Crocheted flyswatter covers

I recently finished a crochet project and loops and threads was the only brand that had the colors I needed and I hated every second of it, I had to use a magic circle but loops and threads is so delicate that I couldn't without ruining the yarn and thus the entire project so I had to figure out an alternative and even then I couldn't touch the ends of the yarn or it would just explode basically, my entire room is covered in fluff now and it's not just like, one bundle of yarn that did it I had to buy 7 different colors from them and each and every one did the exact same thing. I would really really love a brand that had the same thickness and colors as loops and threads but doesn't explode lol.

I cant find any free Irish crochet patterns that aren't in Russian or Japanese and when I translate the image it doesn't give the full steps so it's just useless. I'm hoping someone knows where I can find some that have actual good directions. I have $2 total and I don't want to spend any money I get on a pattern book that might not have what I want. I also can't go to the store to look for one so online is all I got and they usually don't show the contents of it just the cover. If there is none that's fine I'll figure out how to do it without a pattern I just don't wanna have to

Hello all! I’m making my first crochet blanket right now. It’s tapestry crochet all in hdc, so I’d like to add a fabric backing to cover up all of the carried strands, but I’m worried about making the blanket too warm to be usable. Is this a well founded fear? Any recommendations for fabrics that are soft but won’t be too hot?

Good Morning, Afternoon or Evening I'm a 22yr old African American woman emphasis on African and American because my background is Ghanaian and American, Im big/chubby with short hair, normally covered in a veil.
Area of study/work: I'm currently a teacher that works with children between 6 weeks and 12 years old. I hope to fully get my degree in diagnostic sonography
Hobbies/interests: I love to cook, bake, and totally geek over media such as books and movies and animation. I also have a fondness for drawing and pretty much any type of arts and crafts from crocheting to pottery. I also know a little bit of Mandarin Chinese that I'm still learning.
Tell us a bit about your Christian journey: I was raised in a Christian and Muslim household. When I was in my late teens. I decided to try to fully embrace Islam but I realized it wasn't for me and when I was 20 I converted to Christianity. I continue to wear veils and head coverings to remain modest.
What sort of person are you looking for? I'm looking for someone who believes in the Lord and follows his word. A man who not only fills up his bucket but also helps fill others when they're in need. Also a man who is marriage-minded. I hope to have a family while I'm still in my twenties and if you feel that way too then we may be compatible. You love to read, write, or have a love of the natural world such as animals and plants then you're probably already my favorite person.
Age range: 23-27
Would you be willing to do long distance/relocate? I am not willing to relocate. I love the South. It is my favorite region of the United States and it's where I hope to raise my family.

