Ask MetaFilter

My friend's pre-teen kid has just got her first sewing machine. I'd love to send her a couple of patterns that will help her learn some basic sewing techniques. [more inside]
posted by quacks like a duck at 12:35 PM - 13 answers

Cursed with ADHD, that is. Crochet has always a hyperfixation but I am 1) bad at counting and always lose my place, even with place pins and 2) I have never finished a single craft project in my whole life. [more inside]
posted by antihistameme at 2:03 AM - 18 answers

Hello. I am a huge old cinephile and I love collecting a lot of old films and Criterion Collection/good Blu-rays. I also love writing and I think I would like to start a film blog and delve into some old films/musicals/old film stars back in the day. [more inside]
posted by RearWindow at 5:36 PM - 9 answers

I’m getting a few people together in a bar to “play” askhole - a deck of high-stakes conversation-prompt cards. I’m looking for ways to structure this play, and maybe make it a bit more game-like than just “take turns answering the questions”. Anyone have any ideas/experiences for how to do this? Have you done this with other conversation-prompt cards? [more inside]
posted by ManInSuit at 8:31 AM - 4 answers

My 6 year old has ADHD (combined). He loves trying all activities and sports, but for various reasons (see inside), we have not been able to stick with any of them. I realize every kid is different, but I'd love to hear about extracurricular activities that your kid with ADHD (or you with ADHD) really enjoys and has stuck with. [more inside]
posted by dabadoo at 3:55 PM - 43 answers

I do a good amount of hiking, and while doing so I often think of all the animals that are in the forests and wild spaces I'm tromping through. Do you know of any visual representations that show how many creatures live in and around those places? [more inside]
posted by RajahKing at 11:36 AM - 3 answers

I want to knit a poncho for a six-year-old, but I need some help. [more inside]
posted by FencingGal at 9:36 AM - 3 answers

I'm looking for some way to spend extra minutes (e.g., between pull-up sets at the gym) that's not randomly scrolling Twitter or similar sites. If I was religious, it might be reading and thinking about a bible verse. Is there a humanist alternative for someone with broad interests?
posted by Jon44 at 8:05 AM - 25 answers

I am participating in a group costume this year that involves not-real horses. We each will come up with our own costume, so we don't have to match or coordinate at all, other than the fact that we all will be riding hobby horses. Hit me with your best horse riders! [more inside]
posted by tryniti at 6:04 AM - 29 answers

I have a tiny amount of beach sand from somewhere sentimental (think "couple of ml"). I would like to share half of it with a friend. What's the best way to make a keepsake in order to preserve such a small amount of sand? [more inside]
posted by wenestvedt at 12:43 PM - 16 answers

My 7 yo has shown some interest in chess for months, but I only know the very basics so I've already taught him everything I know. I'd like to buy an app (ideally iOS but any major platform is fine) that would help him (and me) learn a bit more - can you recommend one?
posted by Tehhund at 5:30 AM - 5 answers

I played {an instrument/a sport/a game} seriously and competitively as a child. I loved it, I was good at it, and I hated it. The competition made me miserable and spoiled any fun, and I stopped playing before I graduated high school. In particular, I was disappointed that I never really mastered some techniques well but I quit in a huff and never looked back. Now I'm in my 40s and want to settle a score with my younger self, I am going to go back to it and learn the things I never did, and get really good at it. But I kind of feel like I'm still doing it out of spite, not joy. I want a happier, more joyful reason to play, but I am having a hard time coming up with one. What are some reasons that motivate adults to do recreational activities? Backed by science, if possible.
posted by epanalepsis at 12:33 PM - 21 answers

I have done the Bonne Maman advent calendar for the last two years and now I have a lot of tiny jam jars. What can I do with them? [more inside]
posted by quadrilaterals at 7:49 AM - 23 answers

I've discovered I much more enjoy my escapism books with strong non-male leads but little to no focus on sex or heavy sexual relationships. What else should I read? [more inside]
posted by danapiper at 9:34 AM - 30 answers

Help me find gloves to protect my hands from bugs, thorns and gravel during "scramble"-ish hikes? [more inside]
posted by BlueBlueElectricBlue at 2:25 PM - 10 answers

Does anyone have suggestions for retro RPGs where - and this is the important part - failing to pay continuous attention is not a tragedy? [more inside]
posted by buxtonbluecat at 1:01 PM - 7 answers

What are fun things I can do this Christmas (Dec 25) in the evening in Toronto? I like - parties, places people talk to each other, Karaoke, other stuff. It looks like there are good Christmas-orphan events on Christmas eve, but not Christmas itself...
posted by ManInSuit at 5:39 PM - 2 answers

I'm on the verge of buying a copter-style drone. I've skimmed the local and federal FAA guidelines. The model suggested to me which most fits my needs (camera, range, automation, battery life, price) is the Holy Stone HS175D. I have a few concerns, though, before I make the (opposite of a) plunge, though. [more inside]
posted by not_on_display at 3:58 PM - 3 answers

I love riding my normal bike in the summer and I've been thinking of getting an ebike as well. Mostly I will be using the ebike for bopping around town (riding to new and exciting coffee shops outside of my normal range, for example). I love the idea of not having to trip plan around distance/tiredness/sweatyness/hills so much before deciding to take my bike somewhere. [more inside]
posted by forkisbetter at 10:52 AM - 11 answers

I'm looking for an anthology of sports journalism which is not entirely or primarily written from an American point of view. This is proving harder than I expected to find. [more inside]
posted by Busy Old Fool at 4:50 PM - 12 answers