Stitch 'n Dish

Tag: resilience

  • A twist on an old favorite

    A twist on an old favorite

    The great irony I find in all of this is that people often engage in fiber arts for comfort and creative expression. Winding up in a group or space that treats a wonky granny square like a moral failing isn’t what most of those folks were likely seeking.

  • A new pause

    A new pause

    I continue to work on managing impulses to shop for entertainment or to alleviate boredom. It’s not easy. I sometimes find myself in a store with an armful of things and then have to stop and ask myself what I’m doing, and why. The good news is that since working on being more intentional, I…

  • When the stash calls

    When the stash calls

    This week I felt the call of my stash. I had grown somewhat tired of crocheting after making multiple Dragon Egg Dice Bags. They were a lot of fun, but I was ready to do something different. I have been exploring some crochet patterns and am finishing a knitted scarf for myself but was feeling…

  • A good time to be kind

    A good time to be kind

    … as we navigate these and other challenges, it’s going to be increasingly important to be kind to each other; to have patience with those around us and to always take a step back (and a deep breath) when we want to complain about what WE want or what WE didn’t get. It’s not all…

  • Colorful distractions

    Colorful distractions

    The news cycle sure is crazy right now, and my favorite way to engage in “avoidance behavior” is to crochet, knit or sew, while binging something (unrelated to the news, of course) on TV. Lately I’ve been watching old Columbo episodes. It’s somewhat funny, since the start of that TV series coincided with the Arab…

  • Life’s simple pleasures

    Life’s simple pleasures

    I periodically go off on a tangent as it relates to a craft – especially knitting or crocheting projects. I recently came across an item from one of these “projects” as I was cleaning out and organizing some space. The piece I found tonight, a crocheted drawstring bag (pictured below) was empty and I was…

  • My fiber refuge

    My fiber refuge

    The news cycle lately isn’t very comforting to anyone, but I am feeling a particularly angst-ridden as a Veteran, because I can feel – in the depths of my being – the great terror being experienced by families across this country (USA) who are impacted by the reality of a troop deployment into a war…

  • January’s creative work

    January’s creative work

    Celebrating even the tiniest of our accomplishments isn’t self‑indulgence; it’s a psychological power move. The recognition strengthens our mind in ways that build over time, especially when we are juggling jobs/work, caregiving, or leadership roles – areas where progress is often difficult to see.

  • The hermit response

    The hermit response

    I will continue to engage with my fiber arts groups and remain connected with fiber friends. These are the connections that become so vital in times of national stress. But I will also allow myself to be comforted with the impulse to hibernate, focused on fabric and yarn; like my grandma before me. And like…

  • Holiday Self-Care

    Holiday Self-Care

    …we cannot give from an empty vessel. For many people, this has meant waiting for OTHERS to fill them. That’s a dicey proposition, and in many ways sets us up to fail. Caring for ourselves, even in small ways, is as close to a sure thing as it gets.