The Timetables of History by Bernard Grun

I grew up with this book, which is frickin’ enormous, and it was endlessly fascinating to young me to pour over the side by side comparison of events taking place concurrently under different headings and in different parts of the world.

Or if you want something you can put on your wall, there’s this:

Calculating Empires: A Genealogy of Technology and Power Since 1500

✨️with a special focus on colonialism, militarization, automation, and enclosure✨️

Learn how to read patterns. videos are great with visuals and learning the anatomy, but you'll get a lot more out of the hobby by learning the pattern vernacular and structure.

You can't count. No one can. Accept the truth. It's okay, It's part of the canon pipeline.

Nobody's going to see the mistake if you don't tell them. Seriously, just making something with your hands is cause for celebration.

There is no wrong way if the result is the same and is comfortable. (Lets stop this magic ring vs chain # and join nonsense.)

No one knows everything there is to know about a craft/hobby. everyone is still learning (even those who deny it).

Your failed works can always be unraveled/recycled or used in some way. just may have to think creatively about it.

It's okay to abandon the project in your wip stash thats been sitting there for a few months/10 years. Chances are, you've improved in that time and it may be better to start over. or maybe your tastes have changed.

Do the trends if you WANT to. Not because you have to.

Be very VERY careful what projects you decide to do as gifts (especially with deadlines). And always keep your expectations lower as to the recipient's reaction or appreciation. It may not be equal to your effort.

Anxious to start? Do it anyways. Do it scared.

Overwhelmingly huge project getting you down? Do it in chunks and break it down into pieces if you can.

Feeling the "I'm getting nowhere", monster when doing a project that feels endless? Put a stitch marker in the row you started that session/ take a picture of the before and you'll see how much you actually do. It's amazing what that reveals.

Enjoy the process. Don't do something necessarily for the end result. Remember, this was supposed to be fun/enriching.

And lastly...

I am tired of defensiveness and weird, mixed signals. Let's just get to the truth here, okay?