Textile arts, from quilting to knitting and many forms between, are a cultural and community pursuit with ancient roots, and imbedded in the Mid-Atlantic region.
Textile arts have existed since humankind first discovered the transformation of wool from lambs or plant fibers into thread. Archeologists have found clothing fibers that predate the exodus from Africa, sewing needles from 60,000 years ago, and dyed flax fibers from a cave in the Republic of Georgia that date to 36,000 BC. Net gauges, spindle needles, and weaving sticks from 5,000 BC have been discovered in Western Europe. From Far East Asia, along the Silk Road, to Mesopotamia, the Levant, and Africa, the textile arts have defined entire periods of history. They undoubtedly can be used to characterize cultural movements and significant social trends.
American history can certainly be charted by following a long trail of regional trends in the primary textile arts, including weaving, knitting, crochet, and quilting. From the sewing of our national flag in colonial Philadelphia to quilts made simply to stay warm in Appalachia and New England, colonists and pioneers grew a collection of handiwork that details the materials, technologies, and inherited wisdom available to them. The skill and technique of traditional handicrafts were proudly passed from generation to generation—until the advent of factory clothing, most often for practical reasons. These crafts and the skill required to be very good at them remain both a source of beautiful handiwork and great pride for modern enthusiasts.
A Community of Enthusiasts
Just as the textile arts represent and characterize historical eras, they also defined the lives of local enthusiasts. Karen Santa first taught herself how to knit as a young Girl Scout. Although she didn’t knit much through high school, she worked her way through a graduate program by working in a Virginia yarn shop. Back then, in the 1980s, yarn shops were everywhere. Slowly though, as crafting transformed from a purpose-driven activity (there was a time when if you wanted a sweater you couldn’t afford, you knitted it yourself!) to a mere hobby, these shops shuttered. Santa, who owns Knits and Pieces of Annapolis, a yarn and textiles shop off Admiral Drive, says that right now, however, handiwork is more popular than ever. “In the middle 1980s, knitting and crochet went from purpose-driven to artistically or craft-driven,” she says. “Baby boomers didn’t have as much time just to sit and knit when they could buy ready-made items, so these activities became hobbies. The movement behind Fair Trade manufacturing has brought textile arts back to a mainstream activity and industry.”
Santa opened her shop in 2017 and hosts many sold-out classes, as well as informative and fun community-minded events. “I had a very clear vision that mine would be a community shop and not just be a place to sell yarn,” Santa says. Her customers thrive on the atmosphere and gathering space she has created, turning to her for expert advice on everything from the quality of yarn they might require to perfecting a technique.
“Knitters are collectors,” Santa says. “They might not call themselves collectors, but they appreciate yarns and fibers for color, texture, and quality, and they buy up a stash of what appeals to them most.”
“My life has been defined by knitting,” she says. “It’s a hobby that turned into a passion and a career. It’s a part of the fabric of my family life, the activities and the work that I do, and my social life.”
Knitters aren’t the only collectors. If any crafters are famous for their stashes of craft supplies, it’s quilters. Catherine Thornton is a partner-owner of The Crabby Quilter, formerly Cottonseed Glory, in West Annapolis. Thornton started quilting 35 years ago when she wanted to make a unique gift for her sister’s wedding. “My sister-in-law showed me how to quilt, and that one project started me down a path and a career,” she says. After taking classes, and over the years challenging herself with new patterns, techniques, and fabrics, Thornton began to show her quilts.
For her, quilting is not only a feat of geometry, engineering, and manufacturing, but especially of art and creativity. “I came from a fitness background where every day I had to perform. Quilting became my therapy and the opposite of the fitness industry,” she says.
Quilting is similar to knitting or crochet, in that there is counting, measuring, and great attention to detail. Where it differs is in the amount of puzzling required to configure, cut, pattern, then reconfigure, piece together, and sew into a final product. “I’ve never used so much geometry in my life,” Thornton says. Quilting and crafting makes the brain work and function. “It’s challenging, but it is creative, it’s a craft that showcases each quilter’s artistry, and it’s a fun way to engage with the community.”
Quilters and knitters are indeed a tightly knit, tightly sewn community. The South River Knitting Guild is but one example of a large and growing community of knitters that over the years has brought in like-minded crafters from every background and neighborhood in the area. When the group was founded, just eight to twelve knitters gathered at the police station in Edgewater once a month. They snacked, joined in collaborative learning, and supported each other while enjoying a few hours away from the kiddos. Eventually, the group moved to Anne Arundel Medical Center and became serious about charity knitting. The South River Knitting Guild supports the Luminis AAMC breast center with breast cancer scarves and knit “knockers.” These are soft, cool, and washable prostheses that breast cancer survivors can use while they wait for their silicone prosthesis. The Guild also supports the AAMC infusion center with chemo caps, and the NICU with knit hats for babies.
Over the years, the South River Knitting Guild has determined a common mission: to grow individuals interested in knitting education, charity, and community into an extended group of friends. The Guild outgrew the hospital, then Maryland Hall, and now meets at the Elks Lodge on Solomons Island Road.
Quilting also can be characterized by a community of crafters tightly sewn together by their common yet complex craft. The Annapolis Quilt Guild famously hosts a major show every year at Annapolis High School. However, they also dedicate a significant effort to community outreach. They make quilts and blankets to give during the holiday season, make masks and hats for nurses, and donate quilts to the Lighthouse Shelter that guests can take with them when they leave.
