Fiber Harmony (Stitch 'n Dish)

Tag: Joann

  • A loss of community

    A loss of community

    Crafters are creative and can transform simple things into works of art. As we continue to process the stages of “grief” around the loss of community that once resided in our neighborhood Joann stores, we can move on into new ways of being in community, finding and/or creating activities and small groups that promise a…

  • Weekend WiP’s and whimsy

    Weekend WiP’s and whimsy

    My urge to shop for fabric and yarn picks up as the season here in Western Pennsylvania turns to Autumn, bringing chilly weather and thoughts of the holidays. With Joann now only a memory, I thought that (maybe) I’d have an easier time this year, but Michaels has picked up their game around sewing and…

  • In the spooky spirit

    In the spooky spirit

    Tonight I made my (1st) Halloween cross-body bag following the pattern I have used to make several other bags. Since I’ve made multiple variations of it, this bag went together fairly quickly. Here are a few of my earlier iterations: I have also started to add charms to the zipper pulls as some added glitz…

  • Reflections

    Reflections

    The last time I shopped in a Joann store was more than three months ago, right before their final closures. I said goodbye to the employees I knew, wishing them well, and as I walked across that parking lot one last time, I knew I was saying goodbye to an era in my life. As…

  • Therapeutic whimsy

    Therapeutic whimsy

    In my previous blog post I wrote about the funk I’ve been experiencing, and am happy to report that the dark cloud is starting to lift. I’ve found some joy watching tutorial videos by the popular crochet and knitting folks on YouTube, but have still not had much interest in crocheting or knitting myself. In…

  • That was fast!

    That was fast!

    My hope for assistance in avoiding mindless fabric and yarn shopping was short-lived. In fact, it didn’t even last a week! On May 31, 2025 the remaining Joann stores closed for good, and today – only 5 days later – the media was filled with announcements about Michaels acquiring Joann’s Intellectual Property (IP) and private…

  • New normals

    New normals

    My last trip into a Joann store was a few weeks ago, but I continued to “monitor” the liquidation activities on Reddit. I wanted to stop by one of the remaining open stores in my area, but I couldn’t bring myself to do so, and for a few reasons. On one hand I felt that…

  • The end

    The end

    This weekend the crafting and sewing world faced the reality of the beginning of the end for a retail staple. The retailer Joann entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy for a second time in less than a year. Liquidation sales began in the 500 stores slated for closure under the agreement with another 300 or so remaining…