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jedi-bird · 8 months

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Welcome to the wonderful world of birdy's opinions on yarn post. This particular post will only deal with 100% cotton yarn from various companies, in both cake and skein form.

A few disclaimers to start. I am in no way or shape being compensated to talk about these things; I'm just very opinionated about certain things. This post will only be dealing with cotton yarns; I have nothing against the use of acrylic yarns, but because of skin sensitivity I can't wear anything made out of acrylic, wool, or alpaca, so I'm using mostly cotton at the moment. Also, I only know how to crochet; I've tried to learn to knit and keep failing, so if you knit you might find very different experiences with all of these.

So. Let's talk yarn.

The above are only a fraction of what I currently have to use; I have at least 8 more brands of cotton, cotton/silk blend, and bamboo blend yarn to test out. At some point, after I have worked with them, I'll make an additional post (don't expect it for a while though).

First up, Dahlia, Dahlia Halloween (limited edition), Cotton Kings Sultan, Cotton Kings Sultan Shadow, and Black Friday yarn. I'm including all of these in one list because they are basically the same yarn under different brand names being sold by Hobbii. They all have the same yardage (800m/874yards), but each come in vastly different color lines.

Both Black Friday and Dahlia Halloween are limited releases each year and will be available until they sell out. Some color schemes don't return each year, which is a bit sad, so order early if you want something specific. The rest are available year round and are only subject to being out of stock at times. Sultan Shadow will always have black as it's outer color; there is another line called Sultan Pastello that has white instead of the black, but I currently don't own any of them.

All of these yarns are four strands that are not twisted together. Some people have difficulty with this, so the advice is to thread the yarn through a bead to keep them close together while working with it; I've never had an issue and haven't tried this method though so I can't speak for it. The color change is fairly subtly, but not completely even. Unlike their counter part Sultan Deluxe, these will skip parts of the color change. Each change is fairly even though, and it works up quite soft. Should definitely be used with a yarn bowl or in a container, as they are prone to collapsing and tangling as more yarn is pulled from the center (I use an old plastic food container because it works just fine for now). Weight is listed as a 2/Fine.

My rating: 9.5/10. I just wish the cake were a bit longer, but overall I've liked them for shawls and wraps.

Next up is Cotton Kings Sultan Deluxe, also from Hobbii.

As with the above, there are a lot of color combinations to choose from. These cakes tend to be bigger (1000m/1093yards), which I prefer. The strands are twisted together, which makes it easier to work with. It's also very soft straight from the skein and works to quite nice. The color changes are much more subtle and makes a great ombre or rainbow effect. There is also a version that comes with a metallic thread twisted into it to give it a subtle shine. Yarn bowl is also recommended for this. Weight is listed as a 2/Fine, which seems accurate.

My rating: 10/10. This is my preferred yarn at the moment. Lovely for blankets and shawls, and someday I plan to make a coat for myself out of a horded color I've buried in my yarn storage shelf.

Next on the list, Yarn Arts Rosegarden.

I'll be honest. I hated this yarn the first time I worked with it. It's thinner than Sultan Deluxe and far more prone to splitting, which frustrated me at first. However, I did grow to like it and enjoyed working with the purple and pink cakes, so the odds of my buying it again increased after the second project. The color changes are not as subtle as the Dahlia and others; it's a bit more abrupt, but still works up nice over a large project. It's very soft right at the start, which is a plus. In terms of length it's the same as Sultan Deluxe, and it does have the benefit of being available through Amazon if that's easier for you; it's also generally cheaper than Sultan Deluxe, as far as I've seen.

My rating: 8/10. Like I said, it grew on me and my rating might go up the more I work with it. Made nice blankets, though I've yet to try other things with it.

Now onto Etrofil Re-Public.

I wanted to hate this yarn when I first got it. Compared to all the others, it was pretty rough feeling in skein form; I wound up loving it the longer I worked it with and ordered several more skeins in various colors before I finished the cardigan I was making. It's made from 100% recycled cotton, which is nice. It does feel pretty stiff at the start, but in the course of working with it, it soften up the more it rubbed against things; I'm sure after washing it, it will be nicer still. There was no weight listed on the wrapper, but according to Amazon it's listed as a 1/Fingering weight. This is a lie. It is much closer to a 4/Worsted weight, which is good because I've been struggling to find a 4 weight cotton yarn I like. Color change is less subtle but I had no problems with splitting so it worked out fine.

My rating: 9.5/10. Only downside is that most of the colors at sold out on Amazon and don't seem like they'll come back in any time soon.

The last random color changing yarn I've tried lately is Candy from Stenli.

This will be the last picture added to this post, because mobile apparently hit it's limit. So. Anyway. Candy. Fairly soft straight away. Color changes are not subtle; it's a bit blockier and more noticeable when it changes. Claims to be a 2 weight but is also closer to a 4. I liked working with this one, except for the fact that it's only 900m per skein. And I can no longer find it online easily, so once I use the final skein I'm probably done with the brand.

My rating: 8/10. Made a nice shawl, just wish it was longer in yardage.

The following deal with mostly solid color cottom yarns, which for me are more suitable for amigurumi and decorative granny squares.

Bernat CottonTots. I honestly hate this yarn, lol. It's loosely wound with only a thin string around the strand and if you pull on it too hard it tends to rip (so it's not suitable for sewing amigurumi pieces together). It does seem pretty strong once it's crocheted together but getting there irritates me. It's also got a texture that I don't enjoy but only I seem to notice. I'm only using this because I had some from years ago that I want to use up, but the odds of me buying it again is low.

My rating: 2/10

Lion Brand 24/7 Cotton. This one is a mercerized cotton. It is fairly strong but works up stiff unless you use a larger hook. I've made a few amigurumi with it and it's... okay. My personal experience is that the colors are not the same in real life as on their website; I've started looking at it at Joann's in person to get an idea of the true color and then ordering it from the Lion Brand website because it's cheaper that way. I'm thinking it will make nice clothes than toys, so that's my next experiment with it. Weight is a 4/Medium/Worsted, which is accurate.

My rating: 6/10. I don't think I'm a big fan of mercerized yarn but we'll see.

Hobbii Rainbow cotton. So this one is interesting. There are three types of Rainbow yarn. 8/4, 8/6, 8/8. I mostly use 8/8, which is listed as a 3/Sport weight, but is close enough to a 4 weight that is blends in nicely. Lots of colors to choose from and Hobbii offers a discount for buying in bulk as well as offering color packs. Works up quite nice, soft, and strong. Only downside is the 8/8 only has 75m/82yards per tiny skein. There are occasionally cones with longer yardage available, but for the best color selection go with the small skeins.

(Currently there is a new brand from Hobbii called the Friends line. I haven't tried it yet, but it promises to be the same color across all is various yarn types (as much as possible). I'm hoping it won't replace Rainbow because I love the color selection and no other brand offers the same range.)

My rating: 10/10

As an added bonus, the Hobbii brands, Etrolfil Re-Public, and Candy all come with easy start tags (Hobbii and Etrofil use stickers, Candy came with a wooden charm). I love easy start yarn. It definitely lessens the chance of a yarn barf.

If anyone want to know more about a specific listed yarn in the post, feel free to ask and I'll make a separate post with more photos about it. As I said at the start, all of this is merely my own opinion and your experiences may vary. Hopefully someone finds this informative or at least entertaining. Have a great time creating lovely fiber arts projects and feel free to share them.

Tagging @not-available-for-comment . If anyone else wants to be tagged in future posts, feel free to ask.

#birdy crochets things #yarn opinion post #pulling out skeins and cakes for photos this morning made me realize just how much yarn i have #and i got two more orders in and don't have room for them

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ithinkwehitametaphor · 9 months

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In your inbox, choosing to ask advice.

I don't need another hobby. But say I was to take up nailbinding. Any advice for a total noob? Harder or easier than crochet? Best place to look for supplies? Best kind of yarn? Any tips or tricks?

Advice for a total noob: Don't give up! It's easier than it looks. If I can do it, so can you! :3

I find nålbinding a little easier than crocheting but not by much. I'd say it's very similar.

Best place to look for supplies is definitely the internet. :D I suggest getting a wooden nålbinding needle to work with. There are tons of beautiful ones on Etsy, for example. You can also get needles made of bone or plastic but I prefer wood. This is my favorite needle, also size-wise:

The best kind of yarn is definitely thick wool. I suggest using 100% sheep's wool to work with. The special thing about nålbinding is that you need to join pieces of yarn by felting the ends together and that works best and easiest with wool. There are techniques to join cotton and nylon yarns but I find them tedious (i.e. I'm too lazy XD)

The easiest way to learn nålbinding for me was with videos. There are tons of good ones on youtube. The easiest beginner's stitch is probably the Oslo stitch. I suggest starting with that.

#nålbinding #nalbinding #naalbinding

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laundryandtaxes · 2 years

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Hi! I was wondering if you could give pointers towards phasing out fast fashion/starting to wear actually fitting clothes when poor and without easy access to a tailor? I try to phase out the real cheap shit for nicer stuff from the surf shop and second hand shops, and overall buy less of it. Like have a few good shirts, a couple of good jackets etc. But I can't find pants that fit me and I'm an idiot who refuses to wear anything but men's clothing. Like it isn't a good look and it isn't sustainable and I'm kind of sick of looking like a 12 year old 24/7.

I am also an idiot who refuses to wear any items of women's clothing even when it would make life easier for me to do to. My advice would be to look for the kinds of items that have features built in that you'd try to achieve through tailoring. For instance, athletic taper cuts tend to work well for those of us with a lot of ass to get into our jeans. Classic menswear calls for a much roomier shirt fit than male fast fashion, and this is also to your advantage wrt having some chest room. So vintage Brooks Brothers shirts, especially in their classic (roomy) fit but maybe even in their older Milano fit (vintage Milano fit works for me and I'm fairly small chested now, for reference) might work well, but basically you want to look for clothing with a lot of room where you individually happen to need it. And it never hurts to learn to sew, so that you can do simple things like taking up a hem yourself. My advice is to try a couple different vintage shirts and cuts from different brands, and then kind of go all in if you find one that works. You wanna prioritize natural materials as much as you can for longevity, practicality, and sustainability. For anything other than performance clothing intended to be used while exercising, I think natural materials are superior to blends. I make an exception for acrylic blended into sweaters, personally. Ebay is my absolute best friend here- people are always amazed that I got "lucky" on ebay but in fact I get email alerts that I check a couple times a week and I open the site at least twice a week. I don't get lucky, I'm looking all the time.

