Stitch 'n Dish

Tag: fiber artists

  • More great reads

    More great reads

    I’ve just finished 2 audiobooks by different authors, both of whom are outstanding storytellers. They provided wonderful background to my crocheting, knitting and sewing of late. The first one I finished happened to be the kick off of a series (think Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot), by Louise Penny, titled “Still Life”. It’s set in modern…

  • A trick or treat treasure

    A trick or treat treasure

    When I pick up a “rescue” from a thrift store, I always wonder about the fiber artist. Was this the first thing they made with this pattern? Is it an old favorite? Who did they make the item for? Was it a gift, or something made for their own use?

  • Just say no (craft show review)

    Just say no (craft show review)

    As serious fiber artists / artisan crafters, let’s “Just Say No” to cheapening our efforts by trying to sell the things that we make in a market that is never going to respect them for the time, talent, creativity and effort that we put in. Let’s raise the bar, elevate the standard, and stop desperately…

  • Spooky fiber arts

    Spooky fiber arts

    In recent years, I have come to love crafting for Halloween as much, if not more, that the Christmas season. I’m not sure why. Maybe it’s the lack pressure around gift acquisition. Plus, there’s less pressure to decorate – although many of us do like a spooky front yard. Overall, it’s a fun holiday with…

  • New tools of the trade

    New tools of the trade

    I cannot tell this story without addressing the issue of AI in the context of the fiber arts community. Many fiber artists get angry anytime Artificial Intelligence (AI) is mentioned, so we don’t talk about it in public. The vitriol and intolerance for AI is widespread, and in some corners, it’s considered sacrilegious to use…

  • The science of reflection

    The science of reflection

    Over the weekend, I was combing through my photos to find a Fall graphic for my home page, and I came to a realization. It was quite satisfying to look through all the photos of my completed projects. I’d had a challenging few days prior to that, so my mood wasn’t great. I was feeling…

  • Retreat countdown

    Retreat countdown

    As the Northeast moves more fully into Fall, engaging with fiber arts activities will be an important piece of managing the seasonal “meh” that can set in this time of year.

  • A simple holiday gift idea

    A simple holiday gift idea

    I recently acquired a new pattern for a little fabric container, of which I’m going to make a few different versions. I’ve identified this as the prototype for a “gift bag” for the candy and gift cards that I generally give to my employees at the holidays. This is straightforward (2 squares of fabric), is…

  • Managing stress

    Managing stress

    Sometimes I am thankful that I hoard craft supplies. Tonight was such a time. My collection of buttons came in VERY handy!

  • An upcycling adventure

    An upcycling adventure

    If we live in fear of falling short of perfection, and never try things that we may not know how to do, we will never find out what we CAN do. Use the good fabric (& yarn) – life is too short not to!