I've always been very inspired by media. Video games, movies, music. I don't know why, but these things have always been able to move me so strongly and make me feel such vivid emotions. I love admiring each intricate detail of an art piece and how every little thing was captured with such detail. Or digging deep into the meaning behind a story, each hidden metaphor or clever piece of foreshadowing. It's always put me in awe at how people are able to create such beautiful things and how people just like ourselves can bring into existence such incredible pieces. I could spend near enough forever delving deep into every story or creation that has ever moved me, but for now, I'd like to focus on simply one: Haro Aso's "Alice in Borderland."
Alice in Borderland follows a young man named Arisu as he finds himself stuck in a mysterious world called Borderland, in which he must clear life-or-death games in order to survive. Before entering Borderland, Arisu is isolated; he wastes his time away doing nothing, is failing his school life, and has no romantic connection. Through his visit to Borderland, seeing countless others die for his survival and meeting various others who were, prior, simply drifters, he finds meaning and purpose, a reason to live on and to want to leave the Borderland. He finds his purpose, and by the end of the story, he's begun to change himself and head towards a clearer goal in life.
All of this is to say that I've always wanted to create. I've tried a million and one things. I've attempted to play music, write stories, create video games, draw art—anything you can think of, I've probably tried it at least once. I've always wanted to perform for others, to show off for others, and to create things for others to admire. I've always wanted people to see the things I do. But as I sit here and think about it, I don't think it was out of selfishness. Some want to be admired or put on a pedestal. No. I think I've always wanted to give people the same sense of awe and amazement that I feel each time I experience a new story or admire a new artwork. That inexplicable feeling of being truly moved by a masterpiece.
But not ever have I succeeded. I've left in my wake a million and one half complete projects, a million and one stories that still sit incomplete, a million and one ideas left on paper, a million and one dead ends. My old English teacher once said that I had the ideas in my head; I could just never get them out, and she was right. For the longest time, I felt like a drifter, like I'd amount to nothing more than the sum of my parts: just flesh and bone. I always resented myself for not being able to tell the stories I so desperately wanted to. I wanted something more. Something exciting. Something to give me a reason to live. And as I thought about this all, I realised. I wanted to go to Borderland. Not out of a desire to die, but out of a desire to truly live. To actually feel something. To have a purpose for once. I was desperate to just feel something.
Fortunately or not, though, I didn't find myself transported to some mysterious land where none of life's woes mattered anymore. And so I suffered all of life's woes. That was until tonight. Nothing about tonight should have been any different; I'd finished work and killed time waiting for the bus by walking, as I did most nights. It started to rain, but I didn't care. I continued to walk and scream the lyrics to whatever song I had blasting through my headphones. I didn't care too much about disturbing people; it was nights like this that I felt my happiest. Music always finds a way to move me and motivate me, and getting lost in the lyrics is cathartic. At some point in my walk, I checked my phone as I had been doing periodically and saw a song in my playlist I didn't recognise, with an album cover I'd never seen before, "The Sun Will Never Shine." I went to skip the song, but it began to play. A familiar melody. The Most Mysterious Song on the Internet. It had been found. I started screaming, caught in the rain, to nobody in particular, that the most mysterious song had been found. I couldn't believe what I was seeing on my screen.
This moment really awoke something in me. You see, earlier this same day, I'd finished the last chapter of Alice in Borderland. During the final game, Crochet, the Queen of Hearts, Mira Kanou, explains to Arisu that he'd be far happier if he stopped chasing answers and simply lived in the moment. He eventually gives up on trying to find the answer he's been searching for throughout his entire journey, and in doing so, he is able to complete the final game and return to the real world. Everyone who visited the Borderland entered as a directionless drifter, going nowhere in life, but as they cleared games and came face-to-face with death, they found a reason and a will to live. Seeing such a monumental mystery be solved after years of work, combined with the conclusion to Borderland, showed me that it's impossible to know when or how things will start or end, despite our best efforts. I waltzed through the pouring rain with a new outlook on life. Through my visit to Borderland, I had found a reason to live, and I knew what I had to do.
All of this is to say that I've always wanted to create. And now, I've tried a million and two different things, and I feel as though I at least have one success to my name. Even if this story isn't clear in some places or rough around the edges in others, it's something I've been able to create and finish creating. So long as one person reads this and gets something from it, I've done what I set out to do. That's why I've chosen to do this; I've always wanted to tell a story. No, I've always had to tell a story. And I truly believe now that this is the beginning of my story.
At the conclusion of Alice in Borderland, Haro Aso recounts his time writing it and ends by saying "As I put my pen down and retire from drawing, I can only hope this series helps someone else in need too."
So, I'd like to end this with a personal thank you to Haro Aso. I doubt he'll ever read this, but still. Without ever visiting the Borderland, I'd still be a drifter with no purpose in life. I really hope going forward that I can push myself to tell my stories and to inspire other people in the ways I've been inspired. So thank you for showing me the Borderland.

