BODY WATCH : Stitching Her Way to Serenity

I’ve hooked rugs; cabled sweaters; zigzagged afghans; stitched flowers and cowboys; embroidered bunnies, dinosaurs, trains and birds flying above the alphabet of an American sampler. Billions of stitches. Needlework requires patience, dexterity, and a lot of mental calculating so pieces fit together and designs blend. It is both relaxing and stimulating. I often feel a great sense of accomplishment. When I make the ever-occurring boo-boos, I’ve learned to adjust my work so that no one ever notices.

--BETTY WEISS, Los Angeles