“Stitch for stitch, you are remembering”: knitting and crochet as material memorialization

Fisk, A. (2019) “Stitch for stitch, you are remembering”: knitting and crochet as material memorialization. Material Religion, 15(5), pp. 553-576. (doi: 10.1080/17432200.2019.1676621)

Abstract

This article explores the role of the crafts of knitting and crochet in memorialization, an aspect of how contemporary knitting culture uses craft as a means of connecting with the sacred. It argues that knitting and crochet as material memorialization is part of wider trends in late modernity: the sacralization of the family; the preoccupation with the past; and the seeking of connection with that which is perceived to have been lost. Drawing on qualitative interviews, it discusses participants’ craft projects used to honor maternal heritage, uncover marginalized histories, make space for reflection in commemoration and grieving, maintain the presence of the dead, and provide tactile comfort in the face of loss.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Fisk, Dr Anna
• Authors: Fisk, A.
• College/School: College of Arts > School of Critical Studies > Theology and Religious Studies
• Journal Name: Material Religion
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis
• ISSN: 1743-2200
• ISSN (Online): 1751-8342
• Published Online: 07 November 2019
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2019 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor and Francis Group
• First Published: First published in Material Religion 15(5): 553-576
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the publisher copyright policy