Textile Handcraft Guilds: a Conduit for Identity, Friendships, and Successful Aging Sherryl A
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Iowa State University Capstones, Theses and Retrospective Theses and Dissertations Dissertations 1997 Textile handcraft guilds: a conduit for identity, friendships, and successful aging Sherryl A. Schofield-Tomschin Iowa State University Follow this and additional works at: https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/rtd Part of the Family, Life Course, and Society Commons, Gerontology Commons, and the Home Economics Commons Recommended Citation Schofield-Tomschin, Sherryl A., "Textile handcraft guilds: a conduit for identity, friendships, and successful aging " (1997). Retrospective Theses and Dissertations. 12031. https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/rtd/12031 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Iowa State University Capstones, Theses and Dissertations at Iowa State University Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Retrospective Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Iowa State University Digital Repository. 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Textiles and Clothing Major Professor; MaryLittrell Iowa State University Ames, Iowa 1997 Copyright © Sherryl A Schofield-Tomschin, 1997. All rights reserved. [t J DMI Niunber: 9814692 Copyright 1997 by Schofield-Tomschin, Sherryl A. All rights reserved. UMI Microform 9814692 Copyright 1998, by UMI Company. All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. UMI 300 North Zeeb Road Ann Arbor. MI 48103 i u Graduate College Iowa State University This is to certify that the Doctoral dissertation of Sherry! A. Schofield-Tomschin has met the dissertation requirements of Iowa State University Signature was redacted for privacy. Majo/ Professor Signature was redacted for privacy. For the Major Program Signature was redacted for privacy. For the Graduate College UI To those who have made all of this possible; My loving and supportive husband Roger, my wonderful children Ryan and Jessica, an ever encouraging Mom and Dad, and my dearest women friends, Brecca, Harriet, and Jennie. IV TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF HGURES vii LIST OF TABLES viii ABSTRACT ix CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 1 Purpose 5 Definition of Terms 7 Objectives 8 Organization of the Dissertation 9 CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW 10 Symbolic Interactionism 10 Symbolic Interactionism and Material Objects 12 Symbolic Interactionism and Textile Objects 15 Successful Aging 18 Successful Aging and Self-directed Learning 20 Successful Aging Through Generativity 21 Leisure Activities as a Dimension of Successful Aging 25 Issues of Gender in Leisure Activities 27 Older Adult Women Friendships 28 Demographic Factors 28 Friendships 31 Friendships and External Structures 34 Intergenerational Activities 35 Integrative Model of Friendship 36 Summary of Literature Review 40 CHAPTER THREE: METHODS 43 Qualitative Research 43 Grounded Theory 45 Data Collection 47 Researcher as Instrument 47 Instrument Development 48 Sample Criteria 49 Procedures 50 Data Analysis 51 Coding 52 Development of Emergent Themes 53 V CHAPTER FOUR; RESULTS 55 Sample Profile 59 Experiences with Textiles 66 Family Influences 66 Appreciation of Textile Objects and Skills 68 Events 69 Aesthetic Moments 71 Craft as'T 72 Process 74 Identity 74 Therapy 75 Creativity 76 Enjoyment 77 Self Actualization 78 Self-Directed Learning 79 Teaching 80 Product 81 Identity 81 Aesthetic Experiences 84 Object 86 Continuation 88 Object Transfer 88 Knowledge Transfer 89 Identity Transfer 90 Guild as "We" 91 For Self 92 Self-Directed Learning 93 Creative Inspiration 95 Energy to Continue 96 Contact Around Craft 96 For Self and Others 98 Interactions 98 Friendships 100 Identity/Fame 102 Support of Craftswoman 103 Intergenerational Interaction 105 Mentoring 106 Larger Craft Community 107 Proposed Theory of Guild Membership 109 CHAPTER FIVE; CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 113 Contributions to the Literature 113 Symbolic Interactionism 113 Successful Aging 117 VI Generativity 117 Self-directed Learning 119 Leisure Activities 120 Friendships 121 Liniitations 123 Research Recommendations and Applications 123 Summary 125 APPENDIX A; HUMAN SUBJECTS REVIEW 128 APPENDIX B: DATA COLLECTION INSTRUMENT 132 APPENDIX C; INTRODUCTORY LETTER 136 APPENDIX D: CODING GUIDE 139 APPENDIX E: THEME DEVELOPMENT 141 REFERENCES 148 vu UST OF FIGURES Figure 2.1 Theoretical Model of Friendship 37 Figure 4.1 Themes, Minor Themes, and Sub-Themes 56 Figure 4.2 Proposed Model of Guild Membership 111 VUl LIST OF TABLES Table 4.1 Community Size and Distribution 59 Table 4.2 Participant Ages 60 Table 4.3 Craft Participation in Years 63 Table 4.4 Guild Participation in Years 64 ix ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to explore inductively older women's mvolvement in textile handcraft guilds as a conduit for interactions among textiles and their producers, successful aging, and friendships. Thirty women, representing 15 textile handcraft guilds and 8 different textile crafts, were interviewed throughout the state of Iowa. All informants were actively engaged in craft production and a guild. Content analysis revealed two superordinate themes. Craft as'T' and Guild as "We." From these themes emerged a grounded theory of guild membership. Within the Craft as "P theme three minor themes surfaced: (a) Process, (b) Product, and (c) Continuation. Process represented the act of craft production, while Product referred to the finished craft object and the expectation of that product to fulfill the specified goals of the informants. Continuation depicted both the goals of the informants, and the function of the craft product, in craft perpetuation. The Guild as "We" theme had two minor themes; For Self and For Self and Others. For Self referred to goals or benefits that were internalized by the women during guild interactions. For Self and Others represented the goals of the women to concurrently influence their own and other guild members' guild experiences. Through membership in the guilds women made an effort to consciously provide structure to their lives. The women were able to achieve identity and affective as well as cognitive experiences through craft participation and the resultant products. Guild membership provided the women additional benefits that could only be obtained in the presence of other guild members. The guild's structure promoted interaction among and between individuals in an egalitarian setting which fostered validation, the sharing of information, and fiiendships. The resultant social and craft support reinforced the women's craft production, thereby intensifying the affective components available to the women. As the women increased their levels of guild activity, they also increased the opportunities and benefits that were available to other guild members. Through textile handcrafts and guilds, the women were able to fulfill goals in their lives that promoted successfiil aging. 1 CHAPTER ONE; INTRODUCTION "And what is a stitch for? To hold. It binds past to present, old country to new country generation to generation." Veronica Patterson, 1993 For thousands of years women have sat together spinnings weaving, and sewing, working, teaching, and learning in the community of others (Barber, 1994). Poets and authors have long recognized the power of cloth to symbolize the binding together of social relations (Weiner, 1989). Even the English language echoes the importance of fiber arts with cloth metaphors such as "the febric of society" or "a close knit group." In fact, "throughout early history, this art was the primary vehicle for articulating a woman's various roles as mother, provider, worker, entrepreneur, and artist, and was a vital force for self-definition..." (Barber, 1994, book jacket). During the NCddle Ages, textile handcrafts continued through organizations known as guilds.