Stitched Together

re: Stitched Together

sweetmischel — Sun, 18 Nov 2012 03:31:55 GMT

I am going over emails and came across one that led to this site. I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer 16 years ago and thought I had been cured. Almost 2 years ago I found myself undergoing emergency surgery to remove tumors in my spine. My BC had metastasized to my bones. My doctors say I am lucky because it is a slow growing cancer and it is not in any vital organs. My life had been in turmoil for several years topped off with this and I needed to "get away from it all." Out of strength and out of money to take a vacation I got out my knitting needles, bought some yarn and began to make hand warmers for my granddaughters. I became so relaxed that I fell asleep. I awoke to find my needles bare. Over the past year and a half I have made many attempts to make those hand warmers only to find myself waking to bare needles. I suppose you can say knitting is my tranquillizer, my sleeping pill if you will. My strength has returned for the most part and one day soon I hope I will see at least one completed set of hand warmers. Try to find something to laugh about each day, be kind to each other and make lemonade out of lemons.

re: Stitched Together

jane.huntressstreet — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 01:29:17 GMT

I really sometimes have a really hard time stitching my outfits together cause of the way i sew. But now i sew really well and i have been sewing ever since i was 6 years old and i have allot of help from my sister she is really sportive though

re: Stitched Together

Janelle62 — Sun, 14 Oct 2012 05:37:24 GMT

My sister lost a 19 month battle with breast cancer in September of 2007. It is a loss I'm not sure I'll ever recover from, but the memories of her and the beautiful impact she had on my life will be with me forever. She dealt with this disease with grace and a willpower that was amazing to see (she continued to work until about a month before her passing). The first afghan I ever made was for her, and she would nap with it on the couch after a session of chemo. Since knitting is such a relaxing, meditative and focused activity, I taught her how to knit - I'm so glad she was open to that. We went to a few shops to find the right yarn for her first project. She then taught her best friend to knit, who then started a little group. She brought me yarn back from Italy, a trip her best friend/husband was determined to take her on no matter what the cost. I started a special bra for her with SeaCell yarn (supposed to have anti-inflamatory properties) but she never got to wear it, and I have finally been able to unwind it and use it to make each of her daughters a matching cowl.

I sincerely hope one day a cure is found - Cancer is such a horrific and devastating disease.

re: Stitched Together

Janelle62 — Sun, 14 Oct 2012 05:37:13 GMT

I sincerely hope one day a cure is found - Cancer is such a horrific and devastating disease.

re: Stitched Together

jsvaldes — Sat, 13 Oct 2012 13:50:22 GMT

About 5 years ago, I had a very difficult surgery in my home town, not where I lived at the time. 4 days later my Father had a massive heat attack which required a 14 hour open heart surgery. One of my best friends came to visit before the surgery and said to me "what are you going to do to distract you during the surgery? You can't walk around (I was in a wheelchair) and you will never be able to concentrate on reading anything. She out a ball of yarn and needles in my hands and taught me to knit.

I said that I could not and didn't want to knit, but during that long and tense day I made the worst looking, longest strip of yarn ever.

Since then it is my constant, my calm, my passion and the thing I look forward to every single day. I will always be grateful to her.

re: Stitched Together

cassel63 — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 02:08:11 GMT

Thank you so much for sharing your story Rose.

For me, knitting has been a great solace. In Sept 2009 I attempted suicide. I was hospitalized for 2 weeks while the psychiatrists explained that I wasn't 'crazy' - I had severe major depression. As I recovered in hospital, they allowed me to have my knitting with me. The sweater I finished in that two weeks I call my "recovery sweater". I wear it often.

I now belong to a knitting group in my home town - most of the women have battled their demons, some mental health issues, some other health issues. We've all used craft has our comfort and escape.

Now, as I sit by my husband of 22 years while he is severely ill with kidney disease, it is knitting that comforts me in hospital, and my knitting friends who support me emotionally.

God bless crafters!

re: Stitched Together

LollyAlex — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 13:33:24 GMT

Your story instantly brought to mind my mother.

