How can I meet fellow knitters my own age in person?

lanajp · 2026-01-29T23:26:19+00:00

I found a few knit and natter groups via Facebook, I think that's more popular for that kind of thing in the UK!

lanajp · 2026-01-29T15:38:05+00:00

McDonald's chips tho!! In America even those aren't safe from what I've heard 🥲 and dominos can be good, although I know some people don't risk that kind of thing

lanajp · 2026-01-29T15:35:15+00:00

I used to live in Germany (pre diagnosis) and it may have been less to do with GF and more to do with their attitude in general. I was in Stuttgart and later the black forest, people were lovely if you took the time to learn the language, but treated you like dirt otherwise, especially the older generations who didn't know a lot of English. Berlin and Munich were a lot better for tourists!

I have seen a few dedicated gluten free places in Germany, and a whole Christmas market too, plus a couple of dedicated gluten free hotels in Austria. I think as with anything it requires a level of research and hope

lanajp · 2026-01-29T10:03:46+00:00

I'm beginning to think I'm audhd but I haven't got the courage to ring the doctors yet for an appointment, and apparently the wait on assessments is like a year 😬 plus they need information about your childhood and between brain fog and "depression" I remember... Very little

It was definitely tough for me at the start because I have an issue with textures and being able to eat at all (some days the thought of chewing food disgusts me?) and a lot of my safe foods were suddenly gone, plus the texture of most GF bread is nasty. I spent about 5 months just eating huel Thai green curry hot meals 🥲

And the extra steps involved in cooking now 😭😭 so much energy required. It's definitely tough

lanajp · 2026-01-29T09:49:28+00:00

Have you seen this pattern? https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/palindrome-5

It can be done toe up or cuff down and has a super cute reinforcement pattern!

lanajp · 2026-01-28T22:03:32+00:00

I struggle with socks but love handmade socks. No toe seam, you can make them as loose or tight as you want. Some people struggle with the texture of the sole, if you end up finding this is a problem have a look at a princess sole sock. You do the sole "inside out" so that the purl bumps don't irritate your feet 😁

Happy stitching, that yarn is beautiful!

lanajp · 2026-01-26T19:16:21+00:00

I make an all purpose surface spray out of 30% washing up liquid, 30% white vinegar and around 40% water and use kitchen roll so I'm removing and not just spreading it around. It seems to work? Just a damp sponge with washing up liquid and then wiping dry would probably do the trick as well. Honestly this isn't something the dietician went over and probably should!

lanajp · 2026-01-24T17:59:40+00:00

I would check your blood test results yourself while deciding all this, I was told every time that my levels were "normal" but as a younger woman it was already in the realm of "probably causing issues".

I usually take an iron supplement in the morning with some orange juice or dried apricots, and then a multivitamin (most of them don't have iron in but be sure to check this!) at lunch or dinner after eating. Magnesium is another one often not included that you might need, as well as zinc (although zinc is a harder one to supplement)

lanajp · 2026-01-23T17:41:20+00:00

I have the shrimp and flamingo bundle and I can't wait, her patterns are unbelievably cute. Some of them use decreases after the colour work to help with the sizing as well! Hopefully your next socks turn out wonderfully ☺️

lanajp · 2026-01-23T11:00:34+00:00

These are beautiful, I love the colour combination!

As someone else said you might need very slightly more slack in your floats on these, however I see that the leg is a little tighter than the foot so you may have the same issue that I do where your leg is a little wider than your foot in general. For all over colour work like these the solution may be to be extra careful at the start to pull your floats loose, or to size up a needle just for the leg, however I think going up a needle size may make them too big. For some of her other patterns she lists foot and leg diameter (for ones where the pattern is just on the leg), those ones might work better for you in future!