I also don't think that ALL fast fashion purchases are inexcusable. For instance, my favorite cheap jeans are actually Old Navy. But when I buy a pair of their jeans, I'm going to be able to wear them for at least 4 years because they're 99% cotton, and that's giving them an appropriate number of wears before washing as one should with denim. The same is NOT true of their women's denim, but the men's denim is quite good and I have jeans of theirs that I wore for 8 years. Uniqlo knitwear (or at least their 100% Merino wool turtleneck line) is very, very good quality for the price, and I hear their 100% cotton tailoring stuff is quite good too. Your goal is to get off fast fashion, but that goal can be advanced by buying items you expect to last for years no matter their origin.

IF you happen to be roughly a 15.5 inch neck with a 33 inch sleeve (measured from just past wrist bone to I think the middle of the back?), I actually have two vintage Milano fit Brooks Brothers shirts I'm currently trying to rehome- one ice blue OCBD, one spread collar navy/white stripe dress shirt, both in their noniron cotton which I do not prefer but it is very wrinkle resistant. I could get you measurements if you'd like them, but they're ever so slightly too big for me now and I also don't prefer noniron shirting, but they're 100% cotton and I could get them to you for the price of shipping. Let me know if you'd like more specific advice.

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onedivinemisfit · 4 years

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During my recovery, this has been my biggest project, no kidding. I looked but couldn’t find Obi’s witcher!AU body template so I sketched some Bruxa!yuki designs instead. <w< I’ll finalize and colour them when I’m well, or so I hope, unless I forget XD

Pls forgive any mistakes I’m not 100% yet. ^^;

Explanations below the cut~

AnS (c) Akizuki Sorata Witcher (c) Andrzej Sapkowski TW3 models (c) CDPR Art: Me

Disclaimer: I am not a tailor and as such all my opinions are based on preference and evt pushing rules in my favour XD

The main idea with her wardrobe was to underline that whatever she’s doing, Shirayuki is feminine, and wants to present feminine, hence the skirts and ribbons and embroidery. She’s also a person fond of utility, so belts, pockets, and layers that can be added or removed as she fancied, was also an important facet to add. But she’s also bruxae, monster species, so she’s got a few blind spots, so to speak, regarding what is and isn’t proper to wear in human society. But most of all, her clothes make it easy for her to use her bruxa powers to move around swiftly, silently, and with purpose

Around half of these were referenced from the witcher 3 game, with me picking my favourite garb, and what made more sense for her in different situations.

1. Huntress Outfit - this one I made myself, using only some of the basic wardrobe notes from tw3. I’ve a softness for overdresses/kaftans with splits, especially if they’re combined with tights/buckskins. Shirayuki is a poor bruxa living in the woods outside a small human settlement, so she doesn’t have access to a tailor other than on market day, or when peddlers arrive, hence she often has to redesign old/too-small clothing for new purposes. Another point was to reinforce her sleeves, to make it easier to brush away branches and undergrowth, and adding the Skelligan waist shawl, a gift from her half-sister, as recurring themes.

2. Winter Outfit - another I made myself, because I was dying to design something that included a sheepskin jerkin. The waist shawl helps redefine the jerkin and give it a feminine twist, and the wrapped sleeves both reduce noise and keeps her cuffs from leaking precious warmth. The wool tunic could have been a dress, but I wanted to focus on showing off her fur-tucked winter boots and knitted long socks. Shirayuki probably knitted them herself.

3. High Summer Outfit - another self-made design. Made so as to underline her non-humanness, borrowing heavily from witcher elven aesthetics, with lots of exposed skin, crossed fabric, and asymmetrical cuts. This is what she wears when the weather *won’t* allow you to dress decently or you get purged by the sun, basically. Again, since Shirayuki’s often short of fabric, a lot of refashioning going on.

4. Commoner Outfit - A very basic woman’s dress, very presentable, very respectable, especially since Shirayuki is trying to sell the lie that she’s a normal human woman. It’s her go-to outfit for visiting human settlements, or for performing simple chores around the house, such as cooking, sewing, or spinning. Things that keep her in or around her homestead, and not gallivanting in the woods at midnight looking for prey.

5. Relaxing Outfit - merely a dusty day dress pulled over her nightgown, for those chilly nights where Shirayuki doesn’t want to undress for bed until she’s halfway under the covers. When the chores are done and all that’s left to do is sip a cup of blood, read a book beside the hearth and wait for Ryuu to return from his late night wandering, she likes to shed all those layers and relax.

6. Throw-together Outfit - referenced from the game, almost entirely (Keira Metz’ witch model) - save the shoes and headband. After the loss of her home and her more presentable clothing thanks to witcher Obi (who will later admit that yes he does in fact owe her a new dress... and blouse... and apron...) this outfit was assembled through raiding an abandoned witch’s hut. Anything that could suffice as clothing, basically, even the old curtains. Shirayuki doesn’t personally care that some of her *assets* are pretty much on display, but she would like some linen anyway, the cotton does chafe a bit. Aside from the pearl necklace, nothing she’s wearing actually belonged to her in the first place.

7. Formal Commoner Outfit - reffed from the game, (Keira Metz’ second model) the shoes being the sole exception. A dress for special occassions, perhaps May Day, Equinox celebrations, etc. Not that Shirayuki often dared participate in such events, due to the amount of people who show up even in small villages to throw tankards together and dance around bonfires. But she does pilfer the dress from the abandoned witch’s hut anyway, thinking maybe, afterall, since it’s so pretty and it had matching sleeves to go with it... keeping it wasn’t such a dumb idea.

8. Pants Outfit - reffed from the game (juggler npc) A cross between a traveler and a city dweller, a light-weight yet very elegant outfit for strolling in the human cities. The top is presentable enough that she doesn’t look poor as a pauper, while the pants give the impression of someone on the move, a stranger. It also provides the most comfortable riding experience, the few times she does ride, as she has no need for a lady’s saddle.

9. High-Class Outfit - reffed from the game/one of my favourite tw3 modders, (New Sorceress models by Roksa) I only added the shoes and circlet. When Zen has the dress made for her, it is by FAR the most expensive thing she’s ever worn. Not a single thread of the dress isn’t well-made, the dyes are the brightest and most even-coloured, and the silk is light as a touch on her skin. While the dress itself is a demure, feminine dream, what sets the ensemble apart are the dark cat’s eye gems, just hinting at Shirayuki’s darker secrets. They’re set in gold, for obvious, unspoken reasons, as she reacts to silver much like being set on fire...

10. Evening Outfit - reffed from the game, I just changed the necklace (Ida Eméan’s Gwent card art) another very expensive dress, but surprisingly one that Shirayuki tolerates better. No stiff, itchy velvet, no heavy damask, just sheer silk with gold thread (again for reasons obvious to a bruxa) some simple sleeves, and a chain of stones, no gilded jewellry that could empty a bank vault if sold to the right people. She probably takes a fancy to this dress while attempting to woo a certain witcher, which explains the understated beauty, the most daring of cuts, one that screams “look at me, only me” and the simple-at-a-glance design. Much like Shirayuki herself.

11. Skellige Outfit - inspired by the viking-esque game design for Skellige fashion, this dress is for when Shirayuki and her family stay in the Isles, following her sister’s suggestion. A dress that signifies the matron head of a household with its pewter clasps and apron, follows Skellige fashion demanding you wear a shawl with your clan colors (Shirayuki, although clan-less, was given one by Torou) and layers. And armguards. And a split overdress. To show that this is Shirayuki’s choice wear afterall.

#akagami no shirayukihime #ans #snow white with the red hair #shirayuki #witcher!au #in which shirayuki is a bruxa #a sort of all-female vampire #and obi is the witcher #listen I have only been able to sketch so it was only a matter of time before I fell down into the rabbit hole of outfit designs again XD #let's hope I remember to render them later lolol #myart #I also tried to hint to time passing between her outfits #by using different hairstyles #idk if it worked ahahaha

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alientitty · 3 years

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its nearly midnight (now past midnight as i finish the post) and here are my tips on doing laundry:

you can take it or leave it (i’m just some guy) but i have been doing it myself or with my mom for the better part of 15 years and realize there’s people my age or younger who struggle having to do it themselves

it depends on your washer, but most items that say “hand wash only” will usually be fine on gentle cycle in a lingerie bag (or pillowcase). similarly, most “line dry” or “dry flat” items will survive just fine on a hanger. but if you have a lot of fragile things it may be a good idea to invest in a drying rack

separating it out by color: well if you gotta do two loads you might as well. but most modern laundry detergents don’t usually bleed the dyes so it’s really not necessary. the exceptions are: first wash on a garment with color bleed warnings, and sometimes you will get that one pair of jeans that really does bleed all over the shout every damn time.

dry clean only is a pain in the ass, but you can ruin and shrink garments that react badly to water. running it on air dry with some sheet might smell nice but it won’t remove the oils from your skin. that being said you can cheat it a little--some synthetics like rayon and acrylic can get wet and still retain shape, especially if in a blend (viscose is also rayon, and only the softest, most delicate and expensive weaves are actually “faux silk” that is too weak to support itself when wet). if it’s 100% silk or wool, though, get that shit cleaned properly.

which brings me to...care instructions! read them! you can greatly extend the life of fast fashion items, for example, by keeping them out of the dryer and running them on gentle cycle. the biggest factors in wearing out your clothes (besides actually wearing them) are the spin cycle and the DRYER (especially heat, but also getting tossed around with other clothes).

similarly, read the fabrics! knowing what your clothes are made of helps you know which directions you can ignore to make your life easier. 100% cotton really can shrink, but synthetics like nylon and polyester are basically plastics and there is a risk of melting if they’re not rated safe for dryers. rayon is basically wood pulp and is more brittle than cotton or linen when wet, but if it’s not particularly fine, and especially if it’s mixed with other materials, it can often support itself enough to dry nicely. search engines are your friend if you’re not sure what a fabric can take

you can also extend the life and color of many items by washing them inside out--some say so on instructions! for everyday use i haven’t had a problem with gentle cycle (the main downside is that a less violent spin cycle means they’re more damp coming out of the machine) and low heat for dryer pretty much everything. but anything that can go in a dryer can also be hung up. just make sure to straighten it out a little so it doesn’t air dry into funky shapes.

