Upstairs, Downstairs

Back in May I took a crochet class and was…wait for it…hooked!  It’s more interesting than stockinette and there’s some relief in knowing that there’s only one live stitch at a time.

This scarf is constructed from lots of little circles that I made separately and sewed together. Hook size is E, yarn is Tanis Fiber Arts purple label in Ravine. I was inspired the creations of Sophie Digard, whose name I invoke whenever someone implies that crochet is inherently tacky.

 This article written by the super-erudite Franklin mentions perceptions of knitting/crocheting and social class: "Employers knit, servants crochet."

I wonder where that idea came from? Maybe because crochet lends itself to sturdy, utilitarian items like baskets, bags, and wash cloths? (Or in my grandmother’s case, trivets made from covered Gennesee bottle caps. I wish I’d kept better track of my set.)