Skip to content

I think my gratitude journal is sucking out all irony from me—my sincerity level is at an all-time high these days.

I’ve been thinking about silver linings recently. Gotta keep our eyes on those.

Here’s a silver lining: over the past two years, our team at MDK has had to work in all sorts of tricky permutations, situations, and locations, yet we’ve managed to keep things going. I think about this all the time.

Kay and I have never had a company like this before, and it has been an endless set of learning curves for us.

The secret ingredient, of course, is the people we’re lucky to work with. It is a rare thing to work in the company of folks who are so resilient, flexible, resourceful, and flat-out game. I’m pretty consistently amazed and amused by what happens on a daily basis at MDK.

We’ve come through so much in the past two years: a pandemic, birds in the rafters, incorrect burrito orders, complicated yarn situations, passwords gone missing, the delivery truck that leaves before actually delivering any pallets. We’ve mastered the daily morning Zoom meeting, the inner workings of WordPress, and the art of Slack.

Kay’s in New York, Cristina in Philadelphia, Melanie in Beacon, Sue in North Carolina, Elysa in Oakland, Will in England, and all of us in Nashville—Allison, Ashley, Chris, DG, Hannah, and Nathan. It’s a widespread group, but it doesn’t feel that way.

We have too many ideas cooking and deadlines that nip at our heels, but there’s always somebody who’s got some new plan for some crazy thing. That may be the ultimate silver lining: good folks with good ideas, and it makes life at MDK endlessly interesting.

A Giveaway

A shiny, brand-new, perfectly empty MDK Journal, so you can get your gratitude on. Or at least have a solid landing place for your doodles and dreams. Winner picks the color of their choice.

How to enter?

Two steps:

Step 1: Sign up for our weekly newsletter, Snippets, right here. If you’re already subscribed, you’re set.

Step 2: What’s the silver lining for you these days? Tell us in the comments.

Deadline for entries: Sunday, May 22, 11:59 PM Central time. We’ll draw a random winner from the entries. Winner will be notified by email.

476 Comments

  • my 2 granddaughters are my silver lining – they are both so much fun to be with and i love doing grandmotherly things with them such as baking and decorating cakes, or working out in the garden, or reading to them or even going on small adventures in the local area.

    the elder is 6 and younger is 2. i don’t do as much knitting for the big one now (apart from hats and mittens) but the mother of the younger one has just put in a request for a couple of summer weight cardigans – now that is guaranteed to warm a knitter’s heart.

    • Warm sunshine, a hot cuppa & quiet time journaling ~ gratitude

    • Silver linings? – they are many. Simpler times means back to basics – time with family, time to learn new knitting techniques and work skills, time to read for fun and more being outside & noticing the world around me.

    • A shiny new journal is something I really appreciate. Like a morning every one is fresh and new with no mistakes.

  • My silver lining is that I get to knit and crochet.

    • YES!

  • At the end of the first year of the pandemic, our two sweet foster grandsons were officially adopted into our family. Together with their two big sisters, they have been a beacon of light, hope, and endless joy.

  • On my third MDK journal since March 2020! They have helped me keep my days straight, developed my sketching ability—you should see my asparagus, orchid, & Gardengate sweater! I record recipes, funny things my grands say, family accomplishments, temps where my kids live — West, Mid-west, South, & me in New England! I record national & international events…no lack of fodder there. Silver linings, dark clouds, joyful shimmers of sunshine…all there.

  • After 3 years of looking, a pandemic, health problems, we are in the process of moving to be nearer 3 of our children 2 son in laws, and 2 of our grandchildren. So exciting and so much work. And the great thing is they are excited for us to be there! We don’t have to be the grandparents from out of town, and can help if they need any babysitting. The journal would be a great help to keep track of all that’s going on as I am a great list maker to keep organized

    • After 42 years of living away from family I have the honor and privilege of being able to move home and live with my 94 year old mother.

      • I just spent 10 days with my 90-year-old mom half the country away, and I hear you – It’s an honor!

      • xoxoxo

  • Th silver lining of COVID… While isolating, I finally established a morning exercise routine. Nothing fancy and I feel better in my aches and pains!

    • Yes! I finally found an online tai chi class. Stay Home time has allowed so much.

      • Hi, I’m interested to know what online Tai Chi class you found. I was looking for one and discovered Qi Gong, which is definitely a silver lining, but I’d still like to find some Tai Chi.

        • My silver lining is the benefits of technology. Moving my book group of many years to zoom has allowed members who moved away years ago to join the discussion again. They has been a highlight.

    • The silver lining has been spending so much time at home. I’m seeing spaces differently and finally tackling some projects.

      • My silver lining, spring ‘22, is that if you just keep going, you’ll be OK. No matter what health or financial issues come along, if you knit a little each day and fake until you make it, things will turn out OK. They may be a little different from how you imagined them, but they’ll be OK,

  • My family and my little farm.

    • A rainy Sunday with no plans. On the couch knitting, my husband in his chair reading, Radio Swiss Jazz playing. Heaven.

      • Absolutely.
        More of this.

  • My silver lining is watching spring unfold outside our patio door, with the return of the robins, orioles, and finches.

  • Retirement! And getting to spend these retirement years with my best friend and soul mate.

  • During the LONG Covid winter, the squirrels, birds and rabbits that came to my feeding station were my silver lining; those critters, and yarn.

  • My family – especially the grand babies!

  • Having plenty of yarn to keep my hands and mind busy knitting

  • Good health. And a granddaughter on the way.

    • Cheers! And congratulations from a fellow Grandma!

  • My silver lining is a lot of family.

    • My silver lining is my sister whom I chat with about once a week.

  • So much extra time with my kids!

    • The silver lining for me has been spending so much time with family and also reconnecting with people from years past!

      • Getting front porch ready for summer coffee and tequila drinking and lots of outdoor knitting with friends.

  • I’ve been stressed and dealing with work as well as my dad’s recent cancer diagnosis. Knitting and baking have been helping me center myself and process everything while keeping me calm, my mind and hands busy. The silver lining is that I’m ending up with yummy things I can eat and gift and beautiful knits to wear.

  • Going back to work at the beginning of the pandemic. It’s an active job giving me the exercise I needed to stay healthy and happy.

  • My silver lining these days is a new puppy! (So give my lining extra glitter and sparkles.)
    So while I’m not sleeping through the night, every moment awake is another moment I spend with her.

    • Holly – me too! Although keeping the sticks and strings out of the teething little mouth is challenging! Pure joy!

  • We all need to focus on the silver linings these days. They are there. Grateful for the evenings, yarn and projects.

  • Free time coming!

  • My silver linings- sunshine and yarn!

  • For the last 2 1/2 years, I’ve been caring each weekday for my granddaughter (2 1/2) and grandson (14 months), while their parents work. My old life of retirement, friends and leisure—and most especially my obsession with developing my knitting skills– has gone by the wayside. Despite it all, I continue to add to my stash and always carry with me a project ready for even a few rows as their naptime allows.

    The absolute silver lining? Well besides feeling a toddler crawl across the kitchen to me and stand up against my leg wanting to see what I’m actually doing at the kitchen sink, and the sticky hugs and kisses—my granddaughter told me one morning last week as she was watching “Cocomelon,” “I love you Ahmah. I am happy with you.”

    My passion for knitting has slowed to a crawl—but those were words I will never forget.

  • This has been one of the hardest years for me so far – but I have discovered strength and resilience that I didn’t know was possible. My family has been brought much closer together which I consider a great blessing. I also have returned to church after a long hiatus.

  • My silver lining is longer days and more light so that I can sit outside and knit or spin in the evenings.

  • Yeah it’s zoom. But you know what? I’ve learn so much stuff in classes I would never had had the opportunity to take and I’m not talking just knitting or even just handcrafts. It’s really expanded my mind.

    • I have to agree with Afton, much as I dislike Zoom, it’s has let me take all sorts of classes and listen to talks that never would have happened pre pandemic. Hand sewing classes at Tatter! And for my inner nerd, The Secret Science Club.

      • Silver linings are great grandkids, knitting and sunrises. Now I’m intrigued by The Secret Service Club.

  • Cooking excellent food for myself and to share. The isolation of the pandemic gave me, living alone, the freedom from obligation to events and friends.,and time to attend to my health by cooking. This year I’ve also taken up a sock knitting ministry for a group of nuns who work with the homeless, so even alone, I’m connected.

  • My silver lining at this time is SPRING HAS SPRUNG in Vermont. My garden is in “rebirth”. Everything is growing at what seems like sonic speed. The sheer joy I feel each morning when I go out for my “tour” can’t be denied.

  • My family

  • My silver lining is having the time to luxuriate in not being in a hurry. I’ve become an even more prolific knitter than I was before the pandemic and we have gotten a Weimaraner puppy. She fills our home with love and, I must admit, more than a bit of mischief. It’s so nice to have the time to take things more slowly and to savor moments that, in the past, may have gone totally unnoticed.

  • My silver lining is time to knit.

  • The silver lining for me is that I still wake up every morning and get to participate. Thankful for time with family, a place of employment and my spouse who does each day right beside me.

  • Any crafts project is my silver lining. Driving home through the country side away from the craziness of work. Renovating my home to make it my happy place and a place for friends to come and breathe deeply. Seeing my garden slowly growing up to the shape I had in mind. Harvesting my own food. Petting the neighbor’s dog or cat. It’s in all the small
    (really: big) things.

  • The silver lining for me is acceptance…covid happens, life presents challenges, aging is normal, and chocolate really is therapy!

  • My friends and family, hands down

  • My silver lining is being more mindful of the silver linings and deliberately looking for and celebrating each and every one of them.

  • My silver lining is just waking up each day and finding opportunities to enjoy the present moment. Right now I’m out front listening to the birds with one of my kitties. Yesterday and today my daughter has/had LIVE audience orchestra and band performances, I have time to knit, life is good! Also, bullet journaling has changed my life!!!!! Highly recommend!!!

