Activism Change

Stigma of crafts – male view

Question:

Oh, I don’t know.  I hate to say it — because it is such a new-age expression — but its probably a self-esteem issue.  To the extent you’re confident in yourself it doesn’t matter.  When I lived in France I learned to knit and I used to knit on the commuter train all the time.  Some men stared, most ignored me.  Either way, it didn’t bother me one iota. — Dave — David S. Bakin    | "I can make cats break dance, ask me how" Bakin’s Bits      |    – seen on a license plate frame

Response:

Oh, I don’t know.  I hate to say it — because it is such a new-age expression — but its probably a self-esteem issue.  To the extent you’re confident in yourself it doesn’t matter.  When I lived in France I learned to knit and I used to knit on the commuter train all the time.  Some men stared, most ignored me.  Either way, it didn’t bother me one iota. — Dave — David S. Bakin    | "I can make cats break dance, ask me how" Bakin’s Bits      |    – seen on a license plate frame

Dave, I can make a snake tap dance, once you put shoes on it.<G just Jean

Response:

There is a very good book called THE SUBVERSIVE STITCH by Rozsillia Parker, published by routledge ISBN 0-415-90260-1.  I bought my copy in the last year – as a paperback, so I think it was around $20.00. Anyway, it is a history of embroidery from a feminist point of view.  It discusses the "difference" between Art and Crafts, and why there is such a different feeling about them.   While I didn’t agree with everything the author said, I found it fascinating, and it made it think alot.

Response:

Some weeks ago we discussed men doing crafts in public.  My experience, and that of most, but not all others, is that we are very uncomfortable doing crafts in public.  We all agree it shouldnt be like that, but it is.  One of these days things will change, and we will just have to wait till then. — Jim Cripwell.    Ottawa.     Canada. Proud to be a Canadian.

Response:

The most beautiful needlepoint I’ve ever seen was done by a male stitcher. He is a retired OB/GYN doctor, and told me he took up stitching to keep his fingers limber. He would take his current needlepoint project with him when his patient was in labor. It gave him something to do while he had to wait at the hospital.

Response:

Some weeks ago we discussed men doing crafts in public.  My experience, and that of most, but not all others, is that we are very uncomfortable doing crafts in public.  We all agree it shouldnt be like that, but it is.  One of these days things will change, and we will just have to wait till then. — Jim Cripwell.    Ottawa.     Canada. Proud to be a Canadian.

– I’ve been "lurking" for about a week so here I am.  Yes I know how you feel. By the way I do all the cooking and most of the house work and I work about 30 hours a week.

Response:

Some weeks ago we discussed men doing crafts in public.

Jim: I agree about the male stigma of public crafting. But have found that once I overcame this problem, I was also able to help others also to feel better about  crafting in public. It was a lot easier in the 60s and early 70s for men to do crafts in public, but times rolled around and it became "unmanly". I do cross stitch at work and when we are out waiting in doctor offices or at the park and don`t mind a lick about the sometimes strange looks I get. Really looking forward to the days when there are more men out with there crafts. –   2 Busy Stitching   Needle Art Design

Response:

As a designer, I always notice who is stitching and whose patterns they are doing. In all of my travels I have seen more men stitching than women! I recieved fan mail from a general in germany who stitches and a cowboy in Texas. At my last personal appearance it was a male stitcher that flew 3 states away to see me! (and I’m not that goodlooking?) Marilyn Leavitt-Imblum

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Some weeks ago we discussed men doing crafts in public. Jim: I agree about the male stigma of public crafting. But have found that once I overcame this problem, I was also able to help others also to feel better about  crafting in public. It was a lot easier in the 60s and early 70s for men to do crafts in public, but times rolled around and it became "unmanly". I do cross stitch at work and when we are out waiting in doctor offices or at the park and don`t mind a lick about the sometimes strange looks I get. Really looking forward to the days when there are more men out with there crafts. –   2 Busy Stitching   Needle Art Design

YAY, Dowl!!! You can sit next to me on the bus any day!! just Jean

Response:

The most beautiful needlepoint I’ve ever seen was done by a male stitcher. He is a retired OB/GYN doctor, and told me he took up stitching to keep his fingers limber. He would take his current needlepoint project with him when his patient was in labor. It gave him something to do while he had to wait at the hospital.

when my father retired from private practice (14 yrs ago.; he was a gp/md) my mother got him started on rug hooking. it was out of self defense…i don`’t think he knew what to do w/himself. once he got started on hooking, there was no stopping him! when the usa company went out of business, he took his $$ to the bank, did the proper exchange and had to send away to germany for his kits. he has made some beautiful rugs and i have to say it was the first time i ever saw my dad sit still. (he wasn`’t your typical dr…he had no hobbies like golf…) now if mom could only start him on another creative hobby! joann houston, tx.

