Tag: tips

Crochet Tips

Two of the three members of Writing Across the Lines love to crochet: myself (Jen) and Cymantha. Jen has created a variety of things, including a few Loki dolls, a bunch of Litwicks, and lots and lots of scarves. Cym is even more talented, having created a few dolls herself, amazing scarves, and beautiful blankets. We do have to say that we know our stuff. So, when I was thinking of what to post, I figured I’d give some tips on crocheting!

  1. Pick the right crochet hook.
    1. This has to be the most important tip. They have metal hooks, plastic hooks, hooks with grips, light-up hooks, wooden hooks, and afghan hooks. Personally, I prefer the plastic Susan Boye Luxalite hooks. They’re cheap (6 for $3!), they’re flexible (which many people don’t like, but I do), and they also have versions that are colorful (you can find them here). You want to find a hook that is comfortable to use, because crocheting can be a little tiresome for your hands, especially if you’re older or have arthritis.
  2. Learn your yarn.
    1. Like hooks, yarn comes in different shapes and sizes. You can go with the less-expensive Red Heart, which is a little scratchy, or go for premium yarn that is soft. I prefer the cheaper-yet-soft Caron Simply Soft yarn. It’s very shiny and easy to work with while still being very cost-effective.
  3. YouTube!
    1. If you encounter a stitch you might not know, look it up on YouTube! I taught myself how to crochet simply from watching YouTube videos and looking up tutorials. It’s so easy and it’s free. Don’t be ashamed to look things up.
  4. Ravelry
    1. Ravelry is a great place for free and beautiful patterns. That’s where I found my Loki pattern, as well as the one for my Litwicks. Most of them are very easy to do and the patterns are available for free. There are some that cost money, but you can filter those out if you’re not looking to pay for a pattern.
  5. Don’t stress.
    1. Crochet is supposed to relieve stress, so don’t worry if a pattern isn’t going exactly how you expect. If you find you made a mistake, “frog” it (rip it!). If it’s a small mistake, leave it. It makes your creation one of a kind. If crocheting is stressing you out, you’re doing it wrong.
  6. Turn on music or TV.
    1. This may not work for you, but I prefer to work with noise. Most of the time, I’ll put on a YouTube documentary and just sit and crochet. After a while, you learn to crochet without looking and you can watch the TV without worrying about your project. It helps the project past quickly.
  7. Have fun!
    1. You can create just about anything, so just have fun! Don’t be afraid to modify a pattern and try something new. Sometimes you end up with a project better than you thought.

 

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Tips on Moving

So, for those of you who don’t know, I am moving from a small apartment into a house. I am more than excited to move in, but of course, things happen. Nothing can go smoothly, can it? Here are some tips from what I’ve learnt of this move to hopefully help yours go more smoothly than mine.

  1. If you can, move a little bit at a time.
    1. Luckily, we decided to keep our apartment for an extra month past our move-in date. This helped greatly because of issues with the house. We are able to move in some boxes, which helped because we did not have enough room in the apartment to have all of the boxes. So we moved in little by little, and it has alleviated some stress.
  2. Don’t settle with problems.
    1. If there is something wrong with the house/apartment you are moving in to, you don’t have to settle. Every place you rent from will have a primary walk-through. Take pictures and make sure that they have any and all issues documented. This way, when you move out, you can prove that any damages were not done by you.
  3. Don’t buy boxes!
    1. It’s never fun to have to buy moving boxes. Instead, look on Facebook Marketplace! We have managed to find a great amount of moving boxes that people were giving away for free. There were tons of people trying to get rid of the boxes. Also, you could return the favor and offer yours up for free when you’re finished with them. Win-win!
  4. Change all the locks and garage door codes.
    1. Obviously, you’ll want to give a copy of the key and codes to your landlord, but one of the first things you’ll want to do is change all of the locks. You don’t know what the previous tenant/owner went through, and they may have retained a key. If you aren’t comfortable with a stranger possibly having access to your house, change everything.
  5. Mark all boxes.
    1. This may seem like a no-brainer, but it’s easily something you might forget to do. We started marking boxes, but then we were packing boxes so quickly that we forgot to mark them. This led to us wondering which boxes could be stacked on top of which boxes. We had no idea because some of the boxes weren’t marked. Learn from our mistakes!
  6. Keep an eye on Facebook Marketplace.
    1. There are so many reasons, besides boxes, to browse the Marketplace. You can get furniture, appliances, and more for much cheaper than they would be brand new. Obviously, you would want to be wary and make sure everything is cleaned and in good condition before purchasing. You can also use it to sell items you no longer need, which means less to move and more money in your pocket!
  7. Don’t forget to bring toilet paper and drinks!
    1. You could even add snacks to the list. There are things you cannot control, like thirst and bathroom breaks, while you are moving. Keep some drinks in the fridge and some toilet paper in the bathrooms. It would be horrible to go to the bathroom with no toilet paper.
  8. Anticipate your needs.
    1. Don’t leave everything to the last minute. You want to be sure you have everything you need for the move. You’ll probably need a dolly, a knife, and rachet straps (better than rope, albiet a little bit more expensive). If you have someone who can let you borrow their pickup truck, take them up on the offer! It’ll save you from having to spend money on a rental truck.

Hopefully, all of these tips will help make your move as painless as possible. Please, learn from our mistakes so that you don’t want to pull your hair out. Also, have fun! You’re embarking on a new experience, so make it fun!

apartment, help, house, moving, tips

New Orleans Tips

Hey guys! Sorry for the radio silence the past two weeks. Everyone here at Writing Across the Lines has been crazy busy. I have spent the past few days staying in New Orleans! So I figured I would give you guys some things that would make your trip to NOLA a little bit easier.

