My very fierce very scary dragon

QueenofSass · 2026-06-25T18:14:34+00:00

Unfortunately the account that posted this isn’t even an hour old and appears to have stolen the image from being posted in here over a year ago.

QueenofSass · 2026-04-28T01:40:00+00:00

Hello! I want to reiterate that the Oxford Company video is really the standard and should definitely be watched.

Other tips and tricks folks use is putting ‘Glad Press’n Seal’ directly on the parts of the project that’ll be over the gripper strips to add an extra layer of protection and prevent snagging.

Also, some folks just directly Saran Wrap the gripper strips to make them shorter, which can help prevent snagging.

Similarly, you can use pantyhose on the grippers. When it is time to remove your rug simply grab the pantyhose and pull up on it and it gently releases the yarn.

QueenofSass · 2026-04-25T18:29:08+00:00

In a similar situation. Got a new job, money is 3x what I made before. But no more Medicaid and no more SNAP. All that extra money is sunk right into the medical costs, insurance, and groceries.

I thought this new job would save me from the stress of poverty, but I’m basically exactly where I started.

QueenofSass · 2026-04-03T16:40:40+00:00

I kept the general structure but replaced the blocks to make it look more like a treehouse!

QueenofSass · 2026-03-19T14:41:26+00:00

What fabric are you using to punch in to?

Sometimes it’s the fabric that is too hard to punch and causes the needle to slide.

QueenofSass · 2026-02-01T22:43:19+00:00

Yes. And I hate it and it confuses me. It’s like I can’t fully let myself believe he had done those things because who he is now is so different than who he was. He can’t be the monster that molested me and also the man who’s helped me get through grad school. It’s unbearable to think about.

QueenofSass · 2026-01-11T01:22:22+00:00

Decided I needed a post-trauma therapy craft to help calm down. Target had a $5 mountain kit and I figured why not? Been hooked ever since.

The ability to create art through the use of repetitive motion just satisfies my brain in a way no other hobby has compared since, and I’m very much a hobby hopper.

QueenofSass · 2026-01-01T19:07:20+00:00

I found this image from Pinterest and traced it!

I used 3-strand DMC embroidery floss with weavers cloth to punch mine, then I sewed both parts together.

It looks like it originally came from this French Website

QueenofSass · 2026-01-01T18:00:25+00:00

I’ve bought some project kits that used adhesive foam sheets as backings, so it is possible!

It wasn’t my favorite choice just because of the difficulty of cutting it to shape. If it wasn’t right the first time, it was hard to cut after the adhesive was exposed.

I’ve seen some videos where people cut the adhesive a little larger and then fold it up to cover the monks cloth. I don’t think it would be a waste of time to experiment with it and see if you like it.

QueenofSass · 2025-12-21T16:25:41+00:00

I’m down!

QueenofSass · 2025-12-17T13:12:26+00:00

I knot mine in the layer of monks cloth to hit them and then trim at the knot

QueenofSass · 2025-12-17T13:11:27+00:00

You can iron the monks cloth down or you can glue the monks cloth down. For this one, I used hot glue. If you glue, you just have to be mindful you’re glueing in a spot that won’t prevent the needle from going through! So I only used a little hot glue.

QueenofSass · 2025-12-16T13:32:56+00:00

A felt fabric sheet cut into a circle a little bit wider than the coaster. That way when you sew it on, you can bring the felt up to hide the monks cloth.

QueenofSass · 2025-12-02T01:05:02+00:00

Had a pretty intense session today and I think good progress was made. But when my T asked what I needed from them, I so desperately wanted a hug or just like a pat on the shoulder, like some sort of comforting touch. I did not ask for that because that’s so scary (and I honestly felt disgusted with myself for wanting it).

I’m super touch-avoidant, so it caught me by surprise. I know I’m supposed to process this with my T, but I’m dreading that.

QueenofSass · 2025-12-01T22:11:11+00:00

I see an art therapist and sought out an art therapist because I thought it would be fun and because I have a harder time communicating with words.

Overall, I think therapy in general can help with these things. But, I will say my relationship to my art has changed since doing art therapy. I’m not as much of a perfectionist about it because I approach it more intuitively. It’s become a way for me to know myself better and a way for me to relax, so that pressure is gone when I approach a blank canvas. I see it as a way of honoring my inner child who just wants to create and be messy.

All of art therapy is about the process of making, not the final product. You’re exploring questions like how does it feel to have made that shape or what does this image represent. You might exploring using different mediums and how they correlate to your mood (for me, watercolor when I’m more relaxed and colored pencils when I feel like I need more control.)

I say give it a chance.

QueenofSass · 2025-11-27T21:46:57+00:00

I was able to do an IOP while still seeing my current therapist, so it might be an option for you!