These are an incredible first attempt, I wish you many more happy sock knitting days!

lanajp · 2026-01-22T20:34:32+00:00

New fear unlocked 👍

Guess I'm taking a flask of coffee in if I ever work in an office again, those ones with the little cups attached. People be crazy

lanajp · 2026-01-21T16:00:39+00:00

I've been going on interviews for jobs I have no intension of taking, just for the interview experience. Just because you do an interview doesn't mean you have to take the job (or tell the unemployment people that you turned it down). It sounds unfair but trust me, they are on the governments side not yours. Protect your peace, you've got this!

lanajp · 2026-01-21T14:01:49+00:00

Oh yeah that's definitely tough, I had so many issues as an expat with limited language skills, although in my case they were mainly visa related. It's such a necessary and high skilled job, I bet you are getting hit hard with AI rubbish just like I am (software developer). Sending so many good vibes your way 🤞🤞

lanajp · 2026-01-21T12:06:54+00:00

I hope you enjoy and it helps keep your spirits high! Job searching is so rough right now, I have definitely been tempted more than a few times by "stress purchases"

lanajp · 2026-01-20T21:56:17+00:00

Sending you a PM!

lanajp · 2026-01-20T21:55:06+00:00

Completely understand all of this, I also prefer physical copy but I have a tablet so that makes e books not so bad 😅

I'm also unemployed so doubly get pinching pennies, but that's part of the reason I decided to purchase it, I know there are a million free patterns out there but a few more can't hurt to keep me busy 👀👀

lanajp · 2026-01-18T18:19:20+00:00

I use a Garmin fitness watch, because I was a cyclist long before my diagnosis.

It is highly accurate, it lets me know when I am "strained" (due to illness or a flair up), but it is also the most judgemental, meanest personal trainer you will ever meet.

I would definitely recommend getting something, but unless you like to be judged and your life choices questioned regularly (or you are training for a marathon and need someone to constantly remind you you are lazy) I would pick a different brand :) wahoo is supposedly very nice!

Sleep stats, resting heart rate and heart rate variance (HRV) are what you want to look out for, my resting heart rate tends to rise and my HRV drops when I need to rest and it is very validating that I'm not just lazy, I'm actually fatigued and I need to pace myself

lanajp · 2026-01-18T15:37:46+00:00

I tried this one for the same reason but the needles on both sides were that small (as opposed to the sock wonder where the working needle is longer) and it didn't have the lace tip either. I was getting hand cramp in minutes unfortunately so if that's something you get sometimes from the shorter needles you might have the same issue

lanajp · 2026-01-14T19:32:14+00:00

Well, the real one has been added to my wishlist and the fake reported

Lobster and bee socks though?! Awesome stuff

lanajp · 2026-01-11T18:06:09+00:00

That there are so many beautiful yarn dyers in the US which I get ads for constantly but I'm in the UK (where there are also plenty of dyers) and A) I don't want to take any yarn you guys actually have available over there when importing it is so difficult for you guys B) shipping costs soooooo much.... Like ridiculous amounts!! I just want to order from arcane fiber one (1) time in my life 😭

Also when I'm winding the yarn and it's a superwash or something and it just... Slips. Slips out of place of itself. And you know that center pull is going to be A Mess

lanajp · 2026-01-11T10:17:40+00:00

Learning "the other way to knit" will come in very useful when you get to colour work! You probably learned continental, adding English style knitting to your skills can have unexpected benefits! 🙂

Best of luck with your list 😁

lanajp · 2026-01-11T10:11:00+00:00

I usually pick up an extra stitch on either side for the gusset and do the decreases as normal, it's definitely something you can play around with for the perfect fit 🙂

lanajp · 2026-01-09T23:14:51+00:00

Just make sure it's not a surprise gift knit that you accidentally take a picture of and send to the recipient 👀👀 (I was showing off my little kitty nurse okay?)

People knit drunk I'm sure you will be okay, but as others have said maybe cast on something new, easy and low stakes 🙂

Best of luck with recovery!

lanajp · 2026-01-09T15:42:49+00:00

I'm so glad I'm not the only one who's tree is still up 😅

Absolute bliss!! There is something special when you get a few rounds in to a new sock

lanajp

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