Knitting for Good!: A Guide to Creating Personal, Social, and Political Change Stitch by Stitch (Paperback)

~ (Author)
Key Phrases: reclaiming craft, charitable knitting, sts rem, Large Cushion, Riot Grrrl, Small Pillow (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Knitting for Good! is thought-provoking, asking us to examine our ideas and preconceptions about the craft of knitting and the use of the work of our hands to benefit others.”—Tara Jon Manning, author of Mindful Knitting



“Knitting for Good! provides a platform for progressive, forward-thinking knitters and non-knitters alike who are interested in the idea that creativity can be a positive way to change the world we live in. It is chock-full of motivation, ideas, and inspiration to get you going or to keep you on the path you are already on.”—Faythe Levine, director of the documentary, and coauthor of the book, Handmade Nation

Product Description

Every time we knit, we have the opportunity to create positive change in ourselves, our community, and in the world. That’s Betsy Greer’s fervent belief, and in this book she shows us how. Betsy explores the ways we can use knitting to slow down in a fast-paced culture, while using the craft to benefit charities in our communities, to advocate for worthwhile causes, and to support individuals and communities across the globe. Filled with insights from knitters and crafters on how they use craft to benefit others, Knitting for Good! will get you thinking about knitting in a whole new way.

To learn more about the author, visit her website: craftivism.com

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Product Details

• Paperback: 228 pages
• Publisher: Trumpeter; illustrated edition edition (November 11, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1590305892
• ISBN-13: 978-1590305898
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #31,544 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Heartfelt Recommendation, January 11, 2009

By	True Stitches "Heather" (Vancouver, BC) - See all my reviews

The subtitle of Betsy Greer's book is "A Guide to Creating Personal, Social and Political Change, Stitch by Stitch." As someone who has long believed that knitting (as well as most other fibre arts) is healing and life affirming (and, it must be admitted, a contributor to the book) I give "Knitting for Good" a heartfelt recommendation.

Betsy ( of "Craftivism" fame) offers lots of personal testimony, some easily digestible political rhetoric, and, at the end of every chapter, some suggestions for actions that help integrate the positive power of knitting into their lives. As well, the patterns in it are fun to knit and have quite a bit of style, a nice improvement on the basic patterns that are usually offered to those who are knitting for charity. There are lots of references included to make it easy for the reader to follow up with their own research.

I particularly like the discussion around knitting for personal expression and the therapeutic aspects of knitting, as well as the use of knitting as a political tool.

Betsy has an articulate and fresh voice that makes this book a pleasure to read. It may appeal slightly more to a younger audience than the somewhat similar volume "Knitting for Peace" by Betty Christiansen that came out a couple of years ago. Even if you have that book, though, "Knitting for Good" is valuable for the way it expand the possibilities of mindful knitting. And on the practical side, its smaller size makes it ideal for slipping into the knitting bag.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Reading for Good!, December 22, 2008

By	Cathy "Show Me Your Titles" (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews

This book is so inspiring and does make you feel that something as seemingly simple as knitting can change the world.

Before reading this book, I didn't know how to knit and the book still had an impact on me.

I listened to the author, Betsy Greer on a radio show interview the other day and similarly to how they do in the book, her words really resonated with me. She talked about the difference between making a protest sign with posterboard and markers in a couple of seconds versus spending hours knitting words outs on a sign she had crafted herself. It made me stop back and think about how when we rush through projects and tasks that supposedly are important, we aren't just taking them for granted, but taking ourselves for granted as well. For someone who is not a knitter, this books reminds you to slow down and think about what you're doing.

There are plenty of patterns in the book too. My friends who are avid knitters tell me these are very "cool" patterns and I hope to try them out someday. I've actually purchased quite a few copies for friends as holiday presents this year.

Hope you enjoy the book as much as I did. Looking forward to seeing what the author comes up with next.

5.0 out of 5 stars keep the needles flying, September 3, 2009

By	seeking truth - See all my reviews

WOW - Besty Greer - you opened up a whole new avenue for me regarding knitting and connecting with LIFE. Thank you from my heart.