Knitting and other needle arts (embroidery, sewing,
quilting) have often been described as “women’s work.”
To me, that is where there strength lies. When I knit, I feel
connected to the centuries of women who’ve struggled to
clothe their families, keep them warm, and create beauty
out of necessity. Women have met for centuries in knitting
circles, sewing circles, and quilting bees. These circles
have allowed women to connect with each other and
support each other.They also offered cover and safe space
for women to discuss and plan protest and political action
“In 1864, the abolitionist Sojourner Truth taught “sewing, knitting
and cooking” to refugee camps of emancipated slaves to help them
financially support themselves.” And during the movement for
abolition, sewing circles continued to serve as a place for women to
exchange ideas and talk about political work.
The Liberator, an abolitionist newspaper published by William
Lloyd Garrison between 1831 and 1965, wrote on Dec. 3, 1847:
“Sewing Circles are among the best means for agitating and
keeping alive the question of anti-slavery. … A friend in a neigh-
boring town recently said to us, Our Sewing Circle is doing finely,
and contributes very much to keep up the agitation of the subject.
Some one of the members generally reads an anti-slavery book or
paper to the others during the meeting, and thus some who don’t
get a great deal of anti-slavery at home have an opportunity of
hearing it at the circle.”
During the 1990’s the Riot Grrl movement encouraged feminists
to take up crafting in order to resist corporations. And, of course,
the most recent example of knitting as feminism, is exemplified by
the PussyHat created for the 2017 Women’s March on Washing-
ton. Women were encouraged to knit pink hats for themselves and
for others who attended to March. “The more we are seen, the
more we are heard. Let’s come together to support women’s rights
in a creative and impactful way.” (Krista Suh and Jayna Zweiman)
Knitting makes me feel like a powerful creator. It gives me the abil-
ity to keep the people I love warm. It allows me to share my love
(and actual parts of myself - thank you DNA) with everyone I give
my garments to. And it connects me, in a real and physical way, to
all the women who’ve come before me and all the women who will
come after me. Knitting, to me, is a strong feminist & political act.
After all, “a woman’s place is in the resistance!”