Why I Knit

Instagram: @knittingistherapeutic

Mentioned in this episode:

Knitting for Self-Care at Christmas

Visit our website to download the FREE bonus episode of Self-Care One Stitch at a Time focussed on Christmas. Download it now at https://creativerestoration.org/christmas/

Crochet is a reason to live with Kathryn Vercillo Jul 20, 2023

Kathryn Vercillo is a writer and crafter who specialises in the intersection between art and mental health.

I particularly loved Kathryn's focus on her relationship with craft being something that is constantly evolving, and her celebration of every part of the process.

Kathryn speaks about crochet has helped save her life during periods of depression, and also talks about how she used crochet to help her through the grief following her friend's death through suicide.

Kathryn Vercillo

Instagram @createmefree

Substack: https://createmefree.substack.com/

Books: https://www.amazon.com/Kathryn-Vercillo/e/B001JPC6IO

Mia

@madewithlovebytomdaley

Instagram: @knittingistherapeutic

Mentioned in this episode:

Knitting for Self-Care at Christmas

Visit our website to download the FREE bonus episode of Self-Care One Stitch at a Time focussed on Christmas. Download it now at https://creativerestoration.org/christmas/

Knitting for confidence and self-compassion with Jessica Hendrickson Jul 13, 2023

Jessica Hendrickson is the Creative Design Director at Lion Brand Yarn. As a teenager she had such a strong desire to make and wear her own clothes, that she told her parents she had to attend a school without a uniform.

She continues to use knitting and crochet to express her identity, but over time she has also used them to help find her way through post-natal depression and to help her focus. Jessica speaks about how she manages her desire to knit all the things as quickly as possible, but also how her constant drive for new experiences is a superpower in her role as Design Director which requires her to come up with new designs and use new yarns on a daily basis.

Jessica and Lion Brand Yarn

Webiste: Lion Brand Yarn

Tom Daley's “Made With Love Collection," which will be

available for purchase in September 2023 at Michaels and on LionBrand.com.

Instagram: @lionbrandyarn

@jesssicaleee

Mia

Instagram: @knittingistherapeutic

Mentioned in this episode:

Knitting for Self-Care at Christmas

Visit our website to download the FREE bonus episode of Self-Care One Stitch at a Time focussed on Christmas. Download it now at https://creativerestoration.org/christmas/

Knitting to refill my mental health bucket with Dr Kaman Hansford Jul 06, 2023

Dr Kaman Hansford is a GP who joined us on one of our retreats for healthcare professionals. She has lived experience of using mental health services and knitting is now a crucial part of her wellbeing plan.

Kaman speaks about feeling that she can use knitting as an early warning sign if her mental health is deteriorating, and also that it is one of the tools she uses daily to access some calm.

I also really valued Kaman's perspective on using knitting as a way of becoming more self-compassionate.

Kaman is not on social media, so if you have any comments on this episode I am very happy to pass them on!

Mia

Instagram: @knittingistherapeutic

Mentioned in this episode:

Knitting for Self-Care at Christmas

Visit our website to download the FREE bonus episode of Self-Care One Stitch at a Time focussed on Christmas. Download it now at https://creativerestoration.org/christmas/

Knitting is a constant companion with Kesha Evans Jun 29, 2023

Kesha Evans learned to knit 11 years ago when her son was born prematurely and was in the NICU. She was approached by Carol Caparosa from Project Knitwell who offered to teach her to knit. Despite not considering herself creative at all, Kesha agreed to learn and ended up feeling that the visits from Carol were as important to her as those of the doctors and nurses.

Today Kesha is on the board at Project Knitwell and I interviewed her as part of their Knitathon in March 2023. Project Knitwell's team of volunteers go into hospitals, schools and community settings to offer knitting as a wellness tool to people at challenging times of their lives.

