Very interesting. When my late wife and I married in 1969, we received gifts that were crocheted. Especially in the wave pattern. That must have been really popular!! Two years later, when our daughter was born, she received a plethora of sweaters, bonnets, and booties, all crocheted by aunts and great grandmother's. Here I am, 52 years later, crocheting blankets and shawls and hats for charity giving. Now that's progress!!😂

I never thought crochet would have such an interesting history! I'm a 15 year old who learned to crochet by myself so i have something to do with my hands and stop me from picking my skin, hurting myself and other bad habits. Ive been following your account for maybe 2 weeks now and i love your videos! please dont stop making them, they make me happy and teach me a lot :)

During my young years (1960’s) when brides were ready to get married, we would all go the the Convent of the Sisters of Notre Dame to get our (top) sheets for the trouseau made there, all linen with the most gorgeous embroidery and bobbin laces that you could imagine. Then we would wait for that special occasion when we had babies and had to be in the hospital for three to five days to receive visitors. Then the old families would save and pass down the baptism ensembles also made of handkerchief linen with gorgeous hand embroidery and french laces. And then… came first communion girls’ dresses, again hand made bobbin laces and embroidery. But of course that was in the last century. Traditions!!!

When I was a very young child my next door neighbour was an elderly Greek lady. She was always crocheting, always had a crochet hook & thread in her hands. She crocheted table cloths, borders for bed sheets; a variety of different kinds of lace work. I was too young to ask her to teach me though I was always in awe.

Turns out, Mexico is a thriving place to sell crocheted items, or to take classes there too! My aunt used to crochet when she was younger, and they also teach you as a part of some school programs, I am glad to carry on the crocheting journey in my family.

The knitter snobbery is real in my community! We have two yarn shops with space to come in and work on projects together. One shop welcomes everyone with open arms and the other shop has only knitters because they make the crocheters feel very unwelcome…I have always wondered when this started and why?

Elise, I love learning about the history of crochet. It's all very interesting!! I loved seeing the old Red Heart pamphlet! Please show us your mom's baptismal gown🤗❤

My grandmother taught me how to crochet around 1985. I didn't understand I had to make increases to make a flat table cloth, so my first project just turned into kind of a sausage shape. I stuffed it with cotton and made a tale and called it a mouse! I loved that thing (I was around 5 at the time)

When I lived in China, my students were amazed that I crochet and learned this from my mother here in the United States because they thought that crochet was only done in China.

I have 4 different crochet hooks that my great grandfather whittled as a gift for my great grandmother. They are some of my most prized possessions. You can see on three of them where she used them so much and wore them down smooth. I love crochet!!

I am 73 & was taught to crochet when I was 10 by my grandmother who was born in 1900. Sadly I never asked her how or when she learned. Now I crochet almost daily making blankets with acrylic yarn & tablecloths with cotton thread & occasionally with acrylic thread. I never knew all of this history even though I have a book on Irish crochet. Soon I will be teaching my girlfriend's great granddaughter to crochet. She is 9 years old. Thank you & keep hooking! Marilyn in Virginia.

The history of crochet is so fascinating. To think that crocheters today are creating as the innovators from the past have done is amazing. Only now we also have the technology to share all over the world at the click of a button. It seems that while the popularity of crochet has waxed and waned it will be around for a good while in the future. In my life it never goes out of style.

Hi Elise! I actually didn't know that crochet was really old!! Thank you for all this information about crochet!!

I love Irish lace. I started crocheting in 1964. I also have a wooden hook my grandfather caved for my grandmother

What a wealth of information. Thank you ever so much for your time and effort in obtaining the crochet history.

As a fellow history nerd (I was a history major in college!) I love this!!! I've researched the history of crochet before but you had a ton of stuff I missed and it was fascinating. And you present it so well! Are you considering doing one for the history of knitting too?

Oh, oh, oh, Elise..... could you please post some pics or perhaps even a short video of your mother's baptismal gown, even in frame? I'd love to see it.

I knit burn bandages and chemo caps for the hospital where I worked in the 70s, 80s, and 90s. And endless clothing for my daughters dolls. Now I can't knit fast enough or long enough to do a simple project. I'll never stop doing what I can I appreciate this new content. Many blessings. 💜

Fascinating! (and girl, we're the same age lol) Love it! **also, the minesweeper mittens were made for sailors working the decks of naval minesweeper ships and needed to be warm with good grip **

Oh Elise, this was FASCINATING! I love to geek off to things like this 🤗 I watched a KZfaq video on Irish Lace and it blew my mind. They used to test how fine the lace was by passing it through a wedding ring. Great if, like me, you have big hands for a woman. I also watched some vintage footage of Shetland shawl knitting (BBC 1964 - more valuable than gold) where they hold one needle under their arm and their hands moved so quickly it almost looked like they were pretending to knit! Thank you for this, I really appreciate the effort you put in to research for this video. Ps, my grandmother was called Elise, so my niece's middle name is Elise. Beautiful name, but I am biased 🥰

As always, another fun, fact-filled video. I love these historical glances back on crochet. Love it Elise, just love it!😀😍👍

You really did great with one of our difficult letters in danish! I'm impressed with the way you pronounced nålebinding.

