Stitch 'n Dish

Tag: fiber arts

  • My conscience and my stash

    My conscience and my stash

    In pre-holiday housecleaning this weekend, I finally faced a hard reality: I have more yarn that I could reasonably use in any knitting or crocheting projects, even if I knitted and/or crocheted for hours every day for the next 30 years. In addition to this, I had to ALSO admit to myself that I will…

  • Fiber fright fun

    Fiber fright fun

    Over the last few years, I’ve found a lot of joy in Halloween fiber arts! This year I not only found crochet patterns, like this Candy Corn stuffie by Okie Girl Bling ‘n Things, but I went all out and made my costume and a little bag to carry as a themed purse.  I made the…

  • Love, recycled

    Love, recycled

    When I see a handmade afghan or quilt in a thrift store or yard/garage sale, I am always curious about its history. I recently found matching twin sized blankets at the local thrift shop – one of them pictured below. The photo was taken hastily and does not reflect the neatness of the rows and…

  • Life’s true meaning

    Life’s true meaning

    I hit one of those milestone birthdays last year, and it impacted me in a way no other birthday had up to that point. It was not the fact that I was now 2 generations older than the “kids” in the family, nor was it the issue of being an older female in a culture…

  • Pittsburgh Creative Arts Festival: my review

    Pittsburgh Creative Arts Festival: my review

    I’m still trying to figure out how it’s already nearly the middle of October, as it feels that the end of the 2024 Pittsburgh Creative Arts Festival (August 23 – 25, 2024) was just a week or so ago! I have been thinking about that festival, along with many related topics. As it pertains to the festival,…

  • AI, technology & fiber arts

    AI, technology & fiber arts

    I began watching a Netflix series on Artificial Intelligence (AI) this week. In my professional world (healthcare and education), I have been dealing with and writing about AI and its impact for a while. As I sat on my couch, cat tucked in beside me and yarn in hand, I began to think about fiber arts and…

  • Healing through giving

    Healing through giving

    When I was but a kid and rock music was a never-ending stream of talent, Supertramp released the song featured in the video above. I can still sing it from memory. I was driving, pondering life and yarn (a typical daydream for me) and this song came on my Sirius radio station. It made me…

  • Joy, accessible

    Joy, accessible

    Of late, I’ve been thinking about the definition of living well. Our culture seems to have perpetuated an idea about what makes a good life. That idea is, in my opinion, distorted. It wasn’t always this way and I have to admit, a lot of the false narratives promoted are communicated on mediums that I…

  • My Emotional Support Chicken (ESC)

    My Emotional Support Chicken (ESC)

    I’ve officially joined in the ESC craze, and finished my first hen. “Fluffy Freda” – pictured above – helped me learn the pattern, think about how I might want to adjust the pattern, and perhaps most importantly; fall in love with these chickens! My interest in the many benefits of knitting and crocheting have taught…

  • For no particular reason

    For no particular reason

    Sometimes I get into a funk and wonder why I’m spending time and energy making things that don’t seem to have a specific purpose. I also sometimes get down on myself about the mountain of yarn, yards of fabric or tubs of supplies. I know I’m not alone in having an occasional moment of despair…