Sometimes a dramatic life change makes us pause and reassess our lives. That's exactly what happened to Susan Gordon Lydon when a freak accident left her hospitalized.

During her rehabilitation, she rediscovered knitting. In the process, she set out on a path of spiritual recovery.

New Connections

In what I thought were the most exciting chapters, Lydon shows how the repetitive hand movements in knitting actually can induce deep states of meditation.

She backs up her assertion with tangible evidence that would convince even the skeptics among us.

Comfortable Style

Lydon writes about her most inner thoughts without any signs of self-consciousness. At some points she goes almost too deep before injecting a perfect shot of humor and levity.

How Far is Too Far?

Lydon leaves no stone unturned in her spiritual quest. Somewhere between Sufism and Judaism, during a road trip in the Southwest where she was studying Native American practices, I must confess that Lydon lost me.

More than a study about how craft and spirituality connect, this book details Lydon's own life as she engages in a spiritual quest. Some of it has to do with knitting, but that's not really what the book is about.

On the flip side, however, anybody interested in spirituality may enjoy reading about Lydon's personal journey. And if that person also happens to be a knitter, then the book is a perfect match.

Review originally published September 2001

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