In thinking about a digital project for public history, I was interested in creating a website or platform based in some way on hand knitting. I reached out to others in the hand knitting community for their feedback in order to narrow the scope of the project, and to see where there might be interest in learning more, or where there might be room for another community based, interactive platform based on hand knitting. When I conducted a few informal interviews with several online knitting and political grassroots communities, a few people expressed interest in learning more about the history of knitting, or discovering historic patterns. A few also expressed interest in the creation of a platform or website for the 2017 Women’s March, which was organized in protest of the election of Donald Trump as president of the United States.
In a more formal discussion with one of the board members of The Center for Knit and Crochet, an online museum dedicated to the promotion and protection of the craft of hand knitting and crochet, and Industrial Design Professor at Smith College in Massachusetts, Dr. Rebecca Keyel was more cautious about the development of a website memorial to the 2017 Women’s March. One of her concerns was related to the time it would take to develop a website and find users willing to share their stories, given time constraints. We discussed other possibilities related to the history of hand knitting, including a website about the role that hand knitting and The Red Cross played in providing items for soldiers during the First World War. Dr. Keyel was enthusiastic, and said that both she and other members from the Center for Knit and Crochet would be available for any help I might need in building a public platform related to building community and offering resources related to hand knitting.
From my second interview with Izzy Capodanno, a recent college graduate and participant in the 2017 Women’s March, she pointed out the racial insensitivity in choosing the color pink for the hand knit or hand crocheted pussy hats, which served as a visual reminder of Donald Trump’s well known and highly offensive comment about grabbing women by the pussy. Why was the assumption that the hat color would automatically be pink, and not also brown? Izzy suggested that a public platform dedicated to the Women’s March could be a safe space for participants to talk about these racial divisions, and could help promote healing.
What I learned from user research is that those who expressed an interest in learning more about the history of hand knitting are unaware of the websites and online platforms that already provide a good historic overview of hand knitting, including Wikipedia and The Center for Knit and Crochet. I also learned that sometimes people don’t quite understand the questions posed in online communities, or don’t read carefully, as one individual suggested a website dedicated to quilting.
The interviews and discussions led me to solidify my initial interest in creating an interactive website or platform dedicated to preserving the memories of those who participated in the 2017 Women’s March, whether by knitting a hat for a participant, by attending one of the many marches hosted around the world, or by watching from home and offering support through social media platforms.
Overall, between two interviews and several less formal interactions that provided input and feedback, listening to those from the hand knitting community gave me valuable insight into what the community would be interested in with a digital platform that is different than what is already available online.