She made me love love crocheting even more😘

watching this while crocheting feels so good! thank you so much Elise, the history of this beautiful craft is truly fascinating!

Thank you for making this video. I almost didn't watch, but I'm so glad I did. My great grandmother and her daughters made crochet items to survive the Great Depression. When my grandmother told me that story, I couldn't understand how they survived. Your video cleared it up for me. I'm so happy she taught me and shared such a rich tradition. Hopefully my granddaughter will want to learn someday too. Thanks again for sharing.

Thank you Elise. Enjoyed this very much !!!! I came from Italy ,learned to embroider and knit from the Nuns , this was between the 40s and 50s . There wasn’t much crocheting then, I learned to crochet after I came to the USA 😊

Thank you for a really interesting dive into the history of Crochet . With the invention of knitting machines and lace making machines, their production costs plummeted, as did their appeal to the wealthy classes. Unlike Knitting, crochet has never been replicated by a machine so this has probably affected its appeal in terms of fashion and affordability.

Amazing video! Love how much information you shared in such an enjoyable way. Especially love how you referenced all your sources, that was really neat

WONDERFUL HISTORY LESSON ABOUT THE WORLD OF CROCHET MS. ELISE .....I LEARNED TO CROCHET SINCE I WAS 7 OR 8 YEARS OLD .....& I FIND CROCHET FASCINATING. ONE MORE THING....CROCHET CAN EASES STRESS TOO. THANK YOU & HAPPY CROCHETING. 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS VIDEO!!! I'm a history buff, too, so this was fascinating. I have to share this out!!!!!

I do medieval reenactment and I crochet. I have been told that crocheting introduced after the timeframe we reenact. I was told I have to knit if I want to be in "period". I can only cast on and do the knit stitch. This will help me on proving crocheting was used during the timeframe. I just didn't realize when the lacy items were done. I am portraying a woman during the 1400's-1500's French/Italian. Italy "owned part of France between the mid 1300's to the mid 1800's. The area became part of the House of Savoy . I was born in that area (years later) and I also have the Italian family on my mother's side. This will be a win-win situation for me. Thank you for sharing!

Hi Elise. I really enjoyed this history lesson. So fun to listen to your summary. I really enjoy your KZfaq videos. Your enthusiasm and openness make your videos fun and happy. I love crochet and always enjoy your latest video. Thanks so much for sharing. Linda Nelson from California

Clint Eastwood in a granny square sweater vest! Fascinating history. Thanks for sharing!

Never thought I'd say this, but I'm a bit sad that Queen Victoria held her crochet hook differently than I do 🤣 Amazing video, thanks! I learnt some very interesting things.

We took our family to Ireland last spring. We visited the blarney Castle, near the poison garden there is a window with granny squares hanging up instead of stained glass.

This is fascinating! Thank you for teaching something today. Learn something every day is a motoe I try to live by every day. ❤

This is a really interesting video today! I learned from a neighbor lady back in 1971 . I’m the 1980’s I started up again with cro hooking hats and scarves for my two older kiddos. Also while we lived in Canada I learned broomstick lace crochet. It is a great hobby and I’m so glad you young wives are doing it too☺️🧡🧶

Hi Elise, Thank you for sharing…I loved this history lesson! I also love your mothers gown, it is absolutely beautiful. Your mum is so cute. Take care and stay safe and well. God’s blessings 🙏🏼💗🧶😻🦋🐶

Best video, Elise! I knew all about people knitting for soldiers, but I never knew they crocheted for them, too. The whole video was fascinating. Thanks so much! 🧶

Oh my gosh, this was so interesting! I learned many new things about yarn and the history of our craft. Thank you for all the research and time that went into this video.

My 9 yr old and I just began discussing the potato famine in history today. What are the chances I started crochet last week?!? I love it! 😊

Hello from Gainesville, FL Not only was I in Gainesville in 1986 (attending UF) but I’m back in town for the football game this weekend. Talk about a small world! This was a great video!

During ww1 soldiers learned to crochet and used a thin hook and a spool of thread. I know this because my aunt save my uncle's items as a treasure that has been passed down. The ww1 museum in kc Missouri has example of some of their work.

Thanks Elise for the history of crochet.

