Fiber Harmony (Stitch 'n Dish)

Category: Self-Care

  • 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…

  • A community of yarn

    A community of yarn

    The fiber arts of knitting and crochet were once seen as the domain of old women and spinsters. Today, men and women of all ages engage in these activities, supporting an industry dedicated to all-things yarn. Yarn enthusiasts, which I consider myself to be, often gather in groups to ply their trade, and this week…

  • 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…

  • Ties that bind

    Ties that bind

    Earlier this week, one of my cousins came into town for a couple days, and we were able to catch up, reminisce about long-gone relatives and recall good times from the past. We had a wonderful visit over a few days and it got me thinking about those relatives and their lives. As children, it…

  • 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…

  • The power in finished projects

    The power in finished projects

    I have shared my opinion, and the published research supporting that opinion, that fiber arts, and specifically crocheting and knitting, are good for our mental and emotional health. This blog post takes that one step further and explores the healing aspects of finishing a long-left undone project. I was cleaning out a closet and emptying…

  • Yarn-cation

    Yarn-cation

    I recently returned from an Autumn trip to the Jersey shore (Cape May) with my sister, and have to admit that as WONDERFUL as the beach always is, a significant HIGHLIGHT of our week was visiting 3 different yarn shops in the area!Knitting at Cape May, NJ We visited North Country Knits, in Woodbine, NJ…

  • A healing journey

    A healing journey

    Earlier this year (2023) I attempted my first virus shawl. Here’s a link to the pattern I found and used. As I often do, I did a prototype using yarn from my stash to make sure I got the pattern down before embarking on higher end yarn. Once I got the hang of it with…