  • My silver lining is that a special phone call I get around 9pm every night. We didn’t think it would happen but it is and some days that’s all that keeps me going

  • As we emerge from the craziness of a pandemic only to discover maybe we aren’t there yet, I’ve learned to look around me wherever I find myself and look for people of peace… whose trying their best to make things better for others. Who calms the angry mob, so to speak… guess what if you look… you find them…

  • Finding the depth of care in the people around us. Family, friends, neighbors, and community.

  • my silver lining includes my border collie who keeps me in line and my knitting!

  • Good health despite a run with COVID. Glad to be born in an era of vaccines.

  • My silver lining is that my daughter had a baby 20 months ago. He was miracle. She had been married about 13 years and had tried for baby from beginning. We funded several invetro (in Canada we had to pay for this treatment). None of the pregnancies took. She gave up. Voila she gets pregnant. Well here is silver lining. I got a grandson. And now she has returned to work after several leaves as a nurse and I am “grandparenting” until he goes to day care in September. While this is exhausting I love him so much.

  • My silver lining is my two cats, who have such low expectations of me I seem to meet them!

    • Love this! Also love reading these comments which help me remember that I have so much to be grateful for. Reading MDK has been my silver lining.

  • Our senior dog Shakra. He’s a hoot! Lots of walking and talking, yes he talks.

  • My silver lining is my family and friends — always my family and friends!

  • Ava, the pandemic adopted dog. She’s the littermate of Curtis, the pre-pandemic adopted dog. They are beautiful, smart, funny, my personal trainers, and she completes a happy family.

    • Fulfilling a life long dream of still being able to knit for friends and family. Of being able to live on my own at 85. Of waking up to a beautiful day each morning. Of grandchildren, family, friends who make my days shine in their own way.

  • Longer days, cool nights, planting madly, and knitting outside!

  • Getting through chemo (1left) relatively unscathed, with supportive friends all around me.

  • My silver lining is starting to swim for exercise. First a friend got me outside last summer walking in the pool’s lazy River. And then we went inside at the senior center. That has helped me feel better and so knitting is much more fun!

  • My silver lining is that I’m still alive and breathing today after so much loss in our country/our world

  • Silver lining is my continued garden successes! Including pounds of foraged morels this year! Many happy memories are being knitted and stitched into quilts – the first went to my Mom, who cheerfully escorted me to art school for so many years through the 1970s!

  • As always, the silver lining these days hasn’t changed from the past: kind and loving relationships with family and friends.

  • As always, it’s the people (and my pets). Never have I had so many connections to such wonderful family and friends. My passion for knitting keeps on growing along with my stash and projects in queue. Life is good.

  • Getting laid off from my job is opening up some new opportunities—-everything is going to be alright.

  • Besides family and friends , knitting, weaving and a stash have been my silver lining during both a serious health journey and the pandemic.
    Happy Knitting

  • For sure my health – both mental and physical. With those, I can get through anything.

  • I’m fortunate enough to have lots. I’ve kept my job – and even got a big raise – during the pandemic, and my company handled the situation well. They’ve been super accommodating about all the challenges I keep experiencing with my high-risk pregnancy. And my team is fantastic. My four-year-old daughter is the joy of my life. I live in a beautiful rural area. Every spring I’m shocked by how green and verdant it becomes.

  • MY online Ravelry knitting group has definitely been my silver lining. During all of this time that I could not see ffriends and family IRL, there has been this group of women from around the world who talk about everything, even knitting, all day long online. So in addition to family, and sporadically friends, there was this other group ready to listen, gossip, encourage and discuss pretty much any topic.

  • My silver lining is the feral cat who has selected my back yard as hia kingdom. He tells me all the news twice a day when I bring out the kibble. He waits for me to pet him and scratch all around his head before diving into his rations. I have been adopted!

  • Silver lining?- I lost 40 pounds as a result of being at home, time to /for myself, and started walking. No restaurant/take out food- just my own, healthy recipes. Walking and being grateful for clean fresh air, sunshine, birds singing and blue skies- what a gift.
    Kathy

  • My silver lining is being alive and well – nothing like a pandemic to make us grateful for the basics! And my Family of Choice – including my wonderful husband. I have funny, warm, wonderful people in my closest circle of support.

  • My family helps keep me sane. My children and grandchildren are in my life daily. I also have my knitting that helps to relax me. Plus there’s the fact that people want what I knit.

  • Each time we get together with friends and family I am more appreciative of the blessing of being able to do that.

  • So grateful (in no particular order) to have a job, a car, a home, a husband, my health, friends, and steady, dependable Internet that connects me to family across the country and like-minded knitting and sewing communities.

  • My silver linings is my puppy Annie whom we got two months before the pandemic began. She has been a lifesaver. My children and three grandchildren are my pride and joy and are a gold lining! And of course, knitting must be the bronze lining!

  • My silver lining (to the enormous amount of gardening/landscaping I’ve been doing) is that it is raining today. I not only get a break (whew!) but I don’t have to water any of the new plants.

  • Pandemic-induced alone time f provided lots of soothing silence for this introvert.

  • My silver lining is two grandsons. They are 3 & 5 and full of curiosity and creativity. They fill my life with joy. Having dear friends to share the stories with is the sprinkles on the frosting.

  • i had surgery on my right hand recently. i have been unable to do much since, but getting a bit stronger every day. Last week, at my son’s house, i was able to knit for about 15 minutes, and it didnt hurt! i am really quite excited about this silver lining!

  • My silver lining is definitely my Thursday afternoon Woolgathering Knitting Group! What a great group of girls! The absolute best!

  • My silver lining is the health of friends and family………and a nice stash of fibre helps, too!

  • My dog. Waking up to slobbery kisses, walks in all kinds of weather or playing in the backyard. Coming home to my little guy every day, So much friendship, so much joy and I always ask him how his day was. It’s always better for both of us, now that I am home.
    Twelve years – I am in awe and so very grateful.

  • My silver lining is getting to see the faces or people when I give them something I’ve knitted. They appreciate the time and energy.

  • I feel lucky to have so many silver linings during these past couple of years. The isolation has provided time for uninterrupted knitting (on on my 4th blanket!) and uninterupted reading. Our far away daughter bought us a firepit so we could sit on our deck with her unvaccinated in-town sister through all the cold months. My husband and I have rediscovered the joys of a long road trip as we drove several times cross-country to visit far away daughter. Our teen granddaughters (far away) have begged to come visit us this summer!

  • My grandkids!

  • My silver lining is good health and always having a knitting project nearby.

  • My family , and knowing they are all happy and healthy.

  • Almost two years ago, a new friend group was created from a larger Zoom group of 4 people who didn’t know each other before. We started knitting weekly, sitting apart outdoors with masks on, no matter the temperature, as long as it wasn’t raining. Together we have grown in our knitting and in our friendship.

  • I have loved slowing down and being home more. Now, I am making choices to decide what to continue doing and when I want to do them. I love being home!

  • I have been feeling down in the dumps, with new CoVID variants and fewer people masking. Staying home a lot more. The knitting and my weaving help, but was thinking of starting a gratitude journal to help me through this slump. Your post was perfect timing!

  • My silver lining also appears to be my own small world, my growing family! At last count, it includes 7 grandchildren- the newest born in December. And in September we get a new daughter-in-law ❤️ Last August we added a puppy who has captured our hearts and through daily walks with him, gotten to know many dog-walking neighbors. As I recuperate from shoulder surgery (no KNITTING, no sewing, no baking, no cooking, no holding a leash) I keep trying to concentrate on all the good stuff!

  • My silver lining is the amazing team I work with and we work remotely from all over the country from NYC to LA. We are also incredibly diverse team of 131 public health workers doing our best to support health departments during this crazy time.

  • My silver lining has been an appreciation of the people I love – during Covid I created a purl code sweater incorporating all of their names and now every time I wear it I feel somehow wrapped in love

  • My silver lining is knitting!

  • So many silver linings! I was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer at the beginning of the pandemic after 20 years from initial diagnosis. We had just moved to NC so I had no friends here and no way of making any because of the isolation I was forced into. Although I always had a healthy diet, decided to go even more radical and dropped all processed foods, sugar, alcohol, animal products. Sounds awful, right? It changed my life! I easily dropped 20 pounds and I have more energy and feel better than I have in years. Who would think that cancer could make a person healthier?!

  • My company went 100% remote at the onset of the pandemic, and I used the opportunity to move closer to my grown children. I’ve since had a pivotal health diagnosis, so my silver lining is being near to my beloveds when we all need each other most. I use a gratitude journal to remind myself of the small, meaningful things that make up a life charmed by love b

  • Ann, as always, you have me thinking. My gratitude journals have always been titled just that, but now I want to start a new one entitled “Silver Linings”. Knitting is one of the first entries, right after faith, health, family and friends. LOVE this article you wrote. Thank you!

  • Tanya, my amazing voice teacher, and the chance to sing–these are my silver and gold linings.

  • Our son was working on the east coast when his job ended due to the pandemic. He got a job right away with a local college and will be moving home this month after finding a cute house in a nearby town.

  • silver lining for me right now is there is always humor!! I unfortunately broke my leg but keep finding humor around me & my friends send great LOLs to me. ie: I was in the hospital on Mother’s Day & a friend sent a MD’s greeting which included “Enjoy your breakfast in bed!”
    my other silver lining is that even tho I’m stuck in a recliner for 3 weeks & my DH isn’t able to gather together any knitting projects for me, he was able to get me a sketchbook, pencils/pens & an eraser so now I’m sketching regularly which I haven’t done in a long time

    • I’ll add a PS to my silver lining…due to COVID I quit going to the salon. I quit coloring my hair. People now say it’s a really lovely SILVER

  • Silver linings: Family. Time. Home. Knitting.