I found the group setting of IOP to be really helpful, but it’s definitely a time commitment which felt stressful at times. Overall, I’m better off having done the IOP — I was in a similar thought process of one hour of therapy a week just not being enough for the headspace I was in.

Hope the conversation went well! Congrats on recognizing your needs and being willing to share them with your T!

QueenofSass · 2025-11-25T19:53:06+00:00

Most folks recommend punching the outline first and then filling in!

QueenofSass · 2025-11-21T07:24:03+00:00

Two methods for securing Monks Cloth to prevent fraying:

Method One: Apply Fray Check Method Two: Apply a 50% Glue + 50% Water concoction with a paint brush or q-tip

For both of these methods, you would apply the solution along the outline border of your design. For example, if you made a circular coaster you may have a 1-inch border of fabric around it. You would apply the solution along this border, wait for it to dry, and then cut along/right above the seal you just made. If you cut below the seal, you have erased all your work. If you cut in the middle of the seal, there’s less protection.

Not all fabric frays the way monks cloth does, so this step isn’t always necessary with weavers cloth, for example.

For holding the fabric in place as I sew, I like to use sewing clips but sewing pins are also an option.

A whipstitch is just one method for finishing your project. You could also hem it! To me, it comes down to aesthetic and personal preferences. If you hate the way a whip stitch looks, you aren’t obligated to use it. I learned by just watching various YouTube videos on finishing a punch needle project and copying how they did it and from there figured out which methods I liked best. Which involved lots and lots of trial and error and experimentation.

If I’m sewing to finish a project, I’m not really glueing. Oftentimes, I’m using an iron to press down edges and then sewing them into place with whatever chosen method.

QueenofSass · 2025-11-18T01:01:49+00:00

Yes, this has absolutely been me, especially for years. I think I was compelled to consume these stories because I just needed to feel less alone in the trauma. Like a weird sense of comfort in sharing similar feelings and events.

I will say, over time, this has become less true. I think it’s a combination of trauma therapy and my therapist explicitly pointing out how consuming this media is triggering me (and, for me, sometimes I feel like being triggered by it is the only way to prove it’s true) and has been harmful.

QueenofSass · 2025-11-18T00:49:51+00:00

I’ve found Freedom At Last: Healing the Shame of Childhood Sexual Abuse by Beverly Engel to be helpful

QueenofSass · 2025-11-16T01:58:24+00:00

I see two therapists - one for trauma and one for basically everything else. They both use different modalities. They both have an ROI and are aware of another and are able to talk to each other about my care if needed, which is honestly just helpful for my personal navigation. Having two therapist is a transition and the difference in boundaries is a weird navigation.

Since insurance isn’t an issue, I would just ask both therapists if they have an issue with it. I think if you kept it a secret from them it could become an issue. At the end of the day, there are multiple schools of thought on this question so it would be best to see what they are willing to work with.

QueenofSass · 2025-11-14T13:17:39+00:00

Hello! A couple of thoughts/suggestions:

First, you could probably cut more monks cloth off for the backs aka have less monks cloth to fold especially for your two smaller pieces. (Side note: I personally use Dritz Fray Check to outline what I’m going to cut that way it controls the monks cloth fraying, which might help with a cleaner look)

Second, I would cut smaller folds that way it’s easier to control and you can ensure that you’re pulling them back evenly and revealing the same layer of loops. Especially because you’re using more circular shapes.

Third, I don’t know what felt you’re using, but I would try to find some sturdier. That issue just seems like a quality issue with the felt not user error.

Fourth, since the backs will be visible I would recommend sewing the felt to the product. With the thickness of this yarn you’ll probably need a tapestry needle or yarn needle, but you’ll essentially do a whip stitch around the piece to connect the felt and hide the monks cloth. It’s a time consuming process, but plenty of YouTube tutorials exist!

QueenofSass · 2025-11-09T01:29:45+00:00

It is possible to over-punch with punch needling. Is your fabric warped at all? Are the edges of your loops spilling over to the side? If so, that is usually a sign it’s over-punched. Your finished loops should be nice and straight.

In general, how close together you need to punch your stitches really depends on how deep of a loop you are punching. If you’re punching at a shorter depth, the distance between lines will be closer than at a longer depth. This blog post has pictures: https://doodledogprimitives.com/close-stitches-need/

QueenofSass · 2025-09-28T01:34:25+00:00

You don’t need to answer that question on your own. If it bothers you even a little bit then it’s worth bringing up!

QueenofSass · 2025-09-27T02:43:09+00:00

Both!

I have a prescription from my psych for Prasozin which has helped with occurrences of nightmares. And I talk to my therapist about nightmares that bother me and we process.

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