This interview was one of several online sessions recorded during the Knitathon - you can access these recordings by donating online - find out more at Project Knitwell Knitathon

Project Knitwell

Website: projectknitwell.org

Instagram: @projectknitwell

Mia

Instagram: @knittingistherapeutic

Mentioned in this episode:

Knitting for Self-Care at Christmas

Visit our website to download the FREE bonus episode of Self-Care One Stitch at a Time focussed on Christmas. Download it now at https://creativerestoration.org/christmas/

Knitting myself back together with Jude Harper of Stranded Dyeworks Jun 22, 2023

Jude generously joined me to speak about how he found knitting and the knitting community during a difficult time, and how knitting was a crucial part of putting himself back together.

He also speaks about the death of his parents last year, and how he continues to feel connected to them both through the memories held in knitted items, and also in the other new hobbies and skills that Jude has discovered more recently.

Jude also dyes beautiful yarn and by coincidence I realised I was wearing a pair of socks knit in Stranded yarn during our interview, bought 5 years previously at Unravel festival!

Jude

Stranded Dyeworks online

Instagram: @strandeddyeworks

Stranded Podcast on YouTube: Stranded Podcast

Mia

Support the podcast on Patreon

Instagram: @knittingistherapeutic

Mentioned in this episode:

Knitting for Self-Care at Christmas

Visit our website to download the FREE bonus episode of Self-Care One Stitch at a Time focussed on Christmas. Download it now at https://creativerestoration.org/christmas/

Knitting for work-life balance with Shona Mason Jun 15, 2023

Dr Shona Mason is a dentist and teacher who encourages her students to develop interests outside of dentistry to prevent burnout and encourage them to have a positive work-life balance. As part of this mission she runs a knitting group for students, one of whom got in touch with me and suggested that she'd make a great interviewee for the podcast!

Shona

Instagram: @shonamasonmakes

Mia

Website: Therapeuticknitting.org

Support the podcast by donating on Patreon

Instagram: @knittingistherapeutic

Mentioned in this episode:

Knitting for Self-Care at Christmas

Visit our website to download the FREE bonus episode of Self-Care One Stitch at a Time focussed on Christmas. Download it now at https://creativerestoration.org/christmas/

Series 5 is coming soon! Jun 12, 2023

I am so sorry that it has taken much longer than planned for Series 5! However I am pleased to announce that episode one will be available this Thursday 15th June.

In the meantime you can listen to all the previous episodes here or on your favourite podcast app.

Mentioned in this episode:

Knitting for Self-Care at Christmas

Visit our website to download the FREE bonus episode of Self-Care One Stitch at a Time focussed on Christmas. Download it now at https://creativerestoration.org/christmas/

Intentional crafting with Marceline of Hey BrownBerry Feb 02, 2023

It was a joy to spend time with Marceline to hear her reflections on her relationship with knitting, how this has changed over time, and how she aims to be more intentional in her making.

Marceline speaks about tuning in to what she needs from her crafts at a given time in her life, and how connecting to 'the old way' of doing things has helped her to navigate the times when something needs to be unravelled.

Marceline

hey BrownBerry YouTube channel: heyBrownBerry

Instagram: @heybrownberry

Etsy: heybrownberry

Ravelry: heybrownberry

Mia

Patreon: WhyIKnit

Instagram: @knittingistherapeutic

Mentioned in this episode:

Knitting for Self-Care at Christmas

Visit our website to download the FREE bonus episode of Self-Care One Stitch at a Time focussed on Christmas. Download it now at https://creativerestoration.org/christmas/

Reclaiming something for myself with Andrea Lui the Knitting PT Jan 26, 2023

Andrea is a physical therapist and passionate knitter who is perfectly placed to provide professional advice on what to do when we suffer pain when knitting, and how to prevent it in future.

Andrea speaks about how she returned to knitting as a new mum, and how it helped her to find a few minutes each day to do something for herself. She also shares her reflections as a physiotherapist on her important role in helping crafters to find ways of accessing their crafts in a sustainable way.