  • My late husband was an avid bird watcher, and I recently decided to put out bird feeders again to try to attract cardinals, which my daughter & I have taken to mean that my husband is near. I enjoy watching all the different birds (& acrobatic squirrels) that come to the feeders, and sometimes while walking with our granddaughter, whom he never met, we’ll see a cardinal flying by or perching in a tree taking a look at us. It’s emotional & comforting.

  • Golden sunshine is my silver lining. It is finally spring/summer in Michigan. My knitting group is meeting outdoors once a week and music is back in the parks. We are a community once more.

    • So many things to be grateful for. One silver lining is my knitting group, held online during the pandemic. We meet weekly to share our knitting and talk about anything and everything.

  • Mine is young people—Millennials and Gen Z. They’ smart and kind and self-aware and doing amazing things in really tough circumstances. They’ve given me new ways to think about things and better words to communicate with.

  • silver lining is I started to work from home and therefore am not buying much gas at all!

  • My silver lining is being (re)introduced to the world of hand stitching as artistic form/therapy/time sink by my best friend of 55 years. Wait, two silver linings: 2nd is that I have had her as a best friend for the past 55 years.

  • My silver lining is time with my daughter and knitting time:)

  • Time spent with grandchildren and time (finally) in the beds and borders seeing everything come to life and reaffirm that in spite of so much heartbreak and horror, the tulips bloom, the trees leaf out, the birds nest and the doors and windows are thrown open. Amen and amen.

  • The silver lining is falling into a job I don’t especially love but that is giving me the mindspace to use it as a bridge to something better!

  • In the storm clouds of friends’ health diagnosises and losses of their lifelong partners and families dealing with all sorts of (poop), my silver lining is that I am healthy and able to support and love them.

  • My silver lining is that I am able to amuse myself and enjoy my own company through reading and craft. I am very lucky to enjoy the things that have kept me company during these last 2 years.

  • Increased appreciation for the little things!

  • Finally making summer plans to visit friends (and family) and to go camping!

  • Finding the silver lining is a lifestyle for me, although now you have me thinking I need to write them down! I have been fully employed throughout the pandemic, which means paying my bills was never a problem. I am also thankful as gas prices are rising that I CAN pay those prices, unlike the people in Ukraine. What a blessing to even have the option!! And of course, health, friends, and family truly top the list!!

  • So grateful for retirement with a pension which brings freedom from worry. Grateful for my partner and our cats who bring laughter and love every day. Grateful spring is really here and right now blossoms on the huge old crabapple drifting to the ground.

  • The three-year old grandson who is always thinking creatively, especially when he comes up with new rationales for getting his own way…This is what life is for!

  • The silver lining this spring is Junior High Level Lion King musical. The raw talent is fantastic in these kids. At this level, they aren’t groomed and polished and their raw natural talent is so fun to see.

  • My silver lining is that i live in a beautiful state surrounded by mountains and nature. And even though i feel lonely and disappointed in my realtionship sometimes, the mountains never let me down.

  • Meeting weekly on Zoom with my small knitting group has sustained me and has kept me from feeling the utter isolation of these past two years. We share our knitting projects while we talk about life. Our friendships have grown along with our collective knitting skills. That is my silver llining.

  • my silver lining(s)? My son graduated uni, got a great job, and is back home to save some money – love having him here. And our cottage. In times when travel is hard, having this piece of paradise to come to has been everything. Oh, and beating cancer last year – that was pretty good.

  • I got super burned out as a nurse practitioner during the pandemic and retired early. Months later, my husband decided to take a sabbatical so we made plans to travel for 10 months. We just left home 2 days ago!

  • My silver lining, my family. Nothing is more important.

  • Knitting of course.

  • Rain! Lots of rain. We always worry about enough moisture in the ground.

  • I learned to experience the miracles I need to be very present to notice them. They are as close as my lap.

  • Learning to be present in the moment.

  • my silver lining is the time I get to spend with my grandson — at 11 he is still amazingly “cuddly” (at least with me) as well as smart, artistic and athletic — we have propped each other up through loosing his grandpa, and we enjoy lots of adventures on our days together

  • My silver linings are an uninterrupted cup of morning coffee with lots of yarn and pattern browsing.

  • After spending an entire summer cutting down invasive buckthorn, honeysuckle and autumn olive from the land behind my house, it now looks awesome. Native plants are popping up that had not been there for years, having been shaded out. The migrating birds have returned – Baltimore orioles, catbirds, rose breasted grosbeaks, and ruby throated hummingbirds among others. Rabbits abound, but thankfully so do coyotes and foxes. All is right in my little world.

  • friends at work

  • Retirement! This time next year I will no longer be a slave to the alarm clock. I can knit all the time and any time I want! And visits kids whenever!!

  • I am physically healthier. With an increase in Zoom options for exercise classes, my husband and I adopted a structured schedule around them. We are newly retired, and having no structured work schedule is not always a good thing. So exercise classes defined our days.

  • My silver lining is being able to retire with a nice nest egg after years of saving and being frugal and having the time to spend with grandkids and crafting (mostly knitting ).

  • Tax season is finally over & I can get back to my knitting!

  • Since I was bestowed my wonderful family and my love of knitting BEFORE the pandemic I would not think they qualify as ‘silver linings’ OF the pandemic, although they certainly qualify as giant gifts for which I am extremely grateful. The actual silver lining was realizing that being somewhat of an introvert really works in this time of semi-isolation and can be a source of strength when I had always thought of it as a liability… I really loved reading the other Comments regardless of how they interpreted “silver linings” (as opposed to my narrow one). Many of them made my heart soar (new puppies and the nun-generated charity, come to mind at the moment), An entire list of joyful by-products – a silver lining in itself. (Sorry if this sounds like an essay. It’s just the way I think.)

    • My silver lining is my family and my knitting.

  • My silver lining? Spring is finally here up north and I can spend long days playing in the dirt.

  • The connections I have made through a screen have kept me moving forward

  • Friends on zoom who I knit with every day

  • My silver lining from the pandemic is switching to work from home. I will probably get rid of my office when the lease is up. I love being able to be distracted during my work day by knitting and my pup!

  • I made project bags with literal silver linings (raincloud print outside & rainbow grosgrain drawstrings) for my knitting group. Because the 5 of them are silver linings!

  • Ann, I totally get what you’re saying about your coworkers. In the age of The Great Resignation, I too like my boss, my coworkers, my employer (A giant Canadian firm, it’s given me a deep appreciation of our gentle northern neighbors).

    They built a brand new building in downtown Minneapolis during the pandemic, and it has been great to look out of the big windows and see a city that has gone through a lot (rest in power, George Floyd) lick its wounds and get back up.

  • Our little community opened its doors yesterday with a great Art Walk which we’ve not had for two years. For me it was like a big cloud lifting after endless days of staying closer to home. During those two years I accomplished lots of knitting and that included knitting with a ZOOM group that originated five states away from where I reside. For those women I am thankful as they inspired me to stay in contact with like minds; to persevere and find delight in the accomplishments of each other. I feel refreshed!!

  • My grand daughter is a constant joy.

  • I gotta say, my Number 5 grand baby-to-be is my silver lining. He’s due any moment, after believing my first 4 were just the best. And now, a special, cherished baby for cousins, aunts and uncles and me, grandma, to love.

  • My boys are back home. I may be cooking and cleaning everyday, but the house feels good.
    Covid touched us, but #science for the win.

  • Zoom has made my life better, the knitting part included. One way is getting to take classes from a teacher in Norway – have you ever tried to knit a Norwegian sweater? Let’s just say “CO, knit ribbing, knit chart, knit ribbing, CO” is pretty close to the entire pattern. That’s the silver lining, the platinum lining is the friendship and camaraderie formed with my knit group pals taking the classes with me. They are a wonderful smart, funny, supportive group who I aspire to knit as well as.

  • My silver lining of the pandemic has been the time it has given me to devote to knitting. Pre-pandemic, I was a knitter, but there was so much I didn’t know and so many things I was afraid to tackle. The pandemic gave me enough time at home to really focus, take online classes and devote hours a day to getting better. Two years later, I’ve finished a half-dozen sweaters, know some complicated techniques, and am no longer afraid of a challenge. This time has given me a hobby that fulfills me like no other.

  • Just being able to walk after recent back surgery is silver lining enough for me. The other silver lining is if I”m hurting I get to sit for a while and knit! And yay! It’s my birthday today.

  • Having time to slow down and to appreciate all that I have.

  • My garden. My garden. Just now eating oatmeal with pears (reconstituted dehydrated from last year’s crop) from my garden. There’s spinach coming in. Eggs. Irises. Blooms turned to fruit set. Things have been tough, but the garden is the perfect medicine.

  • My silver lining is the that the people in my family and work circles are interesting, funny and supportive. I feel so lucky to have spent so much time with these folks over the past two years!

  • Knitting, painting, hiking, gardening, yoga, my family, especially my grandsons. We moved cross country to be near them, and this place is so full of wildlife, it’s amazing!

  • My silver lining from the pandemic is learning to slow down and appreciate the blessings I have. I really am so blessed with family, good friends and health.

  • My silver lining is that SPRINGTIME has hit OH. I love winter for all my knitting and sewing pursuits. Waking up serenaded to birdsong and putting on SHORTS is a wonder in itself though. What to do today….bike or kayak?

  • The daily missives by MDK as the preface to my day, whether I get any personal knitting done or not, are my silver lining, accompanied by the wonderful community of like minded people you have convened. Thank you, Team MDK, for all you do!!

  • My silver lining is life. I get to create art; knit, clay, paint and learn new things. My new kitty & my husband are very shiny as well.

  • One silver lining is that our knitting group has survived through these crazy pandemic years. We zoomed, which was not ideal, and are now meeting in person again outside. We knit AND solve all the world’s problems together. I’m grateful for this group of women and their friendship.

