Lara Neel's Blog, page 23
July 31, 2015
July 30, 2015
Math4Knitters: Episode 29
Show notes and more at math4knitters.blogspot.com.
Download/Listen to Episode 29.
The original show notes for this show.
Download/Listen to Episode 29.
The original show notes for this show.
July 29, 2015
The Witch's Hat
An old water tower near the University of Minnesota is called the Witch's Hat because, well, it looks like a hat!
It's completely worth the small hike up a hill to see this view of the city.
July 28, 2015
Construction
One of the things I love about the bike trail is that you, literally, get views of the city you can't get any other way.
I've been admiring this strange-looking configuration of steel over Highway 100 for weeks and weeks - but there's no where you can shoot a photo of it from a car, safely.
On a bike? Easy peasy. It's right on the bike trail!
July 27, 2015
Who Knew? Baby Food Jars Make Great Sugar Scrub Containers!
One of my coworkers asked me to make sugar scrub as a party favor for a baby shower at work. I said that the hardest thing is finding good containers. She said, "No problem, I have tons of baby food jars in my basement."
SCORE! So cute, and since they're small, I don't have to worry about wasting too much in case someone doesn't like them!
July 24, 2015
July 23, 2015
Math4Knitters: Episode 28
Show notes and more at math4knitters.blogspot.com.
Download/Listen to Episode 28.
The original show notes for this show.
Download/Listen to Episode 28.
The original show notes for this show.
July 22, 2015
Socks My Way: Stitch Pattern Savvy with JC Briar
I learned a few weeks ago that "Socks My Way" is now a series (of two, but it will probably grow) on Craftsy! My Socks My Way: Heel & Toe Variations class has now been joined by JC Briar's Socks My Way: Stitch Pattern Savvy.
I haven't spent a lot of time on her class, but I love her concept. She takes you through adding stitch patterns to your socks. She goes into great detail about getting the best stitch count for you, with your gauge and stitch pattern, which isn't always easy when you have a deep, interesting or lacy texture.
JC even covers how to make sure your lovely hand-painted yarn will play nicely with the stitch pattern you choose, which is so useful.
I've taken a class with JC in person, and I love that her matter-of-fact style comes through in the video. She has a true talent for taking complex concepts and breaking them up into pieces that are easy to digest. Check it out!
I haven't spent a lot of time on her class, but I love her concept. She takes you through adding stitch patterns to your socks. She goes into great detail about getting the best stitch count for you, with your gauge and stitch pattern, which isn't always easy when you have a deep, interesting or lacy texture.
JC even covers how to make sure your lovely hand-painted yarn will play nicely with the stitch pattern you choose, which is so useful.
I've taken a class with JC in person, and I love that her matter-of-fact style comes through in the video. She has a true talent for taking complex concepts and breaking them up into pieces that are easy to digest. Check it out!
July 21, 2015
Power Out
A tree fell on a car and blocked 13th Av S in Minneapolis, Minn. Taken on Sunday July 19, 2015. Photo by RACHEL WOOLF.This is not our street/house, thank goodness!
About 240,000 people lost power after Friday's storms, and we were two of them. It went out around 1 a.m. on Saturday and came back on (for us) around 1 p.m. on Sunday. So, 36 hours.
Other than cleaning out the fridge/freezer and sleeping in the basement, where it was cooler, it wasn't that bad. We read. I knit. I cut out and pinned sewing projects to try. I KNOW, I thought I had too much free time and money, so I've been trying out sewing.
I showed Dee that you can light up a room pretty well by pointing a good flashlight at the ceiling. (Thanks, years of photography!)
The storm made me grateful for so many things. Our street was still open. None of the big trees in the neighborhood came down. We have a gas hot water heater, so even without power, we could take hot showers. Our basement is mostly finished and we have a futon down there, so it's a nice place to sleep. We even have a tiny bathroom down there, so if we ever had to wait out a long, bad storm, we could do it in relative comfort!
July 20, 2015
Blue and Silver Tray
I've started picking up inexpensive wood trays at Goodwill, painting them, and stenciling them. I figure, as long as I keep them small and cheap, it won't matter that I don't have an exact plan for where and how I'm going to use them, right?
I sure hope so!