other tips for extending life: wash everything cold unless you’re doing something special

if you’ve got enough to justify it, do towels and sheets separately. they can handle the rougher spin, hot water and high dryer heat without shrinking

don’t put your bras in the dryer..they already get rough treatment and are so expensive. in fact, get a lingerie bag for them and other gentle items (i promise you can find one at the 99 cent store if need be, so price is not an excuse!)

ironing--i pretty much never do this, but... when you do need to, err on the side of caution with lower heat and plenty of steam (if called for)--oh, and have your clothes inside-out! (with only one layer of fabric between the iron and the board.) follow the tags as this is another case where you risk damaging the garment by going in too hot. you’ll probably have to go slower than you like, and sometimes you do need to hold the iron on an area for it to conform, just keep it to only a couple seconds and go in multiple times to avoid burning (i think? once again this is tedious and i hate it). to make sure your clothes are flat, look at the seams and try to make out the different pieces of fabric, laying out each section as flat as you can and ironing just that area. that narrow end of the ironing board is designed for sleeves and anything else that’s more tube than square.

stains: will go away best when fresh. turn the garment inside out, run under cold water, and rub it out with dish or hand soap.

old stains: while hot water can set new stains, it will drag old ones out of the fabric (still work inside out to “raise the stain”). these are a bit more work to get. you can scrub with baking soda & water paste, diluted lemon juice/vinegar, or watered down dish soap, and alternate between soaking it, scrubbing vigorously, rinsing and repeating. (you may want to test the cleaning agent another part of the fabric if you’re worried about discoloration)

my personal low-effort favorite that seems to be working, though, is to soak it in diluted dish soap (or just slather with dish soap and hope it’s still effective if you’re me) and let it fuck off for 3 hours to 3 days before laundry day. rinse out most of the soap before throwing it in the machine so those mega-suds don’t kill your washer.

for tough stains they may have to go through multiple treatments and washes. i usually just have some clothes on standby to be treated and thrown in with regular laundry, though if you have a lot of stained items you can d a whole load of just them in hot water (and alternate with treating until the stains go away) (wayy to much work for me though)

for the love of god, DON’T PUT ANYTHING STAINED IN THE DRYER if you want it to wash out. it’s not impossible to get out all set stains (i’ve done it), but it’s a bitch and a half to do. some garments may truly be beyond rescue

i have never used bleach on a garment in my life. some garments can handle it (often no chlorine) but as far as i’m concerned that shit’s just for killing bacteria

the dreaded folding--well it depends on your personality but here’s what helps me:

put your freshly dried clothes in a basket (mine was 3 bucks at walmart--once again, no excuse, do this. it will be good for you.). and preferably put it down near a surface you’ll use for folding. (a bed or couch works just as well as a countertop)

my strategy is to get it done right away. the moment it’s out of the dryer, we don’t sit down until everything’s all set for folding. and then we sit where we fold

similarly, it helps to do it in the same place every time so it becomes a habit. i always fold mine while watching tv.

reward yourself and relax for a minute after you’re done. you’ve completed a big task!

#no idea why i felt compelled to make this

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greenwitchythings · 4 years

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Compostable Finds

I didn’t realize until a few days ago that if your underwear is 100% cotton, you can throw it in your compost bin or pile! I was super excited to find this out because I’ve always felt bad about throwing my old underwear in the trash. I felt like I was just needlessly adding to garbage piles and that there had to be a better way. I’m so happy to report that there is. I cut off the elastic band and then snipped my undies into smaller bits to make sifting my pile easier. I feel so much better just throwing away the elastic band than when I threw away the whole piece. Other 100% organic materials like wool and silk can also be thrown into a compost pile to biodegrade. It’s not going to make a gigantic difference in reducing the amount of garbage that goes into landfills each year, but it’s something small that I have the power to do. So I’ll do it because why not give back to Mother Gaia if you can?

#green witch #witchcraft #witch #witch blog #witchy #nature #witchy things #witches of tumblr #witchy vibes #compost #biodegradable #sustainability

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dallasareaopinion · 4 years

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a better economy

I have touted this before, yet as I think about it I do not tout it enough.

First though a comment to the pretentious left. Yes, we know Trump is not the most admirable person on planet earth and yes Putin is probably trying to destroy our country using him to divide us. Stop the madness though. You cannot go all in on every twitter comment or every comment in general that tells us Trump is being a bad boy or saying something crazy. You need to concentrate on making sure you talk about what you can do if Biden becomes President. You aren’t changing Trump supporter’s minds, but you have to convince the undecided that you have better ideas. Right now all this slapping each other on the back every time you tweet something snarky is not going to win the Democrats any elections. On to better things.

And back to the economy. If you really want to improve the wealth gap, the wage gap, the disproportionate allocation of resources, just things in general you need to reverse years of the one percent consolidating their wealth.

In general our economy is more than the stock market, but somehow Fox News, the brokerage houses, and now the big banks convinced millions of Americans that it is the economy and that everyone needs to be all in on buying stocks or you are not successful. Everything about money or wealth is tied to the market and in some respects it is a lagging economic indicator that reflects what people thought was going to happen. The banks want you to think it is a leading economic indicator so you may get confused. They want you to believe if the market is going up the economy is doing well and will continue to do well. That is their sell. There is much more to this discussion because in general I have to prove some of my points in this paragraph for you to understand why I eschew a bit of a contrarian view point on the market.

Today though isn’t about the market, it is about something more important.

Today is about undoing the consolidation of wealth that has been going on for decades. And that is finding ways to encourage the break up of large companies which may not be that fruitful. Or better yet the development of regional economies that create new industries, new business and new companies in existing industries.

Lets break this down using some simple examples. Right now big oil makes a fortune developing plastic products. And they have done a fine job creating all sorts of plastic products from bottles to clothes to so much more. This creates a two fold problem, it destroyed older more established products and companies and second plastic just isn’t good for the environment so an excessive amount of energy and resources are used combating the drag on our lives with all this plastic.

For some reason recycling is a negative word to too many people, yet overall there is so much benefit, but to change minds we need to change the approach. Some of you may remember buying soft drinks in glass bottles. First remember how good they tasted coming from glass bottles. I feel with 100% certainty that if you could drink from a glass bottle you would appreciate the difference. Think about this, beer is sold in glass bottles. Why not every marketed drink? Now some of you may also remember for the soft drinks you had to pay an extra 5 cents and then when you returned it you got your 5 cents back. Seemed a bit of a hassle. So you have two choices, you could just pay extra for the product or pay the deposit. Either way you have a better product. And glass is something that could be produced in regional plants creating two businesses. One glass manufacturing and two potential recycling of the glass since it can be recycled. You introduce the deposit again. People will balk at first but over time they adapt. They always do. Some will fight for the convenience, but you have to stick with it. And nowadays with debit cards and customer loyalty cards the exchange of the deposit could be seamless.

It seems trivializing, but start applying it to other businesses. What clothes are the most comfortable? Clothes made from cotton and wool. Yes a very light weight wool fabric is still comfortable in the summer. So you bring back clothing manufacturers and work with local agriculture to develop cotton and wool suppliers. And yes cotton is best grown only in some regions, but at least the farmers can sell to a much larger customer base if more people made clothes. And sheep thrive better in certain climates, but either way you work to spread out the growth of the entire business chain.

Some people will still want the cheap plastic clothes so I know you cannot get rid of this product completely, but if you create very strong public policy that encourages the change and discourages the products that aren’t beneficial then the change can happen.

What people have forgotten with all the consolidation is quality. Glass, wool, cotton create a better product. And it is worth it to pay a bit more because they last longer and once you have finished your soda or the clothes have worn out, you can recycle which helps to keep supply costs down, hence retail costs down. And people have forgotten that cotton and wool clothes last longer, look better, and feel better.

The idea is to bring back products where quality is important. Why, because to produce quality products you need to put more work into it, which means more jobs and better paying jobs because you have to pay for better work. The end retail costs may be a bit higher, but the products are better and last longer.

The corporations wanted us to believe convenience was more important to us. They created behaviors that benefit them, not the consumer. Convenience and marketing ruled our day. We lost touch with being consumers and customers. The Democrats created bureaucracy to protect us from our own misguided consumer principles and now we have no idea on how to shop well. Too much government, not enough common sense.

And I always struggle trying to create a succinct message on this change. I know too many people that will shoot down the idea because they are programmed to believe large corporations are shining examples of capitalism when in reality they are anti capitalists. It benefits them to reduce competition, to dictate what we know and how we act. Their lives are easier when they create an illusion our lives easier, but we do not benefit in the long run from these conveniences.

We are subject to their whims, when they make a mistake there is no competition to turn to and show them they need to do better because we can go elsewhere or have more choices. Some will argue too many choices are counter productive and I agree there is a saturation point, but we are far from that right now. We may see a hundred different shirts or blouses in a store, but the real choices are few and far between. We need to bring many industries back home. This may sound a bit Trumpish, but that is one of his selling points. We do need more industries and better jobs here. He knows the message, but has no desire to actually implement the change. And he gets away with it because we are programmed to accept certain words and messages without digging into the reality. He sold a bill of words in 2016 that so many people wanted to hear, but that is all he did was sell words. We need real bill of goods.

Again I struggle with communicating my ideas to redistribute the wealth. We do not need socialism we need true capitalism. So public and tax policy that brings back industries throughout the country is a goal we should strive to achieve. This will not be easy because doing what is right never is easy it seems. Hammer me on the particulars because I get bogged down here something fierce. Make me flesh it out. I feel very strongly that for our country to actually thrive again, we need to open up the country and have people start new businesses that build quality products using natural resources not plastic and convenience. It may seem odd sounding that I am encouraging going backwards in some ways, but technology will still be used it is just reconfiguring where productivity and resources are applied.

