In case you were unaware, 2020 has sucked, and more than anything (with the possible exception of therapy), knitting has really gotten me through. I’ve knitted more this year than ever before, in part because I have more time on my hands and in part because I need the meditative comfort knitting brings me.

Seasonal Slow Knitting is a book that aligns with that need for comfort through crafting perfectly. I love this book. It’s got a cottagecore vibe that makes me want to read it while tucked under a blanket and listening to Evermore on repeat and cuddling my cat. This book is so fucking cozy, you guys.

First of all, slow knitting is a mindful approach to knitting where the end product is not the focus.

The author explains,

“I loved my craft, but I felt overwhelmed by knitting’s new wave, an onslaught of what was a must-knit, which yarns were must-have, what the color or the notion of the moment was. I was longing for a sense of place within a craft that had been mine since I was a child but was feeling increasingly more alien as I got older.”

As someone who frequents knitting Instagram I totally get this need to cast on the newest, best thing, to consume and not appreciate your craft. The need to buy the newest prettiest yarn is overwhelming sometimes, or to join the coolest MKAL, or to make all the things for Christmas.

I am totally capable of turning my beloved hobby into something that creates anxiety (hello, Goodreads challenge), and I’ve been working to unravel (ha) that impulse.

She continues,

“The idea that you have to buy more yarn, buy more patterns, and churn out things is incongruent with what knitting is: a peaceful moment to yourself, time away from the busyness of the world we live in, a celebration of material and patience. To me, this craft is authentic and simplicity at their finest.”

The idea behind slow knitting is that you don’t need to be a knitted-gift factory or focus on fads and trends, but rather you can choose to enjoy your craft as a moment of peace. She suggests reflecting on the textures and colors of the yarn you work with, to focus on the sensations associated with making, not getting to the finish line. Essentially, practice mindfulness while knitting.

This book is divided into four seasons and contains essays and patterns for each. Some of the essays include how to wash handknits, what garden plants can be used to dye yarn, and how to pair tea with your knitting. One of my favorite essays is “The Sacredness of Tea and Knitting.” She talks about reviving old yarns, mending old knits and the best techniques for sewing on buttons.

Every essay in this book felt like hot cup of chamomile and lavender tea. I’m not sure why an essay about button-sewing is so incredibly peaceful and comforting, but it is. I initially bought this book for the patterns, but wound up reading it cover to cover several times. I actually keep it next to me on the sofa for when I need a quiet moment.

The patterns are lovely, though, and also arranged seasonally. There’s one pattern for a lace cowl for spring called Seeds and Stems Cowl that I am in love with. I also have the perfect yarn for it from Destination Yarns in a beautiful deep green called English Yew.

There are a total of ten patterns that include two sweaters. There’s also a recipe for homemade body oil and an essay on candle-making.

I’m not a huge sweater knitter, but I will definitely be making the cowl, hat, socks and fingerless gloves in this book. There’s also two really beautiful baby blankets that would double as a great throw blanket for winter.

The photography is beautiful as well, and reading this book made me feel like a garden-witch living in a forest, mending my hand-knit socks and making candles in old glass jars. It felt like I was creating a place to escape to in my mind, and that place was very quiet and peaceful–essentially the opposite of knitting social media.

For me, Seasonal Slow Knitting was the mental departure I needed. It’s a blend of mindfully crafting while vibing with nature, and it’s the most readable knitting book I own. If you need to mentally run off to your own woodland cottage stocked with yarn, tea and plant-dyes, I cannot recommend this book strongly enough.