So I was thinking about my recent realization that I am ambidextrous and that it's not something everybody can just naturally do (like I thought it was) and I have another "can everyone do this or is my family just weird" question for y'all: Can most people consistently hit the target with ranged weaponry the first time they try it? wait okay unrelated follow up question: can most people (if they do not have an injury or condition that prevents it) sit on the ground cross-legged and lean forward until their torso is like flat on the ground? editing again: I am trying to come up with more things I thought everybody could do but that, in retrospect, might just be my family. High kicks? I guess? I know not everyone can do like head-height kicks, but can most people kick like chest high?

My neighbor has once again facebook messaged me to ask for help with a little bit of sewing, which I genuinely love, I really enjoy being part of a community that helps each other with things like this Especially since his wife usually includes my family in her next round of baking when I sew something for their family, and everything she makes is absolutely delicious. Like, I would (and have) fix stuff for neighbors without the incentive of baked goods, but the mini cheesecakes definitely don't hurt lol

Thank you so much for sharing this!! I have been looking for a bag pattern for a while to make a present for my uncle, and some of these look perfect!

The rug grows!!! It’s about 11” by about 21” now, and I am loving these bright greens

I felt like braiding something and had no projects currently on the docket that involve braiding, so I started making a braided rag rug! So far, it’s about a foot by about three inches

Got more blood test results, and I no longer need to take B12 supplements!!! This is the first time, ever, in over a decade, that I have been told to stop taking a medication for reasons other than "take a different one instead" or "you are allergic to that"

I'm not iron deficient anymore!!! :D I just got the blood test results back and for once I had a fixable problem and it is fixed*!!!! *well okay my total iron saturation % is still a little low but the rest of my numbers are in the normal range! Even ferritin!! My ferritin levels have almost quadrupled and are now in the normal range!!! :D

Maybe a rag quilt, but with the batting not meant to be exposed in the seams?

I have a quilting question! That being, I’ve never quilted before but I have a gazillion squares of fabric (thrift store whoops, didn’t realize it was cut) and I need a new quilt. If I’m trying to do a basic “I want a warm blanket” quilt, would I just… sew a checkerboard of the squares together, then get batting and idk, a piece of matching size fabric for the back? I have a sewing machine but nothing specifically quilting I don’t think.

Hi! You've got the basics down, that pretty much is the bare bones of quilting and if you want to start with just that you absolutely can. There are some steps that can make the finished product a little less lumpy and/or a little more durable (ironing, basting, stuff like that) but off the top of my head I don't have specific resources to point you toward? Let me see if any of the quilt youtubers I watch have some videos on it okay this quilter doesn't seem to have a "never made any sort of quilt before" tutorial but once you've made one quilt I recommend Just Get It Done Quilts (or if you want to be particularly ambitious about your skills, before your first quilt? I found a lot of technique advice only made sense to me after I'd made my first quilt, but you might learn differently than I do). She has a lot of pattern videos and a lot of technique videos. This seems like a decent very detailed step-by-step guide to making a quilt from start to finish (I just glanced at it), but I will tell you one thing that most of the guides you will read will disagree with: If you are making a simple patchwork for your first quilt (aka a checkerboard of squares) and you aren't super picky about the exact finished size, you do not need to worry about the 1/4" seam allowance. You can ignore all of that and come back to figuring out how to do it later. For simple patchworks, it's just important that your seam allowance is consistent. So, if you're not super familiar with sewing but are using a machine, just line up the edges of the fabric with the edge of the foot on your sewing machine, and whatever that is will be fine (as long as the seam allowance is large enough to not unravel. It'd work for all the sewing machine feet I have, but I have not seen all the options) also tagging in @creations-by-chaosfay, who has been quilting a lot longer than I have. Do you have a good step-by-step starting guide to making your first quilt?

The rag rug is awesome! How is it done?

Thanks! The short answer is that it's a braided rag rug, using the braid-as-you-go method. Basically, this tutorial. I am not trying very hard to make sure the strips of fabric are the same size, and I'm not minding the edges of the fabrics being exposed. I'm also using the no-sew method of joining more strips of fabric as I go, and just kind of having fun with it? So far it's turning out well!

I have a quilting question! That being, I’ve never quilted before but I have a gazillion squares of fabric (thrift store whoops, didn’t realize it was cut) and I need a new quilt. If I’m trying to do a basic “I want a warm blanket” quilt, would I just… sew a checkerboard of the squares together, then get batting and idk, a piece of matching size fabric for the back? I have a sewing machine but nothing specifically quilting I don’t think.

