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The Knitting Sutra: Craft as a Spiritual Practice
"The purpose of meditation is to quiet the mind so that it can sink down into contemplation of its true nature. You cannot stop your mind by an act of will any more than you can stop the beating of your own heart. Some cultures describe mind as a drunken monkey, reeling from place to place with no rhyme or reason. Like meditation/ knitting calms the monkey down....I believe that in the quiet/ repetitive, hypnotic rhythms of creating craft, the inner being may emerge in all its quiet beauty. The very rhythm, of the knitting needles can become as incantatory as a drumbeat or a Gregorian chant." -- from The knitting Sutra Knitting as prayer? Craft as spiritual path? In this wonderfully allusive story of the quest to master a craft, Susan Gordon Lydon's love of knitting and her search for spiritual insight become powerfully and lyrically intertwined. Lydon's journey begins when she knits a turquoise chenille sweater to help a broken bone in her arm "knit." In pursuit of a perfect silver button for her sweater -- and a medicine man for her arm -- she ends up on a Navajo reservation where a community of women live by the proceeds of their craft in a unified cycle of livelihood, art, and spirituality. They remind Lydon of the women on the Shetland Islands who developed classic knitting patterns and of the women who gather at her local yarn shop. From old-fashioned quilting bees to the hundreds of knitters who communicate on the Internet, she recognizes in craftspeople the confluence of self, community, creativity, ritual, and the urge to beautify the everyday. Each new knitting project she begins and every new skill she masters bring her closer to serenity and insight that have sometimes eluded her through years of spiritual explorations. In one passage, her arm healed and her passion for knitting rekindled, Lydon finds herself selling old books and clothes to buy a particularly extravagant yarn. The red sweater it becomes represents the lessons in daring and self-trust she learns while crafting it. Even a bout with cancer ("I particularly didn't want to die because I wanted to finish my Alice Starmore sweater") and the hiatus from knitting a tendinitis diagnosis demands guide her to take the lessons she has learned from knitting -- sitting still, focusing the mind, asking for help -- and apply them to the rest of her life. Dedicated to "all the women who knit too much," Lydon's rich insights will delight and inspire all who seek the extraordinary in the everyday.
158 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1997
7 people are currently reading
491 people want to read
About the author
Susan Gordon Lydon
3 books3 followersSusan Lydon was an American writer, journalist and feminist. She is the author of a memoir about her drug abuse and recovery, two books on knitting and the 1970 essay "The Politics of Orgasm," as well as numerous articles from her work as journalist.
Born in the Bronx, New York, and raised on Long Island, she graduated in history from Vassar College in 1964. She met and married Michael Lydon in 1965, and the two moved to England, where they began careers in journalism. They returned to the United States in 1967. After joining women's consciousness-raising groups, Lydon became a feminist. She penned critiques of male-centered sexuality and divorced her husband in 1971.
Through the 1970s and '80s, Lydon suffered an addiction to drugs, a journey detailed in her 1993 memoir Take the Long Way Home. In the later part of the '80s, she developed a passion for knitting, which became the subject of two nonfiction works.
She died of cancer at 61.
Born in the Bronx, New York, and raised on Long Island, she graduated in history from Vassar College in 1964. She met and married Michael Lydon in 1965, and the two moved to England, where they began careers in journalism. They returned to the United States in 1967. After joining women's consciousness-raising groups, Lydon became a feminist. She penned critiques of male-centered sexuality and divorced her husband in 1971.
Through the 1970s and '80s, Lydon suffered an addiction to drugs, a journey detailed in her 1993 memoir Take the Long Way Home. In the later part of the '80s, she developed a passion for knitting, which became the subject of two nonfiction works.
She died of cancer at 61.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews
February 14, 2009
I was all set to rip this book apart in my review. I was going to put it on my bad-bad-bad shelf and laugh when it wept. But I cannot. Sadly I actually got a few little moments of joy out of this book.
