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Alice's Lord of the Isles Afghan
AFGHANS BY ALICE
Crocheted Tartan Afghans
that is! As a child of 7, I remembering watching my great-aunt crochet.
Finally, at the age of 12 she taught me this age-old craft, which dates
back to 16th century France.
The word crochet actually
comes from the French word meaning ‘hook’. French nuns carried the art to
Ireland where the Irish women skillfully achieved the level of requirement
of well-bred young ladies. In 1820 the art of crochet was brought to
England and recognized on a popularity level with knitting and embroidery
known as ‘womanly arts’.
Originally crochet was
worked in cotton thread for utilitarian purposes. Today, crocheting has
developed many types of patterns for garments, afghans and other various
decorative household items. Some patterns don’t even resemble crochet but
look more like hand knit than the rough uneven texture of this age-old
technique.
Several years ago I was
desperate to somehow crochet a tartan afghan. The idea was in my head but
I just could not put it together – there had to be some mathematical
formula in order to have the pattern/sett repeat itself. A friend of mine
told me she had a pattern for a tartan afghan and sent it to me. I could
neither make head nor tale of it. I then went on to the internet and
followed every avenue available until I found a woman in Australia who had
actually figured out the mathematical formula. I was thrilled and could
hardly wait to get started.
My first tartan afghan was
that of Clan Henderson followed by Clan Donald, Clan MacLeod, Clan
Cameron, Clan MacAlister, Clan Napier, three American Bicentennial,
MacDoanld, Lord of the Isles, Clan Kincaid, an Irish Fisherman knit-look,
and finally the State of Minnesota’s new tartan!
I have donated a few tartan
afghans to charitable organizations for fund-raising raffles, and given
several as gifts. Others have been purchased as heirlooms and/or
gift-giving.
If you share this
wonderful pass time of crocheting and/or have something of interest of
"crafty Scots", please send you brief story and picture to:
aliglen@aol.com or
Bethscribble@aol.com |