Andrea

Website: Andrea Lui

Instagram: @theknittingpt

Patreon: The Knitting PT

Youtube: The Knitting PT

Mia

Website: Podcast | Why I Knit Podcast (therapeuticknitting.org)

Patreon: Why I Knit Patreon

Instagram: @knittingistherapeutic

Mentioned in this episode:

Knitting for Self-Care at Christmas

Visit our website to download the FREE bonus episode of Self-Care One Stitch at a Time focussed on Christmas. Download it now at https://creativerestoration.org/christmas/

Knitting for calm and connection with Kaleb James Jan 19, 2023

Kaleb decided to return to knitting during the pandemic as a way of managing anxiety and to feel connected to his mum who had been a prolific knitter. Kaleb speaks about finding that knitting allowed them to slow down, feel calmer and connected to a different community of people.

Kaleb

Instagram: @all_things_kaleb

Mia

Patreon: Why I Knit

Instagram: @knittingistherapeutic

Mentioned in this episode:

Knitting for Self-Care at Christmas

Visit our website to download the FREE bonus episode of Self-Care One Stitch at a Time focussed on Christmas. Download it now at https://creativerestoration.org/christmas/

A happy dance with my hands with Lisa Silver Jan 12, 2023

I knew I wanted to interview Lisa for the podcast when I heard her speaking about her experience of having ADHD on Irina Shaar's 'Humans of Westknits' series during the recent Westknits mystery knit along.

As someone who isn't great at just sitting and watching TV or listening to something, I feel knitting improves my ability to sit and focus and was interested to hear how Lisa felt about this.

Lisa also speaks about her lifelong love of colour; not always wanting to wear the things she wants to knit; and being someone who always aims to be the best at the things she does.

Mentioned in this episode:

Knitting for Self-Care at Christmas

Visit our website to download the FREE bonus episode of Self-Care One Stitch at a Time focussed on Christmas. Download it now at https://creativerestoration.org/christmas/

Something that meets me where I am with Ailie the Thoughtful Knitter Jan 05, 2023

Ailie hosts the Thoughtful Knitter YouTube channel. She speaks about returning to knitting in recent years as her health problems meant that she wasn't able to connect with friends and family in the same way.

Ailie speaks about her journey from a slightly reluctant knitter to someone who knits every day and focuses more on the process than the end product.

Ailie

YouTube: The Thoughtful Knitter

Instagram: The Thoughtful Knitter

Mia

Patreon: Why I Knit

Instagram: @knittingistherapeutic

Mentioned in this episode:

Knitting for Self-Care at Christmas

Visit our website to download the FREE bonus episode of Self-Care One Stitch at a Time focussed on Christmas. Download it now at https://creativerestoration.org/christmas/

Being a part of history with Irina Shaar Dec 22, 2022

You can tell by the way Irina Shaar interviews knitters and other fibre artists that she loves connecting with people and finding out how they tick, so it was brilliant to hear her story and to get the chance to find out what she has learned from interviewing hundreds of knitters about their craft.

Irina

You can watch Fiberchats on YouTube here: Fiberchats

Instagram: @Fiberchats

Mia

Patreon: Why I Knit

Instagram: @knittingistherapeutic

Mentioned in this episode:

Knitting for Self-Care at Christmas

Visit our website to download the FREE bonus episode of Self-Care One Stitch at a Time focussed on Christmas. Download it now at https://creativerestoration.org/christmas/

Knitting as a safe space with Ellen of Sew and Inspire Dec 15, 2022

Ellen is a pretty inspiring 16 year old! She sews and knits and already seems to have figured out how to use these crafts intentionally to manage the times when she is struggling with low mood or anxiety. She also speaks about how craft helps her connect to family members and has been passed down through the generations in her family.

Ellen

Instagram: @sewandinspire

Etsy shop: Sew and inspire

Mia

Patreon for healthcare workers: Why I Knit

Instagram: @knittingistherapeutic

Mentioned in this episode:

Knitting for Self-Care at Christmas

Visit our website to download the FREE bonus episode of Self-Care One Stitch at a Time focussed on Christmas. Download it now at https://creativerestoration.org/christmas/

Series 4 coming soon! Dec 05, 2022

Series 4 is coming on 15th December! Sorry for the long wait and thanks for your patience. I am looking forward to sharing these 7 new conversations with you.