Mom was an energetic, hardworking, independent, fiesty woman who taught her children to be the same. She also excelled in most of the traditional home arts, and taught them to us at a young age. She didn't believe in idle hands, and would allow TV viewing only if we were doing something useful. I learned to knit before I started school, and made my first garment, and apron on 1/4" gingham, at about age 8.

One of the first noticeable signs of the Alzheimer’s which eventually claimed her life was when she couldn't follow a knitting pattern that I, a much less accomplished knitter, had done. When we recieved the call that she didn't have much time, my sisters and I gathered at her bedside, each with a knitting project in hand, a testiment of the legacy of industry and service that she left us.

re: Stitched Together

anderdale@hotmail.com — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 00:33:29 GMT

After a difficult year of breast cancer, treatment and then hysterectomy, I took a leave of absence from my job and was frantic about how I would be constructive during the year of leave.

I took a basic hand quilting course at my local quilt store and have never looked back.

I have progressed from hand quilting to machine quilting to art quilting and adore the relaxation, creativity, companionship and productive hours I have spent for the last 11 years.

Sadly, I have endured 2 more bouts of very different cancers but through it all my sewing has kept me connected to many wonderful facets of the craft.

I will always want to be busy on exciting and innovative ideas and bless the day I signed up for that one quilting class.

re: Stitched Together

grammy@22 — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 01:56:49 GMT

When I was diagnosed with cancer, I found myself going to the craft my mother taught me at age 5. She was a fiber artist and taught all her children to knit, crochet, embroider, etc. My cancer is lymphoma and thankfully I am in remission. I knitted and crocheted at least 36-40 hats of all kinds of colors for me. I matched hats, socks, blouse and jewelry to match. I made earrings and bracelets to match the outfits. Now, I have given away at least 200-250 hats made in hair colors with the Lionbrand Funfur and other yarns. It helps me to keep my thoughts positive and gives someone, who is where I was, a bit of bright color to brighten their world. I take my work with me when I or my family have dental or medical appointments, and usually end up giving away finished hats to people who have family members who are battling cancer.

Marie G. Lake City, Arkansas

re: Stitched Together

JMBurtch — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 22:11:45 GMT

Knitting... It's my "zen-happy-place" If something is bugging me, leave me be and let me knit. And, in the last few years, more people are asking me to help them learn how to knit, and I'm happy to pass along my "thing".

But, I believe I created a monster when I taught my friend, Pavlina, how to knit. She dove in, head first, squishing yarn in her LYS, picking out complicated patterns... her 3rd project was learning to knit socks! SOCKS?!?!? I've been knitting since I was 7 and still struggle with using 4 needles! She'd call me from the airport, on her way to Europe, to have me explain an oddly worded set of instructions! MONSTER!

And then she got sick... And her knitting fell to the way-side, as mine went into overdrive, knowing that I couldn't do anything to help her with her fight against cancer, but be there, over the miles of phone line - be a sounding board, laugh when she wants to and listen to her crying when she needed that, too.

And then my funny, knitty monster passed away, just over a year ago. She knew it was coming; her doctors were blunt and honest, and I think she was ready to be done with the fight and the pain and the stress.

She told me months before, when things didn't look so bad, that she had made sure that her family knew that she wanted all her knitting "stuff" to be given to me and my mom, after she was gone. Little did I know that it would result in 3 huge Rubbermaid plastic bin-sized cardboard boxes, being shipped from Oklahoma to Ontario (Canada)!!

She was all over the spectrum when it came to yarn - acrylic, silk, wool, cashmere... some were only partial balls, some were matched sets... you name it, there was a little be of it in there!

At the same time that this was going on, another excellent friend was living in the far East and baking a little boy bun in her oven ;-) So, in going through all the yarn, I found a manly variegated colourway (white, grey, brown, black) in acrylic, and decided that I would make the little one a special cardigan, from Auntie Julie and Auntie Pavlina.

