#synthetic eek

[sylviazem]

FFXIV Write 2023- Prompt #16: Jerk

"So", Fjola poured herself a fifth drink and put the bottle away in the cabinet. She was alone with Bluebird, as Ekiki had left when she got a sudden notification from a merchant she was going to meet, and Nebula had already gone to sleep. "You're some kind of Allagan machine?"

"Affirmative", Bluebird replied. "Would you like to hear a comprehensive explanation about my specifications?"

"No, thank you. I doubt I'd understand any of it. Though, I have seen my fair share of Allagan automatons", she sipped her drink. "You seem...Special, somehow."

"Thank you. That is factually correct; I am far more advanced than any other android model."

"...May I", Fjola coyly circled the edge of her glass with her finger. "Might I touch your skin? I-I'm just curious."

"By all means."

"Wow", Fjola brushed her hand against Bluebird's cheeks and arms, occasionally giving her a soft poke with her finger. "It feels...real but also...artificial at the same time! How curious..."

"Highly advanced materials were used to create a lifelike, yet durable surface covering."

"It's certainly impressive", Fjola's hands continued to wander. "Can you...feel?"

"Yes. Synthetic skin and muscle fibers are woven with haptic receptors, which allow me to- Eek!" Fjola's hand happened to brush against Bluebird's lower back, which gave her hips a sudden jerk. "...It appears said receptors have partially malfunctioned and are hypersensitive in certain areas. Apologies."

"...I've never heard a machine make that kind of sound", Fjola giggled and poked her back softly again. "Cute."

"Ah! Please", Bluebird backed away and covered herself with her hands. "Please refrain from touching sensitive areas! Sensory overload can disrupt cognitive and motor functions..."

"That sounds dangerous", Fjola walked over to the couch and sat down, patting her thighs. "Maybe we should chart out your sensitive areas so we can fix them later."

"...I believe miss Fjola might be terribly intoxicated", Bluebird reluctantly walked over and sat on her lap. "But your statement is not without logic."

"Miss Fjola gets a little handsy when she's drunk. How about we use a scale of one to ten", Fjola laughed and rubbed her hands up Bluebird's shins and thighs. "Feel anything out of the ordinary?"

"Two. No abnormalities."

"All right", she continued up her belly and sides. "Here?"

"Seven..!" Again, Bluebird twitched suddenly. "Flagged for adjustments."

"And how about here..?" Fjola playfully squeezed her chest, completely lost in the spirits at this point. "...Shquishy and shoft!"

"Five...Within acceptable bounds."

"Nom" Fjola softly bit Bluebird's neck, which made her entire body stiffen up for a brief moment. "Oh my."

"T...ten" Her power supply was humming loudly. "Flagged for immediate adjustment."

"All right, I'm back with the new memory bank for-" Ekiki entered through the door, back from her mercantile dealings. "...I leave for half a bell. And you're groping the ancient android."

"Please do not misunderstand, Ekiki. Miss Fjola is helping me flag malfunctioning haptic receptors for adjustment."

"Yeah", Fjola let out a silly, drunken laugh. "It's just...haptic...s."

"...Uh-huh", Ekiki glowered at Fjola. "You're drunk, how about you go to bed and I get to work on installing this new memory for Bluebird?"

"Boo, okay...", Fjola flopped over on the couch and hugged a pillow. "As if you wouldn't want to grope a cute robot girl..."

"Yeah, yeah, fall asleep already. Sheesh."

[toilet-juicer]

Lil’ angry boi.

Eek © Me

[cadriona]

Consider: a beiguang tokyo ghoul au

TW: tokyo ghoul typical warnings

Considering it’ll be an au without the washuu, let’s also consider that synthetic human flesh has been invented and can be bought on the market

i’ll deal with the political ramifications later if i have to

Beidou is a ghoul, lost her parents at an early age and had to eek out her own route of survival, incidentally gathers a bunch of other younger ghouls that she becomes the leader of

generally speaking her crew tries to get food the legal way, but there are instances where they kill

owing to a ghoul’s physical capabilities, they end up picking up a bunch of odd jobs over the years, and somehow eventually becomes a considerable presence in the region

Haishan was a ghoul once captured and experimented on, escaped, became a kakuja (?) and was eventually put down by Beidou because Reasons. This gets her on the radar of the ghoul investigators as something more than just a small fry. From this battle, Beidou also gained some of Haishan’s abilities or something because the fight was long and she uh, had to bite off and eat bits of him to keep fighting

Beidou’s kagune used to be a koukaku that almost looked like a claymore except with claws, but after the battle with haishan she also had the beginnings of a bikaku. (Sometimes, it even seems to have a will of its own)

Ningguang is an investigator, and her weapon is an ukaku type

She originally took the job because it paid well and she could quite quickly climb the chain of command, but she also tinkers with the weapons on the side because she’s also an engineer(??)

She would also honestly prefer to work more in the background, pulling strings or making weapons then dealing violence as an investigator, but circumstances didn’t permit.

Ningguang was put on a job to investigate the Crux Crew and its leader Leviathan because their movements were becoming worrying (Beidou just found Kazuha and is trying to keep him away from another group), and they meet; both in disguise.

shenanigans???

end result is that beidou becomes ningguang’s connection and blade in the ghoul world in exchange for looking the other way when the Crux Crew is moving about, and they realize they have more in common than they would’ve originally thought

idk where else i might go with this good gods

[mantleoflight]

❗️ | Echo seein any of the pack hehe

Echo ducked as she slid past a Taken Hive knight, its sword thudding into the ground behind her. Twisting in her skid, the exo fired off a few rounds from her Bollyhoook, sending the Knight crumbling back to the Ascendant plane. Quickly, she dived behind a ridge, giving Whisper a chance to patch up her meager injuries.

"Alright!" she shouted into her comms, "We gotta clear these guys out before they reach the New Lights! Mint, I'm headed your way!"

She heard Scout and Pros call back but Mint's was cut off.

"Mint? Mint!? Aw, shoot!" The young hunter jumped as a pack of taken thralls flicked their way toward her, giving her just enough time to knife them as they reached her. Right behind them, sturdier Taken stormed their way forward. "Goshdamnit! These guys are tough!"

Quickly, she rolled back onto her feet, transmitting her sparrow to cut through the glowing crowd as she flew toward Mint's location. The Taken were just swarming! Everywhere she could see was Taken, Taken, and more Taken! It was like being in the Dreaming Well all over again!

"Mint!" She called, looking around for her packmate. "Mint!?" THen she saw him, right up on a hill with a Taken baker's dozen right after him. Even from here, she could see sparks flicker from his injuries. Spurred on by the sight, Echo put on the gas, blazing towards the hill when the figure of her fellow exo buckled and fell to the swarm.

"NO! MINT!!!!" Echo pushed her sparrow forward, trying to eek out every ounce of speed she could. She could see Tealeaf's light as he appeared, see the glowing hands and claws reaching, swiping, clawing the air for his shell. "Please don't let him be there, please don't let him be there," she prayed and leaped off her sparrow, sending a barrage of flaming knives into the swarm. If she could get Tealeaf to him in time, then they could—

Time froze as she caught sight of the pinstriped Taken, her synthetic heart almost beating in time with his slow, deliberate steps. 'No, no, no!'

The thralls and other taken were still barring Tealeaf's way as the mastermind behind it all stepped forward. Gently, the creature knelt and stretched a boney, glowing hand over the fallen exo's head. Firey Taken energy coursed through the body, transforming it before her eyes.

"No! MINT!!!"

