Interesting Facts about Crochet

• Do you know why most crocheters in earlier eras held the crochet hook in their hand like a pencil? In the 1800s, this hand positioning was thought to be more feminine and graceful. Many crocheters now hold their hooks in the palms of their hands (often called the "knife hold") to reduce carpal tunnel.
• It is believed that crochet began as a cottage industry in Ireland to create supplemental income during the Irish Potato Famine. 
• It is believed that the earliest forms of crochet were created using a bent finger instead of a hook.
• The word crochet is derived from the Middle French word croc or croche, meaning hook.
• The earliest written reference to crochet didn't appear until 1812. Crochet didn't become the widely popular craft we know today until the 1840s.
• Crochet patterns have an underlying mathematical structure and have been used to illustrate shapes in hyperbolic geometry that are difficult to reproduce using other media or are difficult to understand when viewed two-dimensionally. 
• In the 19th century, before printed crochet patterns were widely available, crochet samplers were a valuable teaching tool and source of creative inspiration. These decorative pieces were handed down through the generations to become not only treasured family heirlooms but important sources of crochet instruction. They were often added to by other family members or joined together into impressive collages or simply preserved in family albums.

  In fact,Growing Up -I remember seeing a finely crocheted Doily in my home .My mom told me ,that it was made by my grandma (my dad's  mom).I have never seen such a beautiful piece of art.My grand pa used to say that my grand ma's crochet was so fine that her art pieces can be passed through a ring.