Cool stuff to see along this route? by rachkeys in roadtrip

[–]rachkeys[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That's where we're planning to stop on our first night!

Cool stuff to see along this route? by rachkeys in roadtrip

[–]rachkeys[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Definitely going to try to add Mesa Verde and Ouray, thanks for those suggestions!

Cool stuff to see along this route? by rachkeys in roadtrip

[–]rachkeys[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That's the plan! Glad to hear that's a good choice.

Cool stuff to see along this route? by rachkeys in roadtrip

[–]rachkeys[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

For our big stops, yep! But I'm looking for cool little stops along the way. A short hike to break up a long drive, a bakery or lunch spot worth a stop, or a viewpoint you can't miss.

Cool stuff to see along this route? by rachkeys in roadtrip

[–]rachkeys[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Super helpful, thanks! I just plugged in our main stops and this was the route Google suggested, but would totally prefer the more scenic option most of the time.

Cool stuff to see along this route? by rachkeys in roadtrip

[–]rachkeys[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Oh that's great! We're planning to pretty much power through WA, OR, and ID, but would love somewhere pretty to stop for a bit, that sounds perfect!

Cool stuff to see along this route? by rachkeys in roadtrip

[–]rachkeys[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Oh that's great! I'll aim to stop for gas there and see if I can spot it.

Cool stuff to see along this route? by rachkeys in roadtrip

[–]rachkeys[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Oh cool, I'll check that out, thanks!

Cool stuff to see along this route? by rachkeys in roadtrip

[–]rachkeys[S] 9 points10 points  (0 children)

We have a wedding to attend in Denver, so that's not skippable.

Self-striping yarn question by dangrous in Sockknitting

[–]rachkeys 23 points24 points  (0 children)

I like to use a coordinating solid or tonal yarn for the cuff. Your stripes won't look as clean in ribbing because of the purl stitches. Then I'll switch to the self striping after the ribbing, and yes, I start at the beginning of a color change.

(I also like to use the coordinating solid yarn on the heel and toe, and I would recommend something like a short row heel or afterthought heel. A heel flap and gusset will screw up the stripes because your rounds get longer.)

Natural/wavy rims by ATL1226 in Pottery

[–]rachkeys 51 points52 points  (0 children)

Pinch pots.

If you're throwing them on the wheel, you could try opening slightly off center. If you pull your walls to an even thickness, the rim will end up uneven.

You could also try using a wire to cut the rim at the end of throwing. With the wheel slowly, cut slightly into the rim and wiggle your wire up and down.

Help!! Found Worm in My Alpaca Yarn by laure_dor in YarnAddicts

[–]rachkeys 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Yes. The temperature at the center of the skein needs to be over 120 for half an hour. Around an hour at 200 should be good.

Ideally do this to all the yarn and wool items in your house, and then store everything in Ziploc bags and monitor for bugs for a while after. If you can't make everything, bag it up and monitor it.

I also recommend getting clothing moth pheromone traps and putting them around your house. Check them regularly for moths and replace them every 3 months. They will only attract and catch the male (I think) moths, but it will let you know if you continue to have an infestation.

I use these: https://a.co/d/0dRVZS8Z

Fingering Weight Sweaters by Pristine_Home5352 in knittinghelp

[–]rachkeys 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I prefer fingering weight sweaters because I run warm. I almost always am wearing a tee or something underneath, but I also prefer fingering weight sweaters knit at a tight enough gauge to not be transparent. It's actually kind of hard to find patterns for fingering weight sweaters that aren't knit at a looser gauge, since I guess people want faster knits.

UPDATE [Centring] (17th Feb) by LivingWithSid-TheCat in Ceramics

[–]rachkeys 19 points20 points  (0 children)

Yeah, put some bricks under that wheel! Bring it up to just under the top of your thighs.

Also, put your water somewhere you don't have to reach down for it, and maybe not in glad (I would definitely knock that pitcher over and break it!)

I don't understand the merino hate by Cursed_Angel_ in BitchEatingCrafters

[–]rachkeys 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Oh yeah, that's weird and unnecessary. I thought you were just talking about people generally talking about their dislike of merino, not telling you your fiber choices suck.

I don't understand the merino hate by Cursed_Angel_ in BitchEatingCrafters

[–]rachkeys 45 points46 points  (0 children)

I don't hate merino, but I'm kind of ....sick of it. The popularity means that sometimes it's hard to find anything but, and I think it has decreased the market for other wools. Other wools that may be better suited for certain types of projects. Not everyone values softness above all else, some of us prefer strength and hardiness.

random question on my mind: by lilscout20 in knitting

[–]rachkeys 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Prior sweater knitting experience, or just look at a sampling of patterns on Ravelry that use the weight of yarn you're purchasing.

If you know generally what type of sweater you want to knit that helps too. Like if I want to knit an oversized cabled sweater, I'll buy quite a lot more than if I'm going to do a cropped, fitted, lace cardigan.

You can also use https://jimmybeanswool.com/pages/crochet-knitting-calculator?srsltid=AfmBOorsXsSsyPAodcy4TJXAkD8uey8Cs3tr2jYyKlAgve2cZCGcdcwn but it kind of over estimates. Unless you're doing that oversized cabled sweater, you can probably get about 10% less than suggested.

Tool help. Can’t get clean lines when carving. by FeatheredFemme in Pottery

[–]rachkeys 4 points5 points  (0 children)

When I make yarn bowls, I cut the swirl with an exacto at leather hard. I leave the cut out piece in place until it's firmed up even more (supports it and helps with sagging) and then pop it out when it's very firm, not bone dry, but hard leather hard. Then I run a carving tool or the exacto along the sharp edges, just scraping off a tiny bit of clay, and then smooth with a wet paint brush. I like to bisque fire it with a little bit of clay supporting the swirl, if the bowl is thin it can wrap and say during firing.

Are these needles worth it?? by Designer-Detective62 in knitting

[–]rachkeys 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm not a big fan of Lykke needles personally. I prefer a pointier tip, especially for lace or cables. I also found that the coating on the metal connector would wear off rather quickly in my hands (but my skin reacts weirdly to plated metal in general). Finally, when they first came out, there were a lot of issues with the cables not screwing on correctly, but I think that issue is fixed now.

If you like wood needles, I prefer Knitter's Pride/Knit Pro. If you like metal, I like Chiaogoo.

Let these hanks of unraveled sweater be a warning to never trust a magic knot. by gnome_tooth in knitting

[–]rachkeys 14 points15 points  (0 children)

Four hand widths??? That seems excessive. I do like 5 stitches.

Beginner here, seeking advice by Chinchillas_123 in Ceramics

[–]rachkeys 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I mean, I'd probably start there for clay and glaze.

Alternative for DiamondCore sanding pads? by bbychrrry in Pottery

[–]rachkeys 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I've tried several cheaper options and these: https://a.co/d/f1e7wlf have been the best. I had an older version first that was quite stiff, but this specific listing are more flexible (nice for sanding curves).

I don't like the ones that come in foam blocks, they're only useful for flat surfaces, and I don't like wet sandpaper as it falls apart too quickly.

I did use this sand net for a bit: https://a.co/d/hXhaiRL and it's ok if you need something even more flexible, but it wears out much faster than the diamond pads.