Response:

: : : : Some weeks ago we discussed men doing crafts in public. : : Jim: I agree about the male stigma of public crafting. But have found : : that once I overcame this problem, I was also able to help others also to : : feel better about  crafting in public. It was a lot easier in the 60s and : : early 70s for men to do crafts in public, but times rolled around and it : : became "unmanly". I do cross stitch at work and when we are out waiting : : in doctor offices or at the park and don`t mind a lick about the : : sometimes strange looks I get. Really looking forward to the days when : : there are more men out with there crafts. : : – : :   2 Busy Stitching   Needle Art Design : I love this disscussion.  My husband got tired of helping me plan and : warp my loom (as a computer engineer was great help) and decided he : wanted to do the `fun’ part too.  Several years ago one of his intricate : silk scarves won Best of Fair at the Ventura County Fair.  His weaving : skills (and patience) far surpass mine and I am very proud of him. : Vicki —-You are lucky Vicki that your computer engineer husband is no nerd! Since I have joined the Internet, I find I am discovering computer nerd tendencies in my personality that I never knew existed (like rushing to get home to see if I have e mail, then spending 4-6 solid hours on the computer before falling into bed.  I am surprised because I have a degree in Fine Arts and spent about 2 years in law school, both of which are not closely related to computers…but here I am at 12:30am.         Have you used or does your husband know any of the software for designing cross stitch, knitting patterns, crochet patterns?  I have a 286 ibm clone with a 24 pin dot matrix printer and 64K hard drive, with a mouse. It would be so nice expecially for cross stitch to supercede graph paper.           Happy weaving to both of you. Danielle Hyatt (no relation to hotels or lawyers)

Response:

Interesting and thought-provoking, Danielle! DH especially when today, I can go to a large department store  DH downtown and buy a handmade crocheted pineapple tablecloth made  DH in China for $50-70 dollars. I’m always amazed when I read the Micheal’s ads, or even places like the Country Store, where they’re selling quilts and afaghans for prices that wouldn’t even cover the materials costs.  DH from a paycheck to paycheck income) and even WOMEN are looked at  DH strangely outside of their needlework community of friends. (oh,  DH I how can you do that? I just don’t have the patience or time!). Or even – why aren’t you doing something important with your time?  I often feel that attitude from the community.

Response:

: : Some weeks ago we discussed men doing crafts in public. : Jim: I agree about the male stigma of public crafting. But have found : that once I overcame this problem, I was also able to help others also to : feel better about  crafting in public. It was a lot easier in the 60s and : early 70s for men to do crafts in public, but times rolled around and it : became "unmanly". I do cross stitch at work and when we are out waiting : in doctor offices or at the park and don`t mind a lick about the : sometimes strange looks I get. Really looking forward to the days when : there are more men out with there crafts. : – :   2 Busy Stitching   Needle Art Design I love this disscussion.  My husband got tired of helping me plan and warp my loom (as a computer engineer was great help) and decided he wanted to do the `fun’ part too.  Several years ago one of his intricate silk scarves won Best of Fair at the Ventura County Fair.  His weaving skills (and patience) far surpass mine and I am very proud of him. Vicki

Response:

My gastroenterologist has these beautiful needlepoint pictures on his wall one day I asked where he bought them he said he drew then stitched them <gasp Jo

Response:

The most beautiful needlepoint I’ve ever seen was done by a male stitcher. He is a retired OB/GYN doctor, and told me he took up stitching to keep his fingers limber. He would take his current needlepoint project with him when his patient was in labor. It gave him something to do while he had to wait at the hospital.

Does this beat knitting at the foot of the guillotine, or what!! — Roz Cawley Newbury, Berks, UK

Response:

Hi Marilyn:  I can`t afford to fly across the states to meet you but since we have already comunicated for quite a while I already feel I have ment you. But to get to the point, I did have the pleasure of meeting Graeme Ross when he was out here. He was tellin me that all the "chappies" downunder stitch. He says that is is quite common for the guys on the boats and the ones who work in the outback to take there needlework with them to help pass the time. Sounds like a good thing to me. –   2 Busy Stitching   Needle Art Design

Response:

Jean:  Thanks. What bus do you ride. –   2 Busy Stitching   Needle Art Design

Response:

The most beautiful needlepoint I’ve ever seen was done by a male stitcher. He is a retired OB/GYN doctor, and told me he took up stitching to keep his fingers limber. He would take his current needlepoint project with him when his patient was in labor. It gave him something to do while he had to wait at the hospital. Does this beat knitting at the foot of the guillotine, or what!!

