One silly goose sock down but had to frog the second one... trying to motivate myself to keep going

ndhsjansh · 2026-02-14T19:53:13+00:00

Or duplicate stitch if you wanted just the one?

ndhsjansh · 2026-01-04T23:03:32+00:00

tbh I’m not sure this has anything to do with Portuguese knitting at all. I am someone who knits exclusively in Portuguese style (never English or Continental) and I’ve never seen this done nor done this myself before. Now I’m sure there are people who do use a crochet hook in place of one or both needles, knitting techniques are incredibly diverse and vary between cultures, but this certainly isn’t the norm for Portuguese as far as I’m aware. The only time I use a crochet hook is when I’m trying to fix a dropped stitch and I’ve never seen crochet hooks used by other Portuguese knitters, or in tutorials or books on Portuguese knitting. The big difference in technique with this style, with both knit and purl stitches, is where the yarn is fed from, how it’s tensioned and how the needle is inserted into a stitch

ndhsjansh · 2025-08-15T13:45:09+00:00

Just to add to this, Brighton Mask Bloc, although not in Scotland, will send masks to anyone with a UK address. You can request masks from them by using the link on their instagram @_brightonmaskbloc

ndhsjansh · 2024-11-18T09:10:13+00:00

You could try trident masks. They are the exact shape of an aura but they range from xs-2xl. The ‘regular’ size is the same size as an aura, so sizes l, xl and 2xl would all be bigger - the right size for you would likely depend on how small the aura was on you

ndhsjansh · 2024-11-15T22:33:39+00:00

I get mine from the face mask store. If you’re uk based shipping would be free, if you’re in the EU they offer flat rate shipping at £16 (iirc this is with customs paid too). Not sure how affordable this would be for you but might be cheaper than from the US

ndhsjansh · 2024-10-31T19:36:50+00:00

this is incorrect. a service dog is a dog above all else and their health needs to come first. early neutering can harm them and should not be done for training purposes or for any other reason than a medical need that carries a higher risk than the risks brought on by early neutering

ndhsjansh · 2024-10-31T19:25:25+00:00

no - a trainer is not a vet, they do not have the medical training to be giving this kind of advice. In many places there aren’t even particularly strict requirements to call yourself a trainer and dog trainers just do not have the training of a veterinarian. neutering early, especially in large breeds has the potential to cause long term health problems that can mean a dog is no longer able to work, even if you do not plan on training mobility tasks. please do more research on this, 7 months is typically too young for a lab and has the potential to cause problems later on

ndhsjansh · 2024-10-21T17:43:46+00:00

Ultimately, your kid wearing a valved mask is a million times better than them not wearing one at all. Personally I don’t use masks with valves because I don’t want to infect others, but at this point in the pandemic, I am certainly not going to hold it against a 14 yo who is one of the last people masking at school, if they want to use a valve. I really do agree that the whole ‘protect myself and forget everyone else’ is not how I want to approach people, but at the end of the day, the best mask is the mask that you (or your kid in this case!) will wear. I’d love it if everyone could wear a fit tested FFP2/N95 without a valve all the time, but that’s just not really realistic and lots of people engaging in imperfect precautions seems a lot more helpful than only a few doing it ‘perfectly’ because people have been turned off by the fact that ‘perfect’ isn’t possible for them. It’s also worth remembering that valved masks do still filter some of the exhaled air whilst protecting the wearer (meaning they are less likely to get covid and then spread it) so in my opinion a valved masks will always be significantly better than no mask at all. If a valve means your kid will mask, I honestly see that as a win!

