I have braille books to give away. All of the books I am offering are UEB (Unified English Braille), all used but in excellent condition.
I am restricting this round of giveaway books to US addresses only. I will be mailing them “Free Matter” and I am not sure how international mail works with Free Matter at this point. My apologies to my international friends.
So, to my US friends, all you need do is fill in the Request Form below with your name, your email address, and which book or books you would like. Your comments are also welcome. If you are first to request, I will contact you by email and ask for your mailing address privately. It is that simple. So, on to the list of braille books to give away:
The Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution – in one volume
Club CSI: The Case of the Digital Deception – 2 volumes
Conundrum – a puzzle magazine (word search, Sudoku, etc.)
The abacus was invented in approximately 500 BC. It functioned as a counting device for centuries. It dates back to a time when written numbers did not yet exist. Merchants used the abacus to track inventory; farmers used them to count animals returning from the pasture. The abacus has evolved and been adapted by different civilizations and groups over the centuries. Essentially it is rows of stringed wire within a frame with a set number of movable beads on each row and column.
I have a Cranmer abacus. I took a course to understand its function and how to manipulate the beads. I am just nerdy enough to have enjoyed that course. But, the course is over and I have this nifty counting device at hand. I found the perfect use for it.
My abacus is my stitch counter. It also functions as my line-by-line stitch instructions. It keeps my place, counts my rows, and shows me my stitch pattern. It is handy, lightweight, practical, portable, and fits in the palm of my hand. It does not rely on electricity or batteries, devices, or apps. It is the handiest crochet accessory I have used yet, second only to the hook itself.
My Cranmer abacus measures 6 inches wide by 3 inches tall, and is held horizontally. The beads line up vertically in columns. It is divided by an upper row of only one bead in each column and is separated from the bottom section by a bar. The bottom section has four beads in each column. Since crochet is usually worked from right to left, my bead arrangements follow that same pattern.
Pictured: My Cranmer abacus for my current project. It shows that I have completed 4 rows. The 5th row will be worked with 4 chains followed by a single crochet and this pattern will be repeated across the row. A crochet hook is shown above the abacus demonstrating the abacus to be about the same width as the crochet hook is long.
I use the top section to count rows. Every time I complete a row, I move one bead from the top section down toward the separating bar. When a second row is complete, I move the 2nd bead from the right down. After I have completed 10 rows, I mark the 11th row by returning to the far right bead and now moving it to the up position away from the bar. My abacus has 13 columns. I use the last 3 column of the top row on the left to count sections or other pattern-specific things.
Now the stitches. For these, I use the beads in the bottom section.
If I am crocheting a single crochet across the row, I move 2 beads up toward the bar in each column all the way across to the left. Two beads is my bead code for single crochet.
Pictured: Cranmer abacus. Top row has first 3 beads on the right moved down indicating completion of the 3rd row of the crochet project. The bottom section has 2 beads moved up in each row across indicating a single crochet is to be worked for every stitch in that row of the crochet project.
If I am working a double crochet stitch across a row, I move 4 beads up to the bar across the row. Three beads is my code for half-double crochet.
If I am crocheting a pattern, I indicate the pattern with one bead up for a chain stitch (to create a space between stitches) , two beads up for a single crochet, 3 beads up for a half double crochet, four beads up for a double crochet, and so on. If my pattern is 2 single crochets, 1 chain, and 2 single crochets, I move 2 beads in the first column, 2 beads in the second column, 1 bead in the 3rd column, 2 beads in the 4th column, and 2 beads in the 5th column. I can see or feel at a glance what the pattern across the row will be. (Pictured below)
Pictured: Top row – 4 beads down indicates 4 rows have been completed. Bottom section shows the pattern to be worked for the next row which is 2 half-double crochets, a chain stitch, and 2 more half-double crochets. This would be repeated across the 5th row.
I can count my crochet rows and stitches until the cows come home!
1. Good lighting. Everything starts with good lighting. Use room lighting, spot lighting, and even motion sensor lighting in dark areas, like inside cabinets.
Pictured: Motion sensor LED light. The light comes on when the door is opened and stays lit for about 60 seconds, longer if more motion is detected. Rechargeable, and requires charging about once a month with average use.
2. Food Prep Tray. Place cutting board, utensils, and foods on a food prep tray, a tray with a lip around it. You will spend less time searching the floor for things that bounced, rolled, or fell.