It would give a certain urgency to "No, you do NOT have time to finish the row!"  :-) — Emily

Response:

: Some weeks ago we discussed men doing crafts in public.  My : experience, and that of most, but not all others, is that we : are very uncomfortable doing crafts in public.  We all agree : it shouldnt be like that, but it is.  One of these days things : will change, and we will just have to wait till then. : — : Jim Cripwell.    Ottawa.     Canada. : Proud to be a Canadian. I have been crocheting lately, but also do Xstitch, and I always have my canvas bag of crochet when I ride the bus to and from work.  I sometimes get strange looks not because of the crochet, which some people look at in wonderment, but because of my BAG before I take the crochet out! It is a plain canvas market bag, and gets kind of dingy between washings.  I think people think I am a homeless person with all my worldly belongings in the bag.  When I take the crochet out, they stop watching me. Some people in bus stations, train stations, have made a point to talk to me about the crochet.  They usually tell me of some memory of their aunt/mother/grandmother doing similar work.  Sometimes a man will tell me he does needlework also.  I do mostly hats now, and if I were organized, I would have brochures and business cards ready to hand to them. Their interest makes me realize how much of a dying art these collective crafts are, especially when today, I can go to a large department store downtown and buy a handmade crocheted pineapple tablecloth made in China for $50-70 dollars.  Of course the crafters in China are being paid very little or not at all (prisoners). There used to be a few supply stores right in my neighborhood.  One closed shortly after I began to do Xstitch.  They had everything for Xstitch and all other kinds of needlework and knitting/crochet.  How I miss that store! The remaining one doesn’t include Xstitch, only needlpoint and knitting/crochet.  This is an indication of the change in economy over the last 15-20 years.  More women (who usually do this work) have to work 8 hour jobs to help support the family and don’t have TIME or MONEY to support the supply stores.  Time was when just about every woman did some kind of needlework and you could get all kinds of supplies at the local five and dime store.  Now five and dime stocks are bare minimums.  I’m sure this is obvious to alot of needleworkers. I think it is necessary to keep the historical perspective in mind when encountering strange looks, stares.  It became commonplace for upper class women mostly to do needlework (decorative, not utilitarian) in this country in the mid 1800s at the beginning of the industrialization of the means of production.  Previous to industrialization, i.e. mass production, many people lived on their own land in rural areas, and the homestead was run by women and functioned as cottage industries. Women were responsible for manufacturing all the needs of the household from soap, candles, clothes to quilts, curtains, etc. Remember a woman’s work is never done? That’s because they worked 10-12 hours a day or until it was too dark to see the needle.  When industrialzation settled in cities, it produced cheaper soap, candles, etc. than could be made at home, so poorer women left their rural homesteads and went to work in the cities in factories. Upper class women, who supervised their servants’ making soap, etc. were untouched by this change in economy.  They could fire some servants (who probably went to work at the factories) and buy the cheaper mass produced goods.  However, the image of women as a whole without distinguishing between the image of upper/lower class women, underwent a change.  Women were previously believed to be stay at homes because they had to run the cottage industries or supervise their servants.  Now droves of women were found in a place they had never been seen before: factories.  This new role as production worker in factories in cities, was perceived by upper class males to be a threat to the "masculinity" of men in general, since now women were commonplace in a previously male sphere: the workplace. There was a growing view that women were becoming "masculine" because they were employed in factories.  Those factories couldn’t run with only male workers because there wasn’t enough of them, so women were needed as well and could be employed for a pittance in order for the owners to make tidy profits (sounds like WW II). To counteract the view that women were becoming masculine, upper class men (that owned and ran companies like producers of "women’s" magazines, began an campaign to encourage women to take up "delicate and womanly decorataive arts for the home".  Of course, only upper class women could afford to subscribe to something as luxurious as a magazine, and only upperclass women were not affected by the change from an agriculturally based economy to a mass produced, industrial economy.  They were still supervising their servants (even if they needed a smaller staff) and had alot of time to kill.  They were the women who had the time and money to get involved in decorative arts that were promoted in magazines for the home. The prejudice against men doing these "delicate and womanly decorative arts for the home" began in this period and is still with us, only now the economy is so bad that there are few women doing these arts (and that is not to imply that only upper class women are involved today – I surely don’t fit that category as I have to squeeze out my cotton budget from a paycheck to paycheck income) and even WOMEN are looked at strangely outside of their needlework community of friends. (oh, I how can you do that? I just don’t have the patience or time!). In realizing where this prejudice against men doing needlework comes from, it is also important to point out that historically, it was sailors, who were for the most part men, who ROUTINELY repaired nets used on boats and in doing so were using basic macrome knots.  When it all boils down, isn’t knitting and crocheting just making a bunch of connected knots?   This gets lost in history because fishing nets were considered functional and utilitarian and not decorative, even though nets are sometimes used in decor to create a "nautical" ambiance.  BYW, sailors also had earrings, which is another modern prejudice against men with such. But then again, if sailors spent most of their time on ships at sea among their own community, they didn’t have to worry about whether they would be stared at in town. When they did come to town, they were allowed their ideosyncraties because they were a breed unto themselves: they were sailors. So, in conclusion, if the numbers of women doing needlework is shrinking and this causes women to be noticed in public when they do their work, it is even harder for men to remain unnoticed in public. I say 1) teach a whole bunch of kids, boys and girls, to do this work, and let’s prevent it from shrinking away entirely and 2) men in needlework should wear a button in public or maybe do a Xstitch(?):                 Yes, I am (X stitching, knitting, doing needlepoint,                 etc)…Would you like me to teach you? You’ll either gain their respect, or they will run away fast! Danielle Hyatt (no relation to hotels or lawyers)

Response:

Filed under: Feminist

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