You've Reached Uncle Stashley's Knitting (and rarely but sometimes Crochet) Blog

I was bingeing Brain Games on Netflix (still am, with an exception for finishing Downton Abbey before it disappears April 1st), and in one recent episode they demonstrated how incredibly creative children are compared to adults. I think of myself as quite the creative mind (I am, after all, a writer), but the show aptly demonstrated that even I tend to think in entrenched patterns, compared to the free-flowing imagination of a child. After showing the kinds of inventive thou

Once again, I have acquired some yarn I didn't really need. This happens to me a lot, and, if you're a Textile Artist (i.e. you make stuff with yarn—dishcloths and baby hats count) and you have been at it for more than a week then it has undoubtedly happened to you, too (so don't look so smug, yes. you!) I often find myself accumulating completely unnecessary yarn when: I am on vacation and am self-congratulatory about what a useful souvenir I am buying for a change I haven

Knitters be warned: this post is mostly about the glowing spirit of indomitability that resides in us all, but superficially it sounds like I'm talking about crochet (perhaps because I'm talking about crochet). As a knitter, I love projects that give me a little nudge of challenge. Not too much—there's definitely a sweet spot—but just enough to feel that, at project completion, I haven't merely knit a hat/scarf/vest/dishcloth/bookmark but in fact mastered a skill or techniqu

When I first become obsessed with some new passion, be it knitting, gardening, musical theatre, or people surnamed Hemsworth, naturally I want to know more about it. How does one purl successfully? What climate zone is my garden in? Is a "musical" different from a musical comedy? Are any of them single, and do they mind that I'm not? And usually I can find books, articles, and web sites that neatly address most of my concerns, even if the purling situation was a bit complica

In a video game, once you have achieved certain goals, you get to level up. Oftentimes a bell will ring, some sort of alert will appear, and you get to choose new skills that will enhance your ability to: throw flames from your hands at undead skeleton warriors (enhance your mana), pick the locks of the Mayor's secret storeroom (enhance your dexterity), survive falling from a great height (enhance your health), or even impress the ladies (enhance your charisma)—or in some mo