Missed opportunity to have the dancers have alternating skin colour and add some interesting patterns to the dance.
True, true... Now if you tell them "that thing is 500ft away" they will start counting how many turns it would take them to get there and it may sink in just how far that is.
Full disclosure: I haven't gotten there yet.
I think I would describe what is not in the immediate play area around the players. Only use the battlefield around players, not whatever some mage is doing off in the distance. If they move, so does the battlefield. Draw the relevant features on some sheets of paper and switch them out when necessary, or erase and draw if you are using an erasable battle map mat.
If they split the party up, use theatre of the mind, even when fighting. You can still roll dice, discuss positioning, and describe the action without a 2.65m circular map on the table.
Not hard, just fiddly for the fluffy bits. But it is explained with a video by the creator of the pattern. All the other stitches are classic single crochet and slip stitch.
That being said I wasn't too happy with how the pattern was written overall. Nothing insurmountable, just not what I am used to. Instead of "(2 SC, INC)x6" it would be "sc in next 2, 2 sc in sc, repeat the whole round" for example. I'm just not used to that writing style and I had to really concentrate to avoid making mistakes.
Newest project done!
I actually made this for work if you can believe it. My boss paid for the pattern and yarn. It's for some team building we are doing this week.
Based on the paid pattern below: Finely the Border Collie
I am all for this, eating insects is done in many cultures and a healthy source of nutrition. We westerners may see it as something intimidating at first, because we so squirmish about bugs, but I am honestly curious about the taste.
That being said, I don't know why we need more nutritious flour. We are not lacking protein in our diets. Even vegans and vegetarians easily hit the minimum protein intake by consuming plant based protein....
The copium on this theorie blog post is so endearing.
I remember being very confused and in disbelief when reading the 6th book, but I never thought that the events were a ruse of some kind.
It's supposed to be a fish, the pattern is a bit wonky. Don't recommend that one. 😅
Crochet food toys
Here we go with another round of crochet foods for my sister's kids. They got cookies, cakes and treats last winter. They loved those but asked for "healthy food" as well to round out their roleplaying games.
I'm afraid I can't share some of these patterns as they were not free... I can share were I purchased them from tho!
The paid patterns
- All the meat products came from: https://dailydoll.shop/product-category/digital-goods-and-services/patterns/crochet-patterns/food-crochet-patterns
- Most of the fresh produce is from a book called "Crochet Cafe" (Edame beans, strawberry, cherry, blueberries, apple, orange, avocado, corn) ---
The free patterns
- Milk carton and banana: https://offthebeatenhook.com/ N.B. Off the beaten hook requires you to register to get to their patterns, but then they are free.
- Cheese wedge: https://www.craftpassion.com/free-crochet-cheese-wedge-pattern/
- Grapes: https://www.yarnspirations.com/en-row/products/lily-sugarn-cream-grapes
- Cauliflower: https://theturtletrunk.com/crochet-cauliflower-pattern/
- Cabbage: https://www.myamigurumifarm.com/post/free-crochet-cabbage-pattern
- Mushroom: https://thoresbycottage.com/2021/08/19/crochet-mushroom-pattern-free-woodland-amigurumi-pattern/
- Pear: https://www.garnstudio.com/pattern.php?id=5889&cid=19
- Watermelon wedge: https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/watermelon-slice-8
---
Kiwi pattern (self made)
INSTRUCTIONS
Kiwi face
Using colour light green yarn.
- [ ] Magic ring of 6 SC [6]
- [ ] INC x6 [12]
Switch to green yarn.
- [ ] (SC, INC) x6 [18]
- [ ] (2 SC, INC) x6 [24]
- [ ] (3 SC, INC) x6 [30]
- [ ] Fasten off, tuck away tail.
Kiwi skin
Using brown yarn.