She'd never seen someone Taken up close. Only ever seen them sucked into a swirling portal to the Ascendant plane to be remade in their new master's image. But this—this was more visceral, more horrifying. With jerking twitches, she saw the corpse of her friend darken and shine, his helmet shining like a spotlight as it looked up at her.

All Echo could do was let out a mortified scream,

"NOOOO!"

[sector-i-closed]

Are You My Pet?

Vampire!Seonghwa x pet!reader

Warning: smut

Tagging: @youneedapiratekink​ @atiny-piratequeen​ in case, if anyone doesn't wanna be tagged my bad

The tight tension that Seonghwa felt in his shoulders was steadily worsening with each beautiful smile that graced your features that wasn't directed at him.

You were busy fawning over his friend San, who had came over to Seonghwa's mansion with the excuse that his father was needing financial advice regarding his company that produced synthetic blood products.

Seonghwa shook his head, wondering why San, the CEO's heir, would be coming to him when it was his father that should have been talking things over with him.

From what he could see San was only here to play with you and the attention that you was giving the younger vampire made him seeth and rage on the inside.

"Y/N, come here." Seonghwa ordered sternly, watching as San worked with your hair, braiding it in a stylish pattern that made you appear even more gorgeous to your master.

"Your hair is so soft and smooth." San smiled, distracting you from paying attention to the words that your master spoke.

"Really?" Your eyes reflected wonderment at how gently the vampire handled you and for a fleeting moment you wondered what it may have been like to have been his pet.

"You look incredible, like a princess." San fingered the plaited hair on your head that somewhat resembled a tiara.

"Y/N, come here. Now." Seonghwa's voice broke through your thoughts as you stared into San's eyes, hypnotized by lively dark orbs that enchanted your senses, luring you in and causing you to momentarily forget who you belonged to. Slowly you stood up and left the vampire, wishing that you could have stayed with him longer.

"Go to your room, pet." Your master ordered without displaying any emotion on his face, his eyes equally secretive as he noted the pout that painted your face when you glanced up at him.

You had no idea that he was aching because of the interaction that you shared with his friend and he acted as if he was fine, though San sensed that your master wasn't fine. An uneasy feeling settled in your chest as you made yourself comfortable in your own room. You wasn't expecting to hear from Seonghwa for awhile and when he silently entered your room you were surprised to see him, staring straight at you where you were sitting on the side of your bed.

"You were thinking about how much more you would prefer to have San as your master, weren't you?" Seonghwa's eyes were cold and analyzing each quirk of your brows and the nervous twitches of your lips as you nervously thought about what to say in response.

"N-no..." Your lips quivered steadily, lying through your own teeth because you were afraid of what he would do.

"I don't believe you. Your face said it all, I could read each thought that went through your eyes while you were so enthralled by him." The corners of Seonghwa's lips were curved into a sick smirk that made your stomach twist, a rush of white hot heat flooding to your pelvic region while your face turned bright red.

"I wasn't en-enthralled!" You squeaked out, your body trembling as Seonghwa lightly brushed his icy cold knuckles against your cheek.

"Stop denying it. He unfortunately is a wondrous sight to behold I understand, but you are mine and you forgot that fact while you were looking at him." The vampire remarked in a bitter tone, his eyes burning red with the emotions that he was struggling to contain inside of himself.

"And you ignored me. That is unacceptable behavior, my little pet." Seonghwa narrowed his eyes, noticing how drool seeped from your mouth.

"Does angering your master excite you that much?" Your master closed the distance between you and himself. Your mouth fell open at your master's conclusion and you couldn't speak.

"Would San kiss you and make you feel as good as I make you feel? Answer me after I'm finished." Seonghwa growled against your lips before pressing a bruising kiss to your pout, deepening the kiss immediately after his lips made contact with yours.

You cried out into his mouth as his tongue dominated your wet cavern, devouring each part of your mouth where nerve receptors ran rampant, setting off tingles in all directions in your body and it overwhelmed your senses.

Finally the vampire broke the kiss, waiting for the answer to his question. You gazed into his angry red eyes, feeling completely discombobulated by the assault of his mouth.

"So you're not going to answer me, are you?" Seonghwa clicked his tongue, confusing you since during the intense kiss you had forgotten what was asked of you earlier.

"Huh?" You furrowed your eyebrows, unable to gain any understanding of his behavior whatsoever.

"I need to remind you that you're mine. I don't see how you could have forgotten that you belong to only me." Seonghwa quietly recalled how he had said that he loved you and that he wasn't going to let you go, but the way that you had acted around San earlier disturbed him and he felt the need to physically show you that you were only his.

"Strip." The vampire demanded, feeling himself grow even harder at the thought of being intimate with you again. Your legs felt like jelly as you stood and gradually removed your clothing, unveiling yourself for your master to view as he pleased.

"Get on your hands and knees, pet." Seonghwa pointed at the bed, waiting for you to comply before doing anything more. He saw the gleeful glint in your eyes as you got down on all fours, your ass ready and submissive for whatever your master desired to do.

"I'm punishing you for forgetting that you are MY pet." The sound of his hand landing a hard spank on your ass broke the momentary silence that had settled in your bedroom and your master watched each time that you flinched as he continued to spank your ass.

After the forth rough smack of his hand against your flesh the sensation of wetness seeping from your heat was almost embarrassing you, knowing that your master could see the sheen of your arousal coating your entrance and folds.

"Eek!!" You gasped, bunching up the sheets in your hands and clinging to them as Seonghwa added more burning spanks to your rear.

You had no idea how many times he had spanked you, though your master had counted ten and you were almost crumbling into your bed after the tenth spank.

"You love punishment. I can see how wet your cunt is after that." His fingers deliberately prodded at your entrance, pressing a single finger a few centimeters inside of your hole without pushing any deeper into your welcoming warmth.

"M-master... Master p-please..." You released a high pitched, wailing moan that reflected how desperate you were for him. The depth of his fingers inside of you wasn't enough to satisfy the spot inside of you that craved him.

"Who's your master? Who's the one who makes this cunt feel good? Does the moment of fucking San with your eyes not get you off better than my finger would?" Seonghwa withdrew his finger from your heat, drawing circles around your entrance and making you hysterical from want.

"You are my master! Not San!!! I don't want San, I want you!" You cried out in frustration, your walls clenching instinctively for anything that could be grasped but you were sadly empty.

"That's right. I am your master and don't ever forget it." The sound of zipper teeth unraveling loudly excited your anticipation, hoping that he would be sliding his member inside of you any moment.

"Ah!!!" You shrieked at the sudden stretch of his member pushing inside of your waiting heat.

"Oh! Oh! Oh! fu..." You desperately gasped for your breath as your master wildly snapped his hips into your addictive warmth.

The vampire wanted to drink from you but he had other things in mind, such as reminding your body of his ownership of you and who you were to him. You saw stars each stroke of his cock pressing against your needy spot.

Strangled moans drifted from your lips everytime Seonghwa bottomed out inside of you, his shaft rubbing against every nerve and touching you deeply.

"You're mine, I'm never letting anyone else have you." He growled, pounding into you even harder than before and you felt as though your knees would give out if the vampire had not been gripping your hips roughly, nails leaving reddened indentations that would turn purple later.

"Oh mas-master~!!!" Your knuckles were turning white as you clung to the sheets, the feeling of his ballsack slapping your clit each time that he thrusted into your clenching wet heat was the sensation that sent you over the edge, doing so unexpectedly and the intensity of the ecstasy that you experienced shook your entire body.

Your arms barely held your weight up as your master rode out his own release, coming to the realization that he had just fucked you hard and he resented being so rough with you. He released inside of you and pulled out immediately after doing so that he could see about you.

Your breathing came in ragged breaths as your weight collapsed onto your bed, feeling quite weary after the activity.