  • I broke my leg a month ago, just days before we were scheduled to leave on an epic 5 week road trip. It meant the whole trip — one which we’d been planning for months and was going to mean seeing lots of people (including our only grandchild) that we hadn’t seen … in some case … for years — needed to be cancelled. To say I was heartbroken would be an understatement. The silver lining was seeing how my family and friends came together to keep my spirits up, provide food, and just generally BE THERE. Angels. All of them!

  • My posse is my silver lining, the women I call on for connection. The hikers, the library builders, the Rhinebeck weekend pals who would NEVER tell me to hurry up. Taco connoisseurs, book bandits, volunteers. Deep thinkers, bon vivants, and slightly competitive bakers. Our bonds are stronger than flax.

  • My silver lining is knitting, crafts and family! Live is good with those things and flowers in my garden. Keep smiling everyone!!!

    • My pandemic silver lining has been a facetime yoga class with my sister inMassachusetts and sister-in-law in Dallas, with an excellent teacher. It has helped all 3 of us develop a personal almost- daily yoga practice and most of all, has kept us in close regular contact.

  • My silver lining has been getting to work more on my garden and our pandemic pup Molson. He’s turned into a Mama’s boy and he makes me laugh even very day!

  • My daughter is my silver lining. She flew from the nest in 2012, to the Twin Cities, leaving miles and miles between us. In August 2019 we moved from Tennessee to be closer to her. I don’t know how I would have made it through the pandemic without her. She is the greatest big sister to our adult son who has Down Syndrome. She is my favorite trail hiking buddy. She is her dad’s fellow history buff. She makes our family whole.

  • Summertime is around the corner!

  • My family is my silver lining. It has been a difficult couple of years but we are closer in every way except distance. Friends around help me fill the every day routines.

  • My current silver lining is that spring is FINALLY here. And in two weeks, we will see our daughter and son-in-law. We’re all traveling for a friend’s wedding. Can’t wait.

  • Our silver lining – the wonderful people around us as we’ve opened our gallery in a new state. And our gallery looks across to the Pacific Ocean (how great is that?) Slowly we’re establishing ourselves here and people (artists, customers, new friends, other business owners) have been so welcoming and encouraging.

  • Yarn in amazing colors and inspiration all around (including daily MDK) about what to do with it!!

  • Planting flowers!

  • My elderly aunt is physically unwell and I am her caregiver. My silver lining is her sweet spirit and all the special moments in the midst of the struggles.

  • Believe it or not, my silver lining is my breast cancer diagnosis. Here’s why. This was caught in January and extremely early – so a little surgery, some radiation, and thankfully I’ll be fine. The silver lining part is my husband. He had been hospitalized at the end of October and most of November dealing with some pretty serious things. When he came home, he spent his time either in bed or on the couch when he wasn’t doing his therapy. But with my diagnosis, and the surgery that was planned, I wasn’t going to be able to do ANYTHING for at least six weeks. No cooking, no laundry, no taking the dogs out, etc. He had to literally get off the couch and start doing more – and has, and he’s doing so much better now. I truly believe my diagnosis is what helped him get back up and moving again.

  • My new first grandchild. I am in love.

  • I’ve always been attracted to the “less is more” way of doing things, but the pandemic has made me live it and this experience has been a glorious silver lining.

  • My health and the health of my family. Learning how to knit this last year. Becoming a better gardener. Sitting in the backyard listening to so many birds while surrounded by my growing English cottage style native drought tolerant garden where I read, knit and nap.

  • Grand babies are my silver lining!!

  • My pandemic silver lining is Bodie, my Aussie mix puppy. I can’t remember life before him.

  • The silver lining from yet another Covid quarantine was last week A break from “normal “ life and A chance to rest.
    Everyone thankfully has recovered and resumed their busy life. The struggle is still here, wear your mask!

  • My amazing family and planning my retirement!

  • Silver linings…..sunrises, sunsets, cinnamon rolls cooking in the oven, cups of tea, phone calls from a granddaughter whose about to graduate from college, yarn stash, positive doctor report, baby whales, the smile from your husband…..so many silver linings..

  • My crafting-knitting, crocheting, stitching, card making. My family. Health for all.

  • My silver lining is definitely the warmer weater. I’ve been down with covid for a few weeks now and isolating beyond the amount of time I need to because I still have symptoms. So being housebound for a while now, my silver lining is that it is becoming more and more beautiful outside and I am able to grab my book and my knitting and head to the deck for fresh air.

  • My parents moved across the country a few years ago ending up five minutes from me. Without them doing that they would not have been close by as I went through breast cancer. I would not have gotten to see my Dad almost daily his last five years as he went through Alzheimer’s. I wouldn’t have been able to be there for my Mom daily now.

  • For me, the silver lining in the pandemic has been the willingness of organizations to adopt remote technology…My husband and I are happy he can work from home now, I love “attending” classes and conferences across the country via Zoom that I wouldn’t have attended otherwise, and an organization I love got creative and came up with meaningful ways for us to meet and volunteer from home (without fighting our city’s traffic) if we want to.

  • All of the time I’ve been able to spend with my son during his HS years that would not otherwise have been possible these last few years. Seeing the amazing and talented young man he has become now as he launches himself from Dallas to the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.

  • I’ve been dog-sitting for a friend in lovely, flat, rural Wisconsin. I can see for miles. Yesterday’s 85° temperature (unseasonably warm for this area) felt balmy after the 94° weather the day before. It’s all about perspective.

  • I retired 18 months ago and have been sick ever since.
    I have been able to enjoy and dream and plan though.
    So now that I am a bit better I have many projects to choose from that to all of you.

  • This time of year, my silver lining is bird migration with the arrival of at least one new bird of the year per day.

  • Being around my family more. Since we have been hanging out together more, we had to figure out how to get a long better.

  • My orchids and other plants are my silver lining. Having the time to fertilize them regularly really helps them bloom.

  • My silver lining is knitting. It provides such a wonderful outlet to help balance the variety of stresses that the pandemic has brought.

  • getting lost in knitting and craft projects

  • So many silver linings! My grand kiddos, my son and his wife, my husband, my dog. My many friends and fun things to do. During the pandemic lockdown I appreciated the slower pace quite a lot. It gives me the opportunity to really think about how I want to spend time.

  • Just got in from my morning walk with my dogs and I got to meet and chat with several friendly folks in the neighborhood. Just gives me hope in humanity.

  • The silver lining has been to be able to say no to things that I don’t want to do and not feel guilty.

  • Silver lining(s) through this pandemic – our 52 year old son found true love and was married for the second time in July 2021, our daughter and son in law drove from NC to share Easter, her birthday, their 20th wedding anniversary, our grandson’s birthday the same day as their anniversary, after which when they arrived home and were bringing suitcases upstairs, our son in law, popped his knee and has been in a cast since April and will continue in it for the next six weeks. The silver lining being they were at home when it happened.
    It is my belief and prayer that more silver linings are in store for all of us with God’s blessing. Knitting is a joy which I share with 5 women from my church each Tuesday morning when we lift each other up and compliment each other’s accomplishments.

  • The greens are growing in the garden!

  • A muti-layered/veneered lining here: Spring migration, the return of in-person knit night, and return to office in June.

  • Waking up each day and not being sick! Of course, knitting.

  • HERE IT IS MAY 15, 2022 READING MY MDK SUNDAY MESSAGE ABOUT GRATITUDE AS I AWAIT THE ARRIVAL AND FIRST MEETING OF A NEW SISTER. AT 76 YEARS OF AGE IT IS A VERY UNUSAL HAPPENING MADE POSSIBLE BY ANCESTRY DNA. A TRUE JOY TO FIND A SIBLING UNKNOWN TO ME UNTIL LAST YEAR WHO IS WITHOUT ALL THE GOOD & BAD PARTS OF GROWING UP TOGETHER. MY GRATITUDE CUP IS OVERFLOWING!

  • The silver lining is traveling with friends again!

  • My husbands easy going nature…

  • Enjoying retirement and having a lot of time to knit!

  • The silver lining has been regaining a sense of how valuable my time is. I make better choices now about how to spend it.

  • So many good books! eReaders have improved and I don’t even need to go to the bookstore or library. I can even buy ebooks from my local bookstore and read it on my iPad or Kindle.

    Happily, my authors have had writing time! Unhappily paper shortages are delaying releases.

    Oh, and K-dramas. I spent maybe 6 months streaming K-dramas!

  • Time with family!

  • Ah, so many: my sister-friends, a morning of no busted pipes-just easy irrigation fixes, Carter Dickson mysteries, needles & a lush stash. The list is endless.

  • Having friends and family I love and trust.

  • being tested for blood disease motivates oneself to find endless opportunities for gratitude and silver linings…

  • There’s an endless supply of knitting options and audiobooks or podcasts to choose from while knitting.
    Not to mention the steady supply of electricity, iPad, and a roof over our heads. (A start of my gratitudes list I suppose.)

  • Living in a place where everything is green and hearing the birds chirping, and being able to sew, quilt, knit, and cook anything I want to anytime.

  • My silver lining is that I moved across to take care of my 96 year old Dad. I thank the Lord every day for the blessings He’s given me.

  • Friends,family, friends who are family and family who are friends.

  • Silver lining? Honestly right now everyday seems to have its silver lining. At 73 years young I’m just very lucky for the life and family I have, and even luckier that I actually know how lucky I am.

  • Wow! such an amazing way to operate…so many miles zoomed each day. My silver lining is the resourcefulness commanded by pandemic (relative) isolation has opened up in me an acceptance of alternative ways and means. More Flexibility.

  • Finding out that I am as resilient as necessity demands. Incredibly grateful that the pandemic did not take anyone close to me. Living close to one grandson and being able to help my single parent son. Life is not perfect but it is full!

  • My silver lining is living in an area where I can get outside to walk in nature nearly everyday, rain or shine, to recharge my soul.

  • being retired and getting to spend it with my granddaughters & husband

  • My silver lining is that companies like MDK exist! I am endlessly inspired and amused by your posts. And so grateful that knitting is a passion that can be shared!

