According to Richard Sennett, in medieval times "Church Fathers imagined women as specifically prone to sexual license if they had nothing to occupy their hands". To remedy this needlework was encouraged. (Where they thinking that women holding phallic shaped tools was a better idea?) When one thinks of a woman sewing, knitting, et cetera often we think of a gray-haired grandma quietly creating baby booties or an itchy sweater. Within the past few years the DIY (do it yourself) wave has swept over crafting. I don't think that the Church Fathers could have ever imagined a book or knitting groups called "Stitch 'n' Bitch". They would have been appalled at the title of one of my favorite books, "The Happy Hooker", which has crocheting patterns. And then there is Subversive Cross Stitch. Could you imagine if a Church Father walked into a home and saw something like this:
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