"Y/N... are you alright?" Seonghwa ignored that he had not zipped his pants up, nor had he tucked himself in since your current wellbeing was his primary concern. He wrapped you up in his arms and pulled you closer to his body.

"I'm fine." You sighed tenderly as you nestled your head beneath your master's chin. A tiny mewl from your lips made him pull you in closer, kissing the top of your head lovingly.

"Baby, are you my pet?" The vampire stroked your back smoothly, adding to the feeling of contentment that you felt in spite of feeling tired.

"I am your pet, and you're my only master." You kissed his clothed chest sweetly, unknowingly causing your master to quietly smile down at you.

"I love you, master."

"I love you more, pet."

[trans-advice]

Easy Makeup Tips That Literally Anyone Can Follow

By

Brit + Co, Contributor

Brit + Co connects you with innovative ideas, apps, and products that add creativity and simplicity to your everyday life.02/08/2016 05:15pm EST | Updated December 7, 2017

This post was published on the now-closed HuffPost Contributor platform. Contributors control their own work and posted freely to our site.

Don't get us wrong: We love a show-stopping makeup look as much as the next girl. But makeup basics are important. They're what help you with your base makeup routine that gets you ready in just five minutes flat every. single. day. and the hacks that can take you from office to date in just a few simple steps. We spend a lot of time breaking beauty down to the essentials, but here, we're going even further into 101 territory: we're talking a what's what of your makeup kit. Whether you've glossed over the nitty gritty of each product or are just learning how to build a routine that fits your personality or schedule, consider this your guide to keeping makeup simple and approachable. This foundation of knowledge can also be your stepping stone into the more advanced, creative ways to use makeup. Here's everything you need to know about makeup basics and how to use them.

Foundation + Concealer

Foundation: Beyond your skincare routine, foundation is what makes your skin appear flawless; it evens out your skin tone and conceals any subtle blemishes or discolorations on your face. The most important aspect of foundation to consider is coverage. Generally speaking, there are two ways to go. If you want lighter coverage then opt for a tinted moisturizer, a slightly colored cream that you can swipe on with your fingers to give your skin a wash of color. This is the lazy girl's M.O. If you're interested in more coverage then liquid foundation -- the classic form of foundation -- is your best bet. This foundation is best applied with either your fingers, a flat synthetic foundation brush or a sponge blender.

Take it to the next level with concealer: When you really want to be sleuthy, add concealer to your routine. It's your go-to for things like covering blemishes and more apparent skin discolorations, and can also be used to brighten and even out your under eye area. Concealer comes in different mediums like creams, sticks and liquids. Similarly to foundation, you'll pick your product based on the level of coverage you need for your skin type.

Bronzer + Highlighter

Bronzer: Imagine bronzer as sunshine in powder form. When you apply foundation to your skin you even out your skin tone, but you're also getting rid of the natural shadows and highlights on your face. Think of the bronzer as your way to use shadow to create depth or to give the illusion of moving a part of your face back. This is the first step to adding warmth and dimension back into your face. The "right" bronzer for your skin tone should look like a naturally tan version of you, not too orange and not too dark.

For extra illumination use highlighter: Highlighter is essentially the opposite of your bronzer. Rather than making a part of your face look smaller, you will use the brightness of a highlighter to bring out areas of your face (When you see images of a gal who has that glowing dewy-looking skin, there is a very good chance that she is wearing highlighter. Secrets revealed!). You can get highlighters that are golden, pearlescent and opalescent. There are also other variations, such as matte highlighter, which gives you the brightness without the shimmer. Finding a highlighter that works well on your skin tone and for your personality is pretty simple.

Blush + Cream Blush

Blush: When you're not wearing any makeup, you'll be able to see a natural flush of color on your cheeks. But again, after applying a little foundation, you're covering that up in attempt to get a more even base to work with. Enter blush, the product that adds life to your features (um yeah, you can wear blush on more parts of your face than just your cheeks). Because blush comes in so many hues, you can take it literally and match your natural flush or use a more playful hue to make your look more vibrant. Typically, beginners will wear powder blush because it's usually easier to apply for a more natural finish.

Pump it up with cream blush: Cream blush is a really fun way to take wearing blush to another level -- it's more pigmented, and therefore a bolder way to wear blush. To take it even further, you can apply a cream blush as your base and set it in place with a powder blush for an even brighter punch of color that will last all day.

Eyeshadow + Smokey Eye

Eyeshadow: When it's used on its own as a single shade, eyeshadow is purely cosmetic. As a minimalist or beginner, you can apply a sweep of a single shadow across your eyelid for a subtle pop of color.

Get your blend on with a smokey eye: For a more advanced gal who wants to take eyeshadow to the next level there's the smokey eye. The concept here is to create dimension using a base shade, highlight shade and contour shade just like you would do on your face, but focusing on your eyelids only. You can use endless color combinations as long as you keep the basic approach the same. To build a dramatic look, use a neutral color on your eyelids, a deeper medium hue in your creases and a brighter shadow on your brow bones and the inside corners of your eyes.

Eyeliner + Brow Pencil

Eyeliner: Eyeliner is all about enhancing the shape and color of your eyes. There are several techniques you can use, but beginners should keep application simple by using a pencil along their lower lash line to create definition and along the upper lash line to make eyelashes look fuller. Simple as that.

For further definition use a brow pencil: The idea of filling in your eyebrows can be a little intimidating for the gal who has never gone there, but once you're ready to accentuate your eyes further, this is the way to go. Eyebrow enhancement can actually change the entire look of your face -- this is why we're considering it a more advanced makeup route. You can try powders, creams and other variations of mediums, but the easiest way to fill in and shape your eyebrows tends to be an eyebrow pencil that you can get in a hue to complement the natural color of your eyebrows.

Mascara + Eyelash Curler

Mascara: This was actually my gateway to makeup; I wore mascara before anything else. Mascara is a great way to give your entire face a little extra pop without having to learn all the other techniques. I recommend that you pick a mascara that's not waterproof to start because it will be much easier to take off later. The formulas are typically designed to enhance length or volume and the biggest actual difference is usually the shape of the brush. Try to find a mascara that has a smaller application brush so you can have more control when putting it on.

Turn up the volume with an eyelash curler: This device looks scary as heck (I always make sure to be gentle with this little contraption), but it's totally clutch when it comes to getting va-va-voom lashes. It's a must for certain looks, but you have to make sure you use it correctly or else you can -- eek! -- break or rip out your eyelashes. Be sure to watch a tutorial that offers tips and tricks as to how to use it properlly before you get on this train!

Lip Color + Lip Liner

Lip Color: We're not just talking color -- the choices are endless -- but we're also talking types of lip color. There's lip balm, gloss, tints, creme sticks and stains. The main difference you should be aware of is that each one carries a different level of pigment, aka the amount of color that will show up on your pout; this can vary from brand to brand. The easiest intro to lip color is to start off with the less pigmented options and work your way up to the bolder hues that take more effort to apply and maintain.

For an even more perfect pucker use lip liner: While lip liner is a next-level product, it's one that I highly recommend using whenever you choose to wear any type of lipstick or darker pigmented lip color. Lip liners essentially create a barrier to keep the lipstick on your lips and prevent the color from bleeding or feathering onto the perimeter of your mouth. In other words, it's the secret to totally kissable lips.

For more beauty + DIY tutorials, check out brit.co!

[radioactivepeasant]

So, I recently discovered how to kind of salvage old doll hair.

I was helping my folks clean out the attic a while back and I found my first babydoll. Like literally the very first toy I ever owned. As in, my favorite uncle brought it into the hospital on the day I was born.

