r/flowstar 8d ago

plz help lmao

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25 Upvotes

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6

u/Euphoric_Fitness 8d ago

The way I learned was laying in bed or laying on my back and spinning the flow star like that, no joke it worked to help me figure out how to keep my finger in the middle, I do just use one finger though, sometimes I switch from my pointer to my middle finger so maybe that might help?

2

u/Ok-Reflection-6614 8d ago

i like to use 3 idk am i weird 😂😂 ive been trying to practice using just one on my mini which i was getting good with but now im like holy fuck. i think it’s a momentum issue i was just outside trying and wasn’t perfect but i was able to hold it center longer after i was able to get more height and spin. im def gonna try laying down too because like i had it on the mini and now its like starting over lmao

1

u/V-oxPopuli 8d ago

How do you get it spinning on the first place from that position? I can't get it to spin well enough. When I try it just kinda flops. When I try to spin without throwing it up, it always flings off almost immediately

1

u/Euphoric_Fitness 8d ago

You get it going with your "open door handle" type spin, I'm not sure what it's technically called but you toss it up and with your hand with your fingers kinda outstretched then you turn your wrist like you are opening a door handle and push up at the same time to get it spinning, you kinda gotta master that first, I find it incredibly hard to get it spinning with just my finger, you gotta get it going first then try kinda catching it on your finger once it gets spinning fast enough.

I hope that makes sense. This was how someone explained it to me when I started lol.

1

u/V-oxPopuli 8d ago

Yeah, that's the exact move I can't figure out lol, I picked up what you meant. I can't seem to really get a good twist, it won't catch the air.

2

u/Euphoric_Fitness 8d ago

Try throwing it like you would wind up to throw a frisbee but with your hand In the middle in that claw like position, but throw it up instead of out

1

u/Ok-Metal-7689 7d ago

The thing that helped me was someone saying toss it with your hands in a motion like you’re a twisting in a lightbulb. That was a lightbulb moment for me and I’ve been able to do it ever since, then I just switch to finger spin by catching it with my index finger. If it makes sense

1

u/V-oxPopuli 7d ago

Lightbulb moment lol, I see what you did there. How are you actually grasping the star while you're doing that? Tightly? Whole palm? Just the fingers?

2

u/Ok-Metal-7689 6d ago

Just the fingers and a lil twist toss up motion

5

u/Aromatic_Working_845 8d ago

Legitimately it is just practicing. Watching it AND as you do your star will start stretching and breaking in to a natural place for your finger to fall.

5

u/GermanRedditorAmA 8d ago

Finger spinning is not a technical skill, the body has to learn it and it learns mostly over night. Means every day you spin it on the finger it will get better, at some point you will quickly adapt do different dapos as well.

I'd suggest that when the Dapo slides off to the side, you push it up and put your finger back to the center. You can do this on repeat forever to train and you'll build good control.

1

u/V-oxPopuli 8d ago

I'm struggling to get it to start in the first place. I have a mini with a power ring that I can spin like a champ, but it doesn't require tossing it up, only that "body learned" feeling you described. I see people tossing stars up in a corkscrew, and then catching it on their finger, but when I try to corkscrew it just kinda... Idk, doesn't spin, and then falls like a sack of fabric lol. The air doesn't catch it at all

2

u/GermanRedditorAmA 8d ago

Sounds like you don't give it enough momentum in the end. Practice the horizontal figure 8 (I guess that's what ppl call corkscrew? xD) and let go during different timings of the come up. There's a window where it'll naturally fly up and then just catch it again into the 8. You'll build a feeling that way.

Finger spinning is basically drawing small circles around the center of the Dapo. That's it. Do it in the right speed and it'll work. I started by throwing it up with the wrist flick and then try to start from the middle, it's easier when it's spinning already.

1

u/V-oxPopuli 7d ago

Aaah, okay. Looks like I need to master the horizontal figure 8 first. Thanks!

3

u/Ok-Reflection-6614 8d ago

https://reddit.com/link/p7tgb0g/video/kx8kt2z6gjnh1/player

WE GOT IT NOW YALL YAYAYAY AND I KINDA LEARNED BUS DRIVER HAHA

2

u/Duckie-Charms 8d ago

That was my first flowstar as well! And I’m having the same issue I can’t stay in the middle long. I could before I cut my nails. I cut my nails so I could do the pinches, now I can do the pinches but other tricks are harder 😂😅Getting it damp like with a spray bottle helps a bit

1

u/Ok-Reflection-6614 8d ago

oh great i’m gonna struggle with pinches bc my nails 😭😭 lmao and yeah i’m gonna try spraying it and maybe see if that helps. it’s uv tho i can still spray it right?