Pictured: Orange plastic tray with lip around edges sits on countertop. On the tray are knife and fork, spices including salt, garlic, and paprika, 3 whole eggs and a stainless steel mixing bowl.
3. Stainless steel drinking cups. Instead of glasses that are easily tipped over and too often shatter, use stainless steel drinking cups. They are just a little more expensive up front but last and last without needing replacement, so quite cost effective in the long run. As an added bonus, they keep cold drinks naturally colder.
4. Two-sided cutting board. A cutting board with a black side and a white side provides contrast. Use the side that has the most contrast with the food you are cutting or chopping or dicing or slicing.
Pictured: An admittedly difficult-to-see 2-sided cutting board. The white side is shown. The black side is face down.
5. Sauce pans. Sauce pans contain food and spatter better than fry pans. The end result will be the same, but less food will slip, slide, or spatter over the sides.
Pictured: Sauce pan on stovetop containing a large slotted spoon for stirring, and the ingredients for “Thunder & Lightning.”
6. Oven-cooked bacon. Lay strips of bacon in a single layer on the bottom of a roasting pan. Place in a 400-degree oven for 22 minutes. Perfect bacon every time – and without the hot grease spatter. Google will suggest you use a cookie sheet. No! That hot grease will splash about when you remove the tray from the oven. Use a roasting pan. It is deeper and will contain the grease better. Trust me on this one!
Pictured: Cooked bacon on baking sheet fresh out of the oven.
7. Mandoline. Keep your fingers safe from sharp blades by slicing with a mandoline. Not only will your fingers and fingernails stay protected, but you will end up with uniform slices of fruits and vegetables, and more.
Pictured: A mandoline for safe and uniform slicing and its food holder. The food holder has a large knob for holding the food firmly in place for slicing.
8. Spice jar labels. Index cards (cut to fit) with spice names written with bold markers can be wrapped around spice jars and secured with a rubber band. See blog post “Spice Things Up” for details.
Pictured: 3 spice jars boldly labeled for curry, cinnamon, and cumin. Rubber bands hold the labels in place.
9. Bump dots. Place bump dots on microwave and oven and other appliance buttons to easily identify the location of buttons you use frequently. This ensures that you will consistently press the desired button, and you will also do so in less time. Bump dots are available in many sizes, shapes, and colors. If you know any people who are blind or visually impaired, odds are they have bump dots to spare. You only need a few.
Pictured: Assorted bump dots including flat felt dots, round cork dots, raised round orange dots, raised black round and square dots, and clear round raised dots. Many other sizes, shapes and colors are also available.
10. Spice ladles. Spice ladles can be dipped easily into spice jars and other condiments for removal of just the right amount. Avoid spills and waste. See blog post “4-Inch Ladles” for details.
Pictured: A jar of paprika with 3 spice ladles, a soup ladle, and a teaspoon.
11. Double spatula. A double spatula makes turning pancakes, french toast, hamburgers, and more, an easy task.
Pictured: A double spatula – 2 spatulas with a nonstick finish that are connected in order to work together as tongs or flippers.
12. Silicone trivets. Multi-purpose silicone trivets, typically 8-inches in diameter, can be used as hot pads, potholders, coasters, and more. They can easily be trimmed, if desired. Because of their nonslip properties, I find them most beneficial as nonslip pads for mixing bowls, hot pots, serving bowls, cups, etc.
Pictured: An 8-inch diameter silicon trivet that has been trimmed to 5 inches. The cutaway ring can be used under mixing bowls, etc., to prevent slippage.
Bonus
Your personal assistant – Alexa, Cortana, Siri, etc. Ask your personal assistant to set a timer for you, read a recipe, or suggest substitute ingredients.
Pictured: An iPhone. Siri ha set the timer and it is displayed.
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Links of products and information related to the above blog post. Note that the links showing items for purchase are for information only and are not specifically endorsed.
Men do it, women do it, even dedicated blind do it. So grab your hooks or your needles and let’s look at some tips to make yarn crafts more accessible, organized, and fun.
Pictured: Crocheted items include hotpad, hat with pompom, scarf, and towel holders.
Tip #1
Good lighting. A task light can be the best tool of all.
Pictured: A desk lamp with soft-light fluorescent bulb is designed for task lighting. The head can be positioned and directed as needed. This lamp is directed on a cone of red cotton yarn and a crochet hook with beginning slip knot.
