crocheted from plastic wire. Sadly antique garments are beyond my purse (and I have seen a few beautiful boleros and jackets on eBay in recent days go for well over AU$400) – although at least I can still afford to buy a few potatoes.

Some antique and more modern samples below (click on image for larger version):

(Clockwise from top left) Doily, Sweden (Wikipedia); Marcel Wanders Crochet Table (bonluxat.com); Portuguese tablecloth, c 1970 (Wikipedia); Titanic era linen batiste gown (cocardesandcorsetry.com); Irish crochet lace, based on Flemish needle lace, late 19th century (Wikipedia); pendant lamps (stores.rianrae.com); Irish crochet lace, late 19th century (stitchinfingers.ning.com). (Centre) Crocheted chair by Marcel Wanders (marinsawa.wordpress.com).