Stitch 'n Dish

Category: Philosophy

  • The wisdom of yarn

    The wisdom of yarn

    I have highlighted the research that shows the health and mental health BENEFITS that accompany a practice of knitting and crocheting in a number of previous blog posts. Today I want to expand on that a bit more. I have been working on a crocheted afghan, and I got to a point where I simply…

  • The value of spice in life

    The value of spice in life

    Since this isn’t a cooking blog, the title may leave some wondering what new yarn craze now includes spices. While I’m not aware of any spice sprinkling techniques with yarn, I am using the word from a well-known and often used saying: Variety is the SPICE of life! In a couple earlier blog posts, I…

  • A community of yarn

    A community of yarn

    The fiber arts of knitting and crochet were once seen as the domain of old women and spinsters. Today, men and women of all ages engage in these activities, supporting an industry dedicated to all-things yarn. Yarn enthusiasts, which I consider myself to be, often gather in groups to ply their trade, and this week…

  • Self-Care with Yarn

    Self-Care with Yarn

    I have been thinking about self-care practices in general, observing people, and self-reflecting for many years. This blog post is intended to be a helpful addition to any self-help journey you may be on – with or without (gasp!) yarn. I had the great good fortune to have spent a lot of time in my…

  • Ties that bind

    Ties that bind

    Earlier this week, one of my cousins came into town for a couple days, and we were able to catch up, reminisce about long-gone relatives and recall good times from the past. We had a wonderful visit over a few days and it got me thinking about those relatives and their lives. As children, it…

  • The power in finished projects

    The power in finished projects

    I have shared my opinion, and the published research supporting that opinion, that fiber arts, and specifically crocheting and knitting, are good for our mental and emotional health. This blog post takes that one step further and explores the healing aspects of finishing a long-left undone project. I was cleaning out a closet and emptying…

  • Untitled post 764

    This past week I have been thinking about the way yarn, and more specifically, things knitted or crocheted with yarn, can serve as agents of kindness. I wrote before about the healing power of yarn, and in that blog post the healing came in the passing down of the art of crochet to a new…

  • Yarn-cation

    Yarn-cation

    I recently returned from an Autumn trip to the Jersey shore (Cape May) with my sister, and have to admit that as WONDERFUL as the beach always is, a significant HIGHLIGHT of our week was visiting 3 different yarn shops in the area!Knitting at Cape May, NJ We visited North Country Knits, in Woodbine, NJ…

  • Thoughts after yarn-crawling

    Thoughts after yarn-crawling

    After finishing my 3rd yarn crawl ever, I wanted to share some of my thoughts on the process along with some personal insights, and more. Back in 2021, the only crawls I had ever heard of were Pub crawls, and by the time I learned about those I was too old to be interested. When…

  • Caring for local fiber businesses

    Caring for local fiber businesses

    NOTE: I originally wrote this specific to yarn shops, but in light of the closing of Joann stores, I have updated it to include BOTH yarn and fabric. Do you have a local fabric or yarn shop in your area, and by “local” I mean an independent store that is not part of a national…