crochet
kroh-SHAY
/kroʊˈʃeɪ/
A handicraft in which yarn is made into a patterned fabric using a single hooked needle.
Crochet is distinguished from knitting by its use of a single hook rather than two needles, and by completing each stitch before beginning the next, creating a denser, less elastic fabric.
The story behind the word. The word 'crochet' is a direct borrowing from French, where it serves as a diminutive of 'croc', meaning 'hook'. This hook-based craft evolved from 'tambour embroidery' in the 18th century, eventually shedding the background fabric to become a self-supporting textile art.
Word relationships
- hook-weaving: Hook-weaving is an informal, descriptive term, whereas crochet is the precise, globally recognized name of the craft.
Commonly confused with
- knitting: Crochet uses a single hooked needle to lock stitches individually, while knitting uses two straight needles to hold a series of open, active loops.
Word family
- crocheter (noun): A person who crochets.
- crocheted (adjective): Made by the craft of crochet.
Collocations
- crochet hook
- crochet pattern
- crochet blanket
- crochet thread
Example sentences
- "She spent her evenings learning to crochet warm blankets for the winter." A description of a cozy home environment.
Memory hook
Think of a captain's 'hook' (croc) catching loops of yarn to 'crochet'. Crochet: crafted with a single hook.
When not to use
Do not use 'crochet' when referring to crafts that use multiple pointed needles (which is knitting) or shuttles (which is tatting).
Fun facts
- Unlike knitting, which can be replicated by modern industrial machines, crochet stitches are so complex that they can only be made by hand; there is no such thing as a commercial crochet machine.
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