Shows / Why I Knit
Why I Knit
Welcome to the Why I Knit podcast! My name is Dr Mia Hobbs and I am a Clinical Psychologist who is passionate about the mental health benefits of knitting. Each episode of the podcast I interview a different knitter about why they knit and the (k)nitty gritty of how it impacts their mental well-being. I have an inspiring and diverse range of knitters lined up who have generously shared their stories with me. Find out more about the therapeutic benefits of knitting at my website and find our…
Episodes
Why I KnitKnitting for confidence and self-compassion with Jessica Hendrickson
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…
Why I KnitKnitting to refill my mental health bucket with Dr Kaman Hansford
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…
Why I KnitKnitting is a constant companion with Kesha Evans
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…
Why I KnitKnitting myself back together with Jude Harper of Stranded Dyeworks
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…
Why I KnitKnitting for work-life balance with Shona Mason
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…
- Why I Knit
Series 5 is coming soon!
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…
Why I KnitIntentional crafting with Marceline of Hey BrownBerry
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…
Why I KnitReclaiming something for myself with Andrea Lui the Knitting PT
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…
Why I KnitKnitting for calm and connection with Kaleb James
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…
Why I KnitA happy dance with my hands with Lisa Silver
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…
Why I KnitSomething that meets me where I am with Ailie the Thoughtful Knitter
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…
Why I KnitBeing a part of history with Irina Shaar
You can tell by the way Irina Shaar interviews knitters and other fibre artists that she loves connecting with people and finding out how they tick, so it was…
Why I KnitKnitting as a safe space with Ellen of Sew and Inspire
Ellen is a pretty inspiring 16 year old! She sews and knits and already seems to have figured out how to use these crafts intentionally to manage the times…
- Why I Knit
Series 4 coming soon!
Series 4 is coming on 15th December! Sorry for the long wait and thanks for your patience. I am looking forward to sharing these 7 new conversations with you…
Why I KnitCreating something from nothing with Sylvia Watts-Cherry
Sylvia Watts-Cherry is a knitwear designer and teacher who is probably best known for her colourful intarsia designs. I love listening to other people talk…
Why I KnitSomething beautiful in every day with Dr Jen Unwin
Dr Jen Unwin is a clinical and health psychologist who after retiring from her NHS role is now working with people with food addictions. She is a lifelong…
Why I KnitCreating something meaningful with Eileen Jack
Eileen has been a knitter since she was a child, but returned to it recently during a challenging time in her life. She discovered a new love for knitting and…
Why I KnitKnitting for compassion, connection and creativity with Dr Paula Redmond
Dr Paula Redmond is a clinical psychologist who specialises in working with healthcare professionals who have experienced burnout or workplace trauma. Paula…
Why I KnitKnitting is just something just for me with Liz McNeil
This week I am joined by Liz McNeil. Liz is a knitting coach who works for Knit Chats where she helps knitters with their knitting dilemmas and teaches classes…
Why I KnitThe origins of Project Knitwell with Carol Caparosa
Although Carol Caprosa doesn't consider herself to be an 'expert knitter' she, along with the many volunteers working on behalf of Project Knitwell have…
Why I KnitStorytelling in Knitting with Karie Westermann
It was such a pleasure to meet Karie and speak to her about how she learned to knit and dressmake out of necessity as a very young child in rural Denmark. Then…
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Trailer Series 3
Series 3 is coming on 23rd June! I am so looking forward to sharing another series of 6 conversations with knitters, designers and even another psychologist…
Why I KnitKnitting for a sense of achievement with Liz O'Riordan
CW: discussion of cancer, loss of fertility and depression Liz O'Riordan is a breast surgeon who has herself experienced cancer, twice. She now works as a…
Why I KnitThe magic of turning an idea into reality with Clare Mountain-Manipon
Clare is a knitting pattern designer and design mentor. She learned to knit as a teenager and studied knitwear design but after working in the commercial…
Why I KnitKnitting in cancer care with Susan Yaguda
TW: Cancer and bereavement Susan Yaguda is passionate about knitting as a form self-care. She is an oncology nurse who has used knitting with both staff and…
Why I KnitThe power of colour with Milli Abrams
It was an absolute pleasure to speak to Milli about her relationship with knitting. Right now she is the owner of Tribe Yarns, a yarn shop in…
Why I KnitThe magic of creating with Casey Bernard
This week I was excited to be joined by Casey Bernard, who is one half of the Very Pink Knits podcast. I have listened to this podcast for several years now…
Why I KnitCrafting a connection to self and others with Nasreen Imrit
Nasreen (also known as @sewcraftynaz on Instagram) is a multi-crafter and relatively new knitter. She joins me on the podcast to talk about how craft has…
Why I KnitThe Joy of Making with Meghan Fernandes and Lydia Gluck
Series two is starting with another 'pinch me' moment as I am joined by Meghan Fernandes and Lydia Gluck, the founders and creative directors of Pom Pom…
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Why I Knit Series 2 Trailer
The podcast is back for series two on Thursday 3rd March. I am really excited to share another series of interviews with brilliant guests all of whom believe…
Why I KnitKnitting for creative expression with Dana Williams-Johnson
Dana Williams-Johnson, or DWJ is a doctoral student and professor of marketing at Howard University. She is also a passionate knitter of colourful sweaters for…
Why I KnitKnitting as a wellness tool with Lauren Brennan of Project Knitwell
Lauren Brennan is the Managing Director of Project Knitwell, a charity dedicated to using knitting as a wellness tool and bringing this to people in hospital…
Why I KnitKnitting as a security blanket with LJ of Rusty Ferret Yarn
LJ is the owner of Rusty Ferret Yarn and also speaks openly about how she has used knitting to manage anxiety and low mood. She has brilliantly named her new…
Why I KnitTherapeutic Knitting with Betsan Corkhill
Betsan Corkhill is internationally recognised as an expert in therapeutic knitting. Hear about how a stack of letters in a filing cabinet let to Betsan's…
Why I KnitKnitting saved my life with James McIntosh
TW: Homophobia, suicide and depression James McIntosh taught himself to knit with chopsticks and string when he had been so low in mood that he couldn't leave…
Why I KnitKnitting for meaning and community with Ros Edwards
Ros Edwards is a prolific knitter who has had a bed-bound illness for the past 5 years. Ros speaks about how knitting helps her to manage chronic pain and the…
Why I KnitKnitting for Colour and Challenge with Atia Azmi
Atia Azmi is a knitter, sewer, blogger and podcaster who is known for her creative use of colour in her makes and her home. Atia speaks about the joy of using…
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Trailer Season one - Why I Knit
The first episode of Season 1 will be released on 2nd December! I have some amazing guests and can't wait to share our conversations with you. You can follow…