Okay enough for the evening. It is September the weather will be changing soon, hopefully we can change too.

Cheers

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averyadams76-blog · 4 years

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The way to find out Cross Stitch Patterns?

Embroidery, all around the globe is considered as a slice of tradition. This legacy has been with us for many centuries. As an art form is therefore aged that none folks can pin point the accuracy of its ancientness. Since the time of our mothers, grand mothers and their ancestors have adopted this art, inspite of the globe being poles apart.Where we reside will not produce a difference all of us have been introduced into embroidery as cross legged embroidery. That's because it really is so simple to learn. It requires the most common of supplies that are accessible. So just how far ever I go ga ga over celtic cross stitch it'll be little because I love its patterns.Cross stitch is not without its impressions of varied civilizations and tribes and areas. Patterns of cross stitch really are a mixture of a few primitive, ethnic, contemporary day along with modern day variants. Other too have their beliefs, while some regional patterns are evident. Like Victorian cross stitch is admired because of its timeless layouts, African American stitch is famous to their ethnicity and Celtic due to their intricacy.Celtic embroidery is an ancient form of lace. Its archetypal patterns are very well understood the diversity of its own designs are something that we can enjoy. Since Celts have been nomads hence that the impressions of their art realized no more borders. These routines could possibly be seen on probably just about each possession of theirs.On their belongings the design and motifs work had minute details that some work could well be a masterpiece within our contemporary life. Cross stitch patterns used by Celts had beliefs of their life styles. Styles like geometrical shapes, mythological monsters, flowers, alphabets and more. They did not merely stop with creating layouts with embroideries, they were so found of the routines that even their paintings, utensils walls and walls could engraved with this kind of patterns.All of you'd now be asking about the techniques to get them magnificent and exclusive patterns. I wouldn't have been in a position to reply this. But I'm fortunate enough to own enough knowledge concerning this art in order be able to talk about it. Your choices of thread to machine design could be overwhelming, especially for the newcomer quilter. We often embrace the belief that a hundred percent cotton or lace sewing thread may be the only thread. Thread over time, may cut to cotton material, especially at which blocks are combined. For this reason polyester is often threads by quilters' choice. Howeverthere are many other alternatives of ribbon for machine quilting.So most our coasters are sewn to your adventure of learning a new blueprint, looking out our personal layouts or solely for the fun of this. It our goal that these quilts will likely be properly used because of our relaxation or the relaxation of our animals, kids, grandchildren or our buddies. Our goal is usually for the duvet to bring happiness to the human being that is blessed is the fact that receives it all. I don't know about you personally, but I typically stipulate to this recipient to"utilize their new quilt and enjoy it". Doesn't it make you happy to walk right in to a home where a person your pajamas reside and watch it on the couch, or on floor in front of the TV rather than being hidden off in a expectation chest?It wont disturb one to experiment and also require a few hazard with threads used for vine in the event that you can have the mindset that it is irrelevant whether most of your quilts are not going to eventually become heirlooms that needs to continue throughout lifetime. If you are feeling somewhat timid about wanting different threads for your own quilts, '' I expect the subsequent advice will allow you to muster the guts to experiment and have fun using diverse alternatives of threads for system quilting.Threads are numbered according to size. The lightest weight thread has the highest number. The number on a spool that's 50/3 is telling you it really is three-ply 50 weight thread. Even a 50/3 sewing ribbon is finer compared to a 40/3 decorative thread. Generally in the majority of cases, I favor a milder thread as it will show more but that is just an individual preference. You've plumped for when sewing with threads, then you'll need to try out a variety of needles to decide on which one works better for the ribbon and also your fabric. I'll provide you some Needle Size Chart that may lead you using all the size of needle to use for distinct fabrics. Your selections of thread to machine quilting also comprises your bobbin thread. I've used acrylics, rayons, Jean sew and cottons with success. It moves without being said, your choice will be dependent on the appearance you need on the back. As it is considerably thicker, for example, in the event you apply the Jean Stitch, then it will be more decorative as opposed to cotton. A gorgeous way touse the Jean Stitch is always to choose an"all over style and design" to your decorative pattern, like twisting, then twist your quilt"upper side " to quilt and let the bobbin ribbon series onto top.The monofilament, mylar and metallic thread are a little trickier to operate together with at the bobbin. Usually you can see that tiny twist to be adjusted by guidelines . BEWARE. All these are preset in the mill and you face the probability of having trouble once you attempt to put them back to the original setting. There will be A better idea to purchase a bobbin instance and just play with the settings one . I dabbed at a spot of crimson nail polish onto exactly the one I play with so that I would not confuse the two. When using the monofilament thread, I had trouble using this falling off the spool although used to do all the usual"fixes". The answer for me is to put the spool in a small babyfood jar rather than putting it in my spool holder. Monofilaments are cotton or nylon , available in smoke or clear coloring and appear to sew with a 90/14 needle. Sulky and YLI are manufacturers. Monofilaments will definitely give you an antique or appearance. In the event you sew on a dark material, the smoke-color is best to utilize as the clear one is going to look shiny and also be visible.A fantastic 100% cotton ribbon to-use is Mettler 50/3 wt and also YLI 40/3 wt. These makes seem to own much significantly less breakage than others which since you realize, is crucial to machine quilting. Even the Mettler thread is slightly stiffer than the YLI however, also the YLI offers a more decorative appearance. A 80/12 sharp or 90/14 sewing needle functions well in case you should be using a cotton or rayon thread into your bobbin.Rayon threads tend to be favorites touse by quilters because of the brilliant colors available. The result is cosmetic and slick because the rayon grabs the light and really show itself off. A 90/14 needle having a cotton bobbin thread works well. Sulky and Maderia are terrific brands for rayon threads.The metallic threads split very easily. Additionally they purge. The YLI now is easier to use, but that I think you may even like the Sulky and Madeira metallics. Your best needle size to use for the metallics will be described as a 90/14 sewing or 80/12 Metallica. Even the mylar threads are not as likely to crack as the metallics and you'll probably like the appearance that is glistening and moist which the mylars give. Even the threads appear to accomplish better in the bobbin in the event you use the metallics or mylar. To help avoid the breakage, then place the spool in a baby food jar beside your sewing device instead of on your machine if you experience a problem. If you match with all the metallics, be careful not to drop the cuttings only because they make chaos for vacuum cleaner cleaners. To get further details on this please check my review here. YLI may be the sole new I know of that has got the"denims Stitch" 30/3 wt thread. As you may guess by its title, it offers a look that is very significant. I would think hard before buying a mattress quilt as it's much heavier than the cloth and will probably cause the fabric. But , it produces a stunning decorative stitch for wall-hangings. The jeans/denim needle is your one to make utilize of to your denims Stitch because it has a larger eye than the embroidery needle.Our present stitching, embroidery, and serger machines sew at quite high speeds putting an enormous strain on threads. New threads are always being manufactured also it seems that each and every single machine manufacturer, embroidery designer, along with digitizer gets her or his own brand of thread. The majority of those threads work well on the majority of their devices, but since a lot of our devices become automatic as well as the mechanisms that work these are far hidden, it could be frustrating and confusing to troubleshoot if our threads crack , especially when we are trying to squeeze in that last minute present or are sewing the final topstitching details onto a woven wool jacket.Whenever a needle ribbon breaks, first thing to check is that the thread trail. Don't forget to clip up the ribbon from the spool before it passes through the tension discsand pull on the cracked thread throughout the system from your needle end. Do not pull on the thread backward by way of the discs toward the spool, since this can eventually wear out vital components, necessitating a costly repair. Then take the thread from your spool and re-thread the needle according to the follow instructions to your machine.Even in the event the needle into your system is brand new, needles might possibly have small burrs or imperfections which cause threads to crack. Make certain the needle is also the right size and kind to your own ribbon. In the event the needle's eye is small, it might abrade the ribbon more quickly, causing frequent fractures . A smaller needle can make smaller holes from the material, resulting in more friction in between fabric and the thread. Embroidery and metallic crowns are specially created for specialty threads, and will protect them out of the excess pressure. For ordinary breaks, try a new needle, a top-stitching needle having a bigger eye, even a more specialization needle, or perhaps a bigger size needle.Sometimes the ribbon will likely break over the needle, and a long item of thread is going to be pulled into the underside of the crochet. This thread will probably snag and tangle using the stitches, inducing thread breaks. If possible, it is also more advisable to slow the machine down when stitching a spot at which the thread broke over. Check for screw thread bits underneath the stitching on a embroidery or stitching machine. Lowering the tension and slowing the sewing speed may assist, especially with long satin stitches, metallic or monofilament threads, and high density layouts. Sometimes the needle tension may possibly need to get lowered significantly more than once.Changing that the bobbin is not listed in the most popular literature, nonetheless nevertheless, it can prevent perennial needle ribbon fractures. When bobbins get non, especially whenever they are pre-wound bobbinsthey exert a greater tension on the needle ribbon. Even a bobbin might possibly well not be close to the ending, nonetheless it is worth changing out, instead of coping with constant thread breakage. This happens in a few machines than in others. Another problem with bobbins is when they get down to the past couple of foot of bobbin thread, the thread could be wrapped inducing the needle ribbon to crack. If stitching proceeds, this knot may even be sufficient to divide the needle itself.This is especially advantageous for serger difficulties. Make sure the ribbon follows a clean path from your spool, to the tension disks or dials, as well as the needle. The ribbon might have jumped from its own proper course. To blame here is the arm. Re-threading will figure out this problem. There are also. Some threads may fall off the spool and acquire caught around the spool . Whether there are additional threads they can tangle with the thread. Threads may get caught on dials, buttons, clips, needle threaders, or even perhaps the edges of this sewing machine or serger. On sergers, the subsidiary looper can be a standard offender, so inducing upper looper thread rests as well as preserving the top looper stitches from forming correctly.Some threads are better feeding out of the surface of the spool, a number from your side of the spool, and a work better added to a cone shaped holder that a slight distance from the machine. Another tip with threads which spin, especially metallic threads, so is always to conduct them through a Styrofoam peanut between your spool as well as the rest of the thread trail. This helps to straighten the kinks and twists that can get captured, inducing breaks.Adding just a tiny Sewer's Assist about the ribbon will permit it to move across the machine simpler effortlessly. On occasion a small dip could be inserted to the needle. Make certain to preserve this bottle different from some other sheeting or fray prevent solutions, as those could cause serious problems should they have mixed up.Some devices tend to be somewhat more particular about their thread than some the others. Even if working with high quality threads, then some threads may work in 1 machine and also not just another. Get to understand which ribbons operate nicely on the machine and also inventory on them.Although some may recommend throwing the spool away, you will find other options. One suggestion is to put it and set it. The thread could also be employed for less stressful purposes, for example as for example other methods for thread embellishment, hand sewing, tassels, and also strings that were twisted. Another way to save as much thread is to pull the top layer or 2 from your spool and try back again. On occasion the layer or layers may have been dry outside, but there is still very good ribbon underneath so when you get to it, then your stitching will go efficiently.