  1. Get a small purse or fanny pack.
    1. I know that sounds weird, but it will really help. I usually carry around a large purse, but with people bumping into you and the higher crime rate (it is a city, after all), it’s always handy to have a smaller purse that you can keep close and not have to worry about things going missing. Cross-body is even better, that way a thief can’t just grab your bag off of your shoulder.
  2. Bring walking shoes.
    1. I cannot emphasize this enough. I know it sounds obvious, but it’s really important. I brought shoes I thought were walking shoes and ended up with blisters. You will be doing a lot of walking to get anywhere of note, so it’s very important to be comfortable.
  3. Stake out parking early.
    1. There are quite a few parking lots in the city, and it’s always best to know where you’re going to park. One that I parked at charged around $20-$25 per day, which was the cheapest. You don’t want to end up using up all of your money for parking.
  4. Set aside quite a bit of money.
    1. We knew our dinner at K. Paul’s Kitchen would cost a bit, but even buffets and such cost $90 for three people. Breakfast cost almost $50. Anywhere you eat in the French Quarter or in the main part of the city will be expensive. And that’s just for food! Everything is much more pricey there, especially in stores. Which leads me to my next point:
  5. When feasible, buy from the French Market.
    1. This is especially true of the masquerade masks. They are often cheaper at the French Market than they are in stores, and you can have the same selection. It’s handy if you’re a mask collector like me. Also, take a first walkthrough before you buy anything. I once bought masks and ran out of money, then later found one I would rather have had. They also have some interesting hand-crafted items there, which is always cool to look at.
  6. If you can, bring extra camera batteries.
    1. There is so much to see and take pictures of that you’ll want to bring extra batteries or a power bank. You don’t want to see an awesome mausoleum and find out that your camera or phone is dead.
  7. If you plan on visiting a graveyard, plan it ahead of time.
    1. The most popular cemetery, St. Louis Cemetary No. 1, requires all visitors to be led by a tour guide, which costs about $20 or so. All of the other ones, as far as I know, are free and self-guided. We visited St. Louis No. 3, which was a bit of a drive, but it was huge and the graves were beautiful. There was even a mini castle, complete with stained glass! We even managed to find free parking right near the cemetery, which was an added bonus.
  8. Have cash on hand.
    1. A lot of places, including the French Market and the trolleys, will require cash. Just be sure to keep it in a safe pocket or a zipped-up purse to avoid a pickpocket.
  9. Don’t get a multi-day pass for the trolley.
    1. This was a tip from the conceirge at our hotel. They said that there is no benefit to getting a multi-day pass over a day pass, and it is very hard to find a place that sells them. Just get a day pass (only $3.00) which works for all of the trolleys in the city. Or, if you’re a senior, you’re better off just getting the reduced fare, which was $0.40 each way (as opposed to the regular one-way fare of $1.25).
  10. Know the best hours of your destinations.
    1. For example, if you wanted to visit the cathedral, you’ll need to know that mass is at 12 and 5 and they don’t want tourists taking photos or walking around during mass. Or if you plan to visit Cafe Du Monde (which you should! Beignets are amazing!), you don’t want to go during breakfast. It’s insane at breakfast time. Go later in the day, or go to the pop-up shop in the Riverwalk Outlets. Same delicious beignets, less line.

 

I hope that you guys will enjoy your trips to New Orleans and that these tips are helpful. Let us know if there are any other important tips we may have missed!

 

 

(Image courtesy of my mommy!)

cemetery, guide, new orleans, nola, tips, tips and tricks, trip, trolley

Thrift Store Tips

Here are a few tips for those of you curious about buying awesome stuff at thrift stores!

  • Have at least $10 in cash.
    • Many thrift stores have a minimum amount for card purchases, and with the affordability of their items, you often find yourself just short of that magic number.
  • Like them on Facebook!
    • This may seem strange, but trust me, it’s important. My favorite thrift store often has sales on certain items, which is probably the reason my house became a library.
  • Don’t be afraid to check eBay!
    • Sometimes, you can find the perfect item on eBay for cheaper than the thrift store. You could also use eBay to check prices if you’re interested in thrift shopping for resell.
  • Keep an eye on the prices.
    • The thrift store I frequent occasionally gets name-brand items and has special pricing for them. For example, a purse could normally cost about $4.99 but if it’s a Louis Vuitton, it might go for about $50. Thrift stores check eBay too.
  • Be wary of very-worn shoes.
    • This may seem like a no-brainer, but trust me, I’ve seen people buy worn-out shoes. While this could be a good idea if you’re very strapped for cash, it isn’t the best idea. When you wear shoes, they get worn in a way specific to your own feet. And since no one’s feet are exactly the same, it could cause problems. Shoes are one of the few things you should buy new or near-new.
  • Check back often!
    • Thrift stores, especially chain or well-known ones, usually put new things on the shelves every day or they discount items. I’ve gotten great deals on things like crafting stamps and clothes because they had replenished their stock or they dropped the prices and I had visited often. I even managed to get two pairs of really cute, brand-new Converse shoes for $6 because I checked back.
  • Check the return policy.
    • My favorite thrift store chain allows returns for up to 14 days after purchase, but they are the exception, not the rule. A lot of thrift stores only allow returns for electronics and at that, only within a 24-hour window.
  • Try things on!
    • A lot of thrift stores have dressing rooms, and it’s always best to try on clothes before you bring them home, especially at thrift stores with the limited return policies.
  • Enjoy!
    • Part of the fun of thrift stores is the find. Remember when you found that perfect dress, or the perfect pair of shoes? You get the same feeling at thrift stores, except better because everything is so affordable. It’s so exhilarating to find a book you’ve been looking for at under $1.

advice, thrift, thrift store, tips, tricks

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