BEYOND PRISON: Stories Of Transformation from the Inside

I have always known that being creative is healing and beneficial to the world. This doco shows you just what a difference a little “crafting creativness” can do to someones well being.

Beyond Prison is a multimedia collection of documentary stories that showcases proven, vibrant models of transformative prison work.

The project is an expansion of the short documentary Path of Freedom, released in 2012.

The stories include testimonies from leaders in corrections, cutting-edge research, and profiles of cost-effective,

Tansformative methodologies in US prisons from Sing Sing to San Quentin. Featured programs include: Insight-Out: Guiding Rage into Power, Rehabilitation Through The Arts, Mind Body Awareness Project, ArtSpring, Prison Mindfulness Institute, Insight Garden Program, and Center for Council.

Together, these stories offer a unique glimpse into what prison could be: a place of transformation from the inside out.

Featured stories include:

A Pledge to Give Back: Guiding Rage into Power

Taking off the Mask: Rehabilitation Through The Arts

Foundations of Change: Life Skills for At-Risk Youth

The Art of Trust: Creativity and Healing in Women’s Prison

Path of Freedom: Prison Mindfulness and Meditation

Breaking New Ground: Gardening on the Inside

Circle of Strength: Restoring Relationship through Empathy

Kalliopeia Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation in Northern California.

Kalliopeia works to create a future where universal spiritual values form the foundation of how we care for

our common home.

If you have a little one in your life, Knits for Little Ones by Lotte Rahbek is full of sweet patterns for kids ages 0-2 inspired by nature and the sea.

Rahbek is a designer of Nordic inspired knits and these projects include lots of simple but nice details like stripes, cables, ruffles and eyelets.

There are no knitting instructions in the book and one page that includes descriptions of a few techniques like raglan shaping, picking up stitches and German short rows, so it’s good if you have some knitting knowledge under your belt before you pick up this book. There is a little chart that shows some of the skills required in different projects such as I-cord, picking up stitches or cable and lace patterns.

The skill levels are described as beginner, somewhat experienced and experienced. Of the 22 patterns, 6 are rated for beginners, 7 for somewhat experienced and 9 for experienced knitters. I’m not entirely sure I agree with her ratings, which put anything with cables or lace in the experienced section, including a baby blanket that’s worked flat and mostly garter stitch with easy cabled stripes.

The patterns for beginners include socks worked on double pointed needles, which I wouldn’t consider a beginner skill. Others are a bottom up raglan worked in garter stitch with stripes, a colorblocked raglan worked from the bottom up, a pair of shorts with stripes and a drawstring waistband, top down leggings with an elastic waistband and a little knit collar with a ruffle.

Other projects include that pointed bonnet featured on the cover, a twirly dress, bloomers, a romper, cardigans and a ruffled vest, to name a few.

She leans heavily on ruffles and little cables and embellishments, which feels a little repetitive but does make the collection feel cohesive. I’d have loved to see more colorwork, but that’s clearly not what she was going for.

The photographs of kids of various ages on the beach are darling and will make you wish you had a baby and a beach to re-create some of these scenes.

If you like simple designs with a few fun details and have a kiddo under 2 to knit for, this collection is lovely and will result in pieces you are sure to treasure.

About the book: 176 pages, 22 patterns. Published 2025 by Penguin UK. Suggested retail price $16.99.

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