About Us

  

If you were to ask ADHD Knitting ^TM mastermind, Gail Pasqualotto, what the best way to treat any illness, she would answer without hesitation, “Yarn.”

 

That is the basis on which ADHD Knitting ^TM was founded and continues to operate; yarn is the basis of everything we do. Yarn is not only the medium in which we choose to create, but it is also the medicine we prescribe for whatever ails you.

 

Gail has been diagnosed with Attention Deficient Hyperactive Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and, most severely the neurological disorder; Tourettes Syndrome. Individually each of these illnesses is hard to overcome; the combination of all three nearly crippled Gail for many years before she discovered the healing aspects of the fiber arts. Gail credits knitting and creativity in general with her ability to function in the world today.

 

Gail’s obsession with knitting began more than seven years ago when she was searching for a way to supplement the traditional treatment approaches to her neurological and mental ailments.  In addition to a variety of medications, she found that knitting helped  to calm her often anxious hands and helped her to keep a clear head while trying to adjust to new medications. As a self-taught knitter, Gail found that her OCD often worked to her advantage because her obsessive tendencies made her keep working through a project when others would have thrown the knitting down in frustration. Despite having ADHD and Tourettes, both of which make it extremely difficult to focus, knitting helped calm the tics and allowed Gail some peace. Having taught her self every aspect of the craft she could, Gail began designing her own patterns.

 

Using a method of balancing a healthy dose of the useful side effects of her medical problems with an appropriate level of keeping the less than desirable parts of them in check, Gail has managed to create beautiful and unique designs that often straddle the line between apparel and art. Having amassed a huge collection of these designs she decided it was time to share her work with the world.

 

ADHD Knitting ^TM was born.

 

Working collaboratively with several reverse pattern writers, a web developer, various members of her extraordinary family and many other talented individuals, Gail began the arduous task of translating her off-the-cuff designs into reproducible patterns now available for sale through this website. 

 

In addition to sharing her designs with the world, Gail also wants to share her story and to serve as an example as to how mental and physical illness can be used as a creative advantage instead of being an obstacle.

To see the list of terminology Gail created over her years of learning and teaching knitting to others, click here.

 

 

“Mania is just a hiccup of the mind.” (Quote from Gail Pasqualotto)

 

Written by Daniella Cortez, Edited by Dragon Paltiel