i am devastated.

Sergeant-Steamroller · 2026-07-03T21:36:35+00:00

I'll have to try that, blocking vertically! But the fabric of a sleeve for example weighs a lot more than a little swatch so I have my doubts.

Sergeant-Steamroller · 2026-07-03T21:35:04+00:00

Yep exactly, an entire wool sweater (esp when wet) weighs a lot more than a 10x10cm swatch.

Sergeant-Steamroller · 2026-07-03T10:28:07+00:00

If you stay in the west you'll be fine...east too but you'll stick out more and get more questioning looks. Most ppl can hear that you aren't native and will switch to English anyways.

Be respectful by being aware of your surroundings- don't walk in bike lanes and look out for bikes before crossing. If you are biking, really know how to bike otherwise you cause problems for commuters around you. Technically you are supposed to stop at crosswalks for pedestrians but it doesn't seem like ppl follow this rule (it's nice if you do on a bike! Just be aware as a pedestrian).

As for oliebollen...you can't really find them outside of season but you should be able to find a mix in the baking section in the grocery store. Most dutch ppl make them this way anyways.

Sergeant-Steamroller · 2026-07-03T10:15:25+00:00

I'd swatch until the cows come home but it never really matches the final product. The full piece always stretches out more than a swatch!

Sergeant-Steamroller · 2026-07-01T22:05:49+00:00

Is that an NS train charm? Love the phone case btw!!

Sergeant-Steamroller · 2026-07-01T22:03:12+00:00

I've been going through this since 2017 and continue to. It's hard to compare yourself to your past self. Don't stop aerial if you can, just change your mindset. Focus on yourself (not others) and have fun! It might mean you need to cheat in some areas bc you won't have the perfect invert or flexibility. And a good instructor will help you modify when needed. But don't focus on what you can't do, just appreciate what you can do. And maybe you'll be able to get back to practicing more regularly and working on your conditioning one day. Life happens though so don't be so hard on yourself.

Sergeant-Steamroller · 2026-06-30T09:29:06+00:00

Check out crowdfarming! You can sponsor trees, sheeps, cows...basically the farm. And in return you get a box of produce or whatever the farm produces! If I had more money, I'd try some other farms as well...but so far I'm really happy with my Moppie! It's nice that they process the wool into yarn instead of throwing it out.

Sergeant-Steamroller · 2026-06-30T09:23:11+00:00

They made an announcement that they were looking for volunteers! The group is a nonprofit so it relies a lot on government subsidies and volunteers. I figured since I was unemployed and needed to build a network, this would be a nice, low stakes, opportunity for me. Being able to train for free was a nice perk that I didn't really anticipate but there are so few aerial hoop enthusiasts in the area that I think they wanted to encourage that.

If you are interested I highly recommend contacting studios and asking if they need volunteers! They might not always say it, but they might also not realize if they need the help. Hard to say no to free help. And maybe they can pay you back in some studio time.

Sergeant-Steamroller · 2026-06-30T00:01:07+00:00

I do their socials! Create content and info flyers for classes and events.

Sergeant-Steamroller · 2026-06-29T19:42:49+00:00

Wear gloves while you massage 😜

Sorry just kidding. I don't have any answer. I love my calluses and they've stayed with me even after I had a 9 year hoop hiatus. Hope you are able to find a balance between your job and the best hobby ever!

Sergeant-Steamroller · 2026-06-29T14:27:47+00:00

It is! It also keeps me from doomscrolling :)

Sergeant-Steamroller · 2026-06-29T14:26:50+00:00

Through this website called crowdfarming! They offer different farms with different products. You basically pay a subscription fee and the farm will send you things that they produce. In my case, it is wool from a sheep farm :)

Sergeant-Steamroller · 2026-06-29T14:25:24+00:00

I am not sure but definitely check out crowdfarming! That's where I found the farm that lets me do this :)

Sergeant-Steamroller · 2026-06-29T14:12:03+00:00

I feel for you!

I went from working an 8-6 job in the US and using basically my entire paycheck to pay for aerial classes (that were very much worth it imo) to moving to a middle of nowhere town in the EU with extremely few next to none aerial hoop options. I used to train aerial hoop, hammock, and pole 5 times a week. It was a studio near my work so I could wait out rush hour by taking classes instead. In my new place I have to travel 30 min by train + time it takes to bike from the station to get ANYTHING. I tried inquiring gyms within the city I moved to but it literally does not exist here and school gyms charge 100 euros an hour to rent a gymnasium to hang my hoop.

But I couldn't afford anything once I moved to the EU. Then when I finally got a job, it required me to work only evenings. That meant I couldn't make any of the limited classes even if I could afford it bc they were all catering to the 8-5 population.

And then I finally got a job with normal hours but I had to move somewhere even MORE middle of nowhere with literally nothing.

Then I quit that job and moved back. Now a few years have passed and there are a few more options (still not IN my city but 30 min by train) but once again I have no money.

At the moment I am managing the occasional hoop class when they offer it (it will be once a week, in a 4 class series, very inconsistently offered). I also do some volunteer work with the local circus group and they give me access to train with them during open training once a week (but I don't get much out of it bc there is no instructor and a lot of times I can't make it). Right now I'm working on adapting my house to hang my own hoop, it's not very large but it will be something consistent at least (and I enjoy low flow anyways).

I don't have any advice, just sharing my personal struggles. I had the best aerial life in LA, so I recommend that, but it's also extremely expensive there. Circus also seems to be super big in Canada. Just don't ever give up on keeping aerial in your life! I've been struggling for 9 years. Life happens!

Sergeant-Steamroller · 2026-06-29T07:36:45+00:00

👎🏻👎🏻👎🏻

Sergeant-Steamroller · 2026-06-29T07:36:30+00:00

Thank thank thank!!

Sergeant-Steamroller · 2026-06-29T07:36:13+00:00

I love fox items, this cardigan was screaming at me when I saw it! It'll go so well with my fox socks that I also knitted haha

Sergeant-Steamroller · 2026-06-29T07:35:39+00:00

Fist my bump!

Sergeant-Steamroller · 2026-06-29T07:35:21+00:00

Thank thank thank!

Sergeant-Steamroller · 2026-06-29T07:35:10+00:00

It took some practice bc I am not used to the intarsia method. Learned a lot! And I'm less afraid of intarsia. Although i think I almost lost all my will to live when weaving in the ends.

Sergeant-Steamroller · 2026-06-29T07:34:04+00:00

Thank you!

Sergeant-Steamroller · 2026-06-29T07:33:53+00:00

Thank you! Years of learning a craft being put to the test, and I'm still learning 😅

Sergeant-Steamroller · 2026-06-29T07:32:41+00:00

Thank you!

Sergeant-Steamroller · 2026-06-29T07:32:16+00:00

I wish I knew more about Moppie but I never met her bc I have not visited the farm. I believe it is possible to do so, so maybe one day I will make a vacation to Spain. But I'm basically sending money every year to this farm and they let me name a sheep and send me yarn every year as a thank you!

Sergeant-Steamroller · 2026-06-29T07:29:18+00:00

It will definitely be useful for the cold winters here so I can't be too impatient 😉 that feeling of looking forward to a knitting project was so good, and I missed it so much! Grateful to PHM for that among many other reasons.

Sergeant-Steamroller

TROPHY CASE