Hi! You've got the basics down, that pretty much is the bare bones of quilting and if you want to start with just that you absolutely can. There are some steps that can make the finished product a little less lumpy and/or a little more durable (ironing, basting, stuff like that) but off the top of my head I don't have specific resources to point you toward? Let me see if any of the quilt youtubers I watch have some videos on it okay this quilter doesn't seem to have a "never made any sort of quilt before" tutorial but once you've made one quilt I recommend Just Get It Done Quilts (or if you want to be particularly ambitious about your skills, before your first quilt? I found a lot of technique advice only made sense to me after I'd made my first quilt, but you might learn differently than I do). She has a lot of pattern videos and a lot of technique videos. This seems like a decent very detailed step-by-step guide to making a quilt from start to finish (I just glanced at it), but I will tell you one thing that most of the guides you will read will disagree with: If you are making a simple patchwork for your first quilt (aka a checkerboard of squares) and you aren't super picky about the exact finished size, you do not need to worry about the 1/4" seam allowance. You can ignore all of that and come back to figuring out how to do it later. For simple patchworks, it's just important that your seam allowance is consistent. So, if you're not super familiar with sewing but are using a machine, just line up the edges of the fabric with the edge of the foot on your sewing machine, and whatever that is will be fine (as long as the seam allowance is large enough to not unravel. It'd work for all the sewing machine feet I have, but I have not seen all the options) also tagging in @creations-by-chaosfay, who has been quilting a lot longer than I have. Do you have a good step-by-step starting guide to making your first quilt?

Chaos rainbow triangle quilt is done! Definitely shows that I was making it up as I went but my cat won't care 🤣 though I may make her a different one in pink once I finish my next one 🤔

Made with random rainbow fabric from my makerspace and 2 layers of regular batting

I love the chaos rainbow triangles!!!

Progress! It’s about 7” by about 17”. Ish. I’m measuring with my hands instead of a ruler so those dimensions are very approximate lol

I felt like braiding something and had no projects currently on the docket that involve braiding, so I started making a braided rag rug! So far, it’s about a foot by about three inches

EYY CONGRATS ON THE BLOOD! That must be such a relief!!

Thanks!!! It really is!!!

I'm not iron deficient anymore!!! :D I just got the blood test results back and for once I had a fixable problem and it is fixed*!!!! *well okay my total iron saturation % is still a little low but the rest of my numbers are in the normal range! Even ferritin!! My ferritin levels have almost quadrupled and are now in the normal range!!! :D

I felt like braiding something and had no projects currently on the docket that involve braiding, so I started making a braided rag rug! So far, it’s about a foot by about three inches

A quick little disappearing nine patch baby quilt top! Made using precut 8” flannel squares from a box of quilt scraps

I have more of this faux fur yarn, I should make another owl! Or another dog? Maybe both!

Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh look at this face! This yarn was such a good decision

I love this owl and I’m so glad I asked for suggestions and that owl was a suggestion

Two more MRI questions! 1. the lady I spoke to said I could wear my own clothes as long as there's no metal. I don't think I have any pants that don't have metal except pajama pants; is it okay to wear pajamas? 2. if they are only MRI-ing my head and I can crochet entirely without looking at it, do you think they'd let me bring crochet and a wooden or plastic hook to keep my hands busy? wait no okay third question: if they are only MRI-ing my brain is my whole body in the loud machine or just my head?

Hey y'all! Weird question time again! I will be having my first MRI in a few weeks (specifically, an MRI of my brain) and I know nothing about it except No Metal Allowed. I will not be getting the contrast dye on account of I kicked up a fuss about potential anaphylaxis* and the doctor was kind of like "fine but if we find anything and need a clearer picture you'll have to get another one" Do you have any advice/suggestions/things I should know about MRIs? *if, as several doctors have suspected, my weird allergies are MCAS there is a good chance I am severely allergic to the dye. Also I am a bit paranoid about injections in general because my allergic reactions to injections are waaaaaay worse than my reactions to food, pills, or environmental allergies

Thanks everybody! I texted my mom about this and she was like "Yeah, I'm not surprised you're ambidextrous, I am and at least one of your siblings is too" so it turns out like at least half of my family is ambidextrous and that's probably why I thought that everybody could do all those things

Thinking about my neurology appointment again, I have another weird question for y'all! My neurologist was surprised and said it was weird I was right handed, which I am assuming is because of the reflex and grip tests she did, not because I give off a left-handed kind of vibe Wait I was going to ask if it was weird that I, a non-ambidextrous person, hit and kick evenly with both right and left sides, open doorknobs with whichever hand is closer, and use the foot pedal for the sewing machine with whichever foot it ends up nearer but can't write with my left hand But I just tried it and I can write with my left hand??? Like, not as neatly or as quickly as with my right, but it's clearly legible and not difficult to do. Have I been ambidextrous this entire time??