CROCHET AND ALLIED TECHNIQUES IN THE

FINNISH CRAFT PRACTICE

HANDICRAFT PROJECT SEMINAR IN LATVIA / MAY 2012

CROCHET AND ALLIED TECHNIQUES IN THE FINNISH CRAFT PRACTICE

• CROCHET is one of the rare techniques left today, that is not industrially produceable! Fact to celebrate!

• Under the finnish search "virkkaus" I found 843 blogs / fashionable hobby, not a profession

• Magazines & books offer constantly new crochet patterns

CROCHET AND ALLIED TECHNIQUES IN THE FINNISH CRAFT PRACTICE

short history of crochet in Finland• Some historians claim that Crochet has been

developed from knitting through needlework called "neulakinnas"

• Almost no proven data about Crochet in Europe before 19th century

• First crochet objects surely made in Finland are a patterned purse and a cap from 1830. The Helsinki City Museum has a pair of gurdles, estimated production time 1808

• Multicolored patterned crochet objects became popular in the second half of the 19th century. There is a lot of information about these in the western Finland, almost as much in the eastern Finland and some around Helsinki and Turku

• Under the hunger years during 1860 there came some women from Pohjanmaa to the eastern Finland, and they brought the knowhow of crochet with them. Also the impact of manors and the public school spread the skill.

CROCHET AND ALLIED TECHNIQUES IN THE FINNISH CRAFT PRACTICE

• Crochet in still a part of the the school craft program in public schools and in non formal education

• Gallery of caps made during one school course (PP)

CROCHET AND ALLIED TECHNIQUES IN THE FINNISH CRAFT PRACTICE

Fashionable crochet products

• traditional laces for sheets & pillow cases

• 1960: clothes for women & children, woollen pieces combined together as ponchos etc. (Qvidi Mina pic)

• 1970: bed covers of heavy cotton yarn "kalalanka"

• 2000: skaters & snow boarders (male) wear hand made hats, japanese infuenced micro objects (Amigurumi pic)

CROCHET AND ALLIED TECHNIQUES IN THE FINNISH CRAFT PRACTICE

products now

• toys • clothes, headwear• bags, purses• jewellery (Juustola

works shops on Friday & Saturday)

CROCHET AND ALLIED TECHNIQUES IN THE FINNISH CRAFT PRACTICE

products now

• interior decoration: • rag containers,

cushions etc.

CROCHET AND ALLIED TECHNIQUES IN THE FINNISH CRAFT PRACTICE

products now

• interior decoration:

• curtains, rugs, lamp shades etc.

CROCHET AND ALLIED TECHNIQUES IN THE FINNISH CRAFT PRACTICE

products now / art

CROCHET AND ALLIED TECHNIQUES IN THE FINNISH CRAFT PRACTICE

products now / art

CROCHET AND ALLIED TECHNIQUES IN THE FINNISH CRAFT PRACTICE

products now / art / activism

CROCHET AND ALLIED TECHNIQUES IN THE FINNISH CRAFT PRACTICE

other techniques to join crochet

• traditional finnish Korsnäs knitwear combines knitted and crocheted elements

CROCHET AND ALLIED TECHNIQUES IN THE FINNISH CRAFT PRACTICE

other techniques / materials to join crochet

• laminating, soaking (wedding crowns)

• sewing (table cloth, towel decorations)

• combining with metal /plastic cords (pic)

CROCHET AND ALLIED TECHNIQUES IN THE FINNISH CRAFT PRACTICE

other techniques / materials to join crochet

• plaiting, basketry (natural fibres)