This thing has Seen some stuff. Toddler Radio put that poor doll through the wringer. So by the time I was probably ten, she did noooot look like she used to. (I can't even find more than exactly one photo of the 1989 Cititoy brand doll online anyway, so figuring out a starting point for restoration was tricky)

And this is after she went through a wash.

I looked at this doll and thought "Eek. I wouldn't want any of the nieces and nephews playing with this in its particularly well-loved state. Hey, I wonder if I can at least make it look mildly presentable again?"

So I did some research and found out that you can mostly repair even matted doll hair like Pink's with diluted fabric softener or even just normal conditioner! As I did not have fabric softener, I decided to try a spare conditioner that I had.

It was very slow going. Basically I had to separate every individual strand and comb it from the bottom up, to keep from pulling it out of the doll's head. Full disclosure: Pink was in such a state that I actually had no idea what color or style her hair was going to be when I was done. (Yeah, her name is Pink, I named her when I was like, a year and a half old. I sorted most of my things by color lol).

So this is about three weeks in, with six or more individual conditioner treatments. Lots of the synthetic hair ended up getting pulled out because of the mats (does not go down the drain, btw, learned that the hard way) but it's almost all lying flat.

I trimmed off the damaged pieces of the synthetic hair and put her through one last conditioner and comb treatment. The hair isn't exactly soft anymore, I might need fabric softener for that. But for the first time in over twenty years I actually know what this doll used to look like!

And to be perfectly frank, I did this on a whim. I saw this old, ratty doll in a pile of stuff and was just curious enough to try to restore it. And now I'm curious about what other old toys in my folks' attic I might be able to fix.

[wellamarke]

fandom + album challenge

Hi this isn’t a thing, I’m just inventing it right now because I was listening to one of my all-time favourite albums this morning and every single track seemed to remind me of Humans (because my entire mindset is just stuck on Humans obviously)

So I hereby create this challenge: take a fandom, take an album, list the tracks, and relate each song to a character/pairing/other aspect of the fandom. Once you start, it gets almost uncannily easy to find the links...

My fandom is obviously Humans, and the album I’m starting with (I’ll probably bore you with a few of these posts) is Ingrid Michaelson’s Lights Out. The album was released in 2014 and the show started in 2015, so when series 1 was on I already knew the songs, but a lot of my associations have totally changed since then (for instance, there was no Nistrid in 2015...)

1. Home

Shame to start off on such a tenuous one, but “this is my home, where I go when I’ve got nowhere else to go” could be Mia returning to Laura in series 2 (yes I know it’s because she was Anita and was registered to their new address BUT Miaura is life.)

2. Girls Chase Boys

Oh, this is so Mia to Ed! “I'm a little let down but I'm not dead / There's a little bit more that has to be said” she wants closure, in the most epic way possible... “You played me now I play you too, let's just call it over” and then tells him to leave, amazing, we stan an absolute queen.

3. Wonderful Unknown

Nistrid! Because of Niska having just said ILY to Astrid on the phone, and then talking about how the end never seems far away: “Oh, nothing lasts forever but the sound of love astounds me every time that it calls” aaaaah.

4. You Got Me

Umm, do I have to say that this is obviously Nistrid since Astrid literally tells Niska “You won’t lose me. You’ve got me” at the end of s2? But also, this bit about Niska going off to do terrifying things but only so that she can come home to Astrid: “when I see the curve of the earth in your willow eyes, I'm a rocketeer coming home after years at the speed of light / and suddenly you're there, like a pearl in the palm of the universe”

5. Warpath

Ummm... well the word Warpath fits Niska quite well because it’s what she’s always on. If we take it out of context “You’ve got me running round town like a woman on a warpath” is about her gay revenge plot :D 

6. Handsome Hands

This has a faint Leotilda vibe but I’m not sure if it will come out with just the lyrics. Let’s try “I think I'm the only one who really knows / What the emptiness inside of you will show us” with them being tied together by a year of Mattie’s bedside monologues... Also special points to “We are only tiny babies living right here, gone the way of someone else's bygone year” because they are only babies and Leo really has had a ‘bygone year’ hehe

7. Time Machine

Mia and Ed again: “Your broken ‘sorrys’ don't mean a thing: You made that bed, good luck falling back asleep!” Amazing. Also the chorus: “If I had a time machine, and if life was a movie scene, I'd rewind and I'd tell me: run.” 

8. One Night Town

Leo and Mattie. “You're the one with the pioneer heart / I'm the one with the brand new start” I think this fits? I don’t know how to articulate why I think she’s the ‘pioneer heart’ but his complete reinvention as a human is his ‘brand new start’ lol. Also this for Leo’s new way of looking at her in his memory: “Light up our memory, never knew what they meant to me” 

9. Open Hands

(This is a frickin beautiful song ughhh) Miaura? For the parting of the ways at the end of series 1... “Now go on and drift away, the tide can hold you out / Go quiet now, go sound, go safe / Open hands are hard to hold onto anyway”

10. Ready to Lose

Now this is the most Nistrid song I know, in fact. The chorus line is “I’m ready to lose everything but you” which is so Niska, who’s reckless and so brave but also so afraid that it will cost her Astrid (that conversation in 2.8 again). But also this from the verse, oh my life, spot on: “It's the heart in you, I know it in my bones, that made me change direction when I thought ‘better off alone’.” Is this not the perfect line

11. Stick

One of my favourite songs, this one. Anyway, it now gives me Laura feelings, because of her being upset over Neil, which I may be reading into, but I kind of... you know that I don’t ship Laura and Joe, but: “There's a part of you that stays with me someone else gets to know.” Sometimes that’s just how it is. 

12. Afterlife

Another gem... this could probably apply to a lot of ships but we’ll just go Nistrid, shall we? “Living like you're dying isn't living at all. Give me your cold hands, put them on my heart.” Also the chorus is amazing, “We’re gonna be alright, we’ve got the fight in us.”

13. Over You

Hmm... Mia pining for Ed even though she knows he’s a human dumpster fire. “Over, I'm so over you: the way that you said that you'd always be true. And maybe if I tell myself enough, maybe if I do, I'll get over you”

14. Everyone Is Gonna Love Me Now 

A little oblique, but this bit gives me Max feelings, that line to Mia about being alone: “If I knew the way to less alone / Then it wouldn't sink me like a stone”

15. My Darling

Okay! Nistrid! So we have: “Everyone likes the same stupid things / Everyone sings the same love songs” which reminded me of Niska’s lines about talk being mostly noise. Then the chorus: “You make me all the things I wanna be before I’m gone” sobbbb about her line to Mia again, about the end not being far away. Okay, so there’s those, and then..... this.... line.... I don’t know how to feel about this relevance to Niska really: “And I know that I’ve been broken since the first time that my father put me down on the floor.” Well, eek. But it’s followed by: “For the first time in such a long time, I need more” yasss Nistrid.

16. When I Go

Finishing off on a general note for the series as a whole, because organic/synthetic solidarity: “If everybody made a little space right by their side, oh there'd be room enough.” 

idk if I should tag people to do this also or just say: please tag me if you end up choosing an album/fandom to do this with, cause I’d love to read it! :D 

(edit: based on reactions I’m going to pretend as if I tagged @epicfics @sircarolyn and @turned-her-brain all along :P)

[a-writing-otter]

Warmup Piece 1/30 - I Don’t Care (I Love It)

Read on AO3

Ochako brought Izuku a bottle of beer and he tapped it gently against hers before taking a swig, leaning back in his chair with a sigh.

“Do you know who’s up next?” she asked, throwing a look to the stage with the crew still setting up.

“Bakusquad.”

