To many, crochet is known as a grandma activity, knitting’s lesser known cousin. In actuality, crochet is a versatile and useful craft and is becoming increasingly popular among young people.

The exact origins of crochet are cloudy, but some historians claim that an early version of it was created in Arabia, where it spread along Arab trade routes to other parts of the world.

However, what we do know is that the first crochet pattern was written by Mademoiselle Riego de la Branchardiere. She is known now as the mother of crochet and published a book about needlework at age 18 in 1829.

Crochet is worked up through a variety of stitches, most of the time beginning with a row of chains, and continuing with several rows of other stitches. Some of these stitches are very simple, such as single, double, half-double, and triple crochets. Others are achieved with a combination of those simple stitches such as the moss and jasmine stitches.

Usually, when people think of crochet projects they think of blankets and sweaters. However, there’s such a wide variety of things you can create with crochet. People crochet crop tops, shorts, skirts, dresses, and headbands. Others crochet accessories such as tote bags, gloves, hats, and belts. A lot of people also crochet home decor such as hanging pots, coasters, book covers, and pillow cases. Stuffed animals are also a huge phenomenon in the crochet community.

Some people use crochet as an art form, others use it for practical reasons, and others to save money on clothing and household items. Some people even sell their creation on craft sites like Etsy.

There are hundreds of YouTube videos that walk you through the crochet process, and I will link some articles for free patterns, as well as a guide for beginning crochet at the end of this article. There are thousands of patterns and stitches and endless possibilities.

Here’s a link to a list of free patterns: Free Patterns

And here is a link to a comprehensive guide to crochet: Crochet Guide