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Citation: S/HE: An International Journal of Goddess Studies, V3 N1 (2024)
“Slip, Slip, Pray: The Spiritual and Societal Benefits of Knitting and Crochet”
Francesca Tronetti
Abstract Knitting and crochet, as well as other fiber arts, have traditionally not been studied beyond their use for dating archaeological finds and sites, their artistic value and skill, and historical evidence of the movement of people. These crafts are relegated to ‘women’s work,’ part of women’s home lives that are not considered important to most historians and researchers. However, like many parts of women’s hidden history, this assumption is being challenged and proven false. While not fully in the lens of academia, many women have been writing about the role fiber arts play in women’s social lives, activism, mental health, and spiritual experiences. In this paper, I offer an introduction to the research and writing on the history and benefits of fiber arts done by women from ancient Greece to contemporary Detroit. I believe this topic deserves further study by multiple disciplines, including women’s spirituality, urban studies, psychology, alternative medicine, and feminist history.
Keywords Knitting, crochet, fiber arts, mental health, spirituality, women’s spirituality, third-wave feminism, women’s hidden history
Introduction The original research for this article came from my comprehensive exams written in 2013 at the California Institute of Integral Studies. In the interviewing decade, many things have changed, but the impact of fiber arts remains a constant in many people’s lives. Post-COVID, there appears to be a renewed interest in hobbies such as knitting, crocheting, quilting, and gardening…
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