She hummed, silent as she downed more of her beer.

“You and Bakugou talk, any idea what they’re going to be playing?” she asked at length.

Him and Katsuki talking was a bit gratuitous. They less “talked” and more passed snide remarks back at each other and, occasionally, fucked in the back of Izuku’s mom’s car.

Maybe more than occasionally.

Izuku huffed a laugh and shook his head. “Not in the slightest. They eeked by with the judges last year for barely picking a song outside of their genre, so they’ll have to really do something impressive.”

“But what’s the opposite of punk rock?” asked Ochako.

For awhile, Izuku just stared unseeing at the stage, his beer bottle resting against his lips.

“Electroswing?” he offered up if only to watch Ochako burst out laughing.

“You know, I’d pay serious money to see them do Electroswing. The entire band’s nothing if not talented and I’m sure they’re versatile on all of their instruments. But what about Bakugou? I don’t think he could pull off the suave–”

A synthetic bass beat cut off Ochako’s words as the house lights immediately went out, replaced instead by the flashing of neon lights on the stage that did little to light-up the group taking front and center. Under it, the drum beat, setting up the audience before the bass cut out and a voice took over. It was… unlike anything Izuku expected. The singer was a siren in the near darkness, pulling Izuku forward in his seat as he struggled to place it. Nothing about the synthesizer/drum/electric combination brought to mind the Bakusquad and their spitting, angry aesthetic (a good one, sure). He was used to seeing black leather and eyeliner thick like warpaint and when the stage lights finally came on as the lead singer ended the first verse, nothing on this earth could have prepared Izuku to see Katsuki standing front and center, smirking at the crowd in a getup that was nothing short of appalling. Well, that was to say, he’d never seen Katsuki in anything like that before. The tight leather jeans and studded leather jacket had been traded for a pair of cut-off shorts and a bubblegum pink track jacket that was definitely not his. But rather than snarling on stage, Izuku could pick out that slightly embarrassed, yet mostly elated smile on Katsuki’s face as he poured his heart into the performance at the microphone. Even while singing something completely different than what he was used to, he had a way of drawing the entire audience in. People at the very front jumped with him in place before letting out a raucous noise when he took the microphone out of the stand and leapt down onto the floor.

Everyone parted for him as he made a path towards the back, but he paused, he charmed the audience, purring out the words that they… somehow seemed to know. His energy was contagious, the way that it always was, but rather than being a blazing inferno with no control in sight, it was watching fireworks go off on a hot summer night. Its spontaneity alone was making Izuku’s heart hammer in his chest and his blood positively boil. The way that Katsuki got up on one of the tables across the room, a mini-stage that he owned in a fashion that was more magical than human was unreal. A bit unfair, too. Izuku was immediately reminded of Katsuki’s dance background if only from the fluid way that he moved his body, oozing a sexuality with it that wasn’t typical for his usual stage persona.

The Bakusquad didn’t portray sex, even for all of the songs Izuku knew they had about fucking (he’d listened to every album, alright, sue him). Katsuki wrote music that was as passionate, yet  aloof as he was, a being of anarchist chaos sent straight from the stars with that same level of unattainability. Now? He was half kneeling on the table as people reached for him, a benevolent god before his greedy patrons.

But that was nothing, nothing compared to the way that he started dancing when the vocals gave way to the popping of the drum and the bass together, the rest of the band covering for the way that Katsuki just went… was it right to say that he went off? He was bobbing and dancing on top of that table to the point that Izuku was worried Katsuki was going to break it. His body moved like water, Katsuki so aware of every inch. Every twitch of muscle, every extension of arm and twist of hips was on the beat and left the audience devastated in his wake.

Then the asshole had to remove the track jacket, all treetrunk arms in a loose tank-top and thick thighs in denim shorts. Izuku’s breathing went shallow and his heart leapt into his throat, forced to just stare at Katsuki wide-eyed like a starved man face-to-face with an all-you-can-eat. It sure as hell was not helped by the fact that Katsuki had to so perfectly flip off of the table before he continued to twist through the audience to the exact same, energetic pulsing of the music.

Izuku couldn’t ignore the way that sweat was pouring off of Katsuki, soaking him and making the tank top cling to his skin. Yeah, Katsuki was a fire on-stage, a blaze off-stage, and now Izuku wanted to be burnt alive.

Which, staring from afar was all fine and dandy until Katsuki made his way towards Izuku, as if the man knew exactly what he was doing to him. Maybe he did. Because one second, he wasn’t giving Izuku the time of day and then he was in Izuku’s space like Izuku was the intentioned target. The bass and guitar dropped away as Katsuki dipped into the bridge once more and… into Izuku’s lap. His face was devious in every word, smirking as he pulled on Izuku’s shirt, eyes half-lidded as he purred into the microphone for, seemingly, the benefit of the audience. And just as Izuku was starting to lose control, mouth dry, Katsuki winked, shoved Izuku back into his chair and was out of reach before Izuku could do a single thing.

His heart was racing as Katsuki effortlessly climbed back onto the stage, rounding out the song to the deafening applause of the audience below. And even after Bakusquad had cleared the stage, Izuku was staring ahead, dumbfounded.

“You, uh, alright there?” Ochako asked, waving a hand in front of Izuku’s face before he looked over at her. “You look a little flustered.”

“Did that… Did that actually happen?”

“Oh. That most definitely happened.” Ochako drained her beer. “Bakugou just danced around the bar to shitty techno-pop in short-shorts and a tank top. I don’t think I’m ever going to get that image out of my mind.”

Neither was Izuku, he decided, but for very different reasons.

[notdeadjack]

How do i take care od my shoes so they last?

CARING FOR YOUR SHOES 101

source: me. i'm a reparative cobbler. i literally do this for a living.ok so you have a pair of shoes of decent quality that fits (or crappy quality shoes that you wanna eek out every last bit of mileage out of in pure spite) and now you have to care for them like a doting parent, but how the fuck are you supposed to do that?? it's not as much of a production as most online how-to's makes it seem:

regular leather: if you're a dirty bitch or one of them people who likes running around in mud for no real reason, remove the excess dirt with a cloth or a soft brush. only use a little water as a last resort. if there's only regular dust and wear, just give them a quick wipe down with a cloth or something idk.apply a thin layer of cream shoe polish (Saphir creme surfine/deluxe is an excellent shoe polish and i highly recommend it. use incolore which has no colour pigments if you can't find the right shade, the shoes have multiple colours or a patina that you wanna keep or if they're brand spanking new and haven't lost any colour). allow it to dry in for like ten minutes before you polish with a cotton cloth (or an old t-shirt or a sock. it's not that important really).

suede/nubuck: remove dust and dirt gently with a suede brush (or one of them nail brushes), spray with waterproofing spray. done. use spray with colour pigments if they look sad and faded. 

do these simple steps as often as you can stand, but try to do it at the very least once a month, preferably every other week. you can never do it too often tbh.

more shoe care tips, materials and products underneath the cut!

other materials:  

spray textile with waterproofing spray. won't actually proof anything but will makes them easier to keep clean. 

syntethic materials won’t accept any help from no shoe care products and will crack or break whenever it damn well feel like it. you can put shoe polish on the fake leather tho, just to make them look nice.

patent leather and such won't absorb any products cause the leather is covered with a thin layer of plastic, but there's special products for keeping them clean and shiny. a moist cloth tends to leave spots bc mineral residues and stuff in the water. do NOT use sour milk or other dairy products on your patent leather

white rubber soles can be maintained by simply wiping them off with a moist cloth when you get home. if really dirty, wash or take to a cobbler to wash.

rubber boots can do with some grease or oil tbh. will help prevent them from drying out. 

