Fiber Harmony (Stitch 'n Dish)

Category: Wisdom

  • 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…

  • Hunting and gathering fiber

    Hunting and gathering fiber

    Audiobooks are a wonderful companion for exercise, and for those who are otherwise engaged in solitary tasks – such as crocheting, knitting, or sewing. Sometimes they even unexpectedly give us insights into those same activities. Such was the case this week when I was working on my latest tote/market bag. As I noted in my…

  • A mindful approach

    A mindful approach

    I have been reading and thinking a lot lately about the way we are tempted, and even manipulated, by companies that want us to hand over our money to them. In my blog post about retail manipulation I shared some of the research on how stores intentionally place items, advertise them and offer us coupons…

  • Shared fiber joy

    Shared fiber joy

    Now that I am once again driving into work 5 days a week, I am pretty much “done” by Friday night, or “all in” as my British friends might say. Working from home for the past 5 years meant that I got more sleep, eliminated the stress of commuting, and had a LOT more work/life…

  • Finding peace in fabric scraps

    Finding peace in fabric scraps

    I have taken a serious break from listening to the news. This means that I find myself heading to my sewing room in the evening instead of catching some national or international news after work. In addition to my enjoyment of crocheting and knitting, I’ve had a lot of fun making the triangle coin purses…

  • Craft Economics – a primer

    Craft Economics – a primer

    Many people are taking to YouTube and other social media sites to raise the hue and cry to “Save Joann’s“. While I will be among the sad when (not if) they finally close their doors for the last time, I think it’s really, REALLY important to understand what factors went into this final implosion. I…

  • Healthy distractions

    Healthy distractions

    Lately, I have been more interested in sewing than crocheting or knitting, although I did do a few more rows on my wrap in progress this morning when I worked at the church (organist gig). I have less than 1/4 of a Caron Cake (the 3rd one in this piece) left to finish this, and…

  • The 3-C’s of Fiber Self-Care

    The 3-C’s of Fiber Self-Care

    The term, “self-care” emerged in the mid-20th century. It came out from the Civil Rights movement, and the Black Panthers, specifically, are credited with mainstreaming the concept. Today it remains a popular description of activities we are encouraged to engage in – or refrain from – in support of our own emotional, mental, physical and…

  • 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…

  • More gifts of love

    More gifts of love

    Back in 2015, I wrote a blog post on my other site about my Christmas memories from childhood. In that post I shared that I remember few, if any, specific toys or gifts, but that I do remember the room full of people that loved me and my sister, and the warmth of my grandparents’…