More memoir than exposition, I struggled with this book. The use of the collective "we" throughout was off-putting and a constant "we feel..." felt pushy and presumptive. It was okay, but not what I was looking.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for access to this e-ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Any knitter will tell you that the time they spend crafting something with their needles is a meditative time. This book is a celebration of that. Part memoir, part history, part self-help guide, this book is great for anyone wanting to knit and combine it with a mindfulness practice.

This would be a great gift for both beginner and seasoned knitters who want to use their craft to benefit their personal well-being. I really enjoyed the unique way Rachael Matthews brought the principles of knitting and mindfulness together.

Rachael shares her personal stories connected to the craft, interesting history, and inspiring exercises to help you focus on the moment as you knit and take care of yourself. Recommended.

Not what I expected. I wanted a book more about knitting and less about mindfulness, but since I'm not a fan of self help books the blame is all on me.

I had seen this book mentioned in various knitting magazines so thought I’d give it a try. I wish I hadn’t. As a long time knitter, I am fully aware of how relaxing and rewarding knitting can be. I am also aware of how it feels when a pattern goes wrong….which for me, is the furthest from relaxing it can be.
There were ‘exercises’ that were printed on pages with grey drawings on, which for me, were impossible to read.
I also felt that advice like hold the ball of wool and think about various bits of it are likely to send my nearest and dearest into fits of laughter and would confirm I had finally lost what plot I ever had!
There is no guide to knitting, you will not learn how to knit. But, if you’re that way inclined, you may learn how to ‘feel’ about your craft. To be honest, I’m not bothered but some may want that.

Mindfullness in Knitting is an interesting read for anyone who wants to explore the concept implied in the title. While I was disappointed that there wasn't knitting patterns or projects in the book, it was very well written. I would also liked to have more guided activities on how to achieve this as I felt it was more conversational than instructional. Overall, this is a good read for someone who is experienced in knitting and wants to understand the potential health benefits.

This was a NetGalley review.

This was an interesting book, a good meditation on knitting and I liked the author’s language. I think this is a good book for any knitter who wants to delve deeper into their craft or a newbie knitter who wants to see something more they can do with knitting.

I wanted to love this book. I have enjoyed knitting for many years, and several years ago with a depression diagnosis started knitting during meetings and church services as a way to help keep my mind engaged with what was going on as it helped to keep my mind from wandering. In this way, I have been using mindful knitting for a while.
I found this book thought to be hard to engage with. It was very difficult for me to get into, and I found myself to be slogging through it. I also don't find it to have been particularly memorable or impactful. I didn't find this book to be helpful for my own practice of mindful knitting, other than knowing that I'm not alone in doing this, and I don't think I would recommend it to others.
It did seem to have some good research behind it which is why I did give it the stars I did.
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in return for my honest review.

A really lovely and warm connection between craft and soul, I enjoyed my time with this one. The focus on patience, learning from others, and being still and present with the craft of knitting was really powerful. I recommend to anyone who enjoys fiber arts!

Simple clear instructions. Relaxing projects. Beginners and advanced knitters will enjoy this book. Thank you net galley for access to an ARC.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley. All the ranty opinions below re y own.

This book is word salad. Here is the introduction:

From the origins of societies natural evolution, two ancient cultures have emerged, guiding the way for our heads, hearts and hands. One of these cultures is knitting, or to be more descriptive, the addictive habit of forming a soft textile with your hands. the other culture is mindfulness, or as I like to think of it, a childlike love of hooking up with your inner being...

What? Maybe look up what culture means. This book fails to site knitting in any real historical space, and continually makes sweeping generalisations. There are a whole lot of words that don't mean very much. What made me nope out was when the racism started. Yes, it's white woman racism, but it's still icky. Rachel says she went to Uzbekistan and saw the pitfalls of cotton production, including child labour and the environmental impact. But "I was relieved to find there were still beautiful local fabrics for tourists to buy... The crafts were very much alive even (sic) many of the people weren't." Excuse me? Then she exoticises India and says that Eskimos have lots of word for snow, a statement that is ignorant, if not outright racist. Anyway, by this point I was pretty ragey and gave up on this book.