oiled leather/nubuck tho. there's special products for these. check the labels but grease or oil spray usually does the trick.

but what about all the other stuff? like, the grease/fat/oil, the waterproofing, the washing and The Removal of The Laces™ that all the how-to's talk about?honestly, those things are often excessive and here's why:

washing: unless your shoes are actually dirty (partied too hard and spilled a drink or olive oil on them, large amounts of mud that can't be wiped off, water or salt stains etc), you don't have to wash them. water isn't good for the leather, dries it out so... only do it if you absolutely have to? preferably, take them to a professional and have them do it.

leather grease/fat/oil: honestly, this stuff IS good for the leather and you should use it. but there is such a thing as too much and y'all have no idea how many times i've had to wash a pair of shoes because the owner used too much too often and now there's clogging and fat and dust piled up at the seams like an abandoned butter factory and the shoes just look miserable. apply a thin layer and allow to dry before you apply shoe polish a few times a year. before and after putting your shoes into storage for the season, if they look and feel dry or if you wear them year round, put some on every other or third month. always BEFORE the polish.

waterproofing aka the thing every single shoe store employee tells you to do and it makes me wanna scream every time i hear it: only necessary for suede and nubuck shoes (and usable on textile, as mentioned above). seriously.  

a)waterproofing your shoes won't actually make them waterproof, will only help suede to repel the stray water droplet so that it doesn't soak in. won’t help when it’s pouring down.b) proper shoe polish contains wax (is what makes shine when polished) that will protect the leather from water in the same way. adding the spray on top of that is pointless.c) can actually ruin your polish work, make it all matte and occasionally even leave stains, discolour or trap dust.d) is sold as a��“fix all” for lazy people to use on all of their shoes regardless of material. fixes nothing. don’t bother unless suede.

removing the laces before polishing: ??? you don't have to? you can work around them. i mean, if you're doing a full care with grease and stuff, it might be easier to remove them but that's up to you. you might get some polish on them but unless you have light or brightly coloured laces it doesn’t hurt them. do exchange them if they break tho. (if they break easily, there might be a sharp edge that rubs at them or, and this is the most likely, you don't unlace properly before forcing your feet into your shoes. the laces take a lot of stress, be nice to them!)

other shoe care products:

wax: such as Kiwi Parade Gloss, Saphir Mirror Gloss etc. a hard-ish bit of wax product that comes in a flat tin. is used to acquire high shine on leather shoes (think spit shine). doesn't actually do that much for the shoe except shine and repel some water. a must for dress shoes but should preferably only be used on the toe cap since it can build up in seams and, if applied the bits that moves a lot, can "crack". it's not damaging to the leather but looks scruffy af. apply with one of them tiny brushes you see in shoe care stores or with a sponge/cloth. polish with a cloth, lamb wool polish glove or a horse hair brush.

fisherman grease: are you a fisherman? no? then don't use it.

quick shine or self shine: do not. contains silicone and shit that won't be absorbed by the leather and won't dry. looks amazing when fresh but will attract dust and turn matte within minutes. shit product designed to appeal to your laziness and take your money while giving you a false sense of accomplishment. seriously, if you're good with the shoe polish, all you need is a a quick rub with a cloth (or the sleeve of your shirt, back of your pant leg) to revive the shine. yes i am a little bitter about the existence of quick shine products,

mink oil: mostly used by old people and hipsters who buy into the whole "the old way is the best way". i highly advice you not to. mink oil is too good at keeping the leather soft. can easily make your shoe leather yucky soft and floppy, the shoe loses shape and turn into a sad, sagging lump. can also discolour the leather (usually into an unsightly green). only use a little if the shoe is drier than the sahara desert.

leather balm/renovateur: technically not the same but has the same usage area. generally too light for shoes but is excellent for other leather goods like jackets, bags and gloves. used the same as shoe polish: apply thin layer, let dry, polish with cloth. redo as often as you can be arsed but at least once or twice a year i mean come on, give your favourite leather bag or jacket some love!

shoe trees: please? do use. preferably made out of cedar. can be expensive but will last you a life time. they will absorb the moisture from your shoes after wear and help them retain their shape (see those creases right at the bend behind your toes? yeah, those will always show up but shoe trees will help minimize them). you can get buy with just one pair, just stick them into which ever pair you wore last. it's highly recommended that you let your shoes dry completely and rest between each use. having two pairs of shoes that you alternate between is good enough.

if you're gonna store your shoes and can't afford buying shoe trees to all your pairs, you can just stuff them with paper or bits of a foam mattress or something, just to help them keep their shape. the ones that has a metal spring in the middle and a ball at the end should be used with caution and only for a day or so at the time, since the spring loaded ball (heh) puts constant pressure on the back piece of the shoe and can actually push it out which is bad and also ugly.oh! and if your knee high boots have zippers, do make sure that zipper is straight when not worn. use a boot tree, a rolled up news paper or a stick a plastic bottle in them. just so that they don’t fold over and put stress on the zipper.

shoe deodorizer: if your shoes are leather with a leather lining and leather inner sole (AND YOU WEAR SOCKS! seriously, please always wear socks or hose or something inside your shoes at all times. or your foot sweat, dead skin and dirt will build up inside your shoes and it is Gross™), they honestly won't smell much at all. deo is unnecessary (unless you have some kind of affliction which makes your foot sweat super powered, which some people actually have and i feel for them). synthetic and fabric shoes are satan when it comes to foot odour and all you can do really is make sure to wear clean socks and change the inner sole as often as possible.

the washing machine: PLEASE. DO NOT PUT YOUR SHOES IN THE WASHING MACHINE! no, not even your converse hi-tops. seriously. all shoes are glued more or less excessively, and the heat and water will make the glue unstick and your shoes will fall apart quicker. take them to a cobbler for a wash if they're really dirty.

and finally: inspect your shoes. if you spot a seam coming out, or the sole unsticking on the inner left or the heel piece is worn down: take them to a reparative cobbler asap. do NOT try to fix it yourself (you can actually make them ten times harder or even impossible to fix). most things that breaks on leather products can actually be fixed, but the longer you let it go without addressing the damage, the worse it will get and the more expensive it will be to fix. expect to spend about half the purchase price on maintaining your shoes at a cobbler. more if they're your favourites and fit like a dream. 

do try to find a good cobbler, some are absolute hacks that can ruin your shoes. if you live in a big city, go to the finer parts of town and accost a rich person and ask what cobbler shop they go to. they usually have a favourite cobbler that they remain loyal to/cling to desperately. instagram and/or facebook can also be a good place to check.

craftsmen in europe has journeyman or master "letters" (basically diplomas) that they can only acquire after they've worked in the profession for a certain amount of time and can prove that they're skilled in various parts of the job. you can ask if they have one and if they do, they're probably not completely unskilled.

rule of thumb is if the cobbler also does dry cleaning, seamstress work, plumbing and a hundred other vaguely connected things, chance is high that they aren't as good. this is largely dependent on country tho so... use your common sense.

also, don't bother with chains (such as mr minit) and those that offer quick jobs. doing a job properly takes time and care. rushing generally leads to lower quality work, as with everything. it’s up to you tho.

aaand i think that's about it!

i'll post a guide on how to buy good quality shoes that fit later, but until then, if you have any further questions, or want specific shoe or leather care advice my ask is always open and i'm happy to help :D

[toilet-juicer]

“L.O.V.E. POISON”

Be careful with your experiments, kids. You might get feelings. Eek © Me

[gothify1]