If you have guest suggestions, please send me an email at mia@therapeuticknitting.org or message me on Instagram where I am @knittingistherapeutic

You can also sign up to my mailing list to find out more about my work at www.therapeuticknitting.org

Mentioned in this episode:

Knitting for Self-Care at Christmas

Visit our website to download the FREE bonus episode of Self-Care One Stitch at a Time focussed on Christmas. Download it now at https://creativerestoration.org/christmas/

Creating something from nothing with Sylvia Watts-Cherry Aug 04, 2022

Sylvia Watts-Cherry is a knitwear designer and teacher who is probably best known for her colourful intarsia designs. I love listening to other people talk about knitting, and was really drawn to Sylvia's description of her Paragon sweater design as being a 'happy knit' and the idea that intarsia feels therapeutic for her as she doesn't have time to think....something I relate to!

I also loved hearing Sylvia speak about a different way in which knitting has been therapeutic for her, in allowing her a way of exploring and connecting to her African heritage, by taking inspiration from African jewellery and artefacts for her knitwear designs.

Sylvia Watts-Cherry

Instagram: @withcherriesontoptoo

Ravelry: Sylvia Watts-Cherry

Mia Hobbs

Patreon: Why I Knit Podcast

Instagram: @knittingistherapeutic

Mentioned in this episode:

Knitting for Self-Care at Christmas

Visit our website to download the FREE bonus episode of Self-Care One Stitch at a Time focussed on Christmas. Download it now at https://creativerestoration.org/christmas/

Something beautiful in every day with Dr Jen Unwin Jul 28, 2022

Dr Jen Unwin is a clinical and health psychologist who after retiring from her NHS role is now working with people with food addictions. She is a lifelong knitter who has herself found that knitting is an important part of her own self-care and because of this has also used knitting to benefit others as part of her work.

You can find out more:

Dr Jen Unwin

Instagram: @Jen_unwin

Twitter: @jen_unwin

Dr Mia Hobbs

website: therapeuticknitting.org

Patreon: Why I Knit Podcast

Instagram: @knittingistherapeutic

Mentioned in this episode:

Knitting for Self-Care at Christmas

Visit our website to download the FREE bonus episode of Self-Care One Stitch at a Time focussed on Christmas. Download it now at https://creativerestoration.org/christmas/

Creating something meaningful with Eileen Jack Jul 20, 2022

Eileen has been a knitter since she was a child, but returned to it recently during a challenging time in her life. She discovered a new love for knitting and has now started to create her own designs. Eileen speaks about how knitting has been a form of self-expression, and how she rarely keeps the things she knits, but she loves planning the perfect gift for someone....even if she has never met them.

Eileen Jack

Instagram: @cniotaillaimhe - follow the link in Eileen's bio to buy her patterns on Ravelry or Payhip

Mia Hobbs

website: therapeuticknitting.org

Join our Patreon community: Why I Knit on Patreon

Instagram: @knittingistherapeutic

Mentioned in this episode:

Knitting for Self-Care at Christmas

Visit our website to download the FREE bonus episode of Self-Care One Stitch at a Time focussed on Christmas. Download it now at https://creativerestoration.org/christmas/

Knitting for compassion, connection and creativity with Dr Paula Redmond Jul 14, 2022

Dr Paula Redmond is a clinical psychologist who specialises in working with healthcare professionals who have experienced burnout or workplace trauma. Paula and I met through the world of psychology, and I was delighted to meet another clinical psychologist who knits, and also speaks about creativity, including knitting, in her work. Paula speaks about her personal journey with knitting and how it benefits her mental wellbeing, as well as how she believes it can be helpful to her clients.

Dr Paula Redmond

Website: Paularedmond.com

LinkedIn: Paula Redmond

Facebook: Paula Redmond

Twitter: Paula Redmond

Dr Mia Hobbs

Instagram: @knittingistherapeutic

Patreon: Why I Knit Podcast

Mentioned in this episode:

Knitting for Self-Care at Christmas

Visit our website to download the FREE bonus episode of Self-Care One Stitch at a Time focussed on Christmas. Download it now at https://creativerestoration.org/christmas/

Knitting is just something just for me with Liz McNeil Jul 07, 2022

This week I am joined by Liz McNeil. Liz is a knitting coach who works for Knit Chats where she helps knitters with their knitting dilemmas and teaches classes about different techniques. Liz speaks about how knitting has helped her through the challenges of having small children, when finding tiny pockets of time for herself was particularly difficult. She also speaks about how knitting allowed her to access a community despite her frequent house moves.

