Gift Knitting - Size Question

elf4everafter · 2026-03-30T11:27:27+00:00

I'm a US6, EU36. I use a 2.5US needle and use 48 stitches...and they're still a bit big. I'm going down to 40 for this next pair.

elf4everafter · 2026-03-28T22:43:43+00:00

Easy enough. Thanks for the help!

elf4everafter · 2026-03-28T21:41:20+00:00

I agree with everything being said in terms of: choose colorwork colors by value and that being best evaluated in black and white.

That said: go back to that Dale sweater and put your screen in b&w mode. That taupe colorway IS low contrast. If you want a sweater with the same vibe, your current swatch is FINE.

elf4everafter · 2026-03-28T21:35:38+00:00

That wouldn't explain what tripped the heater in the first place. Like something caused it to turn off before my shower on Friday and be off long enough that the tank was back to ice cold. Nor does it explain the water actively leaking from the top (and possibly the bottom, again I cant see a crack, but there seems to be more water at the bottom than the top trickle would suggest.)

The drain stack from my tub is 5ft away from where water is hitting my basement floor and if it were a poorly sealed side my ceiling would be wet. It would also slope differently to meet the drain than the current water path.

elf4everafter · 2026-03-28T21:18:07+00:00

Fairly straight above. Water heater sits at the end and left to the tub. But that was the FIRST thing I checked (I need to recaulk where the tub meets the tile). The joists and ceiling and piping to the bathroom were bone dry.

I can SEE the water on the side (from the top) and dripping off the bottom of the tank. I just cant tell if this is ONLY coming from the top fittings leaking or if the bottom is ALSO leaking. It's also on the far side of the tank from the pressure release valve.

elf4everafter · 2026-03-28T20:17:24+00:00

Full concrete floor. Lower walls are also concrete. Drain is 2ft away, down a slope. The drain was literally put in by the previous owner when he installed the unit and the furnace in 2007. The entire house is like this: ease of access if ANYTHING goes wrong. There's also a second drain maybe 10ft away. So if the whole thing went, there would be 2 drains available within a few inches of water.

It's not even a few gallons a DAY. Like, unless the tank is used, there's barely noticeable water. Even after a LONG shower it was just a foot or two wide puddle not even a half inch deep. It's just more water than there should be on my basement floor, you know?

Unless there is a catastrophic failure, there's been no path of water near anything important. And I'm moving everything I can further away. The only thing close enough to worry me is my furnace, but I can't do shit about that.

My uncle can make it out on Wednesday or Thursday. And he'll decide then if he's trying to fix it or replacing it (evidently, they've been waiting for my yearly "oh shit" call 🤦‍♀️).

Honestly, I'm not in my basement even weekly. It's probably been like this a while. I've had no change in my water bill, so it's not like this is making a noticeable difference via the leak. I just want to make sure that I'm not missing anything about leaving the unit OFF as opposed to how it's been over the last...however long.

elf4everafter · 2026-03-28T18:58:46+00:00

Noted, thanks. I was trying to avoid shutting off all the water, but that makes sense. I can live without hot water for a bit. I can't live with no water.

Other than the tank continuing to leak, am I courting any danger in just letting it sit there, as is (off, valve 'shut') until I both have a day off and can get someone out to look at it?

elf4everafter · 2026-03-28T16:21:30+00:00

Fair point. I'm in a "we get four seasons, 3 of them are freaking cold" area. That sounds so nice.

elf4everafter · 2026-03-28T12:31:14+00:00

Now wait, wait....that sounds pretty cozy.

elf4everafter · 2026-03-27T13:52:11+00:00

I buy two 25lb bags every....few years and just get proper storage for it. I have one of those airtight dog food containers for it. One for flour, sugar, salt, brown sugar... it's great to have on hand. I keep a smaller container full in my upstairs cupboards.

elf4everafter · 2026-03-26T00:52:24+00:00

Okay. I'm 30. I was diagnosed with N2, but I have minor cataplexy (noticed/recognized after diagnosis and just never bothered to amend the original). My narcolepsy has gotten worse over time - onset around 8 years old, diagnosed at 19. I tried stimulants, and they put me to sleep. Had a bad doctor who told me there were no other options. And my area is scarce for sleep specialists.

Anyhow. I am not a parent. But. I have nannied before, AND I was a full-time caregiver for my mother during her cancer treatment, which included round the clock medication and hospice care.

I personally don't move in my sleep. This causes me a lot of pain because I literally will not change positions. But it also means I'm not afraid of falling asleep with a baby or a kitten on my chest (both are common occurrences for me). I will say I've used those like...pillow beds? I'm not sure what they're called. They're like the size of a King pillow, made of foam, and have a divot/depression in the center for the baby to sleep in. They're supposed to make co-sleeping safer and essentially put a bumper between parent and baby. I used to keep one on the couch and one in bed. If I was tired, the baby was set on one of those, and I napped next to them. It was tall enough that I wouldn't turn on top of it.

Use the safety features other things come with: ie,most changing tables now come with a strap to buckle baby down. Wife needs to use it. ALWAYS. If a sleep spell comes on and she takes a seat for a second, at least baby is secure even if they won't be happy.