This is a tiny book and really should be read in one chunk some lazy afternoon while you sip hot tea. I made the mistake of reading a little section and then running away screaming. I think the thing I struggled with was the feel-good-tree-hugging-schizophrenic-menopausal-self-absorption that I kept seeing. Yeah. I developed a bit of an attitude problem with this book. Here is the thing. I am a knitter and I am obsessed. Today at work I finished a container of dried prunes (shut up - they are actually really sweet and tasty and I am trying to be HEALTHIER - ok?!?) and I looked at the container and thought it would be perfect for putting double point needles in. I think about knitting in the morning before work. (Should I knit with my coffee today? No - I am too tired - I will mess it up!) I talk about it with strangers at coffee shops and my co-worker. I come home and turn on my computer and go to "my" knitting sight. I lay in bed and think of patterns. You get the point here. (ha!) So when I picked up the book and read the title Knitting Sutra: Craft as a Spiritual Practice I thought it would be more inclusive of other people besides the author. I was only a few pages in when I started feeling like this book was more like a therapy session slash journal entry with research done to boot. Instead of feeling inspired by what the author went through and the teachers she studied with I felt like she was kind of whining about things and too self-absorbed to include her readers in on how her experience relates to them too.
There was the occasional antidote that was relatable - but really it felt like this was one woman’s life story told through the metaphor of knitting with A LOT of religious (mostly Native American and Eastern Religious thought) thrown in to try and force a sense of inclusion.
But I did walk away from this book with a few things. The first thing I got was a good conversation with my husband about how through a craft you are connecting to a culture or an ancestry or even just a single designer of a pattern in a much more dimensional way then we could through just talking to them or knowing of there existences. When I work a knitting pattern I get a sense of the person who wrote it. Usually I pick the pattern for aesthetic value - which means I am already sharing something with the designer. Then I read it to see if I am up to the challenge and if I speak the same language as the author. Then I pick out my yarn and begin working it. There are certain designers who just feel so cold and presumptuous in their patterns. (I can't tell you how often I get excited by a pattern only to be crushed when I see that the designer included crochet instructions for parts of the pattern. And as brilliant as Debbie Bliss is her patterns leave me kind of cold.) Sometimes while working the pattern I see the humor of the author (Stephanie Pearl-McPhee) and sometimes I see how very clever they are. You have to trust the designer to be able to tell you in written word how to do something that is not natural and that you are intimidated by. And when you finish and are successful you like the designer. And if you finish and realize there is an error in the pattern you feel sad and betrayed. (I am looking at you Lion Brand web site!)
Recently my mom gave me some patterns from her basement as she was cleaning and included are some patterns in my great grandma's writing. I feel a NEED to do these patterns even though I have no need for the product. I just want to walk in her shoes and feel the connection.
And I have to say the last couple of chapters in the book were a bit more relatable. Chapter 10 is called Dreaming of Dragons and she talks about this sweater that was insanely hard to make and had dragons all over it and it was just evil to make. But she was driven. She was compelled. She was determined. And she talked about why and I got it. I understood. Ah ha!
There is also a quote (the book is full of homilies and paragraphs destined for cross stitch samplers) that REALLY spoke to me. It's on page 145 and here it is:
Letting go is the lesson. Letting go is always the lesson. Have you ever noticed how much of our agony is all tied up with craving and loss?
I read that and went WHOA. YEAH. It was my moment. 145 pages in and months of wrestling with this book and it got me. I finally had a moment that made me read and reread something over and over and then stare into space and reflect. DAMN. It totally got me.
So in the end I have to show the book a little respect. I can't say I liked it, but it was ok.
This is a tiny book and really should be read in one chunk some lazy afternoon while you sip hot tea. I made the mistake of reading a little section and then running away screaming. I think the thing I struggled with was the feel-good-tree-hugging-schizophrenic-menopausal-self-absorption that I kept seeing. Yeah. I developed a bit of an attitude problem with this book. Here is the thing. I am a knitter and I am obsessed. Today at work I finished a container of dried prunes (shut up - they are actually really sweet and tasty and I am trying to be HEALTHIER - ok?!?) and I looked at the container and thought it would be perfect for putting double point needles in. I think about knitting in the morning before work. (Should I knit with my coffee today? No - I am too tired - I will mess it up!) I talk about it with strangers at coffee shops and my co-worker. I come home and turn on my computer and go to "my" knitting sight. I lay in bed and think of patterns. You get the point here. (ha!) So when I picked up the book and read the title Knitting Sutra: Craft as a Spiritual Practice I thought it would be more inclusive of other people besides the author. I was only a few pages in when I started feeling like this book was more like a therapy session slash journal entry with research done to boot. Instead of feeling inspired by what the author went through and the teachers she studied with I felt like she was kind of whining about things and too self-absorbed to include her readers in on how her experience relates to them too.
