Crocheting and Woodworking
By Ava Gili
The art of handicraft and woodworking have gendered connotations even in our more equal, modern age, as crocheting is considered a feminine-coded task while painting and staining furniture is masculine-coded. But at the root of the skills, they are quite similar: an individual uses their hands, along with specific tools, to create something new and beautiful with enough time and effort. So, what is the historical basis for this gendered division of labour? Is it embarrassing if men happen to like crocheting? Are women not strong enough to be good at woodworking? I attempted both tasks for the first time and was surprised by the outcomes, as these projects subverted my expectations.
As I have no experience with handicraft and needed an easy starting-off point, I decided to crochet a baby blanket. I went to Micheal’s to buy yarn, a crochet hook, and then returned again later in the project to buy a tapestry needle when I realized I needed to sew in my ends. Starting off with the classic granny square, I scoured YouTube for helpful tutorials. Finally settling on one, I followed along with disastrous results. Realizing I needed to start at the very beginning, I researched how to crochet for beginners more thoroughly.
Initially, I was excited for this project, as crocheting seems like an easy way to DIY cute projects—I could use this skill in the future! I quickly learned crocheting is much harder and more complicated than I ever thought possible; it was a steep learning curve and after more than fifteen hours of crocheting, I still feel unsure about my skills. I did not realize how time-intensive and finicky yarn work is with not a lot to show for the effort I put into it. Perhaps if I learned from a friend or family member, I would have had a more fulfilling experience, as I could have received feedback on what I was doing wrong. That being said, I am proud of my finished project; however, due to a distinct lack of babies in my life, I am not sure when—or if—it will ever be used.
Masculine-Coded Task: Woodworking
I decided to repaint and restain my old wooden dining table that was built in the 80s. On the first Saturday morning of the project, I planned it out, bought supplies, and with help, moved the table to a covered workshop in the yard. Once I finished sanding the entire table and painted the first coat onto the legs, I was caught off guard when I realized I forgot to account for drying time; I initially planned to complete the project in one weekend, but in the end, it took me six days. I popped into the shop about twice a day to do another coat of paint, stain, or finish, flipping the table over as necessary. 
History of Crocheting in the Female, Private Sphere
Historically, the aesthetic of handicraft, such as lace, embroidery, and beadwork, was reserved for the elite class, as only the wealthy could afford such time-intensive detail work. However, in the late eighteenth century, as consumer goods became more readily available and inexpensive, the middle class gained access to the decorative form. Handicraft became a way to show off one’s wealth—or at the very least, one’s skill—and thus, handicraft was integrated into an average woman's domestic duties. Crocheting is considered to be an easier and more decorative form of knitting, which is why I chose to start with it. The process requires only yarn and a large needle with a hook on the end, which is fitting since crochet is the French word for hook. Gaining popularity in the mid-nineteenth century, the main purpose of crocheting was to enrich and embellish household clothing.
Crocheting, and handicraft in general, has a strong association with being “women’s work” and is often undervalued: the most significant reason is a result of the craft’s location. Historically, women were physically and metaphorically assigned to the home; in the same way, Carolyn Korsmeyer defines amateur work as something that is created in a domestic environment, earning little or nothing in recompense that’s purpose is for a relatively small audience. No matter how much time, money, and effort was put into the product or how accomplished the creator’s skills were, anything that originated from the private sphere was devalued because it was assumed to be produced by an amateur: namely, a woman. Furthermore, this “traditional androcentric aesthetic hierarchy” of gender association enforced a woman’s inability to escape her relation to the home and be truly independent.
At the same time as being disregarded as a valid profession, crocheting was not valued as a legitimate art form due to its utilitarian purpose of domestic decoration. While much of handicraft was finely made and beautiful, it served a function, and thus, was denied the “free creativity” status of an artist. Furthermore, handicraft was looked down upon because it was manual labour and hence regarded as lacking in intellectual value. Overall, a paradox seemed to arise in society’s perception of handicraft: despite the male demand and desire for more female-labour adornment, the creation process itself was denied value and belittled at every possibility.