Not to get too biology class on you, but as you know, the skin is by far the body's largest organ. So it goes without saying that protecting it and treating it well is of the utmost importance, which is exactly why we should be thinking about what it comes in contact with every day—like our clothing. And in case you've ever wondered what the worst fabric for skin is, hear us out. While it's admittedly tricky to avoid every fabric that science deems bad your skin, informing yourself on the dangers of certain textiles can lead to wiser decisions about how often you choose to purchase and wear harmful fabrics. There's something to be said for the "ignorance is bliss" mindset, but when it comes to small sartorial tweaks that could greatly improve the health of your skin and body, knowledge is undoubtedly the way to go. To make it a bit easier for you, we did the dirty work and dug through the depths of the internet to provide you with the skin-saving information you need. Keep scrolling to find out the worst fabrics for your skin, and shop stylish pieces made of fabrics that are, alternatively, good for your precious skin. When you think of bamboo, a buttery-soft, fluid fabric probably comes to mind, but in reality, that's not how it's found in nature. In its natural state, bamboo is stiff and rough. According to research conducted by sustainable outdoor clothing brand Patagonia , the process to convert bamboo to its softest state (rayon fiber) releases toxic chemicals (carbon disulfide, sodium hydroxide, and sulfuric acid—eek!) that are actually reproductive hazards. As anyone with dry or itchy skin issues will tell you, certain fabrics exacerbate the problem. One of the biggest culprits is one that's found in nature—wool (not to be confused with the softer merino wool). Live Science says that wearing wool can trigger eczema flare-ups, and a Mayo Clinic doctor, Megan Johnston Flanders, MD, says that the fabric can even irritate normal skin. This is the category that holds the majority of the skin-harming culprits. Man-made fabrics like acrylic, polyester, rayon, acetate, and nylon are treated with thousands of harmful toxic chemicals during production, according to ScienceDaily . They reported on a study from Stockholm University, in which researchers chose four groups of substances related to health risks and tested them for "occurrence, quantity, toxicity, and how easily they may penetrate the skin." The highest concentrations of two of the substances were found in none other than polyester. Toxic chemicals aside, synthetic fabrics simply don't breathe, and anyone who's worn polyester on a hot summer day is probably well aware of that. The fabric also traps odors, which Popular Science  explained in an article. Not to go into too much gory detail, but skin germs found in sweat feast on chemicals, which synthetic fibers can't absorb, therefore creating an environment for smelly bacteria to grow. All signs point to polyester being the number one worst fabric for skin. Any fabric made to be wrinkle-resistant (even non-synthetic ones) get their wrinkle-free powers from a hazardous chemical called formaldehyde. ScienceDaily reported that greener methods are being investigated, but in the meantime if you're tempted to purchase an item based on this quality, we suggest sticking with natural fabrics and grabbing the steamer instead. The reason that vintage clothing can be harmful to skin is simple. According to Dr. Ava Shamban of Everyday Health , "Old fabrics and furs that have not been cleaned properly or not been stored in a dust-free garment bag can harbor years' worth of dust and dander that can really raise a rash." Do yourself a favor, and get your newly acquired vintage piece thoroughly cleaned before wearing. By process of elimination, you've probably already guessed that the best fabrics for your skin are natural ones. These include cotton (especially organic), merino wool (which is softer than wool, thanks to finer fibers), cashmere, hemp, silk, alpaca, and linen. If skin health is a concern of yours, we hope this will encourage you to be more mindful of the materials your clothes are made of. Shop pieces made of natural fabrics: These soft cotton tees are an editor favorite. And now, here's the perfect breezy vacation dress. It doesn't get more timeless than this. Two words: Organic cotton. Stock up on skin-friendly silk camisoles. Cashmere sweatpants? Enough said. This classic jumpsuit is the type of thing you'll wear year after year. These 100% cotton jeans give a vintage look without the hassle.  These scientific facts are more than enough to make us check the clothing label for the fabric specifications before we buy. HBU?

[cosplaytutorial]

oh my gosh how serendipitous, ive been trying to comb the internet for swimsuit costuming help for a princess daisy and princess peach cosplay for a water park convention next month!!! i cant seem to find anything actually decent or understandable, & im kind of a dummy, so would a swimsuit question fall under stretch knits? or is spandex or lycra a whole nother ballgame? :0 im rly bad abt making costumes with the right materials but im trying to get better.... eek! thanks in advance for any help

Hello there!

Glad this week’s theme is useful to you!

Swimsuits are usually made of stretch knits, yes. I will use this opportunity to talk a little bit about choosing fabrics for bodysuits and similar garments, since that seems like it would be most helpful to you.

Stretch fabrics come in two basic forms -- 2-way and 4-way. 2-way stretch means that it stretches either side to side or up and down, but not both. 4-way stretch means that it stretches both side to side AND up and down, though one of these directions may have less stretch than the other. (To make things extra confusing, some places call what I’m calling 2-way stretch “1-way stretch” and what I’m calling 4-way stretch “2-way stretch,” so always double check that the fabric has the stretch you need.) For something like a bodysuit, which goes around the body in multiple directions (around the torso horizontally, as well as around the torso vertically, or in other words, around the waist and around the area from crotch to shoulder), 4-way stretch is best because it will more easily move with you. I’m assuming that since you are wearing this to a water park (Colossalcon?), you will be actually swimming in it, so 4-way stretch is vital.

When doing most bodysuits, the direction of greatest stretch should be around the body horizontally, to allow for greatest fit. However, when doing a gymnastics leotard, you will want to have the greatest stretch up and down the body, so that there is greater freedom of movement. For a swimsuit, I would recommend having the greatest stretch around the body horizontally.

When looking at bodysuit fabrics, there are two major factors to keep in mind -- stretch and recovery.  Stretch refers to how much the fabric expands when you tug on it, and is measured in percent -- if it stretches 15%, it becomes 15% larger than the relaxed fabric, if it stretches 50%, it becomes 50% larger (so if you have a 5″ piece, it becomes 7.5″), and if it stretches 100%, it doubles in size (so if you have a 5″ piece, it stretches to 10″). For a bodysuit, you generally want stretch above 50% at bare minimum, and stretch above 75% is best. Recovery is also very important, and a bit harder to measure objectively. This can only be tested through observation and experience. When you stretch the fabric and let go, how quickly does it snap back to its original size and shape? Does it stay somewhat stretched-out looking, or does it go right back as if nothing happened? Something like a T-shirt and many light rib knits have lower recovery, making them unsuitable for bodysuits because they will eventually sag, and performance knits meant for bodysuits, leotards, and swimwear will have high recovery, so that they conform to the body. Increased spandex content increases the recovery of a fabric.

Most performancewear fabrics are made of a synthetic like nylon mixed with spandex. Lycra is the brand name of spandex, and elastane is another name for spandex (often used outside the US). These are all the same fiber type. When people talk about making a costume out of “spandex,” what they mean is using a knit fabric with a high spandex content, typically one that is opaque or otherwise solid, with a smooth finish, and a high amount of stretch and recovery. You will often run into “regular” spandex, which is usually raschel-knit, a process that allows for a great amount of stretch, as well as materials such as milliskin, moleskin, and other, more speciality fabrics under the same “spandex” umbrella (satin spandex, some wicking knits, mystique spandex that has a coating of tiny metallic dots for a shiny effect, wet-look spandex, etc.). These may all have slightly different properties, depending on knitting process, fiber and needle size, and fiber content, so it is always best to get a swatch and test the material yourself if you can.

For a swimsuit, you are likely going to want to line it. “Swimsuit lining” fabric is usually a lightweight tricot knit (tricot is a different knitting process that creates fine wales on one side) in various neutral colors and a small range of skin tones. This is usually used in the crotch and sometimes bust of the swimsuit. Various 4-way stretch meshes are also used as a lining, and something like a light or medium powernet (powermesh, girdle fabric) used as a full liner can help create some light shaping properties. A heavier tricot knit can be used as the outside material.