There was the occasional antidote that was relatable - but really it felt like this was one woman’s life story told through the metaphor of knitting with A LOT of religious (mostly Native American and Eastern Religious thought) thrown in to try and force a sense of inclusion.
But I did walk away from this book with a few things. The first thing I got was a good conversation with my husband about how through a craft you are connecting to a culture or an ancestry or even just a single designer of a pattern in a much more dimensional way then we could through just talking to them or knowing of there existences. When I work a knitting pattern I get a sense of the person who wrote it. Usually I pick the pattern for aesthetic value - which means I am already sharing something with the designer. Then I read it to see if I am up to the challenge and if I speak the same language as the author. Then I pick out my yarn and begin working it. There are certain designers who just feel so cold and presumptuous in their patterns. (I can't tell you how often I get excited by a pattern only to be crushed when I see that the designer included crochet instructions for parts of the pattern. And as brilliant as Debbie Bliss is her patterns leave me kind of cold.) Sometimes while working the pattern I see the humor of the author (Stephanie Pearl-McPhee) and sometimes I see how very clever they are. You have to trust the designer to be able to tell you in written word how to do something that is not natural and that you are intimidated by. And when you finish and are successful you like the designer. And if you finish and realize there is an error in the pattern you feel sad and betrayed. (I am looking at you Lion Brand web site!)
Recently my mom gave me some patterns from her basement as she was cleaning and included are some patterns in my great grandma's writing. I feel a NEED to do these patterns even though I have no need for the product. I just want to walk in her shoes and feel the connection.
And I have to say the last couple of chapters in the book were a bit more relatable. Chapter 10 is called Dreaming of Dragons and she talks about this sweater that was insanely hard to make and had dragons all over it and it was just evil to make. But she was driven. She was compelled. She was determined. And she talked about why and I got it. I understood. Ah ha!
There is also a quote (the book is full of homilies and paragraphs destined for cross stitch samplers) that REALLY spoke to me. It's on page 145 and here it is:
Letting go is the lesson. Letting go is always the lesson. Have you ever noticed how much of our agony is all tied up with craving and loss?
I read that and went WHOA. YEAH. It was my moment. 145 pages in and months of wrestling with this book and it got me. I finally had a moment that made me read and reread something over and over and then stare into space and reflect. DAMN. It totally got me.
So in the end I have to show the book a little respect. I can't say I liked it, but it was ok.
June 18, 2014
To knit is to be freed from time and the constraints of everyday life. This book is perfect for the devoted knitter, if you don't knit, leave it on the shelf.
There were quite a few places in the book when I was ready for it to move on.......but I found myself highlighting so many areas of the book that in the end I had to give it the 4 stars. In a recent study commissioned by the American Home Sewing & Craft Association, New York Univ. researchers gave subjects simple sewing projects and fitted them with blood pressure monitor cuffs and fingertip electrodes. One the average, heart rate dropped eight beats per minute for beginners and eleven for experienced sewers. This goes with the “forget therapy; just knit” school of stress reduction, and it also mimics some of the better known physiological effects of meditation. Now------off to knit!
There were quite a few places in the book when I was ready for it to move on.......but I found myself highlighting so many areas of the book that in the end I had to give it the 4 stars. In a recent study commissioned by the American Home Sewing & Craft Association, New York Univ. researchers gave subjects simple sewing projects and fitted them with blood pressure monitor cuffs and fingertip electrodes. One the average, heart rate dropped eight beats per minute for beginners and eleven for experienced sewers. This goes with the “forget therapy; just knit” school of stress reduction, and it also mimics some of the better known physiological effects of meditation. Now------off to knit!
January 7, 2012
To tell you the truth, I found the Knitting Sutra to be a mixed experience. On one hand, I am not that familiar with most of the spiritual paths that the author discusses or references. And there are times when the tone of those discussions gets to be a bit much, like a sort of spiritual name-dropping which got a bit annoying at times.