- [ ] Magic ring of 6 SC [6]
- [ ] INC x6 [12]
- [ ] (SC, INC) x6 [18]
- [ ] (2 SC, INC) x6 [24]
- [ ] (3 SC, INC) x6 [30]
- [ ] SC in each ST [30]
- [ ] Repeat
- [ ] Repeat
- [ ] Repeat
- [ ] Repeat
Assembly
Cut a circle out of cardboard a bit smaller than the kiwi face. Stuff body and add circle of cardboard under the kiwi face while sewing. Sew together using the BLO for the kiwi face and full ST for skin.
Podcast shout out: Maintenance phase
TLDR; I have struggled with my body all my life, this podcast has opened my eyes on fat phobia, and the role and responsibilities of society in my mental wellbeing regarding my own body.
---
I've not always been fat, but for as long as I can remember I have always felt fat and been told to watch my weight.
Looking back at photos of me in highschool and even middle school, I think I looked skinny. I do not understand now how people, family, friends, strangers... Could have felt the need to tell me to watch what I eat. And yet, it happened. A lot.
I have tried many diets, some outright dangerous, and not been able to keep the weight off. I have worked out, sometimes to the point of vomiting, and not lost significant weight. I have long felt it was my fault, and that I don't have enough self control or character to just lose weight and keep it off.
The podcast "Maintenance phase" has helped me realize I may not be the (only) responsible party of my fatness. At first I was doubious of its hosts - a very entertaining duo of a self proclaimed "fat lady" and "skinny gay dude" - and I thought they were just glorifying obesity and excusing fat people by accusing the establishment, the corporations and society of bullying and fat shaming. But their pieces are actually very well researched and beautifully articulated. They don't excuse fatness, they don't glorify obesity. What they are saying, is: "stop treating fat people like second class citizens".
I am slowly starting to realize I have been mistreated for my weight and accepted this as deserved and normal. I have often thought "it's my fault" and felt ashamed when people gave me unsolicited advice about losing weight, or said mean things about my body. This is not right. I should not feel shame for being mistreated by others, and the podcast "Maintenance phase" has helped me realize that.
I am sharing the podcast here, with you, my fellow fat people, because I believe it is important for you to accept yourself and realize when society is trying to make you feel inadequate. I am not telling you not to lose weight, that is entirely up to you. I am asking you to take a long hard look at how society is treating you, so you can leave the negativity behind and work on healing yourself mentally before taking on the immense challenge that is changing your body size (if that is still a thing you feel you need to do).
I hope this helps at least one person here to feel less hopeless and shitty about themselves.
Much love!
Spotify link: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5JOZkVLc0Yceq3dy5RshPz
YouTube link: https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=cRz-d9rt94g&si=Um2XWSrAuTk6n_n5
-- Edit: I want to note that I am guilty of anti-fat bias as wel... Whilst being fat. So I need to work on my issues with other fat people as much as any skinny person does.
Blocking my first blanket: update!
I felt I should update you guys after your suggestions and support from my other post.
I was concerned about the finishing of my blanket, it wasn't a regular shape, but a session of carefull (nail biting level stress) steam blocking straightened her out!
Here she is, rectangular and perfect for a nice bed spread. My godchild will get it coming Christmas, wrapped under the tree with a nice bow.
Thanks everybody for your encouragement and support in my first ever blocking adventure! You are very kind people and I appreciate you!
I did, it's the white border around the work. I'll try to block it and see how far it will correct the shape. Thanks!
Will blocking save my blanket from the irregular tension?
Hello crochet friends!
I'm almost done making blanket, but as I lay it out to admire my work... Horror strikes! It looks like my tension became looser as time passed...
I've never made a blanket before, and have read that blocking is a standard step to even out ones work. But... This looks really bad. The bottom right corner is 10cm longer than the top right.
Will blocking save my work and allow me to shape it into a rectangle?
Ready made curry pastes?
Hello fellow Indian food lovers,
I'm a complete disaster when it comes to cooking Indian food from scratch... I've tried and it never seems as nice as the take away I can get. And I'm no slouch in the kitchen, but I seem to be missing layers of flavor when I try to cook some Indian food myself.