Tip #2
Use chunky yarn and larger hooks and needles. Larger gauge materials are easier to work with. With some experience, common 4-ply yarn can be doubled and even tripled for some projects.
Pictured: Two skeins of red yarn. On the left is worsted weight and on the right is super chunky. The super chunky yarn is much thicker and requires a much larger crochet hook, as shown.
Tip #3
Use large print or audio pattern instructions. (Duh!)
Pictured: YouTube icon. YouTube has many crochet tutorials and patterns in audio format.
Tip #4
Consider loom knitting. Loom knitting can be easier to work with, especially for newbies, with fewer dropped stitches.
Pictured: A pink knitting loom with a pink knitted hat in progress.
Tip #5
Use paper clips as stitch markers. The colorful vinyl-coated paper clips work well with little or no snagging. The paper clips are also great as a place holder at the end of your knit/crochet session. Slip a paper clip through the last stitch, and even the cat won’t be able to unravel your work overnight while you sleep.
Pictured: Six paper clips, all vinyl coated, assorted colors.
Tip #6
Use plastic blunt-tipped needles for weaving in all those ends at project’s conclusion.
Pictured: Three blunt-tipped plastic sewing needles with large eyes for working with yarn.
Tip #7
Use a needle threader. Some needle threaders are better than others. The needle threader pictured below is my favorite. I have been using just one of them for years now. I have not needed to use any of the backup threaders.
Pictured: Three identical flat metal needle threaders. Each has a small hook on one end for threading embroidery threads and a larger hook at the opposite end for threading yarns of various types.
Tip #8
Keep a magnet in a small sewing box with your needles. This will save you from crawling on your hands and knees hunting for that dropped needle or pin. A magnet holds onto my needle threaders too.
Pictured: A small metal box with two magnets inside, one on the inside lid and one on the inside bottom. Paper clips and needle threaders are held in place by the top magnet, and sewing and embroidery needles are held in place by the bottom magnet.
Tip #9
Store project – all yarn, hooks, instructions, etc. – in a plastic bag or box. Keep a written or voice recorded record of yarn type and color, hook/needle size, and any special instructions. You might add the date in case it becomes a time capsule.
Pictured: A clear plastic zippered bag with crochet project, working yarn, crochet hook and written instructions inside. The instructions card says: Hat, Caron Simply Soft white, hook H, scrap colors #4.
Tip #10
Keep your working yarn in a container to keep the yarn balls from rolling around and onto the floor. A colander works well for multiple balls of different colors. A coffee can can be repurposed to fit the need, as can a shoe box or almost any other container.
Pictured: A colander with two skeins of yarn (one pink, one white) with yarn ends poking through colander holes from inside to outside. A crochet hook is seen with white yarn ready to be worked.
Bonus Tip
Replace your sewing straight pins with sewing clips. When you drop one without even knowing it, sewing clips are so much less painful to step on!
Pictured: Four sewing clips of various colors. Each clip is pressed open and clamps onto the fabric much like a miniature clothespin.
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Pictured: 3 large filled spice jars – curry, cinnamon, and cumin – all labeled with bold black marker.
So for anyone who likes to cook and for those of us who do not cook at all, spices are essential to making things taste great. And spices are expensive, too, so we do want to use them with some care. We want to be able to use them with some inkling of knowing what we are doing, and without any waste.
Pictured: There are four spice jars – curry, cinnamon, and cumin and paprika has joined the others. The paprika is being prepared to be labeled. The label for the paprika is on the table, ready to be applied to the jar.
I prefer a labeling system. I take 3 by 5-inch index cards and cut them in half horizontally so that I then have two 1-1/2 by 5-inch strips from each card. With a bold marker, I write the name of the spice across the strip and then wrap it around its spice jar. I secure it in place with a rubber band. With that system, I can keep my spices on the shelf above my food prep area and I can usually make out what each bottle contains. Braille can be added to each card, either alone or in addition to the big bold writing. The label can easily be removed when the jar is empty and that label can be placed on the new jar.
When you are working in the kitchen, add some pizzazz- with spices, and be comfortable with what you are doing and how you are doing it. And enjoy!
Pictured: Three watches are shown. Top: a smart watch, unknown manufacturer; Middle: An iPod Nano with elastic band crafted as wrist band; and bottom: a man’s talking watch with stretch metal band by Tel Time.