Having said that, there were some jewels scattered through the book that made it a fascinating read. Sometimes, those bright moments were spelled out in the book and sometimes they were just thought-provoking little sparks that sent my mind out on its own line of thinking but I came away from the book with a lot to ponder, like:
- The concept of knitting (or craft in general) as a sort of meditation or prayer... teaching you to be still, aware, and to take each moment as it comes. There was a comparison between the stitch by stitch motion of knitting and praying with rosary beads which I just loved.
- The fact that while there is value to learning from many different sources, that ultimately, you need to tailor and adapt what you know and what you do to your own situation and needs.
- Permission to make mistakes and embrace the imperfect in yourself and in the things you do
- The theory that in order to make a garment for yourself, you must really be accurately aware of your body, with all its individuality and imperfections. As someone who has struggled with body image and awareness, I find the idea that knitting for yourself as a path to self-awareness fascinating. I also love the idea that once you have that accurate view of yourself, you choose to spend time, effort and money to make something beautiful for yourself. It seems like it could be therapy and self-validation all wrapped up in one.
- The belief that "If we are indeed made in the image of our Creator, it stands to reason that we are most like that Creator when we are creating something ourselves."
While, I may not have connected to the authors own philosophical knitting journey on a personal level, I was glad to have read the Knitting Sutra for its contribution to my own.
Having said that, there were some jewels scattered through the book that made it a fascinating read. Sometimes, those bright moments were spelled out in the book and sometimes they were just thought-provoking little sparks that sent my mind out on its own line of thinking but I came away from the book with a lot to ponder, like:
- The concept of knitting (or craft in general) as a sort of meditation or prayer... teaching you to be still, aware, and to take each moment as it comes. There was a comparison between the stitch by stitch motion of knitting and praying with rosary beads which I just loved.
- The fact that while there is value to learning from many different sources, that ultimately, you need to tailor and adapt what you know and what you do to your own situation and needs.
- Permission to make mistakes and embrace the imperfect in yourself and in the things you do
- The theory that in order to make a garment for yourself, you must really be accurately aware of your body, with all its individuality and imperfections. As someone who has struggled with body image and awareness, I find the idea that knitting for yourself as a path to self-awareness fascinating. I also love the idea that once you have that accurate view of yourself, you choose to spend time, effort and money to make something beautiful for yourself. It seems like it could be therapy and self-validation all wrapped up in one.
- The belief that "If we are indeed made in the image of our Creator, it stands to reason that we are most like that Creator when we are creating something ourselves."
While, I may not have connected to the authors own philosophical knitting journey on a personal level, I was glad to have read the Knitting Sutra for its contribution to my own.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 1, 2022
While cleaning my studio space, dusting many art and craft books, I came across this book that Rachel had gifted me in 1997, after I taught her how to knit. I decided to reread it. After 15 years, it has held up and not appeared outdated. There is a spiritual aspect to the book, based on the writer's journey. After starting it, I googled the author to see if she was still writing and found she had died of cancer in 2005. I read the book from a different perspective from that point. Her history is interesting. She was one of the founders of Rolling Stone magazine and a recovered heroin addict. Her book about that journey is "Take the Long Way Home". She credits her craft of knitting as helping her heal from addiction. Part of the story in this book is being diagnosed with cancer in 1994. That cancer was successfully removed. Her knitting and spiritual quest are both explored in this book. What I found interesting is though the book is centered on her knitting journey, a reader could easily substitute any passion and find their own meaning in the pages. I am happy I reread it.
October 22, 2009
I love the concept of knitting as a spiritual practice and absolutely truly believe that. Unfortunately, I don't think the final product of this book lived up to the promise. It wasn't advertised as a memoir but that's exactly what it was. And unfortunately, it was a memoir of the "I can't relate" variety.
March 5, 2026
Thank you Meg for giving me this book!!! It was perfect for this time in my life where I'm both trying to connect more to my spiritual/religious beliefs and am knitting a TON. Got emotional throughout thinking about how learning handcrafts allows you to connect with cultures across time and space.
"Consider a grandmother knitting a sweater for a grandchild just coming into the world. Into the stitches for that sweater go all the grandmother's prayers for a safe delivery, all of her good feelings about the child and its parents. The work itself is a prayer for the safety and wellbeing of mother and child, a labor of love, a ritual welcoming of new life inside the extended family or tribe."
