Category Crafts Around the World

France

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In this next article we move from China to France. This may seem like a large jump however, crochet actually started in Europe here first. It came here as part of the trade on the silk road and then expanded to something delicate and light, something we don’t practice with our bulky and warm wool yarns. The word crochet came from the Old French word crochet, meaning ‘small hook.’ Which in turn is from croche. Croche comes from the Germanic word croc. Both mean hook. Now, it’s far as this point to talk about the Germanic states in the 1600’s.


Let’s just cover Germanic states and crochet very briefly here, not because its inconsequential, but because there’s only two really interesting things to come out of the region; the German scalped crochet stitch that’s fairly new to the game and the way they started crocheting. When you are speaking of Germany’s early modern period you are speaking about a time from c.1500 to around 1800. They were divided religiously and politically. It is the time of the Holy Roman Empire (which is neither and empire, nor holy, nor roman…but they tried). It’s also the time of the Reformation (Hello, Martin Luther). These entities being what they were meant that the region was under a constant state of violence both on the ground level and politically.


But court still needed lace and in Germany they believed that one should always keep the tension, either crocheting loosely or tightly but keep to one. The also said that unless you are working in a circle you should tie off every end. Every. End. We wouldn’t work both side of crochet until like 1920……yeah about that. We’ll get there. The German scalp stitch is similar to others buts flourishes are smaller more delicate….its also made with a smaller yarn though not as thin as the French thread used during this same time. That brings us back to the French. Crochetage means a single stitch used to join separate bits of lace together. People used this term in making French lace in the 1600s. The word crochet came to describe both the hook and the craft. Before Yarn crochet was thread crochet. Remember that up to this point yarn as we know it wasn’t a thing for this… that would change in Ireland when threads would become finer and thicker. At this point its a thin thread and they are making lace. Elaborate, expensive lace. This is before patterns are published; we’ll get to that Dutch Penelope article from 1823. When we get to the Danes I’ll also talk about Nalebinding which is knitting and crochet with a needle instead off a hook.


In France, they had the Tambour crochet which also involved beading and is a professional hand beading technique that is performed with a hook in a holder. This holds a shortened French Cornelli needle, and is used to bead onto fabric that is stretched over a frame. This technique is used in French Couture to embellish gowns, interiors and accessories. And we’ve all seen examples of those gowns and surprisingly I’ve even see a how to instagram recently. However if you don’t know what it is you might take it for a trick of the light needle point. The French work is done with the thinnest of threads and the smallest of needles making truly elaborate pieces of art work.


It was this expensive piece of haberdashery that made Ireland embrace the bulky, comfy (more then at hand) sheep’s wool and create something cheeper, stronger and more attainable to everyday life.

China

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Research suggests that crochet probably developed most directly Chinese needlework. Since this art is believed to be the oldest; I’ll cover this next for our around the world series. If you look at our previous articles you’ll see Amigurumi; which is essentially the same as crochet, only it refers  to the process of making 3-D toys, and Tunisian Simple stitch which takes 4 seconds longer to make then a traditional double crochet stitch (a US single stitch). Neither of these things would be possible without that first Chinese needlework.

            Chinese needlework was widespread by the Han Dynasty (1027-221 BCE). There are today five different types the oldest being Yue embroidery from the Guangdong Province and the youngest being the Su school of Chinese Embroidery. However, it is the chain stitches used to make tambour lace and needlelace that are believed to have given us our beginnings in macrame and crochet. Chain stitch is an old craft that archaeologists have found evidence of as far back as the Warring States period between the 5th and 3rd centuries BCE. Excavated from royal tombs, the embroidery and lace was made using silk threads. From here Chain stitch spread to Iran and onto the Silk Road.

            There are several Chinese crochet stitches that are popular today and that we will go over in this article. The  Chinese Puzzle stitch, the Chinese lanterns stitch and the Chinese lace stitch.

            The Chinese Puzzle stitch uses two different types of double crochet to create it. The Puzzle stitch gives a knitted look that if you create squares will give you a beautifully textured Afghan blanket. Please take into consideration before starting such a project that the edges of the squares will not lay flat and you will have to block it. For this I would use a 5.5 or a 6 to complete the pattern. Chain a multiple of 7 its; plus add an additional 4 sets starting the chain. The final finished dimensions will be 8” by 8” blocked. I’ll provide more detail instruction in an upcoming post. The Puzzle stitch and Puzzle Stitch Afghan are one of those challenges we take to brush up on our skills no matter what level you’re at. I love looking at it now in the cold season when I think I’m going to be crocheting. The recommended yarn for this project is Medium weight/Worsted weight and Aran (16-20 stitches to 4 inches).

            The next stitch we’ll cover is the Chinese lantern stitch. This stitch is composed of double and single crochet stitches and chain spaces. Chain multiple of 8 and 2 start out this process and again I’ll post more detailed instructions in my tips and patterns sections. This lantern shaped stitch is good for light weight blankets and those that small children will become attached to.

            Our last stitch to be discussed in this article is the Chinese lace stitch. This is the oldest of the stitches and you can do this with the lightest weight silk thread or a thicker, hardier yarn for colder months. The lace stitch will require blocking materials and a 3.75mm hook. Unlike some Chinese knitted lace and French lace you won’t need the bobbins. If you are very apt at this stitch you may find you don’t need the blocking though it does come highly recommended. Most lace patterns recommend starting out with a single foundation stitch.

Japan

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Written by Brent

Amigurumi is a type of pattern design that is made specifically to create dolls, whether that be animals, people, or even objects. The name is a combination of Ami (crocheted or knitted) and Nuigurumi ([sewn] stuffed doll). These patterns can be knitted but are almost exclusively crocheted. They can be worked as one piece but are usually done in sections before being connected.

This style of craft can be traced back to early China with sewn dolls. Japan took on a lot of their techniques until Dutch traders brought crochet and knitting. However, it wasn’t until the 1970s and 80s that Amigurumi as is stands today really took off, thanks to Japan’s kawaii culture. The early 2000s brought Amigurumi to the west, where it soon took over online craft shops like Etsy.

Unlike most forms of crochet, Amigurumi is almost always worked tightly in rounds, with no seams or edges. You begin with a Magic Ring, then work the hook through the ring with a single crochet stitch to create a circle. Further techniques to know: single crochet, increases, decreases, single- and double-loop cast-on, and a few embroidery stitches (for small details such as the eyes, nose, and other decorations).

The most common yarn used for these dolls would be worsted weight yarn with a smooth texture. Most people use acrylic. Hooks should at least be two sizes smaller than the yarn’s recommendations, but it’s best to use 2mm to 6mm. Beginners should stick to 2mm to 4mm, as the bigger the hook, the bigger the holes in your project.

A Yarn needle, stitch markers and pins would help a lot on a project like this. Stuffing can have a lot of variety for preference. Fiberfill or cotton is most commonly used, but if you want to add weight (either to the base or the limbs), you’ll want to use polyethylene pellets. Dried beans or rice, or even perler beads or decorative flat marbles are also commonly used for weight but remember to put anything like this in a pouch or bag before stuffing your doll. You don’t want anything forcing its way back out through your hard work.

Lastly, a few extra ingredients some crafters use are safety eyes (unless you plan to stitch on the eyes), or even wires like pipe cleaners or floral wire to make the doll posable.

There are plenty of free patterns for Amigurumi online, and they all tend to be very beginner friendly.