Stitch 'n Dish

Tag: well-being

  • A refuge in fabric

    A refuge in fabric

    I have a confession: I hide in my sewing/craft room. Sometimes this is to decompress after a stressful day at work, while other times it’s to avoid the news story of the day. Still other times it’s to distract myself when I’m worried about someone I care about. Recently, I was there for a hybrid…

  • A trip to the library

    A trip to the library

    I try to get at least 6,000 steps every day, and more whenever possible. It’s an easy way for me to manage my physical health, mobility, and it’s one of the best “tonics” I have found when my mental health is lagging. I am fortunate to live in an area that was blessed by the…

  • Stash half-full (a perspective)

    Stash half-full (a perspective)

    The rumors have been flying for some time, and yesterday on Reddit, the details started trickling out. By this morning there were full posts on the decision by Joann’s corporate overlords to declare bankruptcy for a second time in a year. First of all, I want to state my deep and heartfelt sympathy for the…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • In the bag

    In the bag

    I finally finished my red, white, and blue cotton bag for small shopping trips. I made it with Lily Sugar ‘n Cream yarn and using the Yarnspirations free pattern for their Mesh Bag. It’s perfect for quick trips to the store (I take it to the drug store when I’m picking up vitamins, etc.) I had previously…

  • Change is inevitable. Yarn helps.

    Change is inevitable. Yarn helps.

    The past year has marked a significant SHIFT in my life. It wasn’t the birth or death of anyone close, but it was the end of an era, so to speak.  Last year in June, my oldest grandchild got his driver’s license, and suddenly, I was freed from being on call as my daughter’s backup…

  • An essence of immortality

    An essence of immortality

    My time spent with yarn and hook or needles is usually contemplative. Sometimes I’m deep into the Netflix series I’m binging, while at other times, I am lost in memories and thought. As I spend more time with retirement advisors and financial analysts to plan my exit from “the grind“, I have also been thinking…

  • 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.…

  • Whimsy: good for the soul

    Like most knitters and crocheters, I have a number of projects in the hopper. I am working on a crocheted “Nap Blanket” (somewhere between an afghan and a lap blanket) for a birthday gift, a knitted wrap in Plymouth Yarn Souffle, another (crocheted) virus shawl in a worsted merino, and a hat in the latest…