"Any craftsperson, when setting out to make something, connects to a heritage so ancient and broad based that it makes the mind reel. Handcrafts connect one to the physical world and to the spiritual worlds as well...the hands of knitters and craftspeople spin tales of creation, life, death, genealogy, and history; they connect us to the heavens, the ages, and the earth itself at once. To knit is to be freed from time and the constraints of everyday life, to take our place at the table of the ancients, to claim citizenship of the entire planetary culture and relationship with the widest community of people from the present and past".
"Consider a grandmother knitting a sweater for a grandchild just coming into the world. Into the stitches for that sweater go all the grandmother's prayers for a safe delivery, all of her good feelings about the child and its parents. The work itself is a prayer for the safety and wellbeing of mother and child, a labor of love, a ritual welcoming of new life inside the extended family or tribe."
"Any craftsperson, when setting out to make something, connects to a heritage so ancient and broad based that it makes the mind reel. Handcrafts connect one to the physical world and to the spiritual worlds as well...the hands of knitters and craftspeople spin tales of creation, life, death, genealogy, and history; they connect us to the heavens, the ages, and the earth itself at once. To knit is to be freed from time and the constraints of everyday life, to take our place at the table of the ancients, to claim citizenship of the entire planetary culture and relationship with the widest community of people from the present and past".
December 1, 2020
I read this book to honor the memory of my dear friend and knitting and reading partner, Joanne Deardorff. She bought this book for me several years ago and I never got around to reading it.
It's an easy read, but if you're not a knitter I doubt you will like it.
I liked it.
It's an easy read, but if you're not a knitter I doubt you will like it.
I liked it.
March 23, 2009
This book approaches knitting as a spiritual exercise, sort of moving meditation. I have thought of spinning as meditation for a long time, but I can see how the other would translate as well.
Its always interesting, to me at least, to "listen" to someone's hunt for enlightenment and see what they come up with or where they hunt.
This is a quick read, also read in a day this weekend. Yay for Spring Break!
Its always interesting, to me at least, to "listen" to someone's hunt for enlightenment and see what they come up with or where they hunt.
This is a quick read, also read in a day this weekend. Yay for Spring Break!
February 5, 2008
A spiritual quest that starts with knitting but winds through many avenues of women, relationships, creativity, and craft. Since I have often though of knitting and embroidery as forms of meditation I was intrigued by the discoveries the author made in her own travels,
October 15, 2012
I'm giving myself permission to knit more and to not feel like I have to multitask. Knitting is enough!
March 24, 2015
I love reading books on knitting and how knitting heals...
January 30, 2018
Disclaimer: I'm not actually a knitter. I mean, I knit, but I am in no means an actual knitter. It doesn't stop me from enjoying stories related to knitting.
Initially, I thought this would be a more of a workbook that would help guide you through spiritual knitting. When I deciding whether or not to take this book out of the library, I read a snippet. Nope, it seemed to be largely a memoir. Admittedly, I was a bit disappointed but like I said, I enjoy stories related to knitting.
Lydon seems to be a very spiritual person. I didn't expect a knitter would be crossing the country seeking guidance from spiritual leaders. It was a bit out of the ordinary but I quickly grew to wish I had known Hayat and Jimmy and the likes. Lydon seems like a very well traveled and knowing person so I enjoyed following her around in her attempts to make peace with the spiritual.
Of course, the main lesson of the story is mindfulness. The main reason why I felt this book didn't satisfy me was because I didn't necessary learn anything new. While I do like how Lyndon approaches mindfulness, I was still left for wanting more.
What I appreciated the most however was her advice on knowing yourself. Several times throughout the book, Lyndon refers to making sweaters that never really appear like she thought they would. The sleeves would turn out too big or the garment would be slipping off her shoulders. It was best to make your own tweaks to patterns so that whatever you were making was fit for you. And mistakes were okay. Arabic weavers would often put in mistakes into their works because "Nothing but Allah is perfect." I thought that was a good metaphor.
Initially, I thought this would be a more of a workbook that would help guide you through spiritual knitting. When I deciding whether or not to take this book out of the library, I read a snippet. Nope, it seemed to be largely a memoir. Admittedly, I was a bit disappointed but like I said, I enjoy stories related to knitting.