That being said... perhaps I can cheat? Do you know of a good brand that sells ready made curry pastes? I've got Patak available to me in my country (Belgium), but I don't like the quality - there always seems to be some bitterness I can't fix when I use those jars.
Thanks for your advice!
Rooms you would find in a Keep/Castle
I'm currently designing a keep for my players to explore. It will be a ruined keep, taken over by an evil cult. But to start off the design, I am looking at how it would have been designed in its prime. Here are some rooms I've thought of when creating the layout.
Military function ---------------------
- Armory
- Smithy
- Fletcher
- Training room
- Lookout posts
- Infirmary/Hospital wing
- Gatehouse
- Barbican
- Place of Arms
- Commander quarters
- Guard bunks
Every day operation ---------------------------
- Great hall (mess hall)
- Steward’s Office
- Clerks/Tax assessors/Scribes Office
- Kitchen
- Distillery
- Scullery
- Larder/Storeroom/Cellar/Ice House
- Servant quarters
- Bathroom
- Well/Cistern
- Dovecote
- Stables
- Kennels
- Courtyard
- Gardens
Political function ----------------------
- Hall of Justice
- Dungeon/Prison/Oubliette/Tower
- Throne Room
- Vault/Treasury
Noble quarters --------------------
- Drawing Room
- Bower
- Rooms for the Lord/Lady
- Formal sitting room
- Informal sitting room
- Private study
- Personal library
- Private dining room
Research -------------
- Library
- Alchemy lab
- Solarium
- Wizards quarters
Religious -------------
- Temple/Church
- Clergy quarters
Can you think of some more?
--- Editing to add the suggestions from the comments.
Daily DM tasks
Do you have a list of tasks you do every in-game morning as a DM? For example:
- roll for weather
- keep track of that curse time bomb
- roll for encounters for the day
- check for public holidays
- ....
I want to make my game more consistent and feel more alive. I'm wondering if there are things I should be tracking to achieve the feeling that the world is moving no matter what the players decide to do that day.
They are fighting a Red Dragon later... How do I explain that they don't have the boon anymore as soon as they are in the material plane? :S
Traveling in the Elemental Plane of Fire
I want to have my players travel through the Elemental Plane of Fire for a short period of time. None of them are immune to fire damage. How could they prepare themselves to survive this ordeal?
We have a wizard, a bard and a monk. They will be traveling with a Fire Giant to guide them.
I found the Resilient Sphere spell that the wizard could learn. I could drop that in as a boon for an earlier quest so that they have it handy... but I'd like some other ideas.
How would you handle this?
Mission to Thay replacement?
Have any of you run this chapter? Did you run it by the book? If not, what did you change?
I'm thinking of rewriting it or changing it for another quest completely.
My issue: two of my three players are elves ....... That leaves a human to answer questions during their dreams. And said human is a thayan deserter. They would not be allowed to leave Thay once they were there.
Any advice, experience or suggestions are welcome and appreciated.
Luckily my gym has weights in both measurement systems. ୧(^ 〰 ^)୨
Yep! It's holding on well.
Quenelle and gratin dauphinois - Tête de Lard, Lyon, France
A quenelle is a very light fish cake. Gratin dauphinois is a very creamy potatoe oven dish.
Both excellent!
To the best of my knowledge, the artwork was entered in a contest about African culture and the mini came after that. I didn't make either of them, was just lucky in my searches.
I personally made her into a Druid Circle of Sheppard.
Looking for recommendations - novels set in ancient Greece or about a warlock pact
Hi everyone
I'm looking for recommendations for novels that are either set in ancient Greece (historical accuracy not required), or one whose main character is pledged/bound to a pact made with a superior entity (divine/elemental/magical/...).
Bonus points if you happen to know of a novel which combines boths of these tropes.
It can be fantasy or realistic, I don't mind either.
Thanks for your recommendations!
This is a great story, and idea. I'll try to integrate some more creative loot to my upcoming Rise of Tiamat campaign... Anything to spark more roleplay.