Beautiful Elise!! Thank you for a FaNtASTIC video on the history of crochet. I normally wouldn't do this, but because I've been "on the online" for going on 30 years, I wanted to pop in with a little of the history of modern crafting, how knitting and crochet came back. Yes, in the 80's and 90's, things died down for a while... but even from the beginnings of the mainstreaming of the internet (ie from about 1994, 1995 or so)... "making" was making a comeback, with both knit and crochet leading the way. I remember because I was there. I learned how to both knit and crochet in 1996 from a dear friend. I was 24 at the time. Meanwhile this thing called "the internet" was becoming more and more online, so to speak - at the time had just graduated from NYU with a masters in computer science and immediately went to work as an engineer for a series of NYC Digital Alley startups. Meanwhile, as websites for individuals started to become more and more ubiquitous, crafters were coming online and creating crafting sites and blogs - mostly knitting and crochet. These were the precursors to the Instagram, TikTok and KZfaq that we have today... and believe me they were just as popular. Knitty.com broke new ground... but even before that there were so many websites and blogs made by young makers. There was a real feeling of "hey, these crafts are 'cool' again" and many women in their mid-20's at the time were embracing them. There was a feminist slant, too, lead by Debbie Stoller of BUST magazine. That period of 1998-2004, 2005 or so was simply MAGICAL. Local yarn shops started opening in bigger cities (I remember when Purl Soho opened, The Point which is gone now... and more that I can't remember)... the hot patterns were published in the craft books of the day, which were being published at a rate that I could barely keep up. Of course, the one who really brought. it all home was Debbie, whose book 2003 STITCH N'BITCH became the definitive "how to knit" book and at that point, the scene EXPLODED. I remember thinking that Debbie's book, along with. Jean Railla's LET'S GET CRAFTY: HIP HOME EC made it official: this crafting thing was a THING and no longer just in the realm of aunties and grannies. The slant back then was young feminist, but of course that opened the doors to everyone and the richness of influences that we have now. Debbie's crochet book (STITCH N'BITCH: THE HAPPY HOOKER) followed in 2006 and that was that. Etsy in 2005, KZfaq in 2005... and then Ravelry in 2007, made patterns even more accessible and opened up channels for makers and designers to sell their patterns and work directly to the public. I love your video and wanted to pop in here, because while this bit is probably out of scope for your video, I personally would like to acknowledge the crafters, makers and designers who really were at the forefront of the modern craft movement a generation ago, who helped shape it as we know it today. I am soooo grateful to them, and to KZfaqrs like yourself, who have contributed so very much to my enjoyment of the craft. Thank you for all that you do!

Hi Elise! I love your channel so much and this video is absolutely wonderful! Thank you so much for the incredible love and care you put into every video (and clearly, everything you do) - it shines through and adds joy to every pixel :) This is just my guess, but I think that the minesweeper mittens were meant as protective gear for the hands of minesweepers, not against the mines themselves. Minesweepers were specially trained soldiers (and sometimes civilians) who would deduce, locate, mark and sometimes try to disable or safely detonate land mines and thus ensure safe travels to the following troops. The mittens could have had several uses - they worked in cold, exposed conditions a lot of the time, so basic insulation would have been super helpful, but they also frequently used sharp and/or unwieldy makeshift tools and handled scrap metal, rough- or sharp-edged shrapnel and other detritus, and dug through all kinds of hazardous things, so if the mittens were very thick or had hardy materials woven or sewed in, I’m would wager they saved those brave souls from injuries and lost digits.

Thank you Elise for researching and then sharing the history that you learned. It is fascinating. And you provide links to learn more. Excellent.

If you watch some videos from Turkey, it would be easy to believe the roots are very strong there. The variety of stitches there is mind boggling. Also, Turkey is a major producer of the yarns we love.❤

Minesweeper gloves were worn by the seamen serving on the minesweepers in the North Atlantic where it was very cold. The gloves and mittens were worn to keep their hands warm.

I love crochet. I am here working on some chair sets. It is a wonderful craft.

This was truly so interesting

I have hundreds of vintage crochet patterns I just adore them. ❤

Thanks, Elise. A wonderful video so full of fascinating information!!! I too wish I could question my grandmother about crochet!❤

This was so educational! Thank you, Elise, for another amazing video😊

I have just started taking crochet classes. Your videos are so helpful to me-they are like an additional bonus "class." Thank you :)

Thank you Elise , this is very interesting. I never new all this , learned so.ething new . Have a great week ❤😊

Fascinating and very well presented. I enjoy your videos and always learn from them. My husband is from Malta and there is currently still a strong lace making industry there. So beautiful. I would never have the patience to do it but I admire it. Thanks for the informative and fun video.❤

that was very interesting, thanks so much for sharing! Have a great weekend!❤😘😊🧶

I love all your history lesson videos please do more.