Lydon seems to be a very spiritual person. I didn't expect a knitter would be crossing the country seeking guidance from spiritual leaders. It was a bit out of the ordinary but I quickly grew to wish I had known Hayat and Jimmy and the likes. Lydon seems like a very well traveled and knowing person so I enjoyed following her around in her attempts to make peace with the spiritual.
Of course, the main lesson of the story is mindfulness. The main reason why I felt this book didn't satisfy me was because I didn't necessary learn anything new. While I do like how Lyndon approaches mindfulness, I was still left for wanting more.
What I appreciated the most however was her advice on knowing yourself. Several times throughout the book, Lyndon refers to making sweaters that never really appear like she thought they would. The sleeves would turn out too big or the garment would be slipping off her shoulders. It was best to make your own tweaks to patterns so that whatever you were making was fit for you. And mistakes were okay. Arabic weavers would often put in mistakes into their works because "Nothing but Allah is perfect." I thought that was a good metaphor.
October 26, 2020
Listen, I don't know how this book even got into my pile of library holds that I ordered, but there it was. Haha. Did I order it? Who knows. I thought that it might be a self-help type book, so I decided I would try it out. I also thought it would be about other crafts and not just about knitting. Wrong on both accounts. It was more of a memoir about a woman who likes to knit.
It was very well written and was a quick read. However, I abandoned it halfway through because ya know what? I'm mean. I generally don't care about other people's lives. I have a hard enough time keeping track of my own. Haha. No, really. There are some lives that I like to read about but lovely knitting lady's wasn't one of them.
I did greatly enjoy her stories about the Navajo nation and am in fact currently reading a book about a Navajo Code Talker. His life I care about. Haha. How complicated my reading rules are! I also liked her mention of Native American beading. I have always loved that tiny beading. When I was a kid, my grandma had a loom to make jewelry with those beads! To be clear, and don't get me wrong, the author seemed like a lovely lady and I'm sure a lot of people could relate.
It was very well written and was a quick read. However, I abandoned it halfway through because ya know what? I'm mean. I generally don't care about other people's lives. I have a hard enough time keeping track of my own. Haha. No, really. There are some lives that I like to read about but lovely knitting lady's wasn't one of them.
I did greatly enjoy her stories about the Navajo nation and am in fact currently reading a book about a Navajo Code Talker. His life I care about. Haha. How complicated my reading rules are! I also liked her mention of Native American beading. I have always loved that tiny beading. When I was a kid, my grandma had a loom to make jewelry with those beads! To be clear, and don't get me wrong, the author seemed like a lovely lady and I'm sure a lot of people could relate.
September 26, 2020
Knitting non-fiction (non-instructional, knitting non-fiction specifically) is very hit or miss for me. This one was mostly miss.
The book is really more partial memoir or autobiography where knitting happens to be mentioned fairly regularly. I'd say the real topic is the author's spiritual journey and as much, if not more, attention, is given to native peoples handcrafts as knitting as a topic.
I did find some stuff to like, and the book wasn't overly cumbersome. In places it really does read like a middle aged middle class woman's discovery of "alternate faith" but I believe that to be an editing issue.
I did find some interesting tidbits about the author's knitting journey as well as some quotes that I may keep for later reflection but ultimately there just isn't enough knit.
The book is really more partial memoir or autobiography where knitting happens to be mentioned fairly regularly. I'd say the real topic is the author's spiritual journey and as much, if not more, attention, is given to native peoples handcrafts as knitting as a topic.
I did find some stuff to like, and the book wasn't overly cumbersome. In places it really does read like a middle aged middle class woman's discovery of "alternate faith" but I believe that to be an editing issue.
I did find some interesting tidbits about the author's knitting journey as well as some quotes that I may keep for later reflection but ultimately there just isn't enough knit.
August 16, 2023
could have done without the chapters about mysticism, but i'm sure those spoke to some people. big things i learned from this book: (1) when you take part in a craft, you are honoring the full tradition of the culture from which it originates, and in some sense, you carry that with you, (2) considering knitting as a cultivation of one-focus mindfulness practice (i have known this all along in how it feels in my body but it was useful to put into words), (3) in an ideal scenario, mindfulness practices gleaned from the knitting experience can extend to other aspects of life (will work on implementing this). this book wasn't what i expected it to be (more of a memoir than anything) but it gave me useful perspective
March 6, 2021
There is no how-to here, no knitting patterns. This is not just for knitters. It really is about one woman’s spiritual journey including ventures with Sufism and Native American spirituality. She’s eclectic in her spiritual wanderings and finds her own path. Knitting is a part of her journey that ties some of these threads and stories together. For me it was interesting to read about someone else’s spiritual journey that is similar to mine in not being tightly tied to any one ideology. Knitting happens to be her craft of choice, but the book would have been similar if she was a quilter or woodworker or practiced any other handcraft.