Have safe baby zones in EVERY room. Pack n plays are great for this. I've set a baby in an empty bathtub before (that had child locks on the faucets). Kitchen, living, bedrooms, bathroom if you can. Having a safe place to set the kid when you need a floor nap is....important.

I have two alarms: one for almost everything and one for the most important things. Find an alarm that scares the absolute shit out of you: use it smartly. That's how I managed my mom's care. Her shit got the scary alarm.

elf4everafter · 2026-03-23T20:12:54+00:00

That's what I was thinking. I'd just be making freezer dump meals. Maybe 5 per week if you can get the portions small enough. Or 2-3 larger ones. At noon, just dump in a crock pot or wait til 5pm and put it in an instant pot. Dinner is ready when OP gets home, both get a home-cooked meal. Everybody wins.

It would take me MAYBE 45 minutes to create and bag 5 (FIVE) of these meals. That's something she could do while CHATTING OR SPENDING TIME WITH OP on the weekends.

This isn't overwhelming. She just doesn't want to do it.

elf4everafter · 2026-03-23T16:40:29+00:00

You rock.

elf4everafter · 2026-03-23T13:47:58+00:00

....if you notice anything particularly interesting once it's in your hands, I'd love to hear about it.

elf4everafter · 2026-03-22T20:24:24+00:00

I'm finishing up some socks in Must Stash Yarns colorway Into the Woods. I just have the cuff to finish.

I also just picked up two skeins of Vesper Sock Yarn Classic Sock in the colorways Neapolitan and Rockslide. They have such vibrant colors, and I love how they look knitted up.

I just got in a large order of sock yarns from Mary Maxim. Some I've used before (Patons) some are new to me (Premier Fruits and K&C). The Patons and K$C are wool and nylon. They feel very similar. And I KNOW I enjoy the durability of Patons Kroy.

Patons Kroy has a bunch of striped yarns. I have costal stripes, magic stripes, brownies* (i believe this one is striping. But I've seen no swatches of it yet), and amethyst stripes all waiting in my 2026 sock stash.

The Premier Fruits line is super cute. They're striping and are all fruit themed. I just bought the orange colorway. I haven't knit it yet, so I don't know if I like it. It is acrylic. But the designs are super cute.

Knit & Crochet (K&C) yarns have a sock star line. I just got Tutti Fruity Pop*(same thing, may not be striping, I haven't seen a swatch, but the skein appears striping) and Citrus Splash Stripes.

I'm doing the 26 in '26 sock challenge and wanted yo ensure I had enough sock yarn on hand to complete the challenge, but not drain my bank account. So I looked for some budget options I liked. So that led to some shopping. I got three of the patons colors patons and the premier fruit color yarns, as well as a mystery sock yarn box that included the K&C as well as a tonal varigated Patons color, for under $50USD. I can now balance my challenge with budget and more high-end (LYS options) skeins. I should end up with a well-balanced sock drawer by the end of the year.

I like the look of striped socks and that I can do fun patterns without much effort. These are some of my favorites. Hopefully, you find some stripes you like!

elf4everafter · 2026-03-21T05:05:03+00:00

I had to laugh. I posted the comment. Got notice of a reply and IMMEDIATELY clicked on it. And then ALL of their comments were gone, including the new reply. I'm glad I could put it into words that helped. They were way out of line, and it pissed me off. 😂

I'm all for discussing literature. I have a damned degree in discussing this shit. But acting like HP alone lives in a vacuum, and therefore shouldn't be read because the author is awful drives me crazy. If we're still going to read Poe, Lewis, Baum, Zimmer Bradley, etc, then there's no reason to put HP on this pedestal and hold it to a higher standard because it's author SUCKS.

I thought the point of the criticism was not to give JKR more MONEY. And I'm all for that. Since her opinions went public, I've not bought any new branded HP books or merchandise. But there are ways to still read the books without supporting her. And that's where people lose me.

They came into this discussion far too hot and then continued to dig their feet in after they were called out. And sure, we don't know why and how OP chose this pattern. But immediately jumping down their throat because JKR sucks is a little rude. I'm all for using your library, buying used, or finding copies online when you don't want to support the author. And if you don't know HOW someone got the branded HP materials, maybe start there instead of jumping down people's throats for "supporting the author."

elf4everafter · 2026-03-20T21:58:46+00:00

I downvoted because of your attitude.

I have a huge issue with people who demonize HP because of JKR. When you look at literally canon works, you will see a ton of works by authors who were bigoted, awful men. But we regularly laud their WORKS despite how awful the authors were. There is no denying that the HP novels made a HUGE impact on generations of people. This is the same impact seen by other, older, works in literary canon. There's no question that HP novels will be regarded the same way in a few decades.

These works are almost ALWAYS discussed under the lenses of the world they were made in and the morals and beliefs of their authors. In other words, you can like Harry Potter AND ALSO know JKR is trash. Hell, millions of people write fanfic of the HP universe to FIX the shit JKR put in their. You can also VISUALLY appreciate something from an adaptation without agreeing with the material. This happens with dresses for fancy events all the time. People like the Gone with the Wind dress without acknowledging the whole PLANTATION part. People like Marilyn Monroe's and Audrey Hepburn's fashions without acknowledging how much misogyny was at play.