#Threaded Needle

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yanrefitness-blog · 5 years

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How To Buy Wall Ball : The Definite Guide in 2020

In this second in our buying guide series on commercial gym equipment, we will focus on the wall ball.

The wall ball is a relatively new piece of gym equipment that has become an essential item for any well-equipped fitness facility.

With more than 10 year’s fitness procurement experience in China, I’ve got the experience and the insider knowledge to guide gym owners and commercial equipment buyers with practical buying advice that you won’t find elsewhere.

Contents:

Wall Ball Materials

Quality Judgment Methods

Manufacturing Process

Wall Balls VS General Fitness Balls

1. Wall Ball MaterialsShape-Retaining Filler:

A wall ball is a consumable product with limited durability. A quality wall ball will cost over 50 and even $100. For the greatest durability, you should choose a wall ball that is made from the right material.

Material #1: Fillings

The filler material inside a wall ball usually consists of two parts:

shape-retaining filler

weight filler

Shape-Retaining Filler:

Wall balls can be stuffed with several fillers including rags, polypropylene cotton and rubber. Rag has a poor elasticity, which makes the filling uneven and easily deformed. Cotton wool is slightly better than rags, but it also tends to deform after a period of use.

Polypropylene cotton is the most popular wall ball filler material on the market. The pure white polypropylene cotton provides better elasticity, plumpness and durability.

This type of material is known to transfer moisture instead of absorbing it, which makes it less susceptible to damp and augments its ability to withstand deformity. Interestingly, these qualities also make polypropylene a preferred material as the first layer of the filter element in water purifiers.

Yanre Fitness insists on applying polypropylene cotton to ensure the quality of their wall balls.

There are two kinds of polypropylene cotton; pure white polypropylene cotton and colored polypropylene cotton. Pure white polypropylene cotton is more durable, and more fluffy but it is also more expensive. Because of this, higher priced, better quality wall balls will be filled with pure white polypropylene cotton.

The elasticity grade of wall balls is another crucial factor. The higher the grade of polypropylene cotton, the better the elasticity. A good wall ball will use a range between 7D and 15D polypropylene cotton to ensure elasticity.

Weight Filler:

To increase the weight of a wall ball, it is usually necessary to add extra filler material. Options include rubber particles, iron sand, yellow sand, and mineral sand. Yellow sand is the cheapest material, with inexpensive wall balls having an increased proportion of sand to reduce costs.

Yanre Fitness will never use any yellow sand to fill its wall balls.

Some countries will not allow the importation of wall balls filled with yellow sand. This is to prevent parasites from entering into their country. Check the regulations in your country before ordering!

Most wall balls over 9kg will be filled with iron sand, while wall balls below 9kg will be filled with rubber particles. In order to reduce the cost, in addition to iron sand and rubber particles, some manufacturers will mix some yellow sand and mineral sand with them.

The weight filler is usually packed inside a bag to prevent the material from scattering inside the ball. Cheaper wall balls will use a plastic bag. Better quality balls will use a stronger material such as an Oxford bag.

Material #2: Cover

It is important to keep in mind that wall balls are designed to be thrown against the wall repeatedly, which means they need to be sturdy. The most popular cover materials are synthetic leather (PU & PVC), vinyl, and kevlar.

Yanre Fitness send each batch of fabric to a third-party testing institution to ensure the strength of the raw material.

Synthetic Leather

Synthetic leather is very durable, can withstand repeated impact, and provides excellent grip. The synthetic leather used in wall balls is either PU or PVC:

PU looks closer to natural leather, providing you with a better touch and feel. However, it is not very wear-resistant, with an anti-beat ability of less than 500 times. As a result, you will probably experience some surface damage within a year of purchase. A PU surface will also get quite slippery as your hands get sweaty.

PVC synthetic leather is more wear-resistant, with a service life of 2-3 years. There are three grades of PVC used: 1000D, 600D, and 500D. 1000D has the best wear resistance and anti-slip performance.

Vinyl Coating

The vinyl coating of PVC must be strong enough to withstand repeated pounding against a wall. It also needs to be scratch and moisture resistant so that neither the ball nor the wall will be marked after use. In addition, the coating must be tough enough to ensure that the ball will not crack or break after repeated use.

Kevlar

Kevlar is a new kind of organic fiber composite developed by Dupont. It is an ideal choice for wall balls. That is due to its low density, high strength and good tenacity. It is five times stronger than steel yet only has one fifth the density of steel, which is widely used in tanks, armored vehicles, bulletproof vests and other military equipment. Top-of-the-line materials endow the wall ball with the best quality and the highest cost. You should be aware that Kevlar is a proprietary material; there are a lot of fakes out there, so beware of imitators.

2. Quality Judgment Methods

#1 Materials Applied

If possible, we recommend that you open the ball, from the inside out, to check the materials used and determine whether the filling is tight and plump.

#2 Sewing Technique

Because wall balls need to be hit against the wall repeatedly, it is vital that the stitches be delicate and compact, rather than easy to tear and damage.

Double or even triple reinforcement stitches are ideal. This makes the wall ball safer and more durable than single stitches. It will also be more suitable for high-speed and intensive training.

In addition to double or triple reinforcement stitches, some manufacturers use a special stitching method; after sewing once, they fold to sew a second time. This significantly enhances the firmness of the ball. Double-stitched wall balls will have protruding stitches on the surface.

#3 Warranty Period

Be sure to check both the warranty period and the falling test results for the wall ball you have in mind. The longer the warranty period and the higher the number of acceptable falls, the better the wear resistance and quality will be. When checking the fall test figure, make sure to inquire about the number of falls used in the test, and the test height. You should expect about 2000 repetitions from a fall height of 4 meters.

#4 Try it yourself

It is recommended that you should trial the wall ball in person, especially looking for the following:

Grip/Feel

Wall balls are meant to be thrown and caught repeatedly. Balls can also get quite heavy, so good grip is essential. Look for a relatively soft and flexible material, such as synthetic leather or vinyl, as these are easier to grip and throw.

Impact Absorption

Another critical thing to note is the ability of the wall ball to absorb impact. In the course of use, the ball may be missed, and if so, it may hit the face or body and cause injury. Having a ball with high impact absorption will lessen that injury risk.

Balance

You need a well-balanced wall ball, which means its internal fillings are evenly distributed so they will not move during or after use. An evenly balanced wall ball will bounce the same way each time, always flying straight without any turning.

You can test out how well balanced a ball is by rolling it about 3m on the ground and seeing if it moves in a straight line. You should also throw the wall ball against the wall to assess its bounciness and ability to get back to the throwing point. If it does not, the weight distribution is uneven, or the center of gravity is not ideal.

3. Manufacturing Process

The manufacturing process refers to the steps through which raw materials are transformed into a final product. Familiarity with this process will put you in a stronger position as you negotiate with the rep when inspecting the factory. The more expertise you have, the greater your ability to buy the best products at the best price in this industry.

4. Wall Balls VS General Fitness Balls

Finally, let’s talk about the differences between a wall ball, medicine ball, and slam ball. While they all look pretty much the same, they vary significantly in size, material, grip, and fitness purposes.

Wall Ball

A wall ball is designed to be thrown against a wall and to absorb shock upon impact with hard surfaces. They are usually filled with something soft to absorb the impact. This is because the soft wall ball is designed to hit the wall and bounce back at you. Wall balls tends to be larger than hard medicine balls and slam balls.

Medicine Ball

Medicine balls were initially designed to improve strength and neuromuscular coordination in medical settings. These balls are generally quite hard and can withstand a lot of impact. They are heavy, durable, and not very bouncy.

Slam Ball

Compared to wall balls and medicine balls, the slam ball is harder, heavier, and more durable. They are usually small, with a diameter no more than 10 or 11 inches. Slam balls are generally filled with gel or sand. As with the medicine ball, the slam ball doesn’t bounce very much because it is designed to be dropped again and again. They are made with a fairly hard rubber or vinyl shell, which can withstand constant impact.

5. Conclusion

I hope this wall ball buying guide will prove helpful when picking out the ideal wall ball.

Now I’d like to hear from you. What’s the next piece of fitness equipment you’d like to know about? Let me know by leaving a comment below.

For more info, pls visit https://www.yanrefitness.com/.

#wall ball

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particlecounting · 4 years

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The Ultimate Guide to Homemade Face Masks for Coronavirus

One month ago, we published the first readily available data on the best materials for making face masks. Fast forward and the CDC is now recommending face masks for everybody, spurring a worldwide movement to make homemade masks.

The first data summary (viewed over 4 million times!) was a great start on face mask materials, but the data is incomplete. Over the past several weeks, we’ve been hard at work to cover crucial materials the earlier study left out, as well as guidelines for variables like thread count. From coffee filters and bed sheets, to non-woven polypropylene bags, flannels and blue shop towels, let’s jump into the data.

What New Face Mask Materials Do We Have?

We’ve tested 30 new materials in this round of tests, triple what the Cambridge researchers tested.

We chose materials based on popular demand, using this poll we set up on our crowd-funding page . However, we’re still testing, so if there’s a material you want to know about, let us know! We’ll update this list as we run more tests.

DIY Mask Test Procedure

We aimed to mimic the test setup the Cambridge researchers used, which is called a Henderson apparatus . In our setup, a fan on one end blows air and particles through the mask material.