US, 32, childfree.
Thank you all so much for sharing your stories and being an overall supportive community! I'm so happy I got this procedure and can't wait to feel back to 100%. I wrote these every day to keep an accurate account and decided to post after I had my follow up and was feeling confident about sharing my experience.
April 8: Initial consult. This was the first time meeting this doctor but I felt confident as she was on the childfree list from Dr. Fran. We discussed alternatives and I said I wasn't interested due to the side effects. I've never been on birth control and was not interested. She was okay with that and approved me for surgery. The next day I got the call to schedule. I'm in school so opted to schedule after my finals were done for the semester with enough time to be fully recovered for Fall semester.
May 10: Pre-op appointment. Went over how the procedure was done, which I already knew from this sub and from my own research. Signed consent forms and had a pregnancy blood test done. I specifically requested this appointment be billed using ICD code Z30.2 so it would be covered. I requested my April 8th appointment be rebilled as Z30.2 and am still waiting for an update as of May 25th.
The surgery center called me a few days before surgery to go over anesthesia, allergies, questions I had. There was never any discussion of insurance other than to bring my insurance card to the surgery center. I also had to call the day before my surgery to confirm the appointment and again, no questions about paying anything.
May 16: surgery day!
Surgery, day zero: Arrival time was 7:30, surgery at 9am.
Hardest part was the IV. The nurse blew my vein on the first two tries in my left hand (I was tensing and sometimes need a reminder to relax, which they didn't give) so another nurse came in and inserted into my arm easy peasy. Make sure you're relaxed for your IV if they don't tell you. Once the IV was in, my husband was brought back to wait with me.
The first anesthesiologist came in and introduced himself, asked "How old are your babies?"
My flabbergasted response was "WHAT?!" HIM: OH no babies for you? Me: AH no!
This was the only time someone even hinted at kids and I found my reaction amusing. My brain heard him ask about babies and assumed he thought I was getting a different procedure so I had a knee jerk panic reaction. Otherwise, the only mention of my procedure was when each person involved came in and asked me to confirm what surgery I was having. My doctor came in and marked my belly.
I did not see my doctor after surgery but she did go in the waiting room to let my husband know everything went well and he would be able to see me soon.
I would describe my pre surgery feelings similar to how I feel before a race - anxious but excited and ready to go! I told the anesthesiologist that I had a tendency to wake up feeling extremely nauseous. When they rolled me into the operating room, I moved onto the table and they put the compression cuffs on my legs and then I was out. Whatever meds the anesthesiologist gave to combat my nausea worked wonderfully and I felt fine upon waking. I woke up and said "Where's my husband, I just wanna cuddle." I was super shaky so they put a heated blanket around my head and covered me with a second one and I felt fine after that. A little sleepy and some mild cramping but that's it. I sipped apple juice and rested my eyes for an hour. After 2 apple juices, I was able to pee and go home, about 12:45.
My doctor used a catheter to empty my bladder but did not leave it in. I had no burning or discomfort from that. I did have a slightly dry throat from the trach tube, but used Throat coat cough drops which worked well at preventing coughing. I also had very light spotting the rest of the day.
Around 3:30pm my right incision started to ache when moving to sit on the couch or get up. I noticed that that one had a gauze pressed into the wound and covered by a clear patch rather than just the bandaid. I decided if it was still uncomfortable the next day and the others weren't, then I'd call the office. The other two felt completely fine.
I have poor reactions to codeine and zofran so the doctors only gave me ibuprofen in my IV and instructed me to cycle ibuprofen and acetaminophen and that seems to be doing just fine for the pain, but I do have a high pain tolerance. I'm also making sure to walk every hour or so for a few minutes.
At bedtime, after sitting up all day, laying down felt a little uncomfortable, like everything had to readjust and made me wish I had a fancy electric recliner and not a super old couch. I wasn't feeling particularly tired as I had expected from surgery so I just hung out the rest of the day reading and watching TV. I was able to fall asleep for about 4 hours, woke up and went back to sleep for about 3 hours before my beasties woke me up for their breakfast.
Day 1 post op: My beasties woke me up at my regular wake up time for breakfast about 4:30 and I decided to stay up since sitting was more comfortable than laying down flat. To feed them, I did a half kneeling position to reach the floor without bending too much. I'm also making sure to keep breathing and not hold my breath during movements.
Had some coffee followed by smooth moves tea. Was able to have a bm around 2:30pm with some very light pushing and patience. If you're used to easy bm, just take your time. Either the smooth moves or the change in diet or the anesthesia caused some GI upset and I had diarrhea for a little while.
Once I was able to go to the bathroom, my appetite returned and I was feeling quite hungry but still bloated.
Still, only my right incision was sore at all. More a muscle soreness/cramping/pulling than pain. There's some numbness around it as well. I called the doctor and they explained that there is a pressure dressing on my right incision and it should fall off when I decide I'm comfortable to shower and then cover with a bandaid once fully dry. If I didn't have the bandages on the other two incisions, I wouldn't think they were even there!