  • Let’s SEE those folks! Pictures, please! People and the innards of Nashville HQ!

  • Silver lining? Yesterday I cooked side by side with my husband for hours. We had a fantastic meal last evening and the silver linings for all that labor? Hanging out with him in the kitchen is always fun, and the leftovers, the glorious left overs.

  • My silver lining is when Knit Companion works like I’v programmed. and I can proceed with my lacy sweater.

  • Family and pets are always a silver lining but I’m also very happy that there are so many great British mystery shows. Since we aren’t really traveling yet, I enjoy the scenery as much as the stories.

  • Friend are my silver lining! Like MDK & all my other Fiber Artists friends! Love you all!

  • I have been blessed with my first grandchild, who is endlessly entertaining, but a distance away. When she is not available to her Mimi, I know that I can always turn to MDK for my enlightenment for the day!

  • The Eurovision Song Contest! Glitz, sequins, pyrotechnics, lasers, dancing, and people singing their gosh durned hearts out. To put it simply, it is absolutely pure distilled joy.

  • The silver lining that I will continue all my days was the discovery of the benefits of keeping a Rose/Thorn/Bud journal. At the end of the day I capture the most outstanding moment, the most irking situation and something that holds promise–it might even be a new stitch pattern. Making those entries closes each day and I can look back for inspiration.

  • I didn’t realise you had someone in England – that may well be my silver lining! What does Will do for you here?

  • That the pandemic has brought my sister and I closer together. We check in on each other more, and its so nice.

  • Silver lining. My health continues to hold on. The bad news I got 4 years ago plunged but then it leveled off. I am a nurse in the area my body has decided to be challenged in so I know what it will look like

  • My silver lining is gratitude. There’s so much to be thankful for even during these distressing times. Thank goodness for music to listen to and sing, knitting, reading, and playing the piano.

  • My two big silver linings are all about health. First, my husband went through 45 radiation treatments for cancer this winter. It appears that the radiation has effected a cure for him. He’ll have more testing done in a couple months and, hopefully, that will tell us definitively.

    Another of my silver linings is being diagnosed with fibromyalgia. Yep, you read that right!

    It’s one of my silver linings because after 4 or 5 years of terrible insomnia (think night after night of still being awake at 3, 4 or 5 am, not just “trouble sleeping”) and worsening widespread chronic pain I have medications that are working for me. I sleep and I am pain free!

    I finally found a doctor who listened to me, and who believes fibromyalgia is real (there are still plenty of doctors out there who don’t). She didn’t act like this is “all in my head” and didn’t treat me like I was “drug seeking.” She treats me with respect.
    And I feel so much better than I have in years.

    By the way, May is Fibromyalgia Awareness Month!

  • My silver lining is that I have learned to take time for me. When I want to knit…I knit. When I want to just stare off into space, I do that too.

  • My silver lining is having a beautiful space as my crafting room. It’s the place that has my collection of yarn, books, and a comfortable chair for dreaming, napping, reading. It’s my refuge.

  • My extended family and my good supportive friends. Plus the wherewithal to rent a small cottage in my daughter’s neighborhood – the good health to fly there often and to interact with three adorable grandchildren. That is my silver lining !

  • My silver lining is that I soon will escape the TX heat

  • The slow down that the pandemic caused upped the activity in our home. Suddenly I was homeschooling and oh so grateful for educators! I became aware of the courage of grocery store employees and strength of nursing staff. I learned that we protect what we value and that it was so simple to do all the small things that kept my parents and kids and grandkids safe.

  • A rainy day, not great for gardening, so onto my next knit pattern project for needle details, only to realize I need 60” cables, and don’t have any. So, ordered some online and finished a wonderful novel about a Dutch artist in the 1600’s. Feet up, garden is getting its rain, and I am transported back in time: A silver lining to the absence of the cables.

  • My first grandchild on the way!

  • silver lining: reconnecting with two old friends, via a monthly zoom book group. We haven’t lived near each other for 25 years, yet our friendship continues!

  • Well, it’s been tough, husband had a heart arrack, I had back surgery, mom in and out of the hospital and blah, blah blah. The silver lining is a ton of friends, church family, huge yarn stash and a wicked sense of humor

  • My 2 year old grandson is my light and joy. Keeping up with his adventures is a workout! Working in knitting whenever possible has resulted in some actual finished projects.

  • Our silver lining is that both our sons now live within 2 hours drive of us. I am so grateful to be able to see them more often.

  • My silver lining is planning some knitting projects to work on during our first across country driving trip this summer (and of course to spend time with family there!)

  • Friends! My friends and I have scattered with the winds in the last few years, so even before the pandemic we were getting good at staying connected from afar. Phone calls, texting, and Zoom totally help!

  • My silver lining is having had more time at home these past few years to excel at my introverted-ness, and to spend time with my son before he leaves for college.

  • Well, if the random number generator has ANY heart, Deb J’s comment will win, BUT I will chime in and say that the silver lining for me (in 2.5 years of COVID school, working as a teacher and an instructional coach, OH and being female [and human, basically] in this world at this time) is those small and beautiful interactions: young teachers learning this challenging profession; experienced teachers who keep trying new things; students who are kind and funny to each other; a smile in the grocery store; a bouquet of tulips from a friend. I hope Abby Wambach’s graduation speech has gone viral, because her point is about my silver lining: connections to other human beings. Thanks.

  • My dog. He’s gotten me through some rough times and continues to like snuggling. He always welcomes me home with a bum wiggle, his ball, and utter joy that I’ve returned. He’s also a wonderful listener and was so supportive during CoVid lockup.

  • I have had the time at home to do all the reading, studying, and introspection that I kept thinking I would get to, but was never able to have with the busyness of my pre-pandemic life.

  • My silver lining is knowing that there are groups like you all who get good things done with grace and grit! You prove that it’s possible to work out the
    kinks producing pure pleasure…msupshaw@msn.com

  • Silver linings…I’m picking up what you’re putting down with respect to feeling so grateful to work with amazing people. At my hospital, my colleagues and nurses are hands down the reason I’ve been on the same unit for my entire career. In my group, we’ve seen each other through births, deaths, surgeries, cancer, family transitions, work transitions. An amazing group of folks. Living in a place where you can be outside every day of the year and immerse yourself in nature. Thanks for asking. It feels good to have a chance to reflect on these blessing.

  • Current silver lining is this absolutely gorgeous spring day after a way tooooo dry April and a May with more March days than May days so far. Wonderful to have the windows open after a l-o-n-g winter. And friends with which to share it. Soon the knitting/needlework group (Fibre Therapy, don’t you know?) will be meeting on the patio. Hooray!!!

  • Friends have been my silver lining. Stepping in just when you need them, leaving you alone when necessary. And knitting. A new craft for me that has reached new heights during this pandemic.

  • My husband of almost 32 years!

  • It rained, but not until after I got the garden planted.

  • Being able to knit together with friends at my local yarn shop… my little piece of heaven

  • My silver lining is the amount of effort my amazing dyslexic students put in every day, even when they know we are so close to the end of the school year. I love their positive attitude and how they inspire me!

  • My family is my silver lining every day of my life, i have been blessed.

  • My silver lining is that I am here!

  • My silver lining is that I’ve been able to take classes from teachers from all over the world. On Saturday, my teacher was in Israel, and, today, my teacher was in Illinois. I live in California.

  • My silver lining is two great friends who are always there for me!

  • A slower pace without guilt

  • The community of makers — always there to support each other.

  • Nowhere to go and the time to do yoga every morning

  • Just reading the incredible silver lining comments! I have so many silver linings, my large close family including more and more grandchildren My love of my life husband who puts up with silly knitting woman for all these 34+ years! For the sheer pleasure of creating something with sticks and wooly! Ty MDK family!

  • Crafting and gardening keep my world in balance.

  • Hope is my silver lining. Hope that the goodness of so many will overcome the twisted brokenness in the few. Hope that the love I give will multiply beyond my own poor efforts with the help of Something far greater than I am, be it a higher power, the synergistic power of community, or a deep spiritual presence. Hope that we will collectively finally leave this place we all Earth better for having lived in it.

  • Lately the delightful thing in my life has been enjoying a few of the dewberries that grow wild along the trails I walk in a lovely wooded garden. Watching them turn from red to black and then carefully picking them makes me feel like a kid again, and spotting their glossy black shine amongst the leaves feels like a gift.
    Reading and knitting are also always silver linings for me.

  • My silver lining is getting to spend one last week with my Mom, holding her hand, talking, reminiscing, and laughing before she passed away on April 13th.

  • My silver lining has been the new craft skills I’ve learned since the beginning of the pandemic. Fewer outings with friends has meant more time at home. I’ve gotten much more confident with knitting colorwork and reading charts, and I’m working my way through the patterns in Sonya Philip’s The Act of Sewing. I made the trousers for the first time yesterday!

  • My silver lining is my RA is settling down and I can knit for over an hour at a time now. I was very depressed when it hurt so bad after one row!

  • Having a contractor show up after hurricane Ida.

  • My grandbaby, who always has me smiling or laughing out loud. And then there’s the blessing of another one on the way!

  • The pandemic taught me that it’s ok to be me, to spend a string of days home alone and feel blessed that it gives me more time to do what I enjoy. I feel freer. More than a silver lining – platinum

  • My silver lining is a new, larger house with central heat and central air and a big backyard for a garden.

  • My daughter is my silver lining. Even in her present guise as an eye rolling tween.

  • My gardens

  • My three children, healthy and happy though far flung, and a sweet dog and cat here at home to keep me company.

