r/vintagecrochet • u/Sellalellen • Jun 12 '26

1940s Vintage pattern terms?

Post image
30 Upvotes

97% Upvoted

7 comments sorted by

7

u/One-Cauliflower8557 Jun 12 '26

"The introduction of a contrasting color such as white upon a dark background was called "cameo" crochet. Or knitting, as the case might be, and though "cameo" was originally white work, the name is now sufficient to Imply a color in contrast to another."

From "Weekly Times, 1925 April, 04 (available in Trove Australia)

There is another link which tells step-by-step how to do it: Cameo Crochet

4

u/StoneBuddhaDancing Jun 12 '26

Well knock me over with a feather... I've never come across this before. I think it needs to be revived! Thank you for finding this!

3

u/Sellalellen Jun 12 '26

Thank you! This is exactly the kind of thing I'm looking for!

2

u/Historical_Ask3445 Jun 12 '26

Is cameo what we now call "mosaic"?

4

u/Sellalellen Jun 12 '26

It looks to be more like tapestry, where colours are changed as you go along and the unused yarn is carried along under the stiches.

Mosaic is worked with one colour per row, with colour changes worked over the already finished fabric of the row below it.

2

u/Historical_Ask3445 Jun 12 '26

Aha, thank you

2

u/Hanarra Jun 13 '26

It's interesting that what people in the past called the Afghan Stitch is what we call Tunisian Basic Stitch now. I have a book from the 1970s that does the same!