Love in Every Stitch: Stories of Knitting and Healing by Lee Gant

I'm excited to introduce another fun knitting book called,

Love in Every Stitch: Stories of Knitting and Healing

by Lee Gant

About:

With two knitting needles and countless skeins of yarn, master knitter, teacher and nationally known knitwear designer Lee Gant made her way out of enormous grief and loss to become a true good in the world. Knitting teaches us that mistakes can be undone -- and that knitting can and does trigger tremendous change in one’s life or even -- as in Lee Gant’s case -- save it.

There are at least 78 million knitters and crocheters worldwide (including German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Kate Middleton, Dakota Fanning, Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts and a host of other celebrities … including Ryan Gosling & David Arquette - yes, many men pick up needles!), who attest to the healing values of knitting. Recent studies have shown that knitting truly heals body, mind and soul. Betsan Corkhill, a physiotherapist who founded Stitchlinks, on organization that promotes knitting as a therapeutic health tool, reveals that knitting can help:

• Manage panic attacks, anxiety, and asthma

• Reduce stress by occupying the mind 

• Block pain through “distraction”

• Enhance the feeling of belonging

• Offer purpose and structure

• Increase self-esteem by through the act of giving

• Rekindle anticipation and excitement, motivation and confidence

In this deeply inspiring book, Love in Every Stitch: Stories of Knitting and Healing (Viva Editions, May 2015), Gant explores how knitting changed her life and offers us many comforting stories of miraculous changes in knitting circles everywhere with real-life stories of how knitting and crocheting can calm, restore and renew. The transformations and triumphs of all who have made their journey while holding two sticks and a skein of yarn inspires, amuses and even brings a tear or two.

As an employee of three different yarn stores, a teacher of countless knitting classes, and a volunteer with at-risk youth, Gant has had the opportunity to gather diverse stories and candidly shares how her life changed because two women invited her into their yarn store when her life was at its bleakest. Today, Lee Gant admits that she still has anxieties, but now, when she falters, “I know how to get back on track. I knit.”

     

About the author:

Based in Santa Rosa, CA, Lee Gant is one of the top knitters in the United States and has been featured on PBS, NPR, and in many magazines. She has knitted pieces for world-renowned designer Melissa Leapman, and can be seen in Vogue, Knitter's, and Knit 'N Style. Her designs have been featured in many books, including 60 Quick Baby Knits, Knitting 2013 Day-to-Day Calendar, Jamieson's Shetland Knitting Book 2, and Garter Stitch Baby

Gant is part of a very active knitting community on social media: her Facebook page reached 92,000 people in one week. Gant travels internationally on the knitting circuit and is a well-known authority who is also writing knitting pattern books.

"Lee Gant brings us stories from the edge of suffering, marked by addiction, violence and grief. Why venture into this terrain? On the other side we experience the tangible feel of yarn, hands moving with knitting needles and the comfort of a shared passion. Love in Every Stitch demonstrates Gant's deep love for the craft of knitting, how knitting offered a healing balm in her recovery, as well as helping countless others. As someone who believes in the potency of the arts, Gant offers another view through her testimony to knitting's therapeutic powers, so simple yet profound."  —Adriana Marchione, expressive arts therapist and teacher, creator of When the Fall Comes, a film on love, loss and art. 

"Another lovely story of hope and inspiration. The benefits of knitting and crocheting are seen every day. More and more people turn to these skills to help them deal with so many upheavals in life. Thank goodness we have those to fall back on when everything else seems to go against us."  —Bouncing Back

In my opinion:

Love in Every Stitch was the perfect book to read while I am currently facing difficult challenges with my daughter. I was actually in the hospital with my daughter when I began reading this incredible book by Lee Gant. Of course, it made me miss knitting but I wasn't about to bring my knitting supplies to the hospital with all the yucky germs.

This book was a compilation of stories about healing. There were several stories that were similar to my own circumstances that I felt were healing for me. It was an uplifting and inspiring book. I definitely believe in the healing part of knitting and we can find true friendships through knitting. Sometimes the best part about knitting is doing it for charities. Recently, I chose a family to make a few Christmas stockings for. I'm working on a pattern book and wanted professional photos of recent and new patterns. So, it is a little selfish on my part because I'm doing it for me but then again I'm sharing my talent with a new friend I found through a facebook group geared toward parents with special needs children. You never know who you meet as you knit and we can all gain some healing from reading Gant's short stories and experiences. I definitely recommend this book to anyone even if you don't know how to knit. If you do knit, then you must read it. It definitely made me appreciate the art of knitting even more.

Disclaimer: I received one or more of the products or services for free in the hope that I would mention them on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.