I found perfect little buttons, that looked liked vintage braided leather ones, and so hoped that the couple and baby would love it. They moved back to Ontario 11 months after Pavlina passed away, and I presented them with "our" gift. They loved it and they sent me a picture with their little one wearing it - looking so stylish.

Knitting keeps me sane and kept Pavlina out of trouble (those stories for another day!) It became another layer in our friendship, and I'll always treasure it.

Julie B.

re: Stitched Together

rramonj — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 13:57:15 GMT

When has handwork helped me through difficult times? ALWAYS

I have some experience with cancer (most members of my family have suffered some type of it with different grades uf success so I'm kind of mentally "prepared") and specially with time spent in hospitals with other people. And I guess that was when I started using my time for something more than worrying and complaining.

Nowadays I'm unemployed and it helps me getting the problem out of my mind (and hopefully to start a new business).

Whenever I go into a project, be it beading, decoupage, cross stitch, crochet or whatever you may think I get into a special peaceful state of mind that help me relax and wash away "the bad things".

I think it was Jen VanBeschoten from Beading Daily who once said in a post that beading could become a way of meditation for some people. Well, I must say it's true for me with all the handwork.

So, I hope all our stories can help other people. And I pray for all the people suffering from cancer and their families. A big hug for all of them from Spain.

Raquel, from Valencia, Spain

re: Stitched Together

telipman — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 04:46:33 GMT

When I had a heart attack which resulted in the discovery of a lung mass which put me on a path To biopsies and more. First it was lung cancer and loosing 1 lung, then my drs telling me I had a rare disease amyloidosis. It is a rare terminal blood disease which attacks the organs. One can only buy time.

My fiber friends have been there for me: sending me flowers, feeding me, taking me to fiber events, visiting me , bucking me up. My treatment to give me some remission time is chemotherapy and my fiber friends are here every step. Just like my family. I will feel better in a year or. My faith sustains me but those friends are keeping me positive.

I wish all of you have the same positive feelings!

re: Stitched Together

missylam — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 03:54:46 GMT

I lost my daughter to skin cancer in 2009. She was only extremely sick for 6 weeks. During that time they put two titanium rods in her back because it had already gotten into the bones. If I had not had my sewing and knitting while I was just sitting there and not being able to help her I think I would have lost my mind. It really hurts to lose a wonderful child like her. She had two grandchildren ages 2 and 4 and she wanted desperately to be the favorite grammy and didn't get the chance. Now I am trying to fill her shoes and also tell them all about their grammy.

re: Stitched Together

Weavergirl2 — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 03:32:38 GMT

The most traumatic event for me was the passing of my Mama Kitty in 2004. She had been with me for 16 years, and was probably 5 years old when she came into my life. I was numb for a year after she passed, but I knew I had to weave to keep from falling in a black hole from which I would not suvive. I tried a new technique in an old structure, mixed warp and weft in 4H Bronson Lace. After the first few shuttle passes, I knew it was good and became the most beautiful fabric I have woven. I since wove another piece in a different weave structure when my dad passed in 2007. I had intended for it to be for me. It became the grieving cloth, when it gave me so much grief that I decided when it was finished, I would also be finished with grieving. Not quite, but weaving saved my life and kept me from falling apart. I look forward to weaving again when I am finished with a lawsuit against a big corrupt bank. Keep weaving and creating a new earth where there is only beauty, Light, peace and prosperity.

re: Stitched Together

MaryC@2 — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 02:47:18 GMT

My Art is crochet. I started crocheting hats for children dealing with cancer while I was bald from chemo. I had received many hats from loving people and was overwhelmed by the love and comfort offered by their gifts so I decided to pay it forward. The hats developed into shawls and pretty soon I was involved in starting a prayers shawl ministry at my church. Over the past 5 years we have been blessed to be able to offer comfort, warmth, prayers and love to approximately 250 people. Crochet constantly challenges me. I keep learning new things and meeting new people. It was also been a source of comfort to me as I watched my beloved sister fight and lose the battle against Dragon Cancer. I know that crochet will continue to be a method of dealing with sorrow and illness for me.