I tried using a wedge pillow to sleep instead of laying flat on night 2, which was more comfortable for my incision but I woke up about 2am with some mild back ache. Either gas pain or just discomfort with my sleeping position or compensation from not using my core as much. I readjusted to laying flat and was able to go back to sleep comfortably after eating some snacks and drinking some apple juice.
Day 2: I woke up feeling significantly less bloated and the discomfort in my right incision is reduced quite a bit. It's still numb though, which is just mentally weird to me. I'm able to move around more. The spotting has completely stopped. I did wake up feeling nauseous due to my lack of eating very much the last two days.
I'm usually very active so resting has been hard for me. I went for a 10 minute walk outside. Very slow going, it was more of a mental challenge rather than physical with needing to walk so slow and feeling down/discouraged by my pace.
My pubic area is also a bit swollen/bloated.
Day 3: Woke up feeling nauseous from still not eating as much as I'm used to but it's getting better. walking around is a little easier but I do still bend over a bit when walking. I can tell but my husband didn't notice. It's very hot outside today so I've been walking around my house. I ate a little bit more today. I was able to go for a short walk around the block in the evening. I was walking faster than the day before but I still feel hunched and some pulling in my abdomen and a little back pain. The back pain got worse at night and made it difficult to sleep BUT I did notice an improvement in being able to get up easier from a laying position on the couch.
Day 4: Feeling a little better every day. Was able to get up without discomfort or the feeling that my incision was bulging inside. I did try to stretch my whole body as I woke up like I normally would but stopped myself when I realized what I was doing. The 10 minite walk I took on day two only took 5 minutes today.
Halfway through today my incisions have begun to itch. The itching was very brief and did not return.
Day 5: I slept completely through the night without getting up because of an achy back or feeling nauseous from hunger! And practically no pulling feeling when sitting up first thing in the morning as long as I roll to the side I bit before getting up.
I removed the bandaids and pressure dressing and took a shower. It was mentally scary for me to remove the bandaids. In my head, the bandaids were keeping everything closed. I relaxed on the couch for a while to let my mind calm down. By the afternoon, I was feeling calmed down about them. The right incision still feels like it pulls when I'm walking (like a bandaid too tight or something) but it's not uncomfortable.
Day 6: Feeling less pulling than yesterday and I'm starting to move more without guarding my movements. My appetite has also finally returned in full force (I normally eat every 2-3 hours because I'm always hungry). I've also been able to eat more without feeling full/bloated after a small (for me) amount of food.
Day 7: No noticable change. I still feel like my muscle is tight/pulls on my right incision and it's uncomfortable when I laugh or cough. At this point, it's more an annoyance because everything else feels 100% fine. I'm looking forward to my follow up tomorrow to ask about it and get more details on how my surgery went. I was able to go on a slightly longer walk today and had no pulling feeling. My back was still sore though. I'm due for my period tomorrow and started having some low back aches in the evening a little worse than normal but nothing unbearable.
May 24: Follow up. Got my period on time. Woke up with an awful headache. Thankfully I feel no period cramping which is usual for me. I'm still sleeping on the couch because it's the only way I can sleep on my back. I'm normally a stomach sleeper.
My steri strips were removed at my follow up appointment. The incisions are pretty much healed on the surface. I have one stitch poking through and was advised it should fall out on its own. I felt a little rushed at the appointment but overall it went well. I learned that the reason my right incision feels like it's pulling is because there are two stitches on that side instead of one. She said it should go away gradually. I should have brought my husband to the appointment as he is usually better at asking questions and getting doctors to slow down. I was cleared for activity, tampons and sex and to listen to my body in regards to returning to exercise. Because I still feel the pulling on my one side, I am going to take it pretty slow. I'll provide an update here as the pulling feeling improves and I can do more. The doctor also cleaned out the crusties in my belly button so it's a little sensitive right now. It doesn't hurt though.
To give myself some peace of mind, I plan on going to a physical therapy appointment to help with returning to exercise at the proper pace. I often return too quickly or am overly cautious - which I feel would be the case here given the tightness of my one side.
I do still look very bloated and feel bloated after eating larger meals. My right incision seems adhered to the tissue below it and is still numb but I hope with some massage that is all improved with time.
Some things I found helpful: - A coffee mug with lid. The first few days it was a little uncomfortable getting onto the couch and leaning forward so having a lidded mug I could just set on the couch helped prevent spills. - I wish I had some lightweight pajama shorts. Sweatpants were comfortable but it was super hot the first week after my surgery and my shorts all had a firmer elastic waistband (under armour shorts). Having some softer waisted shorts would have been nice for lounging. I'm planning on going to the store to get some more comfortable pants to wear for work that aren't too tight.