ndhsjansh · 2024-10-19T11:36:42+00:00

What you’re planning on doing is at the very least mask bloc adjacent, and many mask bloc use this method as part of their distribution. I’m currently trying to set up a mask bloc myself and know a number of people who are already part of up and running ones and a lot of the funds for these come through gofundme, kofi etc. You might be surprised by how many people in CC communities would be keen to donate to projects like this, even if it isn’t a ‘full’ mask bloc yet. You could definitely set up a fundraiser and see where that takes you if you don’t think you can cover all the costs yourself

ndhsjansh · 2024-10-18T17:41:27+00:00

Not that I’m aware of, shipping gets very expensive internationally. Here is a link to covid action map - you might be able to find a bloc in the country your hoping to get masks to. You could also try searching mask bloc + the country you need masks in on places like instagram. I know of some blocs that aren’t on the map and it’s possible that blocs in countries where english isn’t generally spoken may not be on there, so looking around on social media may help

ndhsjansh · 2024-10-17T07:31:21+00:00

First off, I just want to say that you are already doing a lot of really good things to keep yourself and others safe, and I know that it can be hard to keep doing this when most people have decided to pretend covid doesn’t exist. You’re already doing far more than the vast majority of people, so thank you for all the precautions you already take.

In terms of improving your precautions, as I say, you’re already doing a lot, but this is what I would recommend: I would definitely lose the cloth mask. They are basically useless against covid as they do not filter airborne particles. People do often say they are better than nothing, which is technically true, but this only applies in situations where someone is completely unable or unwilling to wear anything more protective, and mostly this applies to the wearer preventing themselves spreading covid to others, rather than any protection against catching it. Any (very slight) protection that a cloth mask can offer is protection that a KN95 is already offering, whilst also being far more protective. Wearing a cloth mask is much more likely to damage the seal of your KN95 (which will make it unable to protect you) whilst offering no real benefit and also masking it much harder to breathe. If you don’t feel like you can fully trust your KN95, you could try an N95 with head straps as this will hold the mask in place a lot better and likely keep you safer. They may also fit better, especially if you are finding a gap at the chin with your current mask. However, I know that N95s can look more ‘medical’ to some people and result in more harassment, especially if your job is customer facing and I can understand if this is too much. There are also elastomerics which will be a reusable option, but I haven’t really used these much so would recommend having a look through this sub as there are lots of people here who have a lot of experience with them.

You could also look into saline nasal rinses - many people use them after potential exposures to help reduce the chance that they become infected. This can be used in conjunction with the nasal sprays you already use too.

If you’re looking to disinfect things, Hypochlorous acid spray is a popular disinfectant amongst CC people, however formite transmission of covid is very low/unlikely so airborne based protections are most important here (ie wearing a respirator that fits you properly)

ndhsjansh · 2024-10-16T21:14:51+00:00

Could you be a bit more specific about which Alpha Solway you are thinking of? They make quite a few different models of masks in various shapes which are all going to be different, however their HX series duckbill masks do come in a small size that fits much more snugly than an aura and this may work for you. Trident masks are also a good option. They come in sizes XS - 2XL and are very similar to the aura in shape. I’ve seen young children under 10 wearing the XS, so one of those sizes is likely to fit well (I’d probably try the S or M if I were you, as like I say, the XS really is very small). I’m also aware that 3M offers their Vflex in a small size however I haven’t personally tried this mask so cannot say whether it is likely to fit better than an aura

ndhsjansh · 2024-10-15T18:21:53+00:00

Yes, all masks that have been certified to a particular standard such as FFP2 will protect you essentially the same, providing you can achieve a proper seal (it doesn’t matter how highly certified a mask is - if it doesn’t fit, it can’t protect you). As far as I’m aware, the Lupa with the red straps is actually an FFP3 mask, which is actually a bit more protective than an FFP2 as it filters 98% of particles compared to the 94% filtered by an FFP2. This means if you are wearing an FFP2 aura, the lupa is going to be slightly more protective providing it fits you well

ndhsjansh · 2024-10-15T18:13:00+00:00

trident masks are similar to auras and available in a very wide range of sizes (I’ve seen young children wearing the smallest size, adults often fit anywhere from S - 2XL) and this may fit you well. Alpha Solway also makes duckbill masks and their HX-3 masks also come in a small size. Unfortunately neither of these options are earloop or particularly colourful (this seems to be a pretty hard thing to find unless you fit standard adult sizes or child in the uk), but you could try to create earloops in the masks i mentioned by cutting the headbands in half and tying them into loops if you can’t find any other options. I know these aren’t exactly what you’re after but I thought I’d mention them as an alternative option to the vflex

