I find it difficult to write about pain because: a) I'm not a Buddhist teacher with decades of experience and accumulated wisdom b) it feels like such an intangible thing to me that I almost don't know how to put it into words and, c) pain sucks. I'll give it a shot, though. Life is… Continue reading Lesson 3: Pain Happens
Survival stories are my jam these days. I can't really relate to most movie-worthy feats of extreme physical and mental endurance, but survival stories have messages that are helpful when my chronic illness makes it hard to get through a whole grocery shopping trip, or I've woken up feeling sick for the hundredth time this… Continue reading Lesson 2: Solve One Problem at a Time
This is the first of thirty lessons I've learned from my chronic illness. Thirty is an arbitrary number—I've probably learned more than thirty things over the past few years as a result of having an unrelenting mystery illness. Or maybe I've learned far fewer than that, and by day 14 I'll have to start making… Continue reading Lesson 1: The Best Day to Start is Today
You've heard the story before: someone goes through a serious illness or accident, returns to health, and their entire outlook on the world has changed for the better. They consider it a blessing in disguise and they no longer take their life for granted. They may even consider themselves better off than they were before… Continue reading 30 Days of Life Lessons from Chronic Illness
This year I am phasing out my stash of acrylic yarn, and here's why: our oceans are becoming polluted with tiny synthetic microfibers, and it's bad news for marine life. I don't enjoy being a Debbie Downer, so I promise you that I will end this on a positive note. Here's the gist of the problem,… Continue reading What can knitters and crocheters do about synthetic fiber pollution?
Making your own home goods, clothing, and accessories can be even more satisfying when you know it's reducing your footprint on the Earth. What makes a something "eco-friendly"? It's a rather broad term, and is probably applied in places where it shouldn't be. There's no universal definition. I tend to think of eco-friendly crochet patterns as ones that… Continue reading 7 eco-friendly crochet patterns
I've been on a Fair Isle crochet kick lately, and I decided to try something more muted and a little bit....spooky. A friend of mine is a lover of bats, creepy things, magical things, and creatures of the night. She also prefers neutrals and darker colors. So, the Nocturnal Creatures Bag was born! It's the… Continue reading Nocturnal Creatures Tote Bag Pattern
Fair Isle patterns aren't just for cold weather anymore. As the tiniest hints of spring were showing this month, I was scurrying like a chipmunk to finish this cozy, bright, and colorful pillow pattern. It's created with one of my favorite knit-look crochet techniques: waistcoat stitch and tapestry-style colorwork. And it's easier than you probably think it is! You… Continue reading Cheery Fair Isle Pillow Pattern
We're not always vocal about it, but some crocheters and knitters believe that their yarn craft is superior to the other. It's usually a good-natured feud, resulting in the concession that we've just grown accustomed to doing one or the other and we're probably not going to change. Although I'm firmly in the camp of crochet, I admire the… Continue reading A Quick Guide to Knit-Look Crochet Stitches
Maybe I've been inspired by the freakishly warm weather we've had off and on for the past week, or maybe I'm disturbed by the way it reminds me of impending climate disaster and I need something cheery to distract me. Whatever it is, I am deep into happy, bubble-gum-and-candy colors and adorable spring motifs for… Continue reading Happy Spring Pouch Pattern
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