It's Time To Take Knitting Seriously: A Brief Art History
If you’ve ever told someone that you knit and they replied with something like, “Oh, so you’re like a grandma then,” or if you’ve ever showed off a newly finished project to someone only to get an unenthused “Yeah, that’s cute,” or “You could’ve just bought something similar and saved so much time,” then you know how frustrating it can be when your craft isn’t taken seriously. But why does society treat knitting, crochet, and other fiber arts as “feminine,” “idle” hobbies? The short answer: deeply rooted sexism. Keep reading to learn a short history of the art of knitting, why it hasn’t been taken seriously, and what we are doing to change that perception.
Arts, Crafts, and All the Labels in Between
Before we begin our brief history lesson, let’s go over the use of a couple of terms. When I refer to makers in the fiber world, I often use several labels. I may say “artist,” “fiber artist,” “textile artist,” “craft artist,” “craftsperson,” “maker,” and so on. When I talk about knitting, crochet, and other fiber arts themselves, I may label them as “art,” “craft,” “fiber art,” “fiber craft,” “textile art,” etc. I use all of these labels interchangeably and don’t believe any have a higher status than another.
While recently going back to school in a Fine Arts program with a focus on Fiber Arts, I often felt uncomfortable because it was more of an "arts versus crafts" culture, rather than an "arts and crafts" culture. That really rubbed me the wrong way. I consider myself a proud craftsperson, but I also think what I make is art, and I think that’s true for many makers in our community.
I ended up dropping out of that program after my first semester because I didn’t feel like it was the right fit for me (partially because of the culture I just described), but during my studies, I spent a lot of time considering if there is a difference between arts and crafts. One could argue that fine art emphasizes metaphors in the work, while crafts are purely functional. However, I believe that fiber crafts, as well as all other crafts, combine beauty with functionality, and what’s more artistic than that? And we all know some makers who go a step further by putting a deeper message underneath the beauty.
“I believe that fiber crafts, as well as all other crafts, combine beauty with functionality, and what’s more artistic than that?”
Unfortunately, the divide between arts and crafts still exists, and I learned that it is very prominent in the fine arts world. After taking a class on the Global History of Fiber Art and some independent research, I have found that the concept of arts versus crafts, and why knitting isn’t taken seriously as an art form, ultimately boils down to sexism.
The Origins of Knitting
The earliest documentation of knitting we have is of a pair of socks that were found in Egypt, and date back to 400 to 600 AD. However, due to the complexity of the socks’ design, it is assumed that knitting is older than can be proven at this time. It’s likely difficult to find archaeological evidence because knitters would have been using biodegradable natural fibers.
Master Bertram of Minden’s The Buxtehude Altar
The knowledge of knitting spread from the Middle East to Europe through trade in the 1300s, and it appears that it has always been a female-dominated art form. The craft became especially popular during the Middle Ages due to the durability of knitted wool garments.
Super interestingly, the first depiction of knitting in art is of the Madonna knitting in Master Bertram of Minden’s The Buxtehude Altar, also known as Visit of the Angel, and is estimated to be from the 1400s. This early representation is just the beginning of the feminization and domestication of the craft. This painting also shows the very beginning of having the craft represented by a white woman of high status.
Art Forms That Are Taken Seriously
So if knitting has been around for a long time but still isn’t taken seriously as an art form, what is? Drawing, painting, and sculpture are all traditionally recognized as art. Go to any art museum, and you are bound to see tons of examples of all three. These art practices have been around for a long time too, but women did not become formally trained in them until around the 1600s or 1700s, and even then, they were either wealthy or had family members who were artists.
We could also include writing and poetry as art forms that are taken seriously. However, women were excluded from that craft as well. Middle-class girls weren’t given formal education until the 1800s. But even then, their education focused mainly on domestic responsibilities, and many girls in the lower classes of society weren't able to attend school.
The Creation of Arts vs. Crafts
So women were excluded from painting, drawing, sculpting, and writing, but why couldn’t knitting be considered an art? In the book “Learning to Draw,” author Ann Bermingham discusses how art became gendered, but the summary is this: some arts, particularly those primarily dominated by women, became categorized as “crafts,” and the objects produced through craftwork were simply not considered art.
Regardless, many women were taught different forms of textile work by their female family members depending on their culture. Such art forms include knitting, crochet, applique, embroidery, felt-making, lace-making, macrame, quilting, tapestry, and weaving. All of these crafts were based on creating functional items for the home, but of course, the artists’ own unique creativity is woven through (pun intended 😉).
Knitting: Classist Yet Functional
By the mid-to-late 1800s, industrialism had grown and knitting machines took over clothing production. Women who still knit were typically upper-class, and the practice was seen more as a hobby to pass the time in the confines of domesticity.
In the early 1900s, knitting continued to be represented as a feminine craft. During the Great Depression, many women turned to knitting as a thrifty way to make or mend their family’s clothes. In World Wars I and II, women were encouraged to knit for the war effort. War propaganda featuring a white woman knitting was common.
American Red Cross Knitting Propaganda, World War I
Cover of Life Magazine, World War II
And while the functionality of knitting seems respected here, these calls to action began to cement stereotypes that knitting is domestic, feminine, mundane, and for white women. However, it is important to note that many Black women were also knitters. From slavery through Jim Crow, many Black women would also knit to mend and make clothes for themselves and their families.
Following the Great Depression and the World Wars, knitting was again either used as a functional, thrifty way to clothe one's family or as an “idle” hobby for a housewife. The idea of it being art was not considered.
The Beginning of the New Wave Knitter
In the mid-to-late 20th century, knitting began to change. Designers began to make less conventional clothing, and the techniques and applications of knitting began to expand. However, the stereotypes of knitting being a feminine, domestic, and even uncomplicated craft have been tough to shake. And because knitting has been historically represented by rich, white women (poor knitters and knitters of color weren’t on the propaganda posters or in magazines), it is still thought of as a classist, racist hobby. And in some ways, it still is.
Also, we haven’t even considered how men weren't encouraged or taught to knit because it has been considered a “feminine” craft for so long. And of course, many queer folks weren’t able to come out throughout history, so their representation of the craft hasn’t been shown until recently either (but hi! I’m a queer knitter!).
Click here to read about why queer knitters aren't new to the fibers community!
I like to think we new wave knitters are working against this rich history of being overlooked, underestimated, and underrepresented. Knitting has always been an art. It was pigeon-holed into being a functional craft for women by those controlling the art world, which historically has been white men. But knitting is for anyone who wants to knit, and it is an art form that deserves respect.
Taking Knitting Seriously Today
To wrap up this post, I want to give a shoutout to a fiber artist who is just one of many knitters working to change the perception of knitting. Kendall from @id.knit.that has had her work featured in galleries, and the piece below really hits home for me. Look at this masterpiece:
I love how Kendall challenges the perception of what art is, and makes art that is true to her. (I highly recommend you give her a follow on Instagram. Her art is amazing and so is she.)
Knitting is an epic art form, passed down through hundreds of years, mainly generationally through women. Today, we take knitting seriously. As knitters, we take pride in the diversity of our community. We take pride in our yarns, designs, and finished objects. We take pride in the practice of slow fashion. And we take pride in making beautiful and functional art. We respect the history of our craft, but we also want it to be more inclusive and accessible in the future. We hope that the stereotypes of knitting will transform into that of an imaginative and creative artist.