Mindfulness in Knitting Meditations on Craft & Calm

by Matthews, Rachael

• ISBN13: 9780711288218
• ISBN10: 0711288216
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2023-06-20
• Publisher: Leaping Hare Press

Summary

Anyone can pick up a pair of needles and a ball of yarn. And everyone can be mindful. Mindfulness in Knitting casts fresh light on this renowned calming craft, and reveals how the act of “knit and purl” can be the epitome of conscious living. Ethical textile artist Rachael Matthews unpicks the threads of this popular pastime to explore how knitting connects us to each other and to the world around us. Through personal anecdote and expert insight, she unravels the true value of what it means to craft, its therapeutic benefits, and the joys of mindful making.

This book is divided into chapters which will teach us to: 

• Find our place through yarn, 
• Knit sacred spaces, 
• Build knitting circles and connecting with others through craftivism, 
• The art of gifting our creations
• How knitting helps us discover ourselves.

Filled with practical examples, personal insights and creative exercises for you to try at home, this book is suited for knitters of any ability, and will help you whether you want to relieve stress, build self-awareness or improve your mental health through the creative act of knitting.

This book is from the Mindfulness series, a range of titles dedicated to exploring the mindful lifestyle, including Mindfulness in Gardening, Mindfulness in Drawing, Mindfulness in Baking, and Mindfulness in Wild Swimming.
 

Author Biography

Rachael Matthews is an artist and author, with a primary interest in knitting. Born in the Lake District in England, she grew up with an interest in textile traditions and romanticism. The founder of Cast Off Knitting Club for Boys and Girls, she was a pioneer in the new wave of KIP and the author of two books that illustrated the movement, Knitorama and Hookorama. Rachael uses knitting and crochet as sculpture and painting, and knitted garments are illustrations for stories. Rachael runs Prick Your Finger, an ethical yarn shop and textile gallery in East London, which sources fibers and handspins its own yarns.

Table of Contents

Contents
Introduction
Chapter One
Knitting, a Lifelong Structure for Learning
Chapter Two
Finding Our Place Through Yarn
Chapter Three
Knitting Sacred Spaces
Chapter Four
Knitting Circles & Craftivism
Chapter Five
The Gift
Chapter Six
Knitting & Self-Discovery
Index
Acknowledgements