Years ago, my mother bought a cuckoo clock for her home. She hung it on the wall in her living room and every hour the cuckoo called out the time. One loud cuckoo at 1 o’clock, 3 loud cuckoos at 3 o’clock, and so on. And if that were not enough, it bellowed another cuckoo to mark every quarter hour, as well. At 4 A.M. everyone knew the time because you could not sleep through it.
Well, I am not a fan of clocks that announce the time. I think a cuckoo clock is a novelty, and as such, it should be heard once, maybe twice, in a lifetime and that is enough. I feel the same way about talking watches. Remember the crowing rooster watches marketed for the blind?
Talking watches got smarter. Most no longer crow but actually announce the time. “The time is 5:17,” the robotic voice declares. I do not want everyone in the movie theater to know I am getting impatient for the movie to end. I do not want a busload of people to know I have just checked the time. I do not even want that time announcement to talk over the sound of the TV I am watching. I do not like talking, crowing, or cuckooing clocks!
I want a watch I can wear on my wrist that tells me the time when I look at it. I like the clock face to be big with bold hands and high contrast. I do not need to see the numbers – I know where they are. Just give me one indicator at the 12 o’clock position and everything else is relative; no clutter needed!
I have an old iPod Nano that I used for a timepiece for many years. It came with a bunch of clock faces for me to choose from. It had a pedometer and a stopwatch. It even had a radio if I wanted to connect earbuds or headphones. That little thing would even read a 500-page book to me, if I so chose. I hung it on a chain around my neck for a long time and later crafted my own elastic band for it and wore it as a wristwatch. I loved my iPod Nano – until the battery recently lost its oomph.
So I decided to try out a smart watch. They can be quite pricey, so I started at the low end, the very low end. I bought one from amazon for $22.
The smart watch does a lot. It has one clock face (no choice), and it has a pedometer. I can add a SIM card and pretend to be Dick Tracy talking through my wrist for phone calls and texts. It accepts a memory card so I can snap pictures from my wrist. It even sounds an alarm if the watch thinks I have been sitting too long and need to get up and move about. It does even more, more than I care to give much thought to. Notably, however, the band is peculiar, to put it nicely. It takes quite a bit of manipulation and gymnastics to get it around my wrist and locked in place, although I do not feel that it is ever securely fitted in place. Removing it is a dance of its own. The watch is fairly heavy for my small wrist and so when at rest, my wrist is turned to the side.
For $22, this smart watch is truly amazing. Change the band and add a few faces to choose from and I am in! Until then, it is time to keep looking.
Pictured: Two tactile playing cards. These two standard playing cards have braille labels imprinted on them – the Queen of Spades and the three of Hearts are shown.
Card games are fun for everyone. Well, maybe not “52 Pickup,” but every other card game I can think of, and there are so many! Blind and visually impaired people can and do share in the fun. We play with a marked deck!
It is true. The cards are marked!
Any deck of cards can be adapted. Making playing cards tactile is the way. Just add braille! A few raised dots, inconspicuous to sighted players and likely unreadable also, tell the visually challenged player exactly what cards are in hand.
Add braille to the upper left-hand corner and the bottom right-hand corner (opposite corners). Each card is brailled with the corresponding number or J, Q, and K for jack, queen, and king. In addition, the cards are marked with the corresponding suit. So the 3 of hearts is marked with the brailled 3 and brailled H for hearts. The 4 of spades is marked with the braille for 4S, the 9 of diamonds will be 9D. The only exception is the number 10. Because the number 10 requires 3 digits including the symbol for the suit, and all other cards have only 2, that might be an attention-getter. So, the 10 is labeled with a brailled X instead.
If you are blind or visually impaired, it is fairly easy to learn just the braille that is used on playing cards if you do not already know braille. There are only a total of 17 different braille symbols to a standard deck of cards and all 52 cards are uniquely identified with combinations of just those symbols.
A slate and stylus is all that is needed to turn an ordinary deck of cards into a tactile deck. Or you can spend a few dollars and buy a brailled deck of cards. Your choice.
Pictured: Chart shows the 17 braille symbols used on tactile playing cards. Symbols include numbers 1 through 9, a special braille character for number 10, the four card suits, and the J, Q, and K for the picture cards.
Legally Blind 