• Button up shirts/zip up hoodies. My one sensitive incision didn't like having stuff sit on it so it was nice to have the option to fold my shirt up but still have my arms covered to keep cozy.
• I learned how to crochet. It kept my mind focused and helped ease my restlessness. I normally don't sit for long periods of time and am always doing something so having something to do besides read and watch TV was helpful.
• Make a list of questions to ask at your appointments if you are prone to feeling rushed or forget things. This helped a lot at my consult and I forgot to do it for my post op appointment.

Ask for pictures! It's really cool to see them! My doctor printed them on nice paper too!

Thought this was funny so I figured I’d share. Earlier today, I went over to Joann’s for a crap ton of yarn since I’m new to crocheting and seriously enjoying it, and I’ve got plenty of summer projects planned. So I go over to the cash register to pay after getting what I want. As the cashier is scanning the items, I almost forget one of the skeins in the cart since it’s covered by a bag. But the cashier notices, asks me if I’m still getting them, and I then I pay for everything. All seems to be well.
But as I’m getting in my car, the lady that was behind me in line comes up to me and starts angrily yelling about how rude I was. She goes on about how “I only had one item and so you should’ve let me go first”, and then straight up said “and we both know you were trying to hide that yarn under the bag to steal it” before going on to call me fresh by saying “some people are so fresh!” I’m not a very confrontational person and I was pretty confused the entire time, so all I managed was a flustered “what?” Which did not go over very well. I’ve never been yelled at by a stranger like that before so I was kinda horrified. Never thought I’d be accused of stealing yarn of all things.
And the kicker? She was parked diagonally, partially in my spot. Because that isn’t a rude thing to do or anything. So yeah, now I’m slightlyyyy terrified to go to Joann’s again, but hey, I got a story out of it.
(originally posted this on crochet and someone mentioned this subreddit so I’m hoping you guys enjoy it too!)

I’m getting into filet crochet and I’m currently using a 2mm hook but I know I need smaller. However, all the small ones Ive seen don’t have covers on them. I normally use Susan bates hooks because I have long fingers and they fit my hands well but those ones are just metal. Any suggestions?

Thought this was funny so I figured I’d share. Earlier today, I went over to Joann’s for a crap ton of yarn since I’m new to crocheting and seriously enjoying it, and I’ve got plenty of summer projects planned. So I go over to the cash register to pay after getting what I want. As the cashier is scanning the items, I almost forget one of the skeins in the cart since it’s covered by a bag. But the cashier notices, asks me if I’m still getting them, and I then I pay for everything. All seems to be well.
But as I’m getting in my car, the lady that was behind me in line comes up to me and starts angrily yelling about how rude I was. She goes on about how “I only had one item and so you should’ve let me go first”, and then straight up said “and we both know you were trying to hide that yarn under the bag to steal it” before going on to call me “fresh”. I’m not a very confrontational person and I was pretty confused the entire time, so all I managed was a flustered “what?” Which did not go over very well. I’ve never been yelled at by a stranger like that before so I was kinda horrified. Never thought I’d be accused of stealing yarn of all things.
And the kicker? She was parked diagonally, partially in my spot. Because that isn’t a rude thing to do or anything. So yeah, now I’m slightlyyyy terrified to go to Joann’s again, but hey, I got a story out of it.

Basically the title, I’m cat-sitting for my grandma’s friend. She has a sweet little 2(?) year old cat who is covered in little scabs from itching and is constantly itching/licking/chewing. I’ve been at her house for less than an hour and I’ve pulled off ~20 fleas, off my own leg!!
She takes care of a feral (or two) in her backyard, and I think she has mentioned that she sometimes pets him, so she probably brought fleas in from him. He can’t be taken to the vet and probably would not be very receptive to preventatives.
Her owner is extremely sweet and means really well for her cat, so I don’t think she’d be angry at the suggestion of fleas, but I’m not great with words…
I have 6 cats and 2 dogs at home, one of the cats is on Bravecto Plus because she’s indoor-outdoor, and the dogs got Capstar about a month ago. I brought my backpack with some clothes and acrylic yarn for crochet and I’m worried about bringing fleas home, or them laying eggs and hatching. The backpack and yarn cannot be heat treated in the dryer - so I’m lost at what to do with them.
Hope this makes sense haha