Part 2: Beyond Gendered Roles – Men’s Influential Presence in Needlework Traditions
While needlework tools often evoke images of domestic femininity, history reveals a more nuanced story. Men have played significant roles in the evolution of textile production, from master tailors and embroiderers to skilled lacemakers and knitters. For centuries, they organised into guilds, where mastery of tools and techniques defined professional stature. The exquisite garments, ecclesiastical vestments, and elaborate linens they produced set new standards of craftsmanship and innovation.
Guilds, Workshops, and the Tools of the Trade
In many European cities, professional workshops run by men produced textiles of remarkable complexity and beauty. Here, needlework tools were precision instruments carefully forged to meet exacting standards. Frames for embroidery, specialised needles, lacemaking pillows, and knitting sticks were part of a tradesman’s essential toolkit. These items, sought after by today’s collectors, bear witness to a once-thriving world of professional artistry. Finding a rare tool from a lost workshop is akin to holding a piece of economic and social history in one’s hand.
Rural Communities and Practical Skills
Beyond the organised guilds, men in rural and maritime communities also relied on needlework tools for practical purposes. Fishermen knitted their jumpers to ward off the chill of the sea, and shepherds fashioned and mended woollen garments outdoors in the paddocks. Women in these communities often collaborated with men, sharing skills and labour essential for clothing and textile maintenance. These cross-gender collaborations highlighted the universal reliance on these tools for both practical and artistic purposes.
Changing Times and Modern Collecting
The Industrial Revolution brought machine-made textiles, transforming production methods and public perceptions. Over time, needlework and knitting moved away from necessity and towards leisure, tradition, and artistry. Yet the tools themselves have remained. Today, collectors, regardless of gender, value antique needlework implements for their blend of functionality, creativity, and cultural narrative. By collecting these items, we inherit a legacy from craftspeople and everyday folk who shaped their societies with thread, needles, wool, and hooks.