However, the embellishment of handicraft has undergone a transformation in sociocultural status due to the mass production of fashion. The mechanization of handicraft led to the ease and accessibility of intricate detail work that is now a prominent fashion trend. Natalia Michna reveals how the creation of handicraft—which was “hidden, obscured, silenced, devalued, and kept private for centuries”—is now accepted and included in the public sphere of mainstream fashion. By including men and machinery in the process and creation of handicraft, crocheting was finally able to expand past its restriction to the private sphere. I chose to try this task due to its status as a fashion trend, which shows the extent of its transformation. My entire experience took place at home where I could express my frustration with crocheting in private. Before trying it, I admit that I undervalued the extent of time, work, skill, and effort that goes into such a small thing as a baby blanket. This experience gave me a newfound appreciation for the art of handicraft.
History of Woodworking in the Male, Public Sphere
Woodworking developed in the Paleolithic period when crude tools were invented and carpentry has been a common profession ever since. Beginning in the tenth century, European guilds started to form in larger towns as a more effective way to sell their wares and efficiently train apprentices to continue the trade. Sheilagh Ogilvie notes how guilds provided tradesmen with a “social capital of shared norms, information, and collective sanctions.” Joining a guild was a respectable way to enter the public sphere: a career permitted a man to earn a steady income and establish connections in order to provide for his family and livelihood. However, guilds often lead to a consolidation of power that forged the way for increased patriarchal control, abetting the “desire to protect and enhance masculine pride.” As a patriarchal institution, guilds adhered to the “idealized vision of the preindustrial family economy” where the man as the head of the household presided over the lives of his family—of which apprentices were included. Therefore, women were prohibited from joining a guild, as they were not allowed to enter the public sphere of careers: they were forced to reside in the home. As well, female labour was regarded with a lack of value; a master’s respect and identity would be threatened if he chose “dishonorable female illicit labor” over “honorable male corporate labor.” With the Industrial Revolution’s inventions of power tools, large machines, and factories, guilds experienced a sharp decline. It was not necessary for men to hone their carpentry expertise or teach apprentices, as the mass assembly-line production of furniture requires little skill. Considered an essential service throughout most of history, woodworking was no longer necessary for survival. Instead of becoming obsolete, its value and importance merely shifted to become a hobby. My own lack of experience with woodworking reflects the idea that because I am a woman, it was not a skill I needed to know previously, so it was never taught to me. When I told others about my project, I was often met with hesitance and asked if I knew what I was doing or if I needed help, despite the hours of research I put into the project before starting. As well, it is interesting to note that this project did not take place in the home but instead in a workshop in the yard and therefore, separate from the domestic sphere.
Modern Perspectives: DIY Culture
Crocheting and woodwork decreased in popularity due to the development of modern technology, but both tasks have experienced a revitalization as a hobby. The Do-It-Yourself movement, or DIY for short, has risen in popularity in the twenty-first century. Elena Solomon identifies how DIY culture “touts self-sufficiency and a romanticization of the handmade” that is “explicitly marketed to the middle class.” Composed of potentially highly-skilled but essentially non-professional creators, DIY is a political response to corporate capitalism that finds alternative forms of material production outside of mass consumerism. The main objectives of doing it yourself are to partake in a hobby for pleasure and self-fulfillment as well as to avoid unnecessary professional labour costs. Due to cheap and accessible tools, DIY projects, such as crocheting and woodworking, are available hobbies for anyone to pick up with enough time, effort, and commitment.
DIY culture is praised for embracing traditionally feminine crafts and reclaiming them as empowering, as it breaks down the division between gendered tasks. Instead, it focuses on the ability and passion of the autonomous individual, as one’s hobbies should be based on choice instead of gender. At the same time, gender associations with daily tasks still exist in our society, as masculinity is still the standard for what humanity should look like. Therefore, it is more acceptable for women to enjoy male-dominated hobbies, as it is seen as a commendable attempt. On the other hand, it is regarded as emasculating for men to enter the domestic sphere of the private home. As DIY culture continues to generate acceptance and reduce gendered restrictions on hobbies in the future, it is possible that gendered tasks will slowly become a thing of the past.
Conclusion
Overall, both my project experiences surprised me, as I ended up liking the masculine task more than the feminine. I thought crocheting would be easy—shouldn’t it come naturally to me as a woman?—but I can say with confidence that it is much harder than it appears. I was dreading the hard work of refinishing the dining table but found it much more enjoyable and rewarding than I ever could have expected. The gendered division of labour is so entrenched in our society that we often overlook its significance and simply regard the distribution as “natural.” This experiment allowed me to explore the historical reasonings behind the gender roles of crocheting and woodworking, ultimately deconstructing why certain gendered tasks originate from social constructions.
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