Textile Arts and Health
Beyond creating many opportunities to join new and creative communities, the textile arts provide an excellent opportunity to support your mental health. In fact, knitting, crochet, and quilting are all activities that scientists say may contribute to better mental and physical health. Not only can these activities help you stay healthier, but they might even help you live better for longer.
Recent studies have shown that the repetitive and rhythmic techniques of these pastimes require focus to plan and complete. Additionally, the motions of knitting and crocheting require eye-hand-brain coordination that forces the mind to work in a soothing, meditative, and productive way. Importantly, the inclusive, long-standing and robust communities of crafters provide a haven of fellowship and productive energy that might help folks who would otherwise feel isolated, depressed, or lonely. All three of these activities can be enjoyed well into old age, often despite physical disabilities, including deafness or blindness. Knitting and crochet are calming activities whose repetitive and relaxing nature may help reduce anxiety.
“There is a meditative quality to knitting, with its rhythms and hypnotic-like qualities, your hands and mind doing the same repetitive motions that many people find calming,” Santa says. “You’re making something, you start and you finish. You’re providing something useful and beautiful that is tactile, visual, and pretty.”
A British study, published by the group Knit for Peace, surveyed 1,000 people in its network of 15,000 knitters, HuffPost U.K. reported. Results from the survey indicate that knitting slows the onset of dementia, combats depression, and distracts from chronic pain. Knit for Peace members make creations for disadvantaged people, which are then distributed to more than 200 outlets, including hospitals, refugee groups, prisons, hospices, and developing countries. More than half of those surveyed in the community said taking part in the initiative “makes them feel useful.”
A 2011 study from the Mayo Clinic found that people who engaged in knitting, crafting, and other similar hobbies were 30 to 50 percent less likely to have mild cognitive impairment. When surveying the study’s participants, 70 percent of whom were older than 60, the researchers found:
- The majority (70 percent) believe knitting improved their health, primarily because it helps them to feel relaxed
- For those in poor or very poor health, 92 percent of respondents said knitting improved their health
- One in 10 said knitting helped them deal with chronic pain, and almost one in six noted that it relaxed their muscles
- Approximately 21 percent of respondents believed it helped to relieve their arthritis
- Citing the hobby’s calming and therapeutic properties, 26.1 percent stated that knitting helped to reduce their blood pressure
- There may even be a link between knitting and addressing addictive behaviors. A survey participant noted that knitting helped her stop smoking and to lose weight, simply by keeping her hands busy and productive.
Some people with Alzheimer’s disease suffer from “fidgety hands,” the need to touch and feel, or to fiddle with clothes, blankets, or other things. This behavior can cause patients to pick at themselves or unravel and pull things apart. One way of coping with this behavior is to occupy the hands with work, or to hold a knitted “twiddle muff,” a tube with beads, ribbons and other tactile materials woven in. The twiddle muffs provide fidgety hands something to keep them occupied and are a wonderful gift for Alzheimer’s patients.
Other studies have led researchers to consider the link between repetitive activities like textile arts and the advancement of diseases related to aging. The Mayo Clinic has found that crafting, including knitting, is a cognitive exercise that may reduce Alzheimer’s risk by 30 to 50 percent. Researchers asked folks who volunteered for the study about their daily activities within the past year and how mentally active they had been between the age of 50 to 65. Those who spent significant time reading, playing games, or engaging in craft hobbies like knitting were found to have a 40 percent reduced risk of memory impairment.
“This study is exciting because it demonstrates that aging does not need to be a passive process,” says study author and neuroscientist Dr. Yonas Geda. “By simply engaging in cognitive exercise, you can protect against future memory loss. Of course, the challenge with this type of research is that we are relying on past memories of the participants; therefore, we need to confirm these findings with additional research.”
Some reasons that knitting and crochet may help improve the lives of Alzheimer’s patients include the emotional and mental satisfaction of learning a new skill, remaining creative, and producing handiwork that can be kept or gifted. Both activities allow for constant learning of new skills and techniques. The hand-eye coordination required to sew, knit, and crochet helps build up neural networks, which can serve as a neuroprotective reserve against Alzheimer’s. Crafting is also a form of emotional self-care, which helps reduce stress, a key component of lowering risks for early Alzheimer’s.
Learn to Craft & Getting in Touch
Maryland has many outlets for crafters. There are many local and regional community groups and guilds, most of which can be found online. An excellent place to start might be Ravelry.com, which is a sort of social media platform for knitters and crocheters. Users can find individuals from cities and counties, and groups around the world, across the country, and in your area. Users can also showcase their work, find patterns, and purchase individual patterns without having to buy a pattern book.
Other ways to learn more about the textile arts in the area include attending a wool, yarn, or guild show, such as the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival, the Shenandoah Fiber Festival at the Clarke County Ruritan Fairgrounds, the Maryland Alpaca and Fleece Festival at the Howard County Fairgrounds, or the DelMarva Fiber Festival in Ocean City.
You could also visit Quilt Week and the American Quilters Society to learn about regional and national shows. A fun online hub for quilters is The Modern Quilt Guild, where you can find local and regional quilting enthusiasts and learn more about showing your own handiwork.