  • Life in 2021 was very hard because my husband’s Parkinson’s disease decided to activly challenge both os us with newly active symptoms some of which were frightening. We were living in a highly rated CCRC but the closet specialist was 2-3 hours away, hardly adequate to meet our needs. In July we had a family meeting and decided to move to Minnesota to be close to our son and hia family. Then I became ill just as we were about to move in December, but the silver lining came in the form of our daughter, Beth. She came down to stay with her father whule I was in the hospital and then stayed to pack us up, move our belongings by truck, transport our family cat with her and did not leave until we were mostly unpacked and settled in our new home. Once we were actually living in Minnesota our son and his family also stepped up to care and help us and have been doing so ever since. God truly blessed us not only with all this help but with much improved healthcarefor us both. We still have some challenges that have to be met, but, we feel that we can take them in stride because of our wonderful family. I have known others whose family have not been helpful much less supportive so I am delighted to report my silver lining is my family.

  • Mountain views and a growing stash of delicious yarn.

  • My silver lining is that with the pandemic, I worked remotely and my employer allowed us to move anywhere in the USA. I miss meeting with my team in person, (heck, I haven’t even met some of them in person), but I love living in hot sunny Florida.

  • The hard work of garden and landscape provide so much healthy exercise for body and soul. True silver lining.

  • More time for knitting and other crafting!

  • I’m single, retired, answer to no one, so I can sit from the minute I get up to the minute I go to bed. How delightful is that.

  • Cristina, Would you be interested in the Phila. Guild of Hand Weavers? I know they’re about 2 years out to signing up speakers. It would definitely be cool to meet you. I live in Mt. Airy. How could we connect?

  • My silver lining is after a big health scare last year, everything is looking good. My daughters were huge supporters last year and now we can focus on our future.

  • Our Covid Silver Lining is fluffy and layered: the privilege of working from home was granted by our employers…and it’s going to stay! Margaritas and other tasty adult beverages can be ordered with carryout or delivered, and that is also going to stay! My LYS has thrived. We got to spend time and really get to know our kids as adults when they returned home to ride out the worst of the lockdowns. I have started and FINISHED and WORN multiple sweaters over the past few years, because Zoom and Skype meetings let me knit while participating. My gardens have never been more productive, because I’ve been home to care for them properly and manage the pests. GRANDBABIES are a delightful result of the lockdowns…we now have two!

  • Spring gardening is my silver lining. This winter seemed especially long and dreary, and I think I might be solar-powered. Something about digging in the dirt in the spring sunshine really rejuvenates me. Even if I only have time between Zoom calls to pull a few weeds from a small patch of garden, it makes a big difference in my mood for the day.

  • My silver lining is my almost 6 year old granddaughter. 🙂

  • My silver lining these days is peaceful knitting ( of course) and my Scottish terrier Patti. Our routine every evening following dinner is to go to the comfy chair Patti gets between my legs on the ottoman and I knit away for about two hours. This keeps me happy and sane and dreaming of the next project.

  • The silver lining for me about the Pandemic is that my husband of 39 years has really finally started to take his health seriously. Going for check ups. Taking his medicine. Having blood work done. Eating and exercising better.. Before he would just try to ignore everything.

  • Living close to the UC Berkeley Botanical Garden has been my silver lining. I joined early in 2020, and it is open every day to visit. It rejuvenates me every time – even if it is only a short visit. It is such a wonderful garden, full of plants from all over the world, bees, butterflies, birds. It breathes new life into me. It is such a treasure.

  • My silver lining is our beautiful new home and the fact that we both have remote jobs so we can truly enjoy our new space! Feeling blessed every day.

  • The puppy I adopted in October. He is adorable, funny, and highly energetic.

  • My silver lining is that working from home has helped me change my lifestyle enough to eat a little better, and move a little more.

  • Mine is that I will feel well so that I will be able to knit more, again.

  • 22 year old me knew I needed that dude. He is my silver lining every dang day.

  • Someday I’ll spend the money we’ve saved up a great vacation

  • This is a very good question to ask as it has me thinking. My partner of 8 years is my rock and best friend he keeps me pushing on as my health hasn’t been the greatest as of late. He jokes with me that I am retired at 42 lol. He doesn’t let me give up and he spoils me with squishy treats of yarn and things related to it. I also see the silver lining in my health situation as an opportunity to slow down, constantly going at 90 miles an hour is not healthy.
    The last three years has shown me that it’s more important to be present, do one thing at a time, enjoy the small things and the people that matter the most! And you are never too old to learn a new knitting trick or technique!

  • Zooming with friends across the country. Two years ago, we started meeting weekly, and have become besties.

  • My silver lining is the outdoors. I have become a hiker and getting through the week allows me to take time in creation to see the beauty put here for us.

  • Knit has saved my mental and physical health! Didn’t leave the house or see anyone in person for 14 months as I am immune d compromised.

  • My silver lining is good health, mindfulness with quiet sanity and of course time to knit as a major source of self care.

  • There are mornings when I make myself list the things I am grateful for, just so I can get out of bed. They are: my husband and daughter, my parents, my dog, having a job I enjoy, my home, and knitting – which, by keeping my hands busy, often helps to keep the anxieties about the future at bay.

  • silver lining is having a few WIP going, after being MIA from knitting for a while. I ask myself, “why did i ever leave you?!” each night I pick up one of my projects, to master a few more rows.

  • Silver linings include, but are not limited to, upping my knitting game (discovered MDK, online KAL, etc), practised and played more flute (Tico Tico – you are mine!), spent more time with family (some of it challenging, not gonna lie), and dug deep into the Critereon Channel (although the knitting goes a little slower with subtitles mais tout est pour le mieux!).

  • Silver lining: my husband making coffee for me every morning

  • My family! I realized how much we support each other.

  • Time to knit, knit, knit – with guiltless pleasure!

  • My Silver Lining? I just booked a remote-ish cabin in SD for a somewhat impromptu vacation in a couple of weeks!

  • Family, knitting and cycling‍♀️

  • My 7 month old baby is a huge silver lining!

  • I have become very averse to Zoom for anything work-related but still enjoying all the Zoom-based classes I’ve taken for fun, mainly sewing. My silver lining is becoming a sewist

  • Nell Ziroli is my knitting silver lining- and we love that she works with you too! She taught me to knit and to think about knitting as not just following a pattern but thinking about how a pattern works for me. Not just in fit and yarn selection but it little ways that improve how an increase looks or how to cast on in a different way for a better finished band. It’s the fun of discovery in the process. And confidence to try anything. I am so grateful for the friendship of the knitters Nell brought into my life. She introduced me to the early days MDK books and I just finished my 10 year log cabin blanket project. Lol!!! We call her our fairy knit godmother or variations on the theme! Magical and always up for a challenge! Love you Nell, and thanks MDK for creating a fun space for creativity and projects galore. 🙂

  • A silver lining is the beautiful spot I call home. After a warm and dry winter, we’ve had February in April: blessed rain and snow, and now in May, it’s March: windy, some rain and cool weather. Everything is beautifully green, even the foothills which will turn their normal desert color soon enough. The dafs planted on the last warm day in November have all come up, perennials are showing off, and the deer only “pruned” one Japanese Maple. We love the deer that show up once in a while and they are welcome to munch. Sighting them is part of the silver lining, for sure!

  • My silver linings are several: (1) my family and two black labs, of course (though the 6-month puppy is sometimes more a trial than a joy, but I know the hard work will pay off with premiums); (2) my knitting groups – one I joined at the height of the pandemic when we began gathering in a friend’s back yard, and those in-person meetings were a god-send that continue to this day with my new friends! (3) Zoom (I can’t believe I am saying this!) for keeping me connected with a dance class when we couldn’t meet in person, and for providing weekly visits with my best friend across the country, which we also continue now as an invaluable way to keep in touch.

  • My silver lining is my family. They are always there for me.

  • My best friend, her daughter and I are learning the ins and out of crochet f

    • Oops. Bumped the submit button…..

      from a very accomplished teacher. My friend and I have knitted for a long time but did little with crochet. Her daughter tried knitting but found it wasn’t her thing. She wanted to try crochet so we all signed up.

  • Silver lining is hope that we will all live in peace and gratitude in what we have been given and continue to share our talents and gifts with one another.

  • My Silver Lining: JOY
    …being able to knit (or crochet) wherever & whenever. Have done both for many many moons. When (if..?) I finish a project = Yippee! Many projects were made during times of intense stress (or worse). Best coping mechanism, for me anyway.
    The Best Part of JOY: gifting a knit/crochet item = the recipient Loves & Appreciates the piece. I love finding a Knit-worthy Person!

  • Although I last saw them in person early 2020, my silver lining is almost daily contact with my young grand-nieces and nephews. At ages between 4 and 8, they are all used to seeing Aunt Denise on FaceTime and the older ones are allowed to use their mothers’ iPad to call at will. They call and share and we laugh and actually know each other better than if I’d only see them a week or two every year. I do miss hugging them, but am thankful for the ability to be connected to them online which I don’t think we would have appreciated or embraced if not for the situation of the last 2 1/2 years.

  • I live alone and don’t mind this but the isolation of the pandemic was different. I’m enjoying the things that I missed like travel or going to the theater. Now I’m alone by choice, not necessity.

  • Warmer weather is coming. I’ll be able to bike and go for walks.

  • My silver lining is knitting- always knitting.

  • In December 2019 I left my work from home job to be the overnight nurse at a nursing home. No, I cannot give midnight medicine via zoom, so it is all in person. I love seeing residents and coworkers and I can still meet knitting friends on zoom, sometimes even without taking a night off.

  • I retired from retirement 6 months before the pandemic shut down. After 40+ years of teaching infants through grad students, the loss of my daughter and 4 years of retirement, I returned to teaching reading to K-2nd grade students. Teaching virtually was a stretch, but this year we are back in person. My daily dose of youthful energy, love, and fun are the silver lining to every cloud that comes on my horizon.

  • My silver lining is zoom. I spend many wonderful moments with my knitting friends on zoom. When its safe to gather in person again we will. My knitting buddies and zoom have gotten me thru the past 2 years. Yay!