Liz speaks about the following patterns:

Turtle knits Picky pants Ravelry: Picky Pants pattern by Theresa Belville

Bee keeper quilt Ravelry:the beekeeper's quilt pattern by tiny owl knits

Liz McNeil

Instagram: @weelittleknitter

Instagram: @KnitChats

Mia Hobbs

Patreon: Why I Knit Podcast is creating A podcast about how knitting benefits our well-being | Patreon

Instagram: @knittingistherapeutic

Come to our retreat on 1st October for GPs in London: Creative Restoration

Mentioned in this episode:

Knitting for Self-Care at Christmas

Visit our website to download the FREE bonus episode of Self-Care One Stitch at a Time focussed on Christmas. Download it now at https://creativerestoration.org/christmas/

The origins of Project Knitwell with Carol Caparosa Jun 30, 2022

Although Carol Caprosa doesn't consider herself to be an 'expert knitter' she, along with the many volunteers working on behalf of Project Knitwell have brought the gift of knitting to thousands of people during stressful times in their lives.

It was amazing to hear the origin story of Project Knitwell, how returning to knitting when her daughter was very unwell as a newborn baby gave Carol the idea of teaching other people in hospital to knit.

Carol Caparosa

To find out more about Project Knitwell: Welcome! - Project Knitwell

Mia Hobbs

To find out more about therapeutic knitting visit my website: therapeuticknitting.org

Follow me on Instagram: @knittingistherapeutic

To find out more about our retreat for GPs on 1st October visit Creative restoration

Mentioned in this episode:

Knitting for Self-Care at Christmas

Visit our website to download the FREE bonus episode of Self-Care One Stitch at a Time focussed on Christmas. Download it now at https://creativerestoration.org/christmas/

Storytelling in Knitting with Karie Westermann Jun 23, 2022

It was such a pleasure to meet Karie and speak to her about how she learned to knit and dressmake out of necessity as a very young child in rural Denmark. Then many years later, knitting helped her to recover from a serious illness and returning to it eventually lead to her career as a knitwear designer, teacher and writer.

I loved hearing about the importance of storytelling in Karie's designs, and particularly the way she talks about knitting as agency.

Karie mentions her Doggerland collection

Karie Westermann

kariebookish.net

Instagram: @kariebookish

Mia Hobbs

therapeuticknitting.org

Instagram: @knittingistherapeutic

If you are interested in the Creative Restoration retreat for GPs on 1st October please visit Creative Restoration to find out more information and to book your space.

Mentioned in this episode:

Knitting for Self-Care at Christmas

Visit our website to download the FREE bonus episode of Self-Care One Stitch at a Time focussed on Christmas. Download it now at https://creativerestoration.org/christmas/

Trailer Series 3 Jun 10, 2022

Series 3 is coming on 23rd June!

I am so looking forward to sharing another series of 6 conversations with knitters, designers and even another psychologist.

You can catch up on all the previous episodes at the website: Podcast | Why I Knit Podcast (therapeuticknitting.org)

Mentioned in this episode:

Knitting for Self-Care at Christmas

Visit our website to download the FREE bonus episode of Self-Care One Stitch at a Time focussed on Christmas. Download it now at https://creativerestoration.org/christmas/

Knitting for a sense of achievement with Liz O'Riordan Apr 14, 2022

CW: discussion of cancer, loss of fertility and depression

Liz O'Riordan is a breast surgeon who has herself experienced cancer, twice. She now works as a speaker, author and podcaster providing high quality and accessible information about cancer from her expertise as both a doctor and a patient.

Liz is also a lifelong knitter and more recently a sewer. Although Liz said that she often thinks that knitting is 'just something I do', throughout our conversation it becomes clear that knitting has accompanied Liz through some difficult times in her life and provided her with a sense of achievement, of comfort and a way of showing affection to her loved ones.

