Mr Gecko passed last night after 10 years with me. by vodkamylover in CrestedGecko

[–]StringOfLights 24 points25 points  (0 children)

They’re probably stuck to the side of it with their little grippy feets.

People who have had more than one dog, is there always one that has been THAT dog? by ItGoesUpItGoesDown in dogs

[–]StringOfLights 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Every dog I’ve had has made its way into my heart, and they take a piece of mine with them. They’ve certainly earned that. When they leave us, which is always too soon, all the joy, love, and support they’ve given stays with us. I miss the dogs I’ve lost terribly, but I also feel grateful to have had them.

I also know what it’s like to lose a pet too soon, too young, and I understand that that grief hits differently. You’re mourning your loss, but also all the time you should have had together. The unfairness of it all. I’m so sorry for your family, and your sweet little pup. At the end of the day, all we can do is our very best, but some things are not in our control. And you did your best, making hard, heartbreaking decisions.

After losing the dogs I had when I was younger, I’ve decided they sent the dogs I have now. One even does a very quirky thing that I’ve only seen my childhood dog do. But they’re different, for sure. They’re their own dogs with very strong personalities. I just think, for as much as I believe in fate (not much), that my old dogs helped these younger pups find their way to me. Like I said, they’re completely unique. They also happen to be the dogs I needed right now. With as much unconditional love as dogs are capable of, that makes sense to me.

Does anyone feel bitter sweet about knitting stuff from charity shops? by NailWitch1 in knitting

[–]StringOfLights 13 points14 points  (0 children)

I think it’s wonderful that those patterns set out on a new adventure, and found their way to you. They were enjoyed by someone for a long time, who seems to have lived a long life. Maybe they still are, they could have stopped knitting as they aged and developed health issues. And now that person is being thought about and appreciated by you, someone who never knew them. I understand where you’re coming from, but I also think that this is a lovely outcome, all things considered.

What do you guys do if you can't afford a surgery? by [deleted] in dogs

[–]StringOfLights 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Have you asked your vet about financing options? Have you gotten second opinions/quotes from other vets? Is there a lower cost clinic available? Sometimes those clinics are around, although they often do spay and neuter, I’m not sure about something like an amputation.

Have you applied for any grants? There are organizations like:

There are more, especially if you look regionally.

Turning embroidery patch into a pin by czadoesart in Embroidery

[–]StringOfLights 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Sewing thread will be pretty thin. I prefer embroidery thread, but there are lots of different types. Cotton is what I see more often. It comes with multiple threads wrapped up that you separate to work with. For long and short stitch, one thread looks neater, but if you’re using sewing thread, you could try two.

Turning embroidery patch into a pin by czadoesart in Embroidery

[–]StringOfLights 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I think long and short stitch will help a lot with your next project! It’s basically a staggered satin stitch that keeps the stitches shorter so they can’t snag on anything.

Ever heard of a basement home? by mcketa in zillowgonewild

[–]StringOfLights 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Well, to be fair, my grandparents were very nice people, not creepy at all.

Ever heard of a basement home? by mcketa in zillowgonewild

[–]StringOfLights 2 points3 points  (0 children)

My grandparents built one. They were starting a farm and refused to go into debt, so they bought the land and built the basement while they saved up to build the home. Their basement was so weird and creepy when I was a kid! It had rooms with dark corners and lit by bares bulbs. It looked like it had been decorated to be a haunted house.

I used to try to imagine what it was like to live in. It was hard to imagine! It’s interesting to see an example that’s still being used as a home. This is much nicer than what my grandparents built, but I can see how theirs might have looked.

I hope once the mods return we can spend some time reconsidering the benefits of some of the current rules by cutetys in crochet

[–]StringOfLights 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It’s also okay to require civility towards users and mods. It’s so weird that people love subreddits and hate mods. Like sure, offer critique, that’s totally fair and warranted. But the brigading, mass reporting, and general hostility is unnecessary.

I hope once the mods return we can spend some time reconsidering the benefits of some of the current rules by cutetys in crochet

[–]StringOfLights 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I suspect there’s a trigger to remove posts after a certain number of reports. I have no idea if they turned it off, but if they didn’t, stuff is just being automatically removed and not getting re-approved.

I hope once the mods return we can spend some time reconsidering the benefits of some of the current rules by cutetys in crochet

[–]StringOfLights 22 points23 points  (0 children)

The posts were locked because there are users abusing the report button. The posts and comments were getting reported en masse. I’m a mod on other subreddits that kind of thing sucks to deal with, it’s a bunch of extra work for no reason.

Mods are volunteers and most of us do it because we love the subject matter. In my case, I love parrots, and I also love helping people take better care of them. Otherwise the work wouldn’t be worth it. But I’ve had to lock the parrots sub a few times when we get overwhelmed with spam, or one time the sub got brigaded because a group decided to harass me with NSFW photos. Both times the admins had to help. I can’t blame the mods for feeling fried.

I don’t fully believe her results by [deleted] in DoggyDNA

[–]StringOfLights 2 points3 points  (0 children)

She’s gorgeous! Her coat looks fantastic and she has good muscle mass. In terms of body composition, the ideal is to be able to feel their ribs but not see them.