  • One silver lining is finding such a rich, encouraging and instructive fiber community online after decades of going it alone . As a self taught knitter, I didn’t know what I didn’t know and I missed having knitting buddies. From blogs to podcasts to a 45th college reunion KAL, I’m meeting new people and learning new things and feeling less alone. Off to an in-person Local Fibershed workshop tomorrow!

  • So many silver linings: Reunions with college friends and more time spent with knitting friends all thanks to Zoom, new friends and always my family.

  • My husband has been home with very little work travel for over two years. The uninterrupted time we’ve had with him has been such a gift.

  • Besides being a knitaholic, I am a tournament Pickleball player. A silver lining is finding a new partner and making a new friend when entering a tournament without a partner.

  • My silver lining is realizing the more time I spend with my spouse, the better I like it. We are so lucky.

  • My mother had a massive stroke in January. It has been a long, heartbreaking road. My silver lining is that I have gotten to know my sister much better and we’ve gotten much closer.

  • My small but mighty knitting/friend group started to meet up again in person and it has been a game changer. So much better to ‘do life’ with face to face support, encouragement and laughter with your besties. So grateful for this lovely group of women.

  • Silver linings everywhere if you bother to look, but right now it’s that my nearest and dearest are safe and well, and I comfortably possess more yarn than I can knit in a lifetime.

  • My silver lining – knitting and tap dancing!

  • My silver lining is I’ve learned to look at life through a new lens. Appreciating all the things, big and small that I encounter throughout my day.

  • Learning how much I love being outside—for walks, to socialize, to work!

  • The world of zoom, which saved us during the pandemic and allow us to connect with friends new and old all over the world.

  • Bright, cool mornings (like today in Madison, WI) and knitting with Atlas yarn! I just finished a fair isle hat using it and LOVE both the yarn and the hat!

  • My husband is my silver lining. Even if I can hear his eyes roll sometimes.

  • Rainy days – more time to knit and. Less time to feel guilty about yard chores!

  • More knitting and music in my life now. Both sustain me through everythIng else. Both continuously provide new things to learn and think about. MDK is the frosting on the cake!

  • My silver (more like gold) lining is my husband. He is the most considerate, easygoing, loving man there is. It doesn’t matter what project I’m into next, he is always supportive and even helpful when possible.

  • Silver lining…the special spot I occupy on this beautiful earth. Yesterday felt like the first day of summer—f i n a l l y—so tonight I start sleeping outside to immerse myself in every bit of the light season. It’s short-ish here in the PNW, making it extra precious. (As opposed to the dark knitting season, which is inspiringly long!)

  • Eight years ago I was in terrible conditions. My brother and sister-in-law rescued me by helping me to move to their city; they saved my life. The silver lining of my being in such a low, low situation is that I now have a lovely little home and a great relationship with my brother and bff + sister-in-law.

  • I went back to work during the pandemic after being retired. I landed in a really good place, working with mostly a different generation than I and while I enjoy the actual work, it’s the interaction with my coworkers that keeps me going.

  • Learning. I am in grad school at age 49 and every day I am learning so much. I love being relentless in my pursuit of new knowledge. It is hard, stressful and time consuming, but the silver lining is the empowerment that comes with learning.

  • My fur baby Tato.

  • My silver linings….This past year has been one of leavings, death, & final goodbyes. A sibling passed, the first of our 5 & a younger sister decided she’d had enough of her brothers & sisters & walked away from all of us. My older sister was diagnosed in December with an unknown (to us) disease & the next several months saw me cooking, cleaning, holding hands & cheerleading her on through all of her treatments. I couldn’t take deep enough breaths. But with spring, she is cancer-free now & I feel I can exhale. I am so grateful for the silver linings of my sister’s continued life, renewed & closer friendship with her & (to be a bit hokey), the birds singing every morning.

  • Silver lining for me? Waking up on May 21 in Denver to a couple inches of snow and seeing the beauty of it all. With knitting in hand, of course!

  • lying on green grass near the quiet stream, eyes navigating cloud shapes

  • Working from home meant being able to adopt a puppy! Turned out to be better than a silver lining- when I got her, I told friends I felt like I had struck gold and I still feel that way. She’s the best.

  • My silver lining is that I moved to a beautiful place right before the pandemic hit, and had enough time to make friends in our neighborhood.

  • My two teenage children are my silver lining. In the face of all the challenges of the past few years, they continue to persevere and grow into amazing humans. While the world may be turning itself inside out these days, I see these two continue to keep on keeping on despite all the challenges, and they make me hopeful for the future- whatever it may be.

  • Silver lining of being a healthcare worker: The occasional “Thank you for your help today” at the end of the day. Coffee. Every. Day. When patient’s thank you for calling them back, even when it is 6pm and you’ve been at work since before 8am. Sunsets. Beautiful spring Tennessee weather.
    Sometimes I have to dig for the silver linings, but I usually find them.

  • My silver lining is starting each day with MDK.

  • A friend started a gratitude post on Facebook at the beginning of Covid. We are now on day 801 as of today! This has kept me focused on gratitude!

  • My silver lining is that I am not only surviving this mess, but thriving as a fiber artist.

  • The silver lining is that I live in a beautiful community in Manhattan and the pandemic taught me that I can really APPRECIATE and enjoy the trees, grass, birds and squirrels, walking paths, and benches overlooking our lovely fountain. Not to mention the sound of many children and dogs and other adults enjoying to space as well!

  • It’s finally spring in Minnesota! I work with great people! We’re able to see and visit the people we love again!

  • Spending time at home

  • Right now my silver lining is having both of my boys home for the summer with me in our little village home – and they actually like to spend time with me!!

  • I’ve been on vacation at the beach this week and it’s been 4 years since my last one. The whole vacation is my silver lining (we finally made it!) but especially the sounds of the waves.

  • My local library, where I work as a Circulation assistant. Six weeks after our State lock-down in 2020 we reopened by providing our patrons with materials through our Drive-Up window. Patrons placed requests for books, music and DVD’s online and picked them up at the window the next day. It was so gratifying to see their happiness for receiving materials to help them through the difficult time we were experiencing. Although there were only three of us in the building each day, it was wonderful to see others in person and through the window. It was challenging to figure out who they were with their masks on, but exciting to provide a much-needed community service.

  • So many things to spark gratitude – starting with it was supposed to be 96 for two days in a row here in climate change altered Brookline Mass, and instead the days are 81 and 94. Hopefully much less use of electricity over our town.

  • My silver lining is grands and their parents living nearby.

  • Technology—-FaceTime, texts, emails—-is keeping my far flung family connected on a daily basis.

  • Growing my flowers on my deck,love them.

  • Friends!

  • knitting, snacking and napping

  • My silver lining is the time and space the pandemic has brought into my life. It has allowed me to work from home which gives me about 90 more minutes a day to use however I wish or need. I use that time to rest or knit or walk, to support my friends and family, to take online classes, to launch my knitwear design company, to breathe, to laugh, and sometimes to cry, to dream. I am so thankful!

  • Knitting and sewing are a silver lining right now, as is a supportive brother and a husband who knows just when I need to get outside and move. It has been a challenging six months.

  • My silver lining? New friends in my new location and email so I can communicate with friends in my old location. Also my 101 year old mother who lives with me.

  • Friends and family are a silver lining for me.

  • all my grands are a silver lining but i have been especially thankful for my daughter in law recently.

  • Spring has finally started here – warmer days – so grateful to be working in the garden again!

  • Recent grief has forced me to examine everything and reach out for help. It’s actually a silver lining because I already needed help and now I have no choice but to get it. I’m grateful.

  • My husband is my silver lining. Always has my back and most importantly makes me laugh.

  • Each day comes with small surprises, taking the time to notice the gifts of each day has been a silver lining!

  • Oh, gosh. So many silver linings. For a long time, staying home-being able to, for one thing. And having time, ability, and resources for cooking and crafts. Now, being able to get out more. Having good dependable masks, friends, and activities.

  • Silver linings: my husband survived cancer, wonderful daughters and grandchildren, dinner theater with my sister-in-law, lots of knitting projects in the wings to keep me busy and happy, friends, the best BBQ ribs just down the road and a little farther down the road the best wings. Lots and lots that make me say that life is good even when the world seems to be falling apart.

  • Early on during the pandemic, the silver lining was being able to stay home, with time to cook and craft, and a dear companion, 4 if you counted the cats. Now the silver lining is having friends and activities to get back to! Week before last, I went folk dancing 4 times! Twice outdoors without masks, once indoors with masks and once indoors in a small group in a room with enhanced ventilation and no masks. And access to vaccine is one great big huge silver lining.

  • Sisterhood. The silver lining of Covid led to the development of a coven of knit-sisters out of a bunch of women from the US and Australia who happened to travel together in early 2020. With weekly Zoom-assist, we have formed a true sisterhood and 10 of us were recently blessed to gather in person for the happiest reunion entangled with yarn.

  • Knitting is the silver lining. And friends I have made while knitting.

  • I’m Zooming regularly with my sister who is 2,000 miles from me and we are completing all sorts of craft projects together.

  • My silver lining? Despite the horror of the past two+ years, we have had the privilege to spend more time together as a family when we’re not at work.

  • Having to spend less time out around other people during the pandemic meant more time for knitting!

  • I live in Maine, and my only surviving sibling lives in Oregon. We have never been close. But he’s been going through an awful divorce, mental issues, and cancer, and through it all we have spoken twice a day. The silver lining is a newfound love and appreciation for each other, as well as remembering stories from our childhood. Our parents would be proud, I think.

  • Winter has finally come to an end. Spring is such a hopeful time. Especially when you live somewhere that winter lasts 8 months. Feels that way at least!

  • My silver lining is all of the beautiful new leaves. I especially like the chartreuse green ones.

  • Time to due projects but procrastination on which one to start first or actually finish.

  • An on-line monthly book club. Listen to the audiobook while knitting.

  • I really enjoy receiving Snippets each week. I have ordered from MDK several times and have always been very satisfied with my purchases. I would love to win the bullet journal.

