Handmade items continue to be appreciated for the care, effort and talent that goes into making them. These crocheted lace collars would have been worn across the shoulders on top of a gown to add style and decoration. The intricacies of the patterns demonstrate creativity and technique. Crochet was, and continues to be, a popular craft made primarily by women and often taught informally. Many cultures around the world create garments, linens, and decorative items out of fiber and needles, passing down the techniques as well as the pieces themselves.
In contrast to other forms of needlework such as knitting, crochet’s origins are harder to discern. It is believed to have its beginnings in France in the 17th century, but could also go back to an earlier art form in Turkey. What do you have at home that is handmade by someone from an earlier generation? Have you made something that you would like to pass down? Do you think the consumerism of today makes handmade items more or less valuable?
