Around the world, crochet became a thriving cottage industry, supporting communities whose traditional livelihoods had been displaced by imperialism. The finished items were purchased mainly by the emerging middle class.
The introduction of crochet as an imitation of a status symbol, rather than a unique craft in its own right, had stigmatized the practice as common. Those who could afford lace made by older and more expensive methods disdained crochet as a cheap copy.
This impression was partially mitigated by Queen Victoria, who conspicuously purchased Irish-made crochet lace and even learned to crochet herself. Irish crochet lace was boosted by Mlle. Riego de la Branchardiere around 1845 who published patterns and instructions for reproducing bobbin lace and needle lace via crochet.
From 1800 to 1950, crochet was done almost exclusively in thread. Crochet in the round or filet crochet, worked in rows of open or closed mesh to create patterns, were most common. Mass-produced steel hooks were used to work the thread beginning in about 1900.
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