25.3.20 Knitting in public and private
Most of my knitting normally happens in what I would call ‘public spaces’ ie outside my home, around other people; sometimes friends, sometimes strangers. For the foreseeable future, however, this is not an option for me, so I’ve been knitting my Body cocoon exclusively in my ‘private space’ – in my house and garden. It’s interesting to me, that because of this required isolation, I feel as if I’m spending less time knitting although, in a way, I have all the time in the world at the moment.
Again, in an extract from my Critical knitting essay, I wrote
‘I genuinely knit whenever and wherever I am so knitting is much more than an art process for me. Echoing crochet artist Olek, for me, ‘life…and art are inseparable’ (in Vannier, 2018, p91) and like artist Orly Genger, who constructs large scale hand knotted installations, I feel that ‘if I could put my body into my work that would be the ultimate’ (in Kino, 2013). During my initial research, I’ve become very conscious of the ways that my self is pivotal to my knitting practice as research-practitioner through my mind, my body, my personality, the whole of me.’ (Baker, 2020, p 5)
So, for me, knitting is an integral part of my life, not just a separate activity. Life and knitting are inseperable. It’s part of my public persona, but also an introspective pursuit; this beloved process is ‘like breathing’ to me, with a public and a private aspect. (ibid. p6)
Jo Turney discusses the expectations of knitting being a gendered pursuit and part of the private, domestic sphere (2009, p 5). Something that women did privately at home (Parker, 2010). She maintains that it has traditionally been regarded as ‘women’s work’ and with its historical links with thrift and functionality and its lack of monetary value, it’s devalued and belittled (ibid, p 8,9). As recently as the second wave feminist movement in the 1970s, knitting was viewed as a sign of women’s oppression (ibid, p8). Turney concludes a chapter on the gendering of knitting by saying ‘It seems that knitting itself is not the problem, rather what one knits and its intention or purpose’ (ibid, p40) And possibly, by extension, where one knits?
‘Within sociology…the public sphere is the realm of politics where strangers come together to engage in the free exchange of ideas, and is open to everyone, whereas the private sphere is a smaller, typically enclosed realm (like a home) that is only open to those who have permission to enter it.’ (Crossman, 2019)
Knitting outside the domestic sphere, then, subverts the traditional expectations of knitting. Moving it into the public sphere takes it into ‘the realm of politics’ (ibid, 2019)
I realise there is an upsurge of knitters who like to knit more publically now, and it make sense; knitting is generally highly portable, and if it’s not too large, or too complex it’s a great way to get lots of knitting done. On Instagram, for example, #knittinginpublic has 40.4K hits. Consequently, what one knits in public becomes more significant again. Knitting the sleeve of a garment, say, will inevitably be less subversive than knitting a body part, an arm, even if the basic form is the same.
Also, as many more men now knit, both publically and privately, ‘gender boundaries and stereotypes continue to be readdressed and challenged’ (Turney, 2009, p40).
At the moment then, I’m forced to knit in private and for who knows how long? I’ll be interested to see what impact this will have on my work. Knitting a cocoon for my body, privately, seems appropriate though in this context.