  • My silver lining lately has been my kids and watching the way they navigate the world–the things that delight and upset them are so different from my own. I love looking at the world from their perspective.

  • Wonderful family — Sunday night suppers! A great way to beat the Sunday night back-to-work blues! They helped me manage the past 2+ years!

  • Not sure how deep to go on the silver linings 🙂 But I am so grateful for modern medicine (really this is huge), my beautiful child, and fulfilling (volunteer) work where I get to make a difference.

  • My family has stayed healthy and we can see each other now and again. My daughter is coming East for a visit in about 6 weeks with her boyfriend who is a keeper. So happy she’s done kissing frogs and has found her prince.

  • Retirement. Next Friday. After 31 years of nursing, which has been a second career.

  • My grandchildren, knitting & reading.

  • My silver linings are our family. Being with and watching our older grandkids grow into wonderful teens and young adults as well as taking care of our 13 month old grandson 2 days a week! We are so lucky to have them all fairly close by.

  • silver lining is my crafts, they bring me joy and I bring others joy when they receive the things I make.

  • My silver lining is that, despite the culture, I am still Covid-free and am at a stage in my life where I can knit what I want and as much as I want! Who could ask for more?

  • So far, a silver lining in the days of Covid is that I haven’t contracted Covid, but have suffered a myriad of other health problems that are quite a challenge in which to navigate. In spite of this, the silver lining is that my husband and I have continued our nomadic lifestyle of housesitting and pet sitting around the US, with me knitting all the way – everything from tiny amigurumi cats to giant thank-you shawls for dear friends who have helped me.

  • My silver lining is that I am not paralyzed! I had back surgery at MD Anderson in January and a hazard of the surgery was that I could be paralyzed. If I hadn’t had the surgery I would eventually be paralyzed, but the surgery was very successful and I am doing really well. I am thankful to God for His provision and protection.

  • My two sweet little rescue dogs

  • The still cool spring weather

  • My silver lining is that I have accepted that life does not need to be perfect for me to feel contentment. I am blessed to live on a small, rural, island that is an all-day-round-trip to the mainland and it’s considerable craziness. I wake to bird songs and clean fresh air!

  • Silver lining– We relocated/returned to Alaska in time to witness precious family moments, most recent being the birth of a grandchild:)

  • A week-end out of town with good friends in a crazy busy spring!

  • Silver lining? Being healthy so I can live life fully

  • The silver lining is I am experiencing Spring in my new home.

  • My silver lining, hands down, has to be my two beautiful, kind, compassionate, talented, and loving adult daughters. They, together, visited my husband and me several weeks ago. The four of us had a very wonderful time—the first all four of us have been together for much too long a time. We loved each others’ company and enjoyed shared cooking and eating great meals, had long conversations, took walks, and agreed to do it again as soon as we can. Even the bad weather didn’t spoil our time together.

  • My silver lining is 3 lovely granddaughters

  • Summer is just around the corner!

  • As a pediatric nurse who leads a nursing department of over 300 nurses in St. Paul, Minnesota my silver lining is see these fine healthcare workers emerging from the darkness of the past two years and again finding the joy in our work as we find our new “normal” in this pandemic.

  • My silver lining? No Covid so far.

  • My silver lining is the warming temperatures and sunshine. Happy to be out with other people and knitting. Working in the yard, gardening, listening to birds singing a new and better year

  • Silver lining? I can afford to only work part time. I have long covid and I spend most of my time fatigued on the sofa. I have a supportive partner who cooks and cleans because I can’t right now. And I have yarn even if I’m too tired to knit.

  • The silver lining of every difficult thing I have gone through in my life is realizing that I am not alone, but I have family, friends and a God who loves me and will always be there no matter how hard the day seems.

  • Daily I am grateful for the women who taught me life skills. I don’t know how I was so lucky to fall into their paths.

  • My silver lining is the wonderful people I’m meeting online through cancer support groups for looking and feeling good. We are in this together. Believe it or not my greatest gift is being able to wear a bra. One of my cancer sisters suggested a cheap bralette and it works well. I’m grateful to all knitters who have donated knitted knockers.

  • My silver lining is going outdoors in beautiful Oregon, from the ocean to the mountains, it’s the best.

  • My silver lining… warm sunshine, cool iced tea and a basket full of yarn, more affectionately known as my basket full of dreams…

  • Silver linings…many! Working out my last professional year. Then, more time for knitting…and much, much more❤️

  • We are still here. All of us. We stayed home. We wore masks, We hardly ever saw each other in person, But here we are. Without being foolish, it seems like we’ve come through. We are deeply grateful.

  • Heightened quiet and alertness has brought about a heightened appreciation for the minute (ladybugs) and the behemoth (clouds, mountains, remarkable abundance in my community and so many varieties of prayer for all those who need a lift)…I’m touched with gratitude whenever I slow down, do a little restorative yoga (and I’m about to learn laughter yoga! Who knew?)…and of course, for life! L’chaim!

  • Taking a walk in the forest with fresh breezes and sunshine.

  • One shiny silver lining is the knitting and fiber community full of thoughtful creatives — in which is MDK is a special platform for many voices.

  • That’s a hard question. I guess just knowing that life is fleeting and you can’t hold onto something forever, so you best cherish it while you can. I’m spending time with my young daughter and seeing the world through her eyes. It’s magical.

  • My silver lining is more knitting and reading time and a sweet new great nephew.

  • My favorite silver lining – each day is a fresh start (especially after a good night’s rest)!

  • My silver lining: the pandemic has taught me to work smarter. It has reminded me to use the time provided and pushed me back into knitting and handwork which has reminded me of the meditative state creativity provides. Which has given me the greatest gift – the ability to cope with health and life challenges. I don’t know if I would have been here without a pandemic, but I choose to be grateful.

  • My silver lining has been feelings of contentment by learning how to be my own best friend. Thru the pandemic, quiet times and days at home were very rewarding for me.

  • I lost my job and that was hard. The silver lining is that I retired early than I planned and I’m loving it. More time to knit!

  • My silver lining—-Wow. Life is approaching a sort of normalcy — maybe. Five years since my husband passed. I’m meeting new people…making new friends… finding life again with my joy of knitting, quilting and liking people —again.

  • The gardenia made it through the winter.

  • Silver lining: I “see” more of my friends now!!

  • The silver lining as always is my family — whatever knocked me over in the past few months and years, my family was always there to pick me up.

  • Family and friends. Just starting to see far flung members of our tribe again, as we all feel a little bit more COVID-safe. It is heartening to find that our bonds are resilient.

  • I haven’t found the silver lining yet, but I know there has to be one there always is! I haven’t been able to knit for four weeks now due to tendinitis in my right wrist. After knitting for 60 years now I can’t imagine life without knitting!

  • My silver lining, the eternal bright spot in any dark day is music – listening to music, making music, preferably with friends

  • Shining moments for me happen when I can be outdoors whether it pedaling my bike, walking in the woods or sittin and knittin by a lake.

  • Thank you Ann for mentioning silver linings. It feels so good to think of those things ~~ to pause and realize how many I have! I’ll start with my husband and his caring ways. My huge circle continues with sweet pup, cat, large variety of unique and good friends, time for myself and on it goes!

  • I am into year eleven of keeping a gratitude journal, and I am still astonished at how powerful it has been. Of course there are still days that I struggle to find a silver lining, but I honestly feel like just recording a few things each day that were bright spots has literally trained me to keep an eye out for those bright spots and feel grateful for the big and the little things. Another silver lining this spring has been the flowers blooming in our yard and in our neighborhood. It has been an extraordinary year for daffodils, lilacs and now iris. We had given up on the iris we planted in the front yard, and they are putting on a very colorful show today – just beautiful!

  • The people I surround myself with. They get me through the day,week,month!

  • Enjoying life living on the lake in our new house!

  • The silver lining to the awful cloud of the pandemic for me is that my husband’s job went permanently remote, allowing us to move to a place we thought we had to wait for retirement to be. Also, my daughter became a knitter during her pandemic apartment time in NYC and sharing this hobby with her brings me so much joy.

  • Summer sunshine, daffodils, good health and knitting!

  • Silver lining ease after a really tough school year back in the classroom, my husband and I will be heading out on an extended road trip – all the knitting time.

  • Silver lining today is that though we gathered yesterday for a memorial, we created new memories at the same time.

  • My silver linings are having good friends and living near a woodland park where I can get away and ramble among the trees and two pretty lakes. Plus knitting and lots of yarn, of course!

  • My niece is my silver lining, even though she’s become a very dramatic threenager these days. She doesn’t listen most of the time, and the word no is likely to cause her to spiral out, but she’s still cute and funny and mostly sweet, and her curiosity astounds and amuses me. I do wish I hadn’t taught her what Google was, though. Now, any time I don’t know something, she tells me, “Google it.” I have yet to get across to her that I can’t just Google the name of the man riding his bicycle down the street or the name of the cute dog we drove past in the car.

  • My silver lining is the people I work with. Interesting, friendly and committed.

  • Silver lining to the pandemic is that I have learned to enjoy being home! And knitting more!!!

  • My silver lining is simple dates with my partner. Cooking together rather than eating out all the time, going for walks or bike rides, snowshoeing.

  • My silver lining is my tiny slice of nature in the city where I’ve installed two ponds, several other small fountains, garden plots overflowing with perennials, and all the furry and winged creatures that come to share it with me.

  • My darling, talented daughter graduated Magna cum laude last Thursday and her father and I could not be prouder of her. Seeing her so happy was the icing on the cake.

  • The caring and love of God, family and friends as Covid hit my husband and I in November. It took him in Dec. I survived after 66 days in the hospital and am still working to get off oxygen. But I’m here. And I came home to yarn and fiber that have helped me heal emotionally. Much gratitude!

  • I’m retiring in December! Can’t get more silver than that!!

Come Shop With Us

My Cart0
There are no products in the cart!
Continue shopping