DIY Life

My husband is a self-proclaimed computer geek. We don't just have a home computer; we have a downstairs server through which all of our incoming and outgoing email is processed. We have an upstairs computer which is the hub we can connect to remotely.

Add two laptops, a wireless router, a docking station, and infinitely many things that I cannot begin to tell you what they are used for, and you have our state-of-the-art wired household.

Did I say wired? You betcha. With technology comes wires, cables, and a mis-mash of mess -- everywhere! -- and that's where Creatrope's Card Cable Organizer comes in.

Guys, if your significant other is constantly giving you a problem because she keeps tripping over your cables and wires on the way to the bathroom in the middle of the night, get busy covering those cables and wire with crown molding. She'll thank you just in time for Valentine's Day.

Why not cut your own crown molding and use wire staples to hide the wiring? It is cheaper and just as effective. You'll save loads of money and have nice crown molding that will serve two purposes: hiding your nasty cables and making your walls look nice.

If this idea doesn't appeal to you, a few months ago Dan Chilton brought us a fabulous post on how to make a floorboard picket fence to hide your wires. All you need to do for Dan's project is cut picket shaped pieces out of foam with an Exacto knife and tape it to the existing floorboard with double sided tape, and your cables and wires will no longer be an eyesore.

[Via: Lifehacker]

It's time for a winter surprise! Three new patterns have recently arrived on the site of Knitty, the wonderful free online knitting magazine. I don't know about where you live, but where I am, it's been perfect knitting weather lately: well and horribly below freezing.

Bloody Stupid Johnson, an asymmetrical hat, is a lot of fun. It's knit with short rows and a cable that breaks open into ribbing, and named for a Terry Pratchett character. It's probably my favorite of the three new patterns.

Modern Lace Henley is basically a pared-down polo shirt with a delicate overall lace pattern. It will be very nice for spring, and I like it.

But there's something I don't like about the way the Modern Lace Henley pattern is written, and there's also the third surprise pattern to discuss: a knit skirt, a topic that some knitters find divisive. You'll find more on that after the break.

Hmm. What to do with all this unwanted electronic stuff? Let's see: an old computer mouse that no one uses anymore, all the parts from a dead power source, an old power cord, two cds, and a fan cable. Hate to just throw it away... What a waste... (Thoughtfully rubbing chin.)

Well, Flickr member Random42 had all this stuff and he knew just what to do with it: create a Geek Wreath! He says it was inspired by the Geek Wreath featured at Boing Boing. Says the Boing Boing caption for that wreath: "The Geek Wreath is a simple and powerful idea: take a strand of lights and weave it around a wreath of all the goddamned power cables, spare USB cables, obsolete SCSI cables and whatever else you've got cluttering up your home." Awesome!

Now that wreath is fab, but I'm liking Random42's wreath just a tad more. It's a little more festive looking and has a few creative artful touches. Like that old computer mouse. Yep. It's all you could want in a Christmas decoration. It's where geek-thinking meets those traditional Christmas staples: electric lights, wreaths, and whimsy. Nothing goes to waste in this festive creation!

It's nice that, on the same day that snow -- and plenty of it -- came to my little corner of the Midwest, a new issue of Knitty arrived to soothe the chill. So I made some cocoa, and some English muffins with jam, and sat down to see what's on offer this time around.

Amy Singer, Knitty's founding editor, says that this issue is "all about sparkles and warmth and making things for yourself and the ones you love." There are also a large number of new designers in the Winter issue.

We'll talk about some of the highlights after the break.

It's the beginning of the month, and web-savvy knitters know what that means: a new issue of MagKnits to check out. This month, there are only five patterns, but they all look good.

There's a pretty short-sleeved horseshoe lace cardigan, Rainbow Socks that exploit the properties of self-striping yarn by using short rows to turn the usual stripes into arcs, and a lace headband. The Lása Shawl Headband is basically a short, narrow lace scarf; you can choose your level of difficulty, and it would probably be easy to modify if you wanted something longer. A good beginning lace project on the easiest level, a way to practice more advanced techniques if you'd like to, and a nice gift.

That covers the wearables, but what about everything else? The Burridge Lake Afghan is a beautiful, symmetrical Aran showpiece, designed to be interesting to knit (there is minimal reverse stockinette stitch, which is ordinarily so common in Aran designs). Also, the pattern uses Trinity stitch, which is worked on the wrong side, so you won't zombie out every other row. I mean, afghan rows are long.

Finally, Bitty Boo is the issue's "whimsical" pattern: a tiny felted ghost for Halloween!

In a wireless world, we sure have a lot of wires strung through the house. They nest behind entertainment units, tucked under carpets down halls into bedrooms and offices. Under the desk you'll find an ugly, overloaded power bar. Unclutter.com has a solution and all you need is a $2 towel rack.

In this video, Jerry Brito shows you how to use a multi-hook towel rack to keep your cables off the floor and more organized. Some commenters think that this method could alter the audio/video signal. They suggest that cables should be lying flat, maybe bound with zip-cords. Others don't see any difference. Personally, I'm all for the towel rack, get them off the floor and out of sight completely.

[via Lifehacker]