Why I Knit

Thanks so much for your questions for the Q&A episode, it has been so interesting to be asked such great questions. Mia Hobbs Find out more at my website: www.therapeuticknitting.org Follow me on Instagram: @knittingistherapeutic

For the final episode of series 6 I am joined by Elizabeth Hammond, also known as The Knitchen on Instagram. Elizabeth describes herself as a knitter, test knitter and dabbling designer. She joins me to speak about turning to knitting to help with her mental health and also during her recovery from a car accident. Thanks so much for listening to the 6th series of the podcast - we have now reached an incredible 100,000 downloads! To celebrate this milestone I am recording a Q&A episode - if you have a question please get in touch! Elizabeth Instagram: @theknitchen Ravelry: Elizabeth Hammond Mia Hobbs Find out more at my website: www.therapeuticknitting.org Follow me on Instagram: @knittingistherapeutic

Ellen describes herself a tech editor and occasional designer who identifies as queer and neurodivergent. She speaks about how knitting feeds her inner engineer and allows her to use some skills that she might otherwise have explored in her career. She also talks about the ways in which knitting helps her to connect to family, friends and a new community. Ellen Website: www.knithow.com Instagram: @knithow Mia Hobbs Find out more at my website: www.therapeuticknitting.org Follow me on Instagram: @knittingistherapeutic

Madison Siegel joins me this week to speak about using knitting as a mindful practice to help her to step back from and notice her thoughts rather than be caught up in them. She speaks about having a diagnosis of ADHD and feeling anxious after the birth of her second child, and how knitting has been part of finding balance and allowing herself to take up space. Madison doesn't have a public Instagram account. Mia Hobbs Find out more at my website: www.therapeuticknitting.org Follow me on Instagram: @knittingistherapeutic

Susie Bass is a researcher studying a PHD in the relationship between power, identity and mental health through craft. Susie is a knitter and multi-crafter and during our discussion she speaks about how craft has been a common thread which has helped her to process traumatic events in her life, and to reconstruct herself afterwards. CONTENT WARNING: During our conversation Susie speaks about losing a baby and experiencing a sexual assault. She also speaks about the process of being diagnosed with ADHD and Autism in adulthood. Susie Bass Instagram: @susiebass_anyhow for links to Susie's work Mia Hobbs Find out more at my website: www.therapeuticknitting.org Follow me on Instagram: @knittingistherapeutic

Fran is a bear maker and multi-crafter who is originally from the UK but now lives in the Pyrenees mountains of France. Fran speaks about how craft has helped to negotiate living with chronic illness and a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. Fran Website: Woollenhearted.com Instagram: @woollenhearted Mia Hobbs Find out more at my website: www.therapeuticknitting.org Follow me on Instagram: @knittingistherapeutic

The Loose Ends Project aims to ease grief, create community, and inspire generosity by matching volunteer handwork finishers with projects people have left unfinished due to death or disability. The founders, Masey and Jen join me to discuss their own personal relationships with knitting and the story of how they created the Loose Ends Project. Loose Ends Find out more at their website: www.looseendsproject.org Follow them on Instagram: @looseendsproject Mia Hobbs Find out more at my website: www.therapeuticknitting.org Follow me on Instagram: @knittingistherapeutic

The Why I Knit Podcast is back with series 6 starting on 4th January 2024! Thanks to everyone who has been in touch to ask when the new episodes are coming out - I look forward to sharing 6 more conversations with you from 4th January. Mia Website: therapeuticknitting.org Patreon: patreon.com/therpeuticknitting Instagram: @knittingistherapeutic

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 Mia Website: therapeuticknitting.org Patreon: patreon.com/therpeuticknitting Instagram: @knittingistherapeutic 

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 @madewithlovebytomdaley Mia Website: therapeuticknitting.org Patreon: patreon.com/therpeuticknitting Instagram: @knittingistherapeutic 

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 Mia Website: therapeuticknitting.org Patreon: patreon.com/therpeuticknitting Instagram: @knittingistherapeutic

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 Website: therapeuticknitting.org Patreon: patreon.com/therpeuticknitting Instagram: @knittingistherapeutic

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 Website: www.therapeuticknitting.org Support the podcast on Patreon Instagram: @knittingistherapeutic

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

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.

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 Website: www.therapeuticknitting.org Patreon: WhyIKnit Instagram: @knittingistherapeutic

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

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 Website: www.therapeuticknitting.org Patreon: Why I Knit Instagram: @knittingistherapeutic

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.

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 Website: www.therapeuticknitting.org Patreon: Why I Knit Instagram: @knittingistherapeutic