 With anything that is going to be used as swimwear, be sure to test it in both water and chlorine ahead of time, if you can. Some fabrics will become faded or damaged by pool water, and that’s not something you want. (Materials with a metallic foil coating will often fade quite fast, for example.)

For your purposes, I would recommend looking at either a heavier tricot knit or a “regular” spandex. Either one would work well for a swimsuit. Be sure to get a good pattern so that you have the correct amount of ease (likely negative ease) and that you get the proper notions (swimwear elastic is a big one here).

Good luck! I hope that helps :]

—Fabrickind / Q&A Staff

[hollowsentinel]

Her Best

Note: Why are @thebreadle's children so good? Featuring the broken cyborg. The dragged daughter is included for spite or some such.

Between stretching her savings and getting revenge, Tabitha thought that revenge was the better choice. Better yet, she found someone that wanted to pay her to do it soon. One emptied bank account, some shady business, and a phone call later, she got the chance to get the jerks that decided that it would be fun to drive around with an industrial electromagnet on the back of their truck. All she had to do was wait for them to drive by, and she could fill them with whatever her gun was loaded with.

She glanced down at the stupidly expensive piece of junk she bought. Its quick display had long since buzzed out to a bubbly, but unhelpful canary. Apparently its guidance system lagged, and its butt broke against someone's else's butt. She didn't know why she asked about either (but she admitted that the latter made for a kind of funny story). It still fired exactly where Tabitha pointed it. Even if her synth-eye was buggy as all hell and refused to interface with the gun, it would do. Also, it was silenced, and that was pretty cool.

Tabitha checked her cell for the time. The jerks were late, but she supposed that it was par the course for ruining people's days. It wasn't like she had a shift at her local snack shack or had to see anyone. When she looked back at the street, a shock pinched her eyes shut.

Synth-blood, cyber-lube, or whatever it was (she was too busy panicking when the crazy doctor explained his new-fangled cybernetics) oozed out of her head holes. She really needed to see a doctor about that. If only they didn't charge up the butt for everything. She wiped up the mess as best she could, but it still stung her good eye and greened-out her replacement. The fluid in her ears made the world sound off, but it shielded her from the worst of the bozos' tricked-out ride.

Her skin buzzed when the joy-riders skidded around the corner a few blocks down. Their engine roared loud enough to rattle the windows of the run-down shops on the street. The bass of whatever noise they played shook her bones. It was about time they showed up.

Tabitha jammed the bare rod of her gun against her shoulder and took aim. Her first shot broke their windshield and blinded the driver. A second shot turned the rest of it white with cracks. The rest poured into the cab at random. One of the jerks kicked the glass out. None of them were dead yet, and one of them pointed her out.

The truck accelerated. Tabitha's heart stopped. They were going to run her over. She hurried to reload her gun, fumbling against the back of her shirt and shorts. There wasn't enough time. She dove into an alley just before they got to her. As they scraped by, she jammed her new clip in, but as soon as she stepped back out, something slammed into her and sent her sprawling.

Hannah thanked her mother, father, doctor, and surgeon for all they did to convince her that her ugly, heavy-duty prosthetics were the right choice. She also cursed them for pushing her away from synthetic materials. Getting dragged around by a giant magnet was not fun. Being late for her job interview was not fun. Slamming into someone and picking up speed was not fun. Worse still, she lost her fancy hat.

She and her victim screamed as the stupid magno-truck sped down the sidewalk. A sharp turn sent them careening through a storefront. On the bright side, the ride was probably over. Hannah could feel the pull of the magnet fall away. On the not so bright side, everything hurt and it felt like she was bleeding.

With a groan, she checked the wet spot on her head and found not blood, but green gel. Someone coughed and more of the fluid splattered onto her. Hannah opened her mouth to berate whoever it was, but she shut her mouth when she saw the girl on her.

She wiped the dribble on her chin and glanced down at Hannah. She looked away for a moment before she settled back on her. "You break anything?" she asked.

"I don't think so," Hannah eeked out. She looked over the girl on top of her. "What about you?" A cracked panel on the girl's inner thigh caught her attention. "Is that going to be a problem?"

"What do you— oh." She pulled away and squinted at the thing. She dusted the panel off gingerly and prodded it. Her wince told Hannah enough. "It stings," she stated as she tried to get up. Her leg failed to respond. Well, her thigh panel flickered, but otherwise it didn't do anything. "And yeah, no, that's not good."

Sirens cut off Hannah's response. "Ugh, this day just gets better and better," she groaned. They would take forever to deal with. Her companion, on the other hand, freaked. "Hey, what's up?"

"The cops and I don't exactly get along," the girl admitted. "Something to do with all the crap I gave them during homecoming." She pouted and meekly added, "I may have sprayed their cruisers pink."

"Oh," Hannah breathed. At least it wasn't murder. "That was cool." It had been a good laugh when they made the news. "Wouldn't it be illegal for them to take it out on you?"

"Yeah, still not looking forward to meeting them with an illegal gun."

Hannah glanced over to the gaudy rifle on the ground. "Oh." She sighed as the sirens grew louder. "Screw it." The girl yelped as Hannah picked her up and carried her like a princess. "I'm not exactly clean either," she admitted. A flick of her foot collected her briefcase and the girl's rifle. "Alright, escape 'ho!"

And off they went.

[sesameart-blog]

Here’s a list of my art supplies requested a while ago (eek!)

The bolded ones I use very often. Hope you are having a great week <3

Sketching:

Prismacolor Col-erase erasable pencils - Great to draw with, however they are still not as erasable as graphite pencils are 

Staedtler mechanical pencil - very light, so I might look for one with better weight distribution

Faber-Castell eraser - 100% would recommend! Erases heavier pencil marks

Finelining:

Hunt nibs & Royal india ink - Nibs are not super smooth; ink is very pigmented

Pigma Micron pens (Black: 005, 01, 02, 03, 05, 08) - A staple!

Muji gel-ink pens (0.38 & 0.5mm) - Would not recommend these for taking notes during class...although they are smooth, they smudge when I use a liquid highlighter over

Faber-Castell PITT artist brush pens (black)

Pentel Color Brush pen (Black)

Brushes:

Robert Simmons Expression wash/glaze brush - For watercolours lmao Winsor & Newton Cotman Rigger & Round brushes

Staedtler synthetic brushes (for watercolour and acrylic) - Very versatile

A watercolour brush from an ikea set lmao - Cheap doesn’t mean bad art!

Sakura Koi Waterbrush - Great for travel when I don’t have a pot of water handy

Colouring:

Sakura Gellyroll pens (white & red) 

Sakura Koi Water Colors Pocket Field Sketch Box (watercolours) - I’ve had these for a year now and they’re starting to crack...Not sure if that’s supposed to happen...Also comes out a bit powdery, but it does the job just fine.

Faber-Castell Classic Colour Pencils

Faber-Castell Goldfaber Aquarelle set (watercolour pencils) - I use these as normal colour pencils a lot

[babyi]

I hope album 4 serves VOCALS and legendary songs, like I want people's jaws to drop, I want Mariah Carey to be in shock. I want Whitney Houston to be praise dancing in heaven, I want Celine Dion to be hiding under the covers.

eek, expectations far too high here

the snippets we’ve heard, which is all we can go on, sounds like more whisper singing bordering rap with synthetic beats in the back. Nothing has caught my attention really from what she’s been excited about from A4. It sounds like the same stuff she’s been doing since Christmas and Chill.