You can find out more about Liz's work at her website

Follow Liz on Twitter or Instagram

Find out more about the podcast and therapeutic knitting at the website where you can also sign up to the newsletter.

Follow Mia on Instagram

Mentioned in this episode:

Knitting for Self-Care at Christmas

Visit our website to download the FREE bonus episode of Self-Care One Stitch at a Time focussed on Christmas. Download it now at https://creativerestoration.org/christmas/

The magic of turning an idea into reality with Clare Mountain-Manipon Apr 07, 2022

Clare is a knitting pattern designer and design mentor. She learned to knit as a teenager and studied knitwear design but after working in the commercial fashion industry has found her niche designing patterns and helping other people learn to make their designs into reality.

It was great to hear the perspective of a pattern designer, as Clare loves being able to turn her ideas into tangible objects.

Find out more about Clare at her website: Sister Mountain

Follow her on Instagram @sistermountain

Find out more about the podcast and therapeutic knitting at my website

Follow Mia on Instagram @knittingistherapeutic

Mentioned in this episode:

Knitting for Self-Care at Christmas

Visit our website to download the FREE bonus episode of Self-Care One Stitch at a Time focussed on Christmas. Download it now at https://creativerestoration.org/christmas/

Knitting in cancer care with Susan Yaguda Mar 31, 2022

TW: Cancer and bereavement

Susan Yaguda is passionate about knitting as a form self-care. She is an oncology nurse who has used knitting with both staff and patients at the Cancer Institute in Charlotte, North Carolina. These have included setting up a knitting group for people who are receiving chemotherapy and developing a study into whether knitting can help with the symptoms of 'chemobrain' (problems with memory and thinking after chemotherapy).

We also speak about the importance of supporting health care staff particularly since the pandemic, and the potential for offering knitting as a self-care intervention to prevent burnout.

You can find the full transcript for this episode on the blog.

You can follow Susan on Instagram @knitforhealth

Find out more about Project Knitwell

Find out more about the podcast at the website

Follow Mia on Instagram @knittingistherapeutic

Mentioned in this episode:

Knitting for Self-Care at Christmas

Visit our website to download the FREE bonus episode of Self-Care One Stitch at a Time focussed on Christmas. Download it now at https://creativerestoration.org/christmas/

The power of colour with Milli Abrams Mar 24, 2022

It was an absolute pleasure to speak to Milli about her relationship with knitting. Right now she is the owner of Tribe Yarns, a yarn shop in Richmond-upon-Thames in London but she has also circumnavigated the globe on a yacht with her family and worked with Richard Branson as his CFO. Knitting has been a constant through all her adventures.

Milli also has a qualification in Applied Colour Psychology, and I really enjoyed learning about the theory behind how different colours can impact our mood and energy levels. Since experiencing Hurricane Irma, Milli tries not to become attached to material possessions, so she is also the ultimate process knitter! She is not afraid of ripping back to make something exactly the way she wants it, Milli rarely keeps her own knits, and never knits the same thing twice.....this includes socks!

You can see the full transcript for this episode on the blog.

You can follow Milli on Instagram at @tribeyarnslife

Website: Tribe Yarns

Follow Mia on Instagram @knittingistherapeutic

Website: Therapeutic Knitting

Mentioned in this episode:

Knitting for Self-Care at Christmas

Visit our website to download the FREE bonus episode of Self-Care One Stitch at a Time focussed on Christmas. Download it now at https://creativerestoration.org/christmas/

The magic of creating with Casey Bernard Mar 17, 2022

This week I was excited to be joined by Casey Bernard, who is one half of the Very Pink Knits podcast. I have listened to this podcast for several years now and particularly enjoy the conversations that Casey and Staci have about the differences between them and their relationship to their knitting and the dilemma of 'process versus project' knitting.

To find the full transcript see the blog post

To follow Casey on Instagram: @kc.knits

Her website is: kcknits.com

Follow Mia: @knittingistherapeutic