This study provides insight and understanding into the artists who use knit as a medium to create art. In a historical context, knitting has had very specific purposes. Gradually, knits and knitting played an important role in a political sense at various points in history. Handcrafts in general surface as the focal point in several art movements. Knitting was included in only scant amounts within these art movements. The reasons for this are explored and illuminated in this thesis. I provide specific examples of contemporary artists who utilize knit materials as a medium, focusing on four pieces of artwork: City of Stitches (2003) by Isabel Berglund, Knitting with Loaded Shotguns (Safeties Off) (2008; 2010) by Dave Cole, Cunty First (2008) by Lisa Anne Auerbach, and Weighed Down (2006) by Lindsay Obermeyer.
","abstract_html":"<p>This study provides insight and understanding into the artists who use knit as a medium to create art. In a historical context, knitting has had very specific purposes. Gradually, knits and knitting played an important role in a political sense at various points in history. Handcrafts in general surface as the focal point in several art movements. Knitting was included in only scant amounts within these art movements. The reasons for this are explored and illuminated in this thesis. I provide specific examples of contemporary artists who utilize knit materials as a medium, focusing on four pieces of artwork: <em>City of Stitches</em> (2003) by Isabel Berglund, <em>Knitting with Loaded Shotguns</em> (<em>Safeties Off)</em> (2008; 2010) by Dave Cole, <em>Cunty First</em> (2008) by Lisa Anne Auerbach, and <em>Weighed Down</em> (2006) by Lindsay Obermeyer.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Schuiling, Rebecca Elaine"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Science (MS)","degree_level":"Open Access Thesis","degree_discipline":"Technology Studies","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Subhas Ghosh, PhD., Chair","Julie Becker, M.S."],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2013,"date_issued":"2013-12-12T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2013-12-12T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:16:57Z","subjects":["clothing and dress","gender","artists","knitting","Fiber, Textile, and Weaving Arts"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://commons.emich.edu/theses/564","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Subhas Ghosh, PhD., Chair","Julie Becker, M.S."]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Schuiling, Rebecca Elaine"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2014-04-10T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Technology Studies"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Open Access Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science (MS)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["clothing and dress","gender","artists","knitting","Fiber, Textile, and Weaving Arts"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://commons.emich.edu/theses/564"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["This study provides insight and understanding into the artists who use knit as a medium to create art. In a historical context, knitting has had very specific purposes. Gradually, knits and knitting played an important role in a political sense at various points in history. Handcrafts in general surface as the focal point in several art movements. Knitting was included in only scant amounts within these art movements. The reasons for this are explored and illuminated in this thesis. I provide specific examples of contemporary artists who utilize knit materials as a medium, focusing on four pieces of artwork: City of Stitches (2003) by Isabel Berglund, Knitting with Loaded Shotguns (Safeties Off) (2008; 2010) by Dave Cole, Cunty First (2008) by Lisa Anne Auerbach, and Weighed Down (2006) by Lindsay Obermeyer.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["A thematic analysis of the material culture of artwork using knit as an artistic medium"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Subhas Ghosh, PhD., Chair","Julie Becker, M.S."],"dc:creator":["Schuiling, Rebecca Elaine"],"dc:date.available":["2014-04-10T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["This study provides insight and understanding into the artists who use knit as a medium to create art. In a historical context, knitting has had very specific purposes. Gradually, knits and knitting played an important role in a political sense at various points in history. Handcrafts in general surface as the focal point in several art movements. Knitting was included in only scant amounts within these art movements. The reasons for this are explored and illuminated in this thesis. I provide specific examples of contemporary artists who utilize knit materials as a medium, focusing on four pieces of artwork: City of Stitches (2003) by Isabel Berglund, Knitting with Loaded Shotguns (Safeties Off) (2008; 2010) by Dave Cole, Cunty First (2008) by Lisa Anne Auerbach, and Weighed Down (2006) by Lindsay Obermeyer.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://commons.emich.edu/theses/564"],"dc:subject":["clothing and dress","gender","artists","knitting","Fiber, Textile, and Weaving Arts"],"dc:title":["A thematic analysis of the material culture of artwork using knit as an artistic medium"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Technology Studies"],"thesis:degree_level":["Open Access Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science (MS)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:16:57Z"}