On the other end, a Met One GT-521 laser particle counter measures the number of particles that penetrate the mask material. We tested for larger (1-micron) particles and smaller (0.3-micron) particles. These larger particles are approximately the size of the Ebola virus , and the smaller particles are the size of the smallpox virus . The Covid-19 coronavirus measures 0.06-0.14 microns in size, but 5-10 microns when in droplets.

Full details on the testing method are open source and available in our DIY mask material & fabric testing – supplemental data article.

Results: Ebola-Sized Particles (1.0 microns)

For Ebola-sized particles, the N95 mask, surgical mask and HEPA filter performed best, capturing over 99% of particles 1.0 micron and above. Next up, the HERO coffee filter captured 98%. Paper towels, canvas and denim (10oz) and the bed sheet (100% cotton, 120 thread) also captured more than 90%.

All materials were far better than nothing, with the majority blocking more than 50% of particles. But the four worst-scoring materials were the wool scarf, Neck warmer (100% microfiber polyester), bandana (100% cotton) and light scarf.

Results: Smallpox-Sized Particles (0.3 microns)

For 0.3-micron particles, there was a much wider range in effectiveness. The N95 mask, HEPA filter and surgical mask still did best, all capturing over 75%. However, they consistently captured fewer 0.3 micron particles than 1.0 micron particles.

Among the household materials, the HERO coffee filter came up next in the list, capturing 62%. But only 4 other materials filtered more than 48%: the 40D nylon, CHEMEX coffee filter, and kitchen towel and canvas (1.0-1.2mm thick).

Some materials were only slightly better than nothing. The bandana, neck-warmer, scarves and cleaning cloths and 100% cotton t-shirt (1 layer) all captured less than 10%.

The 100% cotton t-shirt result is worth highlighting, as this material was recommended by the Cambridge researchers. In our tests it captured just 3.4% of 0.3 micron and above particles. This is likely because the cotton t-shirt we tested was lightweight, thin material. Material weight and thickness of the material are important factors for face masks. 2 layers of 100% cotton t-shirt performed slightly better, capturing 15% of 0.3 micron particles.

The three scarves we tested all captured fewer than 10% of smallpox-sized particles. The worst scarf material – a 100% ramie (similar to linen) scarf – filtered just 2.8%. President Trump last week recommended using scarves for face masks, but this data shows that these materials rank among the poorest at capturing virus-sized particles.

Natural Fibers Better Than Synthetics

The data shows that natural fibers (like cotton and paper) generally filtered better than synthetic fibers (polyester and polypropylene). Synthetic fibers tend to be smooth and uniform, whereas natural fibers are rougher and more irregular. The irregularity of natural fibers are likely to make them better at capturing tiny particles through Brownian motion .

The Best Material for Filtration—But Not For a Mask

Based on this data, it would seem easy to recommend the coffee filter and blue nylon as the best materials for homemade masks. But we will end up recommending the paper towel, denim (10oz), and 120 thread bed sheet.

Why? When Smart Air engineer Paddy put the coffee filter and nylon sheet up to his mouth, he found it almost impossible to breathe through. Breathability is crucial when choosing face mask materials.

How Easy is it to Breathe Through These Materials?

To measure the breathability of each material, we recorded the fan power needed to blow a fixed amount of air through each material. You can think of this as the power your lungs need to blow through the material. Here’s how the data pans out (more plusses denotes easier to breathe):

Material Breathability 3M Disposable Floor Cleaning Cloth ++++++ Velvet Synthetic Fiber ++++++ Quick-dry T-shirt (95% Polyester + 5% Spandex) ++++++ Synthetic Brocade Sheet ++++++ Wool Scarf (100% Merino) ++++++ HEPA Filter ++++++ 100% Cotton T-shirt ++++++ Non-woven Polypropylene Bag ++++++ Bandana (100% Cotton) ++++++ Wool Scarf (100% Cashmere) ++++++ Neckwarmer / Snood (100% Microfiber Polyester) ++++++ Light Scarf (100% Ramie) ++++++ Dusting Cloth ++++++ Canvas (0.4-0.5mm thick) ++++++ Surgical Mask +++++ 100% Cotton T-shirt (2 layers) +++++ Bra Pad (muslin + sponge) ++++ 70D Nylon ++++ Paper Towel For Hand Drying +++ Bed sheet (100% Cotton, 120 thread) +++ Bed sheet (100% Cotton, 80 thread) +++ Denim (10oz, 0.6-0.8mm thick) +++ 3M N95 mask +++ Kitchen Towel +++ CHEMEX Coffee Filter ++ Canvas (0.7-0.8mm thick) ++ 40D Nylon* + HERO Coffee Filter* + Canvas (1.0-1.2mm thick)* +

We compared the breathability of the household materials to the surgical mask. Unfortunately, most materials that were the best at filtering particles were also the most difficult to breathe through. That makes sense. A really dense, thick coffee filter can capture particles well, but it won’t let much air through.

To help with gauging breathability, we also tested the breathability of an N95 respirator. They’re known to be a little more difficult to breathe through than a surgical mask.

The 100% cotton T-shirt (2 layers), bra pad, 70D nylon, paper hand drying towel, cotton bed sheet (120 thread) and denim (10oz) all fell between the breathability of the surgical mask and N95 mask.

Breathability and Filtration: The Best Combos for Facemasks

Balancing breathability and filtration, we recommend the paper towel, denim (10oz), and 100% cotton bed sheets (80-120 thread). The bra pad performed fairly well, filtering 14% of 0.3 micron particles, and 76% of 1.0 microns. It could be used as a more quirky face mask material, although men might be too bashful to strap a bra cup to their face in public!

One material that’s easier to breathe through than a surgical mask, and still performed fairly well at filtering particles was the 0.4-0.5mm thick canvas material. This material even performed better than the 100% cotton t-shirt.

However, if you don’t have thicker fabrics at home, our data shows that 100% Cotton t-shirts, layered up, are also still effective options for homemade masks.

Finding the Best Material: The Poor Man’s Fabric Test

One problem for using this data at home is that materials like T-shirts and bed sheets are different. Some are thicker; some are thinner. How can you be sure the material in your home will perform similar to the ones we tested?

Without a $3,000 laser particle counter , here’s one handy way to estimate this: try your own “Poor man’s Fabric Test” to help you out.

Hold your material up to the light.

See how much light passes through it.

Compare it to this rubric to estimate the effectiveness of your material.

Face Mask Materials: Bottom Line

Materials like coffee filters perform exceptionally well at filtering tiny particles, but they are so difficult to breathe through they aren’t practical for making face masks. Based on a combination of breathability and filtration effectiveness, we recommend denim (10oz), bed sheets (80-120 thread), paper towel, canvas (0.4-0.5mm thick), and shop towel for homemade masks.

A Shout Out to Those Who’ve Helped Support Open-Source Tests

The response we received for our initial article covering the best materials for homemade masks was unprecedented. People from Spain to Vietnam have offered to help and shared their thoughts on the best materials for masks. Joni, a disabled veteran with pulmonary disease, and K. Sue, a 70 year old in Rochester, US who donated to our campaign as her 70 th birthday present, are just a few of the people who’ve supported this project and made this open-data possible!

If you’d like to help support us test more materials, check out our campaign here: https://fundly.com/best-diy-mask-materials

What is 10oz denim anyway?

Denim is typically measured in weight per square ounce. A square yard of 10oz denim would weigh 10oz. Anything under 12oz is considered ‘lightweight’ in the denim trousers range, so you can think of the 10oz denim we tested as being similar to that from lightweight trousers.

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yourkeeperoftherunners · 6 years

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A Brief Commentary on Clothing Construction

I’ve seen a lot of people on here and other social media platforms discuss fashion, especially why things cost so much and why our favorite celebrities spend so much money on expensive brands or goods. I know for many people it’s shocking to see someone wearing something that can cost a month’s rent or even the down payment on a property or car for a single item, but keep in mind the following factors:

Your favorite celebrity was probably borrowing/renting the clothes for free. Luxury brands are striving to get likeable role models wearing their clothes, which in turn spurs their fans and other individuals in that age group to buy or consider their brand.

A stylist probably chose that clothing item or brand so the celebrity looks modern and pulled together. These people are paid to make celebrities look good and photo-worthy – while they may take input from their clients, they’re dressing the celebrity to fit an image.

Based on the celebrity’s profession and net worth, they may have been purchased with their funds based on their personal taste.

Regardless of the reasons, I know many balk at the price tags of things and wonder why spend so much when you can get something cheaper. Below the cut, I delve into some of my learnings from sewing and clothing construction courses I’ve taken, plus general observations I’ve made as I’ve done my own projects and information I’ve read. Please note I am not an expert in this field – these are my personal thoughts.

Back in the olden days, people either made their clothes at home (sewing was a practical skill taught at a young age) or if you had money, you paid a tailor to make you clothes based on your measurements. It wasn’t until the 20th Century when clothing that was made and ready to purchase and wear was sold in designated clothing shops and boutiques. (Ready-to-wear)

Sewing as a skill has evolved throughout the recent years – before the invention of the sewing machine, you sewed by hand, which is a tedious act that requires focus and patience. Modern sewing machines nowadays can create beautiful rows of even stitches that will stay in place with every tug, pull, and stretch that the garment goes through. (Also it requires less time to assemble pieces of fabric into something wearable.)

Rundown of Sewing Methods/Machines

Hand sewing: Takes the longest, requires a steady hand, and a lot of patience and practice to achieve. Ideal for small fixes (Ex. Loose buttons, small holes in clothes, etc.) in a pinch. Often fashions houses will employ this technique when applying a decoration or design treatment to highlight the craftsmanship. (The latter may contribute to a higher price as this cannot be achieved by a machine – often an individual or artisan is doing this one by one.)

Basic Sewing Machine: Good for the home sewer, pre-programed with basic stitches and sewing functions. Anyone from a beginner to an expert can use one. Most of the models are digital and have screens where you tap to adjust the stitch size, width, and type before using a foot pedal to make the machine start sewing. Typically these are suited for lightweight and medium fabrics – exercise caution and care if sewing with heavier duty fabrics like furniture upholstery and leather. (The latter will require special needles.)

