Knitted textiles survive from as early as the 11th century CE, but the first substantive evidence of crocheted fabric emerges in Europe during the 19th century.
Earlier work identified as crochet was commonly made by n\xe5lebinding, a different looped yarn technique..
The true origins of crochet are shrouded in mystery and remain largely undocumented.
Some sources suggest that crochet originated in Arabia, where it spread along Arab trade routes to other parts of the Mediterranean.
Others claim that crochet has roots in indigenous South American tribes..
In the 1800s a style of crochet known as shepherd's knitting appeared.
It was worked with a larger, flatter hook and was designed for use with thicker yarns.
It made a dense fabric, made up of only slip stitches but it was almost impossible to achieve the taller stitches with this style of hook..
Tank tops were first popularized in modern Western fashion during the early 20th century as a part of bathing suits for both genders, which, at the time, covered the torso with a sleeveless, low-cut top (the name is thought to derive from “tank suits,” as swimming pools were commonly referred to as tanks in England)..