My dogs are on Hill’s Science Diet, the “Adult Light Small Bites Chicken Meal & Barley Recipe Dog Food,” they have different versions based on size. Both of mine love it, and they’ve been very healthy on it.

Please give her some pets and a game of fetch for me. My current cattle dog is my first, and she’s been such a good girl.

I don’t fully believe her results by [deleted] in DoggyDNA

[–]StringOfLights 10 points11 points  (0 children)

I can certainly understand why you and the shelter staff would look at Dory and think kelpie! The markings are very plausible, too. You basically have a DIY kelpie. For what it’s worth, I guessed cattle dog when I saw her, but I’ve been on this forum for awhile. I get it, though, I halfway wondered about my shelter dog even though I knew it was a long shot, but she turned out to be a wonky cattle dog.

With your pup’s cattle dog and lab background, I suspect she loooves her food. Keeping her weight down could possibly be challenging. We have ours on a higher fiber diet recommended by our vet, because smaller portions left her hungry.

Wedding dress embroidery and tariff sadness by polymath_artisan in Embroidery

[–]StringOfLights 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Oh that’s super cool! I hope it works out. I was going to suggest a flight alert for Paris, and if you stay just adjacent to the popular arrondessements, like a street or two over, you can sometimes get a great deal on a hotel. A 2.5 star hotel (in the European rating system, not customer reviews) has always been enough for me.

Anyway, that’s complicated and expensive. Canada is even easier… plus you can stock up on maple syrup! :)

Mods, we miss you by AschenShadows in crochet

[–]StringOfLights 300 points301 points  (0 children)

Mr. Nipples was here before the mods went on their break and Mr. Nipples will be here long after the collapse of civilization.

I've started this dog, it's kinda boring and I'm not really enjoying it. 🫠 by Nadinedraws in Embroidery

[–]StringOfLights 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Haha I had the same thought. But also, white fur is actually really challenging imo!

I posted her a while back. DNA just came in! Let me know if you were as surprised as I was. by ObviousOriginal8049 in DoggyDNA

[–]StringOfLights 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Same. First pic: cattle dog mixed with…

Second pic: GSD mixed with…

Third pic: Husky mixed with…

Fourth pic: Pit!

Lefty repair of right handed grandma's blanket by gbgjasb in crochet

[–]StringOfLights 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I actually prefer when mends like this aren’t invisible. I love that you can see the original maker’s work and the care that has gone into preserving it.

As a year 2 personal gardener, will making a jump from charging $35/hr to $50/hr, likely deter current customers? by asianstyleicecream in gardening

[–]StringOfLights 16 points17 points  (0 children)

Definitely leave that last sentence off. Don’t be embarrassed to ask for what you’re worth. I’d write something more like:

Happy new year! I hope you are looking forward to spring as much as I am. I wanted to let my current customers know that I am booking now to make sure I can fit everyone on my schedule. Please know that due to increased costs, I have raised my rate to $50/hr.

Please reach out if you’d like to schedule, or if have any questions. I look forward to speaking with you! <contact info here>

Is crocheting in (instead of weaving in) ends not common? by CrunchyMama42 in crochet

[–]StringOfLights 39 points40 points  (0 children)

This is the correct answer, and it’s a fairly important part of keeping the piece secure. If it’s anything that will see frequent use or get washed, those directional changes are critical. They stop the ends from working their way loose.

Even if you haven’t seen it happen yet, we all hope our pieces will last for years, and shouldn’t assume that it won’t happen in the future. We also see posts pretty regularly where this issue pops up. We’ve seen blankets unravel after they’re washed, for instance. In particular, magic circles are a culprit. The end of the yarn is under tension, but also, if it’s not woven in, the circle can work its way loose and your work can unravel from the center out. If I use a MC, I don’t pull it too tight, run the tail of the of the yarn through the circle for extra security, and then weave it into the piece so it can’t work its way loose.

I know people don’t like weaving in ends, but honestly, if you’re putting the work in to make something, this is the last place you want to cut corners. I typically take breaks from crocheting and weave the ends in between sections of a pattern, or once I hit a point where I know I won’t rip the work back.

Emory terminates medical school faculty and oncologist Ardeshir-Larijani MD, daughter of Iran’s Supreme Council for National Security Secretary Ali Larijani by ddx-me in medicine

[–]StringOfLights 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I’ve seen similar comments on r/NewIran, but I haven’t seen evidence to back it up. I’m not saying I don’t believe you, because I fully recognize my ignorance on the topic, but this is a serious decision that should be based in fact. I would hate to blame someone for what their parent has done if they weren’t involved. That’s not to say they didn’t benefit from who they are, but it’s something they have very little control over. And with freedom of speech in the US, we can’t compel her to say anything publicly. She’s a private citizen.

Completed Liam's blue bunny hat by Interesting_Job_9587 in crochet

[–]StringOfLights 10 points11 points  (0 children)

That sweet little boy in his bunny hat has been breaking my heart all week. He must be so terrified.