This title is part of a series that explores the many ways in which mindfulness can become a part of one’s life. I previously reviewed a title on gardening. This book is about the ways in which knitting can offer both craft and a quiet time for focus and reflection.

The reader’s guide is an experienced knitter. At the very beginning of the book she notes that knitting offers an “informal” meditation space while connecting its practitioners to an ancient craft. Matthews observes that the repetition inherent in knitting stitches calms and soothes. This makes it a good partner for mindfulness practice.

It is clear that knitting has been important to Matthews and she wants to share her love of this art with the reader. She offers her personal insights and also discusses how knitting may be a good activity for her audience. Its connection with mindfulness can begin with paying attention to one’s stitches and moves on from there.

Knitters may well enjoy this meditation and non-knitters may want to consider picking up a pair of needles. Many thanks to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group for this title. All opinions are my own.

As someone who knits on a daily basis and has done for years I found The Mindfulness of Knitting a truly interesting read.

I really enjoyed how the author mixed anecdotes and factual tidbits with practical exercises to help guide you through more mindful practices.

I've been knitting for about 55 years, and for most of that time I have found it to be a meditative craft. A few years ago following a bereavement I feel it was the only thing that kept me grounded; I would often feel as though all parts of me were scattered and the act of creating something with my needles brought me back into one piece. I consider knitting to be as good a form of meditation as any.

So, this book would appear to be aimed right at me. Oh, and I forgot to say I love books on knitting - its history, the different techniques and experiences of knitters around the world. So again, this book seemed right up my street.

So why did I find it so disappointing? The author clearly has a lot of experience and writes well. But I'm not actually sure who would read this and what the purpose would be. I don't think it would appeal to beginner knitters, who are surely more interested in techniques, yarns and patterns. The author talks about the readers as designers, yet most knitters I know follow patterns written by others. The author did include some interesting reflections on colours and textures, and there were some reflective exercises although I didn't think that these fit together very well.

I think perhaps I was looking for more discussion on the mindfulness process in knitting. I would like to understand why knitting keeps me grounded and this book wasn't the book to do this. There were opportunities in the 5 Dharma section but there wasn't much depth there. I wondered if the author was constrained by the format of the book, as it was part of a series (I don't know as I haven't read any of the others).

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an e-copy of this book for review.

An interesting look at knitting as a hobby as a mindful act.I enjoyed reading the.author’s discussion of her starting knitting at a young age to bring her comfort when she went off to boarding school.Thisis an overview of knitting and the calm joy it an bring.#netgalley #quartobooks.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5484460472

Published: 2016, republished in 2023

How I discovered: NetGalley

What I liked: There were some good tidbits in here that helped me take a more mindful approach to my knitting and crochet. For example, I liked the chapter "Identifying Ourselves with Specific Yarns" and how it made me stop to think about what fibers and colors I've been gravitating toward lately. The idea of finding color inspiration in nature/surroundings (even trash) was inspiring and I think I'll take a moment to think about why I'm choosing my color palettes and projects in the future (rather than just "that's pretty").

What I didn't: I'm not sure this book is really for me - I'm not an overly spiritual person and I don't take time to be mindful or "connect" with things on a deeper level in my everyday life. I found myself skimming some of the more "woo-woo" sections like finding sacred space. It's just not me but may resonate with others.

What I learned: I wouldn't say I learned much, but one piece of advice I will take with me is making sure to stretch my hands and arms while knitting (and taking stretch breaks). I have been noticing pain lately when I'm on a knitting spree and I think listening to my body more is important. I wouldn't necessarily call it "yoga" but physical self-care.

Quote: "The utterly absorbing process of creating textiles provides us with an informal meditation space while connecting us with a heritage we cherish and ultimately a universe we understand."

Recommended: It's a nice book to flip through for avid knitters and crocheters, but I wouldn't classify it as a must-read. If you're building a bookshelf of craft-related books, this could be a fine addition.

It's not the kind of book I would usually read but as an avid knitter and crocheter I was intrigued by the title and was looking forward to reading it. Unfortunately I found it disappointing.

The book itself is very well written and the author obviously has a passion for knitting.

While i found it interesting i would not reccommend this book to experienced knitters. I think maybe I was expecting it to involve some knitting projects This is more of a general mindfulness book with some references to knitting.