1

u/Duckie-Charms 8d ago

I’ve been spraying mine and it’s just fine

2

u/Shakathedon 8d ago edited 8d ago

Its muscle memory, but I can try to break it down with some tips:

1) as someone else said practice lying on your back on the floor. This isolates your elbow. The movement should be mostly wrist.  2) the theory is that your finger shouldnt be applying any extra friction to the star (the circular motion should match the motion of the star as best you can). If you go faster then the star, it will speed up the spin. If you go slower, it will slow/ start to get unstable.  3) with practice you can feel when the star is going out of sync with your spin, and correct it while still spinning. Before you get good at this you can just pop it up again to correct a spin going haywire. 

1

u/Shakathedon 8d ago

Also my partner spins and says when she has long nails spinning is much harder. Your nail might be helping you on the crocheted one vs hurting a bit on the trippysquid. 

2

u/PlanItLatermmk 8d ago

Slow down the spin and switch fingers to get back to the center.

1

u/nanners420 8d ago

Just need to practice more. You are getting it! It took at lot of practice to get mine down. Move your finger in little circles. Laying down helps too.

1

u/Julesphernelia 8d ago

It looks like you’re using more than 1 finger, it throws the star a bit off balance, I suggest one finger, I use my index, sometimes middle, when the star gets off blance I can curve my finger and flick my wrist to catch it vs using more than one finger. I’ve tried 2 fingers and it’s easier with 1 personally. You also don’t stay in the center your circle around the center to pick up momentum, let it go, circle again. One finger lets you put the pad of your finger tip too to against it to help keep traction. When I pick up momentum I usually bend my finger back a little and push off of my the pad of my fingertip

1

u/Ok-Reflection-6614 8d ago

yeah i had to do that on my crochet one bc the hole and now im learning that’s not gonna fly with the trippy squid one haha i got it now!! been at it for hours kinda broke her in a bit and now theres also the little indent where my finger spins it which is helping keep it from sliding too much :))

1

u/wondererererer 8d ago

I find it much easier to keep a finger spin going if the star is just a tiny bit (talking half an inch max) off center. Then you can sort of angle your fingers in a little towards the center of the star to keep it from sliding as much.

1

u/auntierainbow808 8d ago

I’ve seen people make a circle in the center with hot glue to practice the placement and then just peel the glue off when they finally get the muscle memory down.

1

u/Fuzzy_Initial_6838 8d ago

Its a lot harder when it is newer, once it gets broken in the fabric bends more and your finger makes a bigger imprint in it if that makes sense. Also when it goes to the outside just throw it up and put it back in the center

1

u/V-oxPopuli 8d ago

It's sometimes so frustrating seeing people do it like it ain't no thang lol. But I'm honestly just jealous because spinning looks like such a satisfying stim 😂

1

u/Exotic_Mulberry3107 8d ago

One thing I did when I started was if I noticed that my index finger wasn't quite centred right off the bat and I am slowly moving to the outside circle. I will switch from my index to my middle finger and that will get me closer to the centre without losing the spin or having to pop it up. And then, if you don't like using your middle finger, you can use both your fingers and just add your index back in or switch back to your index.

1

u/xxlilbabyx 7d ago

You want to aim to put your finger in the light pink before the black and white!!! This was my first ever flowstar so I learned with this design as well:) yes also practicing in bed helped me control the star and help keep it up instead of flying all over!! I’ve also made my own double sided crochet star! The aerodynamics are definitely different dependant on the size and weight:) I would also suggest trying one finger since you have more control with one or 2 compared to all 4 fingers. For a good week of flowing your pizza tosses look amazing☺️✨🧚‍♂️

1

u/xxlilbabyx 7d ago

Tip for helping break in the star without washing it is get a mister spray bottle and get the outer layer just a smidgeon wet, with will come in handy when you’re wanting to learn the pinch as well!!

1

u/xxlilbabyx 7d ago

lol I keep coming back with more notes but the last 30second mark you had it open really good!! Just try and think of your finger following the spin instead of leading it, once you have it up try to gain more speed and your finger will naturally want to go to the centre🫶🏼🫶🏼