Industrial Sewing Machine: Like the name indicates, these are for factories who produce tons of clothing on a regular basis. They are robust machines that can sew any type of garment with any fabric with few errors or issues. There are a few available for regular home sewing purposes, but keep in mind these are going to be bigger and may require more space.

Serger: If you’ve ever seen the hem on a t-shirt and turned it up to see a complex network of threads intertwined in the back, while 2 parallel lines are visible on top, this was done on a serger machine. Often these are in factories and they create finished seams in garments, creating a cleaner look inside the garment. (Also they reinforce the areas where pieces were sewed together – the complex network of threads helps to keep those areas sewed together.) There are home versions of these machines, but smaller.

Reasons for Higher Cost

Where was this made? Every garment has a tag that states where your clothing was made. If your clothes were made in a first or second world country, chances are the costs are higher to produce that garment, based on wages for the workers, conditions, etc. Third world countries have different labor laws and it’s cheaper to outsource goods – this is why many people will see Made in China/Vietnam/Thailand/etc. on cheaper clothing.

What materials were used to make this? Synthetics like polyester, nylon, and some viscose blends are manmade and they’re cheaper to manufacture. Natural fibers like cotton, silk, and wool came from plants and animals – depending on a variety of factors including weather and conditions where the fiber was produced, the cost of natural fibers can fluctuate based on demand and availability of raw materials.

How was it constructed? Study the seams and the decoration application. One of the basic things they taught me in clothing construction was a variety of seams, from zigzag to French seams. Flat fell seams and French seams require more time to complete and finish than a zigzag seam. The high end designers tend to use these last two seams, along with serger finishing for a clean look. If you’re a woman/identify as one, you may notice some rounded seams in the chest areas of dresses, blouses, and other fitted apparel – these are called princess seams and they’re added to help the fabric lie/drape around your chest in a flattering way. (They can be tricky to construct but they can elevate and improve the fit in a garment – another detail you may find in designer clothing.) If you notice that something is lined (inside of a jacket, inside of an evening dress, etc.), that may be a contributing factor to the cost. Essentially, you’re making a thinner/lighter “shell” of the item to put inside the main garment to give it a more professional finish and feel. In many cases for jackets, linings hide seams and the person wearing it will have something softer against their skin. (Ex. Sports letterman jackets are usually made of wool/wool blend , but the main body of the jacket is lined with a satin or silk fabric so it’s gentler on the wearer’s body and makes it easier for them to slip their arms into it.)

Misc

Leather can be difficult to work with. Based on the animal your hide came from, how old it is, and the treatment done to the leather, prices can vary on leather goods. Those who work in the material tend to make a draft version in a cheaper fabric (a muslin) before they start sewing because once you put a hole in leather, it cannot be removed/disappear like a knit or a woven. No two hides are the same and every single one will have imperfections, unless the designer cuts or treats the leather in a way that hides those imperfections. The trade off with this material is that it is very durable and with proper TLC can last for a long time. (You’ll often see it for motorcycle and biker apparel because it will protect the wearer if they fell from their bike and not rip open.) Doc Martens are known for being made of very stiff leather that requires patience (and pain in many cases) to break in and mold to your feet – the original intention of these shoes was a practical, long-lasting utilitarian shoe for the worker that would protect their feet while working.

Modern clothes are colored with synthetic dyes, which is how you can achieve vibrant colors in a broad spectrum of shades. Anything made with a natural dye (from plants) will have a less vibrant shade, unless the garment has been dyed multiple times to get a deeper/richer hue. Often the natural dyes will be in more neutral colors and the dye job may look uneven, depending on the treatment/process. (Ex. BTS’s RM wears a lot of clothing from Visvim, many of which were dyed using veggie and plant-based dyes, which are gentler on the earth.)

Denim has changed, due to material availability and a broad range of body types in consumers. Previously denim was 100% cotton and was stiff – often it required many wears to soften the denim and mold it to fit your body well. With people being different shapes and sizes, majority of denim seen in regular retailers will have higher percentages of elastic and synthetic fibers that are stretchy to accommodate different wearers. The elastic and synthetics are more forgiving to those with curvier figures and they won’t be as stiff to wear off the rack. (Most Western brands utilize this material composition as it allows them to sell their pairs to a wide range of consumers.) In contrast, Japanese selvage denim is constructed with a higher cotton content and minimal elastic/stretch and in some cases is dyed with real indigo plant dyes. (Western brands are rarely utilizing true indigo dye and rely on a manmade version to achieve the denim blue color.) Japanese selvage denim will have a stiffer feel and will take time to break in, but the pairs may last you longer as there’s less elastic fiber content. (Over time, elastic stretches out and with frequent washing and drying at high temperatures, fibers snap and break, often resulting in the jeans losing their shape and looking baggy.)

#clothing construction #sewing #clothing 101 #fashion #high end fashion #reference #yourkeeperoftherunners original #These are a few things beyond the whole name brand reason for high pricing.#number 2598

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pluchionlinestore · 2 years

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Decorating Essentials : Throws

A throw is often a small blanket that can be constructed of many different fabrics, including cotton, chenille, wool, silk, or synthetic fibers. The design, softness, and durability of your throw will all depend on the fabric selected and the manufacturing process.

#Throws

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fuckingconversations · 7 years

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Death Planet Roundup: Tips for surviving the Bitterly Cold

GENERAL SAFETY AND HEALTH

Keep 5-10 gallons of clean drinking water in jugs in the basement At All Times. The basement is cold af, but the earth’s underground heat keeps it above 34 degrees Fahrenheit pretty much all the time. If you’re trapped in your house without running water, this can last a several days if used sparingly. If you don’t have a basement, keep it near the center of your house in a closet or something so it doesn’t freeze.

For the same reason: Keep about a week’s worth of canned food in your basement SPECIFICALLY for power-outages and days when you can’t leave due to dangerous conditions.

If you’re outside for whatever reason, make SURE you keep tabs on your extremities and exposed skin. Toes, Fingers, Ears, Cheeks, Nose. With bone-biting cold temperatures, you’ll also want to either cover piercings with earmuffs/hood/scarf, or you’ll be risking the metal conducting cold right into your flesh and freezing the fluid in your cells that touch the metal until ice crystals form, burst your cells and that’s called frostbite. Avoid any part of you feeling numb if you can.

Wear Wool socks. Wool keeps its warming powers even when soaked with water, while cotton will not. Cotton is great when you want your feet to be cool and airy. Winter is NOT the time for that. Sweaty is better than numb.

Here’s how to rescue someone who’s fallen through the ice.

If you’ve fallen through ice and no one’s around - DO NOT PANIC! Here is a good video about how to self-rescue - keeping calm and focused on saving yourself is key. You have less than 2 minutes before hypothermia sets in and you’ll be too weak to move. Don’t spend those precious seconds on panicking.

If someone’s been out long enough that they got super cold, or somehow got wet and then started feeling kinda warm and confused/woozy, DANGER ZONE!! That’s the onset of hypothermia, and is deadly. First, call 911. Then, start to warm this person up slowly. Get them to a warm room, remove any wet clothes, dry them off, wrap them in blankets, and try to feed them sugary food until the ambulance arrives. SLOWLY warming them is 100% important. Trying to speed things up can cause cold blood to move to their heart without being warmed up, and shock the organ into cardiac arrest.

Don't put the person into a hot bath.

Don't massage their limbs.

Don't use heating lamps.

Don't give them alcohol to drink.

If you’re the one starting to feel warm and confused, get to a warm area ASAP and try to tell anyone around you about what you’re feeling, so they can help. This will be difficult due to the confusion, but communicating that you’re becoming incoherent may be easier and will elicit the same worry. Elderly people and small children are the most vulnerable to hypothermia, but being wet - either from sweat or getting water on you - punches you straight into the danger zone.

FROZEN PIPES/HOME IMPROVEMENT

This Post does a pretty good job explaining dealing with a frozen pipe

Never attempt to thaw a pipe using an open flame. No candles, no propane torches, no creme brulee torches...it’s house fire fodder. Also, applying that strong of heat to your metal pipes is asking for a broken pipe

If you find a lot of cold is leaking into your house via windows (very common for older houses to have single-pane windows that let in cold like a motherfucker. If it’s got a bare metal track, it’s probably single-pane) PLASTIC WINDOW WRAPS are a god-send. Basically it turns your single-pane into a rough double-pane by trapping some dead air between the cold glass and your house, and GREATLY reduces the amount of cold getting in. [link] <-- Make sure to measure the windows you want to apply it to, so you know it’ll fit.

CHECK your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. With the house closed up and the furnace and/or fireplaces going, it’s essential to have working smoke and CO detectors.

TECHNOLOGY

If it’s cold enough to make the pipes freeze, you better double and triple check that you’ve got some extra blankets tucked away in your car because you do NOT want to have your car battery die and be stranded in sub-zero temperatures with no blanket. Keep some of those “Break and Shake for Heat!” packets and extra gloves in your glove compartment or back-of-your-seat pocket

Also, batteries are sapped by the cold - this includes phone and car batteries. Keep your batteries warm to prolong their life. Cold-Killed car batteries may take extra time to get a charge.

If you do end up trapped in your car (maybe your battery died, maybe you slid off an icy road into a ditch...) Here’s a good guide on what to do. Mostly just make sure your car is visible, call for help, and stay in your car keeping warm.

If your power goes out and your FRIDGE is dead, just throw everything in a tote and set it outside. =P It’s below-freezing out there anyway, your food will stay very cold. Try to put it in a safe place or lock-able container, because scavenger animals would be happy to take it off your hands...

BASIC SURVIVAL KIT

Water - one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation

Food - at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food for every member of the household. Cans of soup are efficient

Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert. Alternatively, a manual-crank phone charger

Flashlight

First aid kit

Extra batteries

Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation

Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities

Non-Electric can opener for food

A WRITTEN bit of paper with your emergency contacts (friends, family) tucked into your wallet in case your phone is dead and you need to use someone else’s

Bag of sand in your car’s trunk for traction if you get stuck

Remember: You live in Space-Australia. A death planet. Don’t let it defeat you! We are strong! Will will conquer!