February 18, 2024
This book is a bit odd to review. It's a short, contemplative work about knitting as meditation and spiritual practice. Mostly, it works, because knitting IS those things for many people (me included). At the same time, the author's sort of... bopping between spiritual traditions is definitely of a generation. It's mostly done respectfully but stating that you in some way know a group of people from knitting their native patterns feels very off to me, and especially given the nature of the book it really threw me for a loop. I'm a little divided on this one, hence the 3 stars.
September 16, 2022
I hadn't realized I had read this book before until I saw some highlighted passages. It was like reading this anew. As a knitter, there were so many relatable experiences and observations but it also gave me the writer's individual perspectives on knitting, which were unlike some of my own.
Like any other activity, knitting can become addictive and it can also parallel our interactions with the world. It is soothing and comforting, as are the words of a fellow knitter.
Like any other activity, knitting can become addictive and it can also parallel our interactions with the world. It is soothing and comforting, as are the words of a fellow knitter.
February 3, 2023
I have always found knitting to be something more than just craft. Sitting with my yarn and my needles is almost a meditative experience. I don't consider myself a particularly spiritual person, but I do feel my closest to spirituality when I am at work.
This book is from someone at the opposite end of the spectrum from me. The author is a deeply spiritual person, and for her knitting becomes something transcendent.
It's not my own experience, but it is one that I can sort of understand.
This book is from someone at the opposite end of the spectrum from me. The author is a deeply spiritual person, and for her knitting becomes something transcendent.
It's not my own experience, but it is one that I can sort of understand.
August 9, 2023
Reading the wiki page on Susan Gordon Lydon helped me enjoy this book more than I would have otherwise. I was able to relate to Susan in many ways and she put to words the feelings I have about creativity and crafting and spirituality. Susan mentioned many knitting and crafting styles I had to Google, and I learned a lot about knitting styles and the history of many indigenous peoples. This is one book that will be staying in my library- a high bar!!
October 29, 2018
This was an enjoyable read. It took me a little while to get into it. I definitely shared some of Susan's sentiment about knitting and it was nice to hear that other knitters feel the same way about projects and their craft as I do. Overall I enjoyed this and it made me think about knitting in a way that I had subconsciously envisioned it, but hadn't quite labelled it that way.
June 4, 2018
I really wanted to like this book, but I got tired of the endless attempts to turn knitting into something sacred. Knitting is fun. Knitting is meditative. I can see how it can be more, but this woman really labored trying to explain her point. I didn't enjoy it.
September 11, 2021
Probably more like 3.5, wonderful little book to pass the time, makes me want to get back into crafting very badly, a great break from all my… other… reading 😅 does veer very close to White Person Spiritualism y’know but, still enjoyable
April 3, 2024
Could have been a nice 30 page long essay on the spiritual practice of knitting (and crafting in general) but instead is a 158 pages memoir filled with irrelevant anecdotes, sporadically addressing the subject of the title (which, at this point, I'd say is misleading).
December 18, 2016
This is a wonderful look memoir chronicling the authors spiritual journey through knitting. A lot of little take always for the knitter who loves the craft.
October 15, 2017
Such a gift to we the reader to go down the spiritual path of one that loves our craft in such a profound way. Bittersweet.
July 5, 2019
Just didn't do it for me. There were some good moments, but overall it just didn't get there.
April 29, 2024
So so wonderful. One to re-read for all eternity. RIP Susan.
Want to read
May 23, 2024ملاحظة لي - لم اقرا الكتاب بعد
she chode knitting decidedly as a "career", and speaks of how it enriched her livelihood
she chode knitting decidedly as a "career", and speaks of how it enriched her livelihood
June 12, 2024
Insightful, interesting and a unique yarn all of its own!
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