#HistoryStitch: The History of Crochet – From Tambour Embroidery to Yarn Bombing

What do delicate lace from Versailles and colorful yarn graffiti on lampposts have in common? Crochet.
The history of this versatile craft goes back much further than many think – and reveals just how creative, resilient, and adaptable textile techniques can be. 

🧶 From Tambour Embroidery to "Real" Crochet

The origins of crochet lie in tambour embroidery, a technique popular in the 18th century. It involved stitching chain stitches into a stretched fabric ground using a fine hook – often to embellish garments with lace decorations, particularly at European royal courts.

It wasn't until the early 19th century that we see signs of what we now consider true crochet: English ladies crafted delicate fringes, lace edgings, and doilies from fine cotton threads – possibly as an evolution of filet embroidery and Irish lace-making.

🍀 Irish Lace – Crochet as a Means of Survival

During the Great Famine in Ireland (around 1840–1880), crochet became a lifeline for many families. Women created what became known as Irish Lace – intricate patterns made with crochet hooks that mimicked the look of traditional bobbin lace but were much faster and cheaper to produce.

Irish lace became a valuable export and was sold across Europe and North America – turning crochet into a significant source of income for Irish households.

📚 Standardization and Pattern Publications

With the Industrial Revolution, crochet gained a new boost:
In the late 19th century, publishers began releasing crochet books, instruction leaflets, and stitch charts using symbols. Crochet became a mainstream activity, especially in middle-class households.

This standardization laid the foundation for the modern use of charts and stitch diagrams still in use today.

🌈 Granny Squares and Festival Fashion

In the 20th century, crochet had many faces: from practical dishcloths to your grandma's couch blanket – and, of course, the iconic granny squares that defined the colorful DIY spirit of the 1970s.

In the 2000s, crochet made a big comeback through boho aesthetics and festival fashion: crop tops, bikinis, and handmade home decor reclaimed their place in the spotlight.

🧵 Crochet Today – Art, Community, and Technology

Since the 2010s, we've seen a renaissance in crochet:
Experimental techniques like overlay crochet, 3D textures, and artistic installations are expanding the possibilities of what crochet can be.

Urban Art movements like yarn bombing wrap everyday objects in color and joy.
And with digital pattern sharing, global communities are connecting over stitches and skeins.

💬 Why Look Back? 

Crochet history is not just nostalgia – it tells us stories of technical evolution, social shifts, and creative resilience.
Each stitch carries a legacy – shaped by people, cultures, and moments in time.

And it inspires us: Why not reimagine Irish Lace in neon? Or combine knitting and crochet for new hybrid textures?

🧶 My Conclusion: Looking Back to Look Forward

Crochet ties us to the past – but also to the future.
From aristocratic needlework to community street art, it has always been about expression, identity, and ingenuity.
And the next stitch? It's yours.

🧶 What's your earliest crochet memory? 

Share it with us in the comments or on Facebook!

#HISTORYStitch #crochetwithlove #strickenimtrend #textileheritage #crochethistory

Weaving the past into the present!

Yours,
Kathrin ☀️🧶