u/YaB0iBlue

I have several kuhli loaches living in a 29 gallon neocaradina tank. Most of them that I see are in good condition, if perhaps a little too pudgy. This one guy is perpetually skinny, though. I've spotted him a few times, but he's shy and keeps hidden most of the time. It's only when I do a water change and a feed that I typically spot him. (Thus, the murky water in the photos. It's typically very clear but a little green tinted.) I noticed he was thin about a month ago and started putting more sinking food in the hidden spots where the kuhlis spend their time, hoping to make sure there was enough. But, lo and behold, he came out today and is still a very thin noodle.

Any thoughts on why this may be happening to just one khuli and not the others? Is there any way to help him?

If it's relevant, I last purchased kuhli loaches about 3 years ago, if I'm remembering correctly. They came mostly full grown, but not completely, so I believe they're pretty close to 3 years old. There were some in there that could have been 5 years by now, but I would be surprised, because there was a pretty bad tank crash that resulted in the loss of all the shrimp and several kuhlis at that time. No water problems since then.

Final picture in the slide shows the regular sized, healthy loach that comes to the front the most, to prove there are healthy ones in there.

I was topping off their water because the evaporation has been pretty intense lately. They were perfectly happy munching on dead duckweed stuck to the glass until one of them got brave while I was moving the java moss. I held still because it was crawling on me, which I guess invited the swarm to come pick at my skin.

I'm a little late, but hopping on the "faux lace" bracelet trend because I really have been enamored by recent projects I've seen on here. I made a little bug bracelet for my partner with Miyuki Delica beads in standard white and crystal luster.

​

I was intending for the thread to be a little more visible, but I'm content with it being practically invisible if it wants to be. I'm honestly just happy I got my pattern right.

I am currently practicing making little charms (mostly practicing square stitch, but took a break for brick stitch because it's very difficult for me to learn the correct tension, haha.) I decided to make patterns for tiny little octopus and squid charms. Feel free to make your own if you would like!

I included screenshots of the patterns I made to remember what I did, courtesy of Beadographer.com.

I have rough instructions for each, which I wrote mostly for reminding myself what my process was, so I apologize if they're not the clearest. I figured I'd include them below in case anyone wants to give it a try.

.

[SQUID]

(1) Start a regular brick stitch foundation, making a row of 2 and a row of 3.

(2) Passing the thread back through the top of the 2 bead row, add a bead and thread back through the adjacent row. This should leave 1 bead on top, horizontal, for later adding a jump ring to hang the charm.

(3) Continue to increase beads per row, 1 bead per row, so that you end up with a row of 4, then 5, then 6, then 7. This is the widest row.

(4) The next row should be a row of 6 and contain the first black beads for the tops of the eyes.

(5) Downsizing the row by 1 more, make 2 rows of 5 at once with a double brick stitch. The beads should go on with one black, two body color, then one more black to start the rows off. Once these rows are done, you should have two triangular eyes with one bead between them and a row of body color beneath them.

(6) Add 6 tentacles. Two on the outside will be 7 body bead color long with 3 accent color beads on the ends. To complete them, string all the beads, then skip over the accent beads and thread back through all the other tentacle beads, using the existing body's bottom row to secure them. For the 4 inner tentacles, thread 5 body color beads and only 1 accent color bead on the end. Again skip the accent bead and thread through the tentacles as normal. The accent bead should act as a stopper.

(7) Once all tentacles are attached, weave the end of your thread through the body, exiting a side bead, where you can cut it once the thread is secure.

.

[OCTOPUS]

(1) Start at the top of the head.

(2) Make a brick stitch foundation with a top row of 4 beads and bottom row of 5 beads.

(3) Extend out to make 6 rows of 4 each by threading 8 beads and then looping through the closest thread between two beads on the edge of the 5 wide row. They should fold over to make two stacks of 4 that overlap the edge of the 5 wide row above. It is okay if they make a loop at this stage.

(4) Pass back through the innermost stack of 4 that results. This should be the stack with the black eye bead.

(5) Add the next 4 beads and continue with brick stitch in this way til the end row. At the end, you will need to attach two rows to the same stitch from the above row of 5.

(6) Reduce down one bead to make a new row of 5 beneath all the new, 4 drop stacks. You should now have a semi-rounded body of an octopus.

(7) Thread 6 beads of the body color and 1 bead of an accent color.

(8) Pull the beads to the body, then pass the needle back through all of the 6 beads of the same color, allowing the accent bead to become the stopper at the end.

(9) Thread through the corresponding body bead on the bottom row of 5.

(10) Pass your needle through the next bead over and repeat this step for all 5 of the bottom row beads.

(11) Work your needle back to exit from the nearest of the 3 center beads of the bottom row of 5 that you have been working with.

(12) You will attach the remaining, 3 legs to these 3 center beads.

(13) Work your thread back through the body to the top of the octopus body, exiting through one of the 2 middle beads.

(14)Add a bead and thread though the next bead over so that the new bead lays horizontally over the center of the two middle beads of the top row of 4.

(15) Now just weave in your thread until it is secure. This top bead will be for attaching any loops or hooks for the charm to have a clasp attached.

I should have started with a smaller rug and a simple design, but here we are. I finished most of this rug almost a year and a half ago, but just now got it done, glued, and trimmed. It's not totally square in person, and there are decisions I would definitely change if I were to start over, but im glad to have it done. Trimming took forever but made a huge difference.

It is for our orange themed, mostly dark green kitchen, because the original builders put the worst carpet in the world in the kitchen, which now has a hole.

I'm a bit new to machine sewing. I grew up with it in the family, but I never took to it when I was younger. This is what I decided to tackle as my first quilt project as an adult. My friend says I am insane to do it in minky, but it's a dog bed for my furry son, who loves minky.

I feel like I will really appreciate regular fabric not slipping when I do future projects. Minky is a bit unruly, haha.