Stitch 'n Dish

Tag: life lessons

  • Comfort in stitching

    Comfort in stitching

    Like most crocheters and knitters, I always have several projects in progress. I’ve found over the years that various moods or states of mind will align better with some projects than others. For those stressful times where there’s a lot of chaos or uncertainty, nothing beats a basic knitted piece like the wrap pictured above.…

  • Hot air, hype and holy cow!

    Hot air, hype and holy cow!

    I had a fascinating set of interactions on a social media site today that have undermined some of my long-held beliefs about the crochet and knitting community. OK, I wasn’t REALLY that naive, but I will admit to being surprised at the amount and level (intensity) of the vitriol. I have been curious about the…

  • Winter work

    Winter work

    One advantage of the cold and less-than-ideal weather in the Winter months here in the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic region of the United States is that I am less tempted to leave the house. This means I am likely to dig in my yarn or fabric stash for some inspiration, which almost always results in something delightfully creative.…

  • Evaluating tools of the trade

    Evaluating tools of the trade

    A couple years back, I gave myself a birthday present: a set of Knitter’s Pride interchangeable needles. I bought them at my favorite Local Yarn Store (LYS) and have enjoyed using them ever since! They are priced from $104 to more than $130 for the set and are a nice addition to any knitter’s tool…

  • Bridges of yarn

    Bridges of yarn

    I’ve noted in a number of blogs – here and on my other site – the many healing benefits gleaned by crafting, and especially by crocheting and knitting. In today’s post I am going to share a different story on this topic. Many years ago, I had a situation where I was the new kid…

  • Embracing our mistakes

    Embracing our mistakes

    Teddy Roosevelt – one of America’s admired past presidents – notably remarked that “The only man who never makes mistakes is the man who never does anything.” I just finished the hat pictured above, and I have to tell you – it includes a number of mistakes. I don’t like the seam at the back…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • Weaving yarns ends and life

    Weaving yarns ends and life

    Crocheters and knitters generally DREAD the task of weaving in the yarn ends on any project – ESPECIALLY larger ones. This blog post is not about those challenges, but the metaphor applies (and who doesn’t love a great crochet or knitting metaphor?!) I speak often at conferences and professional meetings (I have done this regularly…