Reference list:
Baker, L (2020) Critical knitting; knitting as a research method, unpublished post-graduate essay
Crossman, A. (2019) Understanding Private and Public Spheres Available at: https://www.thoughtco.com/private-and-public-spheres-3026464 (Accessed 25 March 2020)
Habermas, J. (1964) The public sphere Available at: https://www.konstfack.se/PageFiles/24768/habermas-1964-the-public-sphere.pdf (Accessed: 25 March 2020)
mwengenmeir (no date) Habermas’ public sphere Available at: (https://opentextbc.ca/mediastudies101/chapter/habermas-public-sphere/ (Accessed 25 March 2020)
Papacharissi, Z. (no date) The Virtual Sphere 2.0: The Internet, the Public Sphere and beyond Available at: https://victorsampedro.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Papacharissi-The-Virtual-Sphere-Revisited-Handbook.pdf (Accessed; 25 March 2020)
Top of FormParker, R. (2010) The subversive stitch; embroidery and the making of the feminine. 2nd edn. London and New York: Taurus
Smith, K. (2012) Difference Between Public and Private Space Available at: https://kailasmithemsociallanguagedigitalmedia.wordpress.com/2012/11/08/difference-between-public-and-private-space/ (Accessed: 25 March 2020)
Turney, J. (2009) The Culture of Knitting. Oxford: Berg
Again, in an extract from my Critical knitting essay, I wrote
‘I genuinely knit whenever and wherever I am so knitting is much more than an art process for me. Echoing crochet artist Olek, for me, ‘life…and art are inseparable’ (in Vannier, 2018, p91) and like artist Orly Genger, who constructs large scale hand knotted installations, I feel that ‘if I could put my body into my work that would be the ultimate’ (in Kino, 2013). During my initial research, I’ve become very conscious of the ways that my self is pivotal to my knitting practice as research-practitioner through my mind, my body, my personality, the whole of me.’ (Baker, 2020, p 5)
So, for me, knitting is an integral part of my life, not just a separate activity. Life and knitting are inseperable. It’s part of my public persona, but also an introspective pursuit; this beloved process is ‘like breathing’ to me, with a public and a private aspect. (ibid. p6)
Jo Turney discusses the expectations of knitting being a gendered pursuit and part of the private, domestic sphere (2009, p 5). Something that women did privately at home (Parker, 2010). She maintains that it has traditionally been regarded as ‘women’s work’ and with its historical links with thrift and functionality and its lack of monetary value, it’s devalued and belittled (ibid, p 8,9). As recently as the second wave feminist movement in the 1970s, knitting was viewed as a sign of women’s oppression (ibid, p8). Turney concludes a chapter on the gendering of knitting by saying ‘It seems that knitting itself is not the problem, rather what one knits and its intention or purpose’ (ibid, p40) And possibly, by extension, where one knits?
‘Within sociology…the public sphere is the realm of politics where strangers come together to engage in the free exchange of ideas, and is open to everyone, whereas the private sphere is a smaller, typically enclosed realm (like a home) that is only open to those who have permission to enter it.’ (Crossman, 2019)
Knitting outside the domestic sphere, then, subverts the traditional expectations of knitting. Moving it into the public sphere takes it into ‘the realm of politics’ (ibid, 2019)
I realise there is an upsurge of knitters who like to knit more publically now, and it make sense; knitting is generally highly portable, and if it’s not too large, or too complex it’s a great way to get lots of knitting done. On Instagram, for example, #knittinginpublic has 40.4K hits. Consequently, what one knits in public becomes more significant again. Knitting the sleeve of a garment, say, will inevitably be less subversive than knitting a body part, an arm, even if the basic form is the same.
Also, as many more men now knit, both publically and privately, ‘gender boundaries and stereotypes continue to be readdressed and challenged’ (Turney, 2009, p40).
At the moment then, I’m forced to knit in private and for who knows how long? I’ll be interested to see what impact this will have on my work. Knitting a cocoon for my body, privately, seems appropriate though in this context.
Reference list:
Baker, L (2020) Critical knitting; knitting as a research method, unpublished post-graduate essay
Crossman, A. (2019) Understanding Private and Public Spheres Available at: https://www.thoughtco.com/private-and-public-spheres-3026464 (Accessed 25 March 2020)
Habermas, J. (1964) The public sphere Available at: https://www.konstfack.se/PageFiles/24768/habermas-1964-the-public-sphere.pdf (Accessed: 25 March 2020)
mwengenmeir (no date) Habermas’ public sphere Available at: (https://opentextbc.ca/mediastudies101/chapter/habermas-public-sphere/ (Accessed 25 March 2020)
Papacharissi, Z. (no date) The Virtual Sphere 2.0: The Internet, the Public Sphere and beyond Available at: https://victorsampedro.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Papacharissi-The-Virtual-Sphere-Revisited-Handbook.pdf (Accessed; 25 March 2020)
Top of FormParker, R. (2010) The subversive stitch; embroidery and the making of the feminine. 2nd edn. London and New York: Taurus
Smith, K. (2012) Difference Between Public and Private Space Available at: https://kailasmithemsociallanguagedigitalmedia.wordpress.com/2012/11/08/difference-between-public-and-private-space/ (Accessed: 25 March 2020)
Turney, J. (2009) The Culture of Knitting. Oxford: Berg