This video was great-actually I enjoy all your videos, but as I am a history buffer, I found it especially interesting.

This history is so very interesting and enjoyable thank you

Thank you for bringing two of my most loves together, history and crocheting. So interesting! Thanks Elise. Great job. Most educational.

Wow! I always wanted to know where it all began. Very interesting! Thnx Elise...my kinda language.

I learned crochet from my Irish grandmother when I was 10. She also taught me to knit. These are my two favorite crafts.

Cool video Elise! I didn't realize Crochet is such an ancient art. I've only been crocheting for 6 1/2 years. I'm self taught from youtube videos like yours and I greatly appreciate your channel!😀

Thats amazing. Thank you for that, Elise

Thank you so much in sharing your talent

Wow! This was great! Thank you for sharing your hard work in putting together the research.

This was a great video. Even tho I’m a crocheted and have always wondered about its history, I haven’t sat down to actually look it up.

Thank you. Lots of work you did. 😉

I had a good laugh when you said, "Sinkin' Lincoln." I live in Lincoln, NE, and "Sinkin' Lincoln" is what my friend calls it. 🙃

so much wonderful information, must keep the histories of things alive. Good Job thank you

Thankyou for a truly interesting crochet history lesson.

Hi Elsie, thanks for taking the time to share the history of crochet, fabric etc. I'm forwarding your video to my crochet friends. Also, please share the picture of your Mom's Baptismal gown. What a treasure for your family!

Great video - very interesting - thanks for putting this together. My Grandmother (on Dad's side) was a great crocheter. Sadly, she passed away the year after I was born so I never got to know her. I do have a few of her crocheted itema and I treasure them. I too wish that we could have talked about all things crochet since I love the craft now myself. It's in my blood. Thanks for all of your great videos! Take care, Kris K from Connecticut 🧶🌻❤

I have bean crocheting for 3 years (im 13) and i dint know that stuff btw i loveeeee your videos much love from me to you❤

My mom did a lot of crochet .. she had/ I have a pattern for The Last Supper in filet crochet.. my mom made 2 of them .. one she made as a gift to my grandparents and she kept the other one for us. She did it eith fine cotton crocy thread and a number 14 steel hook. I never got that good.

Nice concise history. Good sources...one of them I had not heard of before. I will have to look them up. Thank you.

Thank you for sharing the history of crochet! It was so interesting.

What awesome research you’ve done 😁! I had no idea the beginnings of crochet went back that far😮! Oh! I have those Vanna White books and patterns 😊. I also still have some of her yarn from a while ago 😊. Thank you for sharing😁!

Elise, what a tremendous video! The information was fascinating! Hope you do a video on the history of knitting, too! There is just so much to learn through life's journey!!!! How marvelous that every crocheter today is part of this fabulous journey!!!

Thank you so much for another great video!

I loved this presentation! Such history of a craft! Thank you.❤

I've been teaching 5 of my granddaughters to crochet . They're ages 7-13. We started almost a year ago. They have learned to absolutely love it. We've used several of your videos for instruction. I think when we're done with our latest projects (fall flowers for a wreath and decorative pumpkins) We're going to watch this video. I think they would love to learn the history of crochet. Thank you for making your videos simple enough that even a beginner can understand and follow along.🧶

Great Information inspires some of us. Thank you so much.

How interesting! Thank You for doing the research and sharing. Be Well

Very interesting video....loved hearing the new info. Thanks for sharing!

That was fascinating! Thank you! I watched it while crocheting a pumpkin for Halloween 😃 x

Hi alis I'm so glad that you take my advice.for talking about the relation between the women and the crochet ❤❤and i love to read an nonfiction book about this ❤❤ accept my great greadings 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

This was great information! Thank YOU always

Great Video Some of the history I know but quite a lot I didn't so Thank you Elise

thank you this was so interesting

I was glued to this video, and found it so interesting!! My great grandmother was an incredible crocheter, and I can now appreciate her work even more as a crocheter, as I look at her amazing detail. My ancestors are also Irish and I’d be so interested to know if they had made things for the soldiers. Thank you for sharing! ❤

Throughoutly enjoyed your sharing - very informative. Learned so much from you. I have subscribed.

Love your videos. Watching right now from my backporch in GAINESVILLE, FL. :)

So cool! Thanks for putting this together :D

Ooookay!! I went to Lincoln middle school in Gainesville tooooo!!! Pretty sure I heard it called stinkin Lincoln too in the early 90s

Great video and information. Thank you so much.

Thanks so much for the detailed investigation, i like it so much!!❤

Thank you very much for this interesting video❤