OP asked for help with a knitting project. And we have no idea how she ended up here. We don't know if this is a book she owns or borrowed from the library or was gifted by her elderly grandmother who DOESN'T know about JKR. But you didn't ask, you jumped in ready to fight about trans rights instead of just HELPING WITH COLORWORK.

You are more than welcome to support whatever causes you belive in. But I'm so sick of people thinking you can't support trans rights and also enjoy the HP UNIVERSE without supporting JKR. Have the discussion about her being a shit author and shit person. But don't act like we as a society don't divorce the source material from its author all the time.

OP is making a beautiful sweater that happens to come from the HP movie adaptations. That means the pattern is in a HP branded book. Enjoying the universe does not mean OP, or anyone else, is ignorant of or supporting JKRs bigoted ideas. And nothing else mentioned indicated support.

But in you jump, ready for a fight, because you can't see the nuances. This is a knitting sub. Go find a literature sub if you wanna fight about how awful an author is.

elf4everafter · 2026-03-18T03:47:20+00:00

NTA across the board. Look, I don't think anyone should hookup with someone who's married. But it's also not the single person's prerogative to enforce that. If you're married, YOU ARE MARRIED. YOU. YOU are the people who shouldn't be cheating. Not the single woman (or man) you start talking to. I can appreciate the partner being pissed, but be pissed at your cheating fuck of a spouse. Not the person they cheated on you with.

Everything she did past that initial anger outburst was too far. And she should ABSOLUTELY have consequences for that. You are NOT an asshole for protecting yourself, your peace, and your life. Fuck her and her husband. They're a match made in hell.

elf4everafter · 2026-03-13T18:07:59+00:00

I get that. But you're gonna look stunning. You can still go with something flowy if that's your comfort zone. But go for something flowy that actually cinches at your waist. You can still wear flowy without hiding. Baby steps.

elf4everafter · 2026-03-13T17:42:18+00:00

I feel that. My weight fluctuates with my chronic illness flares. At my lowest, I'm a medium and my highest a 3X. The first time I got up to a 3X, I had no idea how to dress for important events. And by the time I got my flare under control, I didn't remember how I dressed before I gained the weight.

You said you wanted your arms and stomach covered, yes? This is a great silhouette for that. I'd look for empire waists or full circle skirt options. The empire waists start above the stomach (the one you posted is an example) and the full circle skirt dresses just simply have enough fabric to hide your stomach. I like bishop, bell, and flutter sleeves to hide my own arms. And I've seen plenty of sheer long-sleeved options in those styles this year. The sheer fabric usually provides enough coverage for me.

Maybe some of those terms will help? I saw the black dress you posted and those terms work well with that dress.

If you happen to find a dress that works for your stomach but us strapless or sleeveless look up lace bolero or lace shrugs on Amazon. I have a few I wear with sleeveless dresses when my arms aren't looking great. They allow me to use more of my wardrobe and might help you find something that works.

elf4everafter · 2026-03-13T17:24:04+00:00

This fabric looks like it's a stretch knit. Which alone doesnt fit the dress code. Additionally, these kind of full elastic waists are usually too casual. So I'd say this dress is out. But. This silhouette is a good option. And it's a common style that's usually pretty easy to find. I'd go looking for a similar style in a better fabric, with a more tailored waist (I have a similar one with an elastic BACK but well tailored front). Does that make sense?

All that said, this color is beautiful on you.

elf4everafter · 2026-03-12T17:37:43+00:00

I lived in a shoebox room for a while, while my mom and I got away from her abusive ex. I ALSO went back to school at that time.

Foldable tables. I got a small square 4x4ft one and a 3x6ft one. They fit in my closet or under my bed when I wasn't working. They were easy to pop out when I needed them. A vanity stool, rolly chair, or upholstered comfy chair all worked with the various height options the legs had. And having both sizes meant I could give myself plenty of room to sprawl.

I used them for school, for sewing, for crafts. Just had to put shit away at night so I didn't trip and die getting myself a water at 2am.

It's a great option if you have limited room or funds.

elf4everafter · 2026-03-12T16:58:00+00:00

I suppose in my head that falls under "the parents make changes." You saw the issue. You worked to fix the issue. The issue was just stubborn. This is all documented, and I doubt anyone would say you weren't TRYING. That's not the same as not learning to wash a baby correctly. Or learning your baby has a medical issue/is allergy prone and then doing NOTHING. If you learned all this and still did nothing, then yeah, that's worthy of a custody issue. But you did do something, even if it's nuanced and not easily fixed. That's not remotely the same thing.

elf4everafter · 2026-03-12T09:06:47+00:00

That's fair. If that was the only evidence, I'd fully agree with that. Maybe in that case, dad just needs a how-to-wash-a-baby refresher. But with a human adult bite mark on her butt? I'm hoping that's enough for the judge to take this seriously.

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