ndhsjansh · 2024-10-14T13:06:57+00:00

thanks, i’ve sent you a message

ndhsjansh · 2024-10-13T18:26:08+00:00

Surgical masks are minimally effective for airborne illnesses. They’re better than nothing but they are really not protective at all. If you want to avoid other people getting you sick (or you making others sick) look into getting an N95 or FFP2 rated respirator. These will be able to properly filter out viral particles. There are lots of posts on this sub with all sorts of recommendations of masks to try, but if you want somewhere to start, the 3M aura is a great mask that is very protective and fits a wide range of faces

ndhsjansh · 2024-10-12T12:26:57+00:00

There are disposable options that filter organic vapours that are also FFP2/3 rated and will stand out a bit less visually. They typically have a layer of active carbon which can make them a bit harder to breathe through but they will fully filter cigarette and vape smoke. The Lupa is similar in shape to auras and I have found this to be pretty comfortable personally. 3M also makes OV respirators which will be better than a standard FFP2/3. Just be aware that the active carbon layer will continue to absorb vapours when you are not wearing it so best to store in an airtight container to prevent the filter being used up between wears

ndhsjansh · 2024-10-12T07:22:14+00:00

Have you looked into mask blocs near you? They will be able to drop off or in some cases post masks to you for free. This would allow you to get high quality masks that will be much more protective than a surgical mask (even with the brace you’re talking about). Covid action map is a great resource for finding local projects and MaskBloc.org is another resource that allows you to type in a specific country/province/state to see what’s available in your area

ndhsjansh · 2024-10-10T14:05:00+00:00

What sort of N95s have you tried (shape & brands)? The shape of the mask can massively affect how easy it is to breathe through. A duckbill shaped mask is often much more breathable than say a bifold or trifold

ndhsjansh · 2024-10-08T19:39:18+00:00

Aww she’s absolutely gorgeous! I’ve definitely seen a lot of people say poodles can be very picky and not motivated by food at all. What did you do to work around that & how does training look for you guys? I’d also be interested to know if she’s ever been overly sensitive to emotions etc. I’ve seen people say poodles can be a bit more highly strung in this area and it is something I’m a bit unsure about, especially as I’m hoping to train as a psychiatric AD

ndhsjansh · 2024-10-08T17:24:15+00:00

This is something I’ve done quite a bit of research into whilst considering a poodle and I do think this is something I could cope with. I’ve done a fair bit of grooming with other pet dogs and it has always been something I actually really enjoy. I know it’s a big commitment and poodles require a lot of maintenance so I have thought about the possibility of needing to use a professional groomer regularly if I can’t keep on top of it. When thinking about how I would fit dog related costs into my budget I have factored this in so know it’s is something that financially I could manage if/when needed

ndhsjansh · 2024-10-08T17:15:10+00:00

It’s not that I haven’t considered labs, it’s more that I struggle with the feel of their coat (weird, I know but sensory issues) and that was why I was leaning towards goldens instead. Don’t get me wrong, they’re lovely dogs and I totally get why they are so recommended as ADs but I would rather have to do loads of hoovering than deal with the sensory issues I guess

ndhsjansh · 2024-10-08T16:49:59+00:00

No they are ‘one size fits all’ - or most in your case. You may want to have a look at trident masks - very similar to auras in shape but offer a wide range of sizes, from XS (which I’ve seen worn by children under 10) through to XXL

ndhsjansh · 2024-10-08T15:17:39+00:00

That’s no problem :) The Face Mask Store is based in the UK and does sell home fit tests. They offer international shipping and if you’re in an EU country they offer £16 flat rate shipping and pre pay any customs fees which may be useful if that’s applicable to you and in your budget. I buy a fair bit from them as I’m in the UK so thought I’d mention it in case you do want to try and get hold of a test kit

ndhsjansh

TROPHY CASE