#safety #winter safety #winter conditions #winter emergency #weather #bad weather #death planet #space australia #earth is space australia

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keep-your-feet · 3 years

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National Mental Health Awareness Week

This week 10th-16th May, is National Mental Health Week, and this last year and a half with the pandemic it has definitely taught us not to take small things for granted, shown us what truly matters in life and reminded us all to just take it slow, have some you time and ask for help if you need. I also feel like there's been so much help, advice and support around to help people cope throughout too, which is fantastic. And it's been so great to know/see that we’re/ I'm not alone with all these weird and stressful un explainable feelings and that they're normal, and we're all feeling them together.

But there’s still more we need to do...

On the Mind website it states that:

1 in 4 people will experience a mental health problem of some kind each year in England [1].

1 in 6 people report experiencing a common mental health problem (like anxiety and depression) in any given week in England [2].

Specific diagnoses, in any given week in England [2]:

Mixed anxiety and depression: 8 in 100 people

Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD): 6 in 100 people

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): 4 in 100 people

Depression: 3 in 100 people

Phobias: 2 in 100 people

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD): 1 in 100 people

Panic disorder: fewer than 1 in 100 people.

Understandably, it's lot easier for some more than others to reach out, get help and connect the dots to why and how they're feeling a certain way. Which is why mental health support is and always will be so very important. And – more important than ever – that the stigma behind it is removed - people need to be able to reach out without fear of being judged, or looked down upon.

A few years ago now I broke down during a presentation at work - I had a full on melt down - uncontrollable breathing, IBS, cold sweats, a temperature, ‘messy’ crying - the works! and it was impossible to hide it from my work colleagues. Luckily, for me, the presentation was about how to be ‘calm, cool and collected’ when presenting - ironic - so the lecturer stepped in and calmed me down, and we had a great talk about what it was that I was struggling with, and that was the first time my anxieties had become ‘public’ knowledge within the work place.

My work colleagues were ever so supportive, and looking back now, I don’t really think anything ‘changed’ from professional aspect on their end. For me however - it changed everything. That training literally changed my life. It gave me more confidence, I felt like I understood myself better and I wasn’t ‘hiding’ behind this fake persona - I was free.

Events over this last year however, has had a detrimental effect on my anxiety issues, to the point where it started to effect my work, and my job responsibilities so I had to speak up to my manager. I’m not going to lie - this was difficult, as it stems from a very personal place. But a lot of work places have a ‘mental health work scheme’ meaning that once they’re aware of any issues they have to take them seriously, show compassion and offer you support and understanding where possible. They can't just fire you on the spot!

Yes, I have, however heard of a few occasions (across various workforces not singling out mine) where once the company knows about any stress/anxiety issues they may try to ‘wrap you up in cotton wool’ so to speak - and treat you differently - either consciously or sub consciously. And dependant on your role, this could hold you back and lead to missed opportunities - which is why I believe a lot of people suffer in silence.

This is what needs to change, the stigma behind mental health, and how people re act to it, and treat you differently afterwards. As people need to feel like they can speak up - and get help without the fear of it effecting their career or friendships as even the mildest of conditions, if left untreated can escalate and get a lot worse.

My work place have been nothing but supportive. In fact this year - They’ve gone above and beyond for online learning aids, support, information and even hired an in house ‘councillor’ to help and support us.

My only worry is that I feel that some people/places see it as ‘counselling will fix the issue’ and you’ll be back to coping again in a few weeks - which I’ve learnt for me it’s not the case. There’s a lot more bigger darker issues going on which I need time to explore, uncover and understand before I can even start to over come them. It’s not a quick fix. It's a journey, a lifestyle change and it’s going to take time.

I never really knew or realised I had mild anxiety until a few years ago - to be honest, I never even really knew what is was. But looking back over certain events throughout the years - I can recognise that this is something I have had all along - I’ve just had good days, weeks, months or even years - separating each occasion and then BAM all of a sudden it's just too much and I break down.

Seeking help was one of the best things I did - as it was exhausting trying to ‘council yourself’ and now I find it easier to recognise my ‘triggers’ and understand my emotions a bit better. For example I know can get over passionate to the point that I have panic attacks if I can’t do or achieve something I want - but then other times I can’t even manage to care enough to get out of bed. And today I burst out into tears because I had one too many emails.But all of this is ‘normal’ whatever normal is? and I feel that if more and more people ‘come out’ about their issues, more and more people can see that they’re not alone in what and how they’re feeling. It’s all natural, normal feelings, some people just react, deal and cope differently to others.

And that’s why I started “Keep your Feet” to help show and share how I feel, so people know they're not alone. It’s ok to speak out, and it’s ok to ask for support and to talk about your feelings.

Let’s try and stop this stigma together - and let’s try and be there for our friends - so reach out to someone today, just to check in, and make sure they're doing ok. After all - I know first hand how easy it is to say “i’m ok” and hide behind a fake smile when truth is you’re actually breaking down on the inside, and I am and will be forever grateful for those friends that noticed and reached out when I needed it the most. 💛

#mildanxiety #anxitey #mentalhelath #mentalhealthweek #keepyourfeet

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refresh1122 · 3 years

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Sheets Buying Guide

There are heaps of interesting points when you purchase bed sheets: Are they solid? Will they wrinkle? How simple are they to put on the sleeping pad? Above all, this home product should be delicate and agreeable on the off chance that they genuinely are excellent sheets.

While percale and material sheets generally feel more fresh, similar to lodging sheets, they're not ideal when you're searching for the mildest sheets. These materials make the gentlest bed sheets:

Sateen: The yarn in one bearing buoys more than a few yarns the other way, giving this kind of weave a smoother feel than an essential, framework like percale. With regards to 100% cotton, our analyzers lean toward sateen for its delicateness.

Wool: The outside of the wool texture is brushed so that it keeps you warm, yet that cycle likewise causes it to feel delicate and comfortable.

Microfiber: These sheets are made of super-meager polyester filaments and give a rich smooth feel. They won't feel as normal as cotton sheets, yet they're generally less costly.

Rayon: This fiber is recovered cellulose – which means it's halfway normal and mostly engineered – yet the result is plush and extraordinarily delicate.

Know that string tally doesn't generally make a difference with regards to delicate sheets: Cotton sateen is just one from this rundown that will have a substantial string check (for example the number of yarns per square inch texture). String check is certainly not the first concern when you look for sheets in light of the fact that the fiber substance and weave are likewise significant as well.

Buying Guide

All of us spend a significant amount of time on our sheets on a day-to-day basis, as it is the place where we rest at night and during the day. Due to this, it’s important to consider the best bed sheets that are durable and soft for the utmost comfortability.

1. Peruse the fiber content first

100% cotton is consistently a brilliant go-to in light of the fact that it's delicate and moderate. In case you're searching for top notch, Extra-Long Staple (ELS) cotton, similar to Egyptian or Pima, is much milder and more solid. The disadvantage is that these sheets might be more costly and you'll need to confide in the organization's assertion; there have been examples of cotton being mislabeled as Egyptian. You can likewise settle on cotton/polyester mixes. Despite the fact that the texture may have a fairly engineered feel, the polyester makes it economical, more solid and less inclined to wrinkling.

2. String tally isn't all that matters

Assembling procedures can permit brands to make high string checks without really expanding quality. Our tests have demonstrated that 300 to 500 is a sweet spot for non-abrasiveness and quality. You can find good 200-string check sheets, but they may not be as comfortable, but keep in mind that anything more than 500 isn't that much better.

3. Know the distinction between weaves

Your essential choices are percale or sateen. Percale is a fundamental, a lattice-like weave that feels light and fresh. Sateen in a glossy silk weave and feels velvety. It's a matter of personal preference, however in our tests, buyers will in general support sateen.

4. It may not accommodate your sleeping cushion

Standard sizes don't represent bedding profundity. So if yours is tall or in the event that you utilize a sleeping cushion clincher, try to gauge before you purchase. It’s very likely that you’ll experience a degree of shrinkage after you wash your sheets the first time. For the most part, fitted sheets that fit up to 15-inch sleeping pads have performed well in our fit tests.

5. Continuously check the merchandise exchange

It is difficult knowing whether you'll adore resting on the sheets until you've given them a shot. A few brands, particularly those that have deals, permit you to make returns under any circumstances, even up to a couple of months after the buy.

How to Choose Sheets That Won't Pull

A great deal of thought goes into picking our custom cabinetry, hardwood floors, marble ledges and tram backsplash tiles, yet shouldn't something be said about the sheets we rest on? It very well may be difficult to figure out what makes a couple of sheets extraordinarily priceless, leaving us feeling somewhat lost during our next excursion to choose new sheet material. The issue isn't as muddled as it sounds, however. A decent method to decide if your present sheets are of high caliber? Scratch a fingernail over the surface. In the event that any material (called pill) falls off, they likely aren't too decent.

Does string tally truly matter?

String tally is in a real sense an estimation of the number of strings are woven into a square inch of the texture. As a rule, the higher the string check, the milder and more tough the sheets are because of their thickness. Your regular sheet set will presumably be in the 200-check range, while a more pleasant set will be as much as 300. There's no motivation to surpass 450, in any case, as it's similar to applying SPF 100 sunblock; ultimately, the number quits importance.

Shouldn't something be said about the kind of material?

The real sort of string matters similarly as much as – if not more than – the string check. The best cotton out there is Egyptian, on account of its more extended strands. Sheets made of Egyptian cotton are smoother and more slender, however will last longer. Pima is your next smartest choice in the event that you don't care for the higher price that accompanies a bunch of Egyptian cotton sheets.

"Simple consideration" sheets are made of a combination of cotton and an engineered polyester mix. They're generally entirely breathable, inasmuch as you ensure the engineered rate is something close to 10 percent.

Cotton isn’t the main material sheets are made of, all things considered. Another famous decision is bamboo, an economical and antimicrobial decision that disposes of additional dampness. In the event that you live in a sticky area or have helpless ventilation in your home, this might be your smartest choice. Silk sheets don't consider a lot of wind current and get exceptionally warm in the late spring, while material is delicate however wrinkly.

Conclusion

When you’re shopping for bed sheets, it’s important to consider the simple product characteristics of the sheets that are oftentimes overlooked. When you know what you’re looking for in bed sheets, it’s easier to assess which ones are for you so that you’re able to sleep a comfortable night’s sleep.

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