Have you ever stressed yourself our by overcommitting to gift knitting? Do you end up being exhausted by the festive season? Then we have a bonus episode for you! Subscribe to the Creative Restoration newletter here to receive our bonus episode as soon as it is released on 14th November to help you keep your self-care on track during Christmas, and continue to use knitting to benefit your mental wellbeing. This is the final episode in series 7 - thank you so much for listening! Joining me...

Carole Wyatt is a cancer doctor who has been diagnosed with advanced breast cancer. She speaks about using knitting to cope with the difficult days, and also to create a handknitted legacy to pass down to her future grandchildren. Mia Hobbs Find out about our NEW Audio Course Self-Care One Stitch at a Time Sign up to the newsletter to be the first to know about new episodes: www.therapeuticknitting.org Instagram: @knittingistherapeutic Mentioned in this episode: Knitting for Self-Care at...

Tamanna is a nurse practioner and multi-crafter who works in the field of mental health. Tamanna joins me to speak about her own journey to knitting, sewing and embroidery, how this connects her to family traditions and her values of sustainability and ethical production of clothing. She also speaks about she uses fibre arts to benefit the mental health of herself and others. Tamanna Rahman Instagram: @slow.work.sewing Website: slow.work.sewing Mia Hobbs Find out about our NEW Audio Course...

Whitney is a plus size knitter and YouTuber who is passionate about taking back the power to create clothes she loves in colours she enjoys. She speaks about how knitting has helped her to love the body she has, rather than feel that she to change her body to fit the clothes she can buy. Whitney Swinimer Whitney's website: knittedbywhitney YouTube: Knitted by Whitney Whitney's article on how knitting helped her to fall in love with her body Instagram: @knittedbywhitney Mia Hobbs Find out...

Elena Lo Presti is the founder and director of Craft Forward, which is a not-for-profit organisation that provides accessible, creative, experiences suitable for everyone, regardless of their skills and background. Their aim is to disrupt the current elitism within the arts and crafts world and open creativity to all through workshops with a clear social impact. Elena joins me to speak about her own personal story learning to knit as a way of connecting with her grandmother during the...

Christina Socorro Yovovich is a writer, knitter and multi-crafter. Christina speaks about how since being diagnosed with bipolar disorder, she had struggled to access joy without worrying about whether this was a sign that she was becoming unwell. She explains how returning to knitting has allowed her to access a safe and more grounded form of joy in her daily life. Christina Socorro Yovovich website: Christina Socorro Yovovich YouTube:...

Victoria Marchant is an inclusive knitwear designer who puts size inclusivity at the heart of all her designs. Her latest design, the Padstow Cardigan will be released on October 18th. Victoria Marchant Website: www.victoriamarchantknits.com Instagram: @victoriamarchantknits Mia Hobbs Find out about our NEW Audio Course Self-Care One Stitch at a Time Sign up to the newsletter to be the first to know about new episodes: www.therapeuticknitting.org Instagram: @knittingistherapeutic  Mentioned...

Samantha Moore is a filmmaker and animator who directed the BAFTA nominated animated film 'Visible Mending' which is about the ways we repair ourselves through knitting. If you haven't seen Sam's brilliant film, you can watch the film at Sam's Vimeo channel here: Visible Mending Follow Sam on Instagram: @sammooreanimate Mia Hobbs Find out about our NEW Audio Course Self-Care One Stitch at a Time Sign up to the newsletter to be the first to know about new episodes:...

In this bonus episode Dr Claire Plumbly, Clinical Psychologist and EMDR specialist joins me to discuss what the theory behind EMDR can tell us about why we find the hand movements of knitting so therapeutic. Claire Plumbly Buy her book:  https://www.drclaireplumbly.com/burnout-book www.drclaireplumbly.com Instagram: @drclaireplumbly Mia Hobbs Find out about our NEW Audio Course Self-Care One Stitch at a Time Sign up to the newsletter to be the first to know about new episodes:...

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 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/

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 -...

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...

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...

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...

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 Mentioned in this episode: Knitting for Self-Care at Christmas Visit our website to...

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...

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 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...

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...

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,...

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...

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...

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...

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.