The amount of dye you need will depend on how much lace you want to dye. If you have 1 lb (450 g) of lace, you will need one package of powder dye or 1/2 bottle of liquid dye, as well as 3 gallons (12 L) of hot water. Simmer the necessary amount of water in a saucepan and transfer the hot water into a large bucket. Add powder or liquid dye and stir until evenly dispersed. If working with powdered dye, dissolve it in 2 cups (500 ml) hot water first before adding it to the large bucket of water. The ideal water temperature for your dye bath is 140 degrees Fahrenheit (60 degrees Celsius). Make sure that you add the dye to the water before adding the lace. If you add the lace first, you may cause spotting to occur. For the strongest, richest hue, dye the lace for 30 minutes, stirring slowly and gently throughout the process. If you want a more subtle effect, only keep the lace in for 8 to 10 minutes. Lace absorbs dye quickly and does not need to sit in a dye bath for very long. Stirring the lace is highly recommended since doing so helps the fabric dye more evenly. Hand or machine wash the lace under a gentle cycle. Wash the lace by itself, with like colors, or with an old towel to prevent the dye from bleeding onto your nice clothes or linens. Use mild detergent and warm water for the cleaning part of the cycle, but use cool water for the rinse cycle. Hang the lace up to dry. Note that the lace will be a slightly lighter shade when it dries.

Summary: Prepare the dye. Let it sit for up to 30 minutes. Wash and dry the lace.

The ease of paying with credit cards can quickly lead to overextending yourself and getting into too much debt. If you have a habit of purchasing things with credit when you don't have the cash to pay for them, your credit card debt will continue to grow. Soon, your monthly minimum payments may be more than you can afford. Controlling impulse spending will help you to use credit cards more wisely. Learning how to manage credit, how to strategically pay down balances and how to maximize rewards can reduce your monthly expenses. Your total monthly debt payments, including car payments, student loans and credit cards, should equal no more than 20 percent of your monthly income. If you are close to that limit, then hold off on new credit purchases until you can pay down some of those other loans. Failure to manage your level of debt can not only hurt your credit, but it can also hinder your ability to save for things like retirement. For example, if you pay $300 per month on your car payments, $200 per month on student loans and $200 per month on credit card balances, then our total debt payments per month equal $700. In this example, if you make $3,500 per month, then your debt-to-income ratio equals 20 percent ($3,500 x .2 = $700). If you make less than this per month, then your debt is too high, and you need to reduce your debt before making any more debt purchases. You can get your credit report for free once per year from annualcreditreport.com. Your total debt and your payment history appears on your credit report. The way you manage your credit affects your credit score. Also, errors on your credit report can hurt your credit. Review your credit report often and know whether you need to work on improving your credit score and/or if you need to address errors on your credit report. Familiarize yourself with all of the fees they charge. Credit card fees include annual fees, charges for balance transfers, cash advance fees and late fees. Choose a credit card with a fee structure that matches your needs. For example, if you want to transfer balances from a high-rate card to a card with a lower rate, look for a card that doesn't charge fees for balance transfers. Your credit card statement tells you how long it will take to pay off your credit card just by paying the minimum monthly balance. If you have a high balance, this can take many years and cost you thousands in interest expense. Make a plan to pay as much as possible towards your credit card debt. Don't sacrifice other long-term financial goals, such as saving for retirement. But definitely pay more than the minimum balance each month. While you are paying down your balance, don't make any purchases on your credit card.

Summary: Understand how credit cards can get you into trouble. Manage your debt-to-income ratio. Figure out the total of your monthly debt payments. Check your credit report regularly. Read your credit card policy agreements. Pay off your balances.

Make a record of all the tasks you need to accomplish. The list should include both short-term tasks you need to finish daily and weekly, as well as long-term goals that may take months or even years to accomplish. Seeing it written down will help you plan out the various actions needed to meet all your goals. Put this list on paper. Even if you use your phone for all of your other lists, from groceries to birthday wishes, don't put this list on there. The act of writing out your tasks is key to thinking through how to finish them. Use a planner to schedule your time. Write short-term tasks in daily or weekly lists that include deadlines for each item. Set deadlines for long-term goals by listing them in monthly entries. Include everything you need to get done in your planner. Say that on Friday your final biology project is due. Set aside at least three nights to finish it. You've also got to go to the pharmacy and pick up a new toothbrush and vitamins before you leave for vacation. Do this on Thursday night. You're also taking the SAT in a month, so spend at least three hours this week practicing vocab. Try using a strategy like the Eisenhower Box for prioritizing your tasks in an efficient way. Basically, you categorize all you have to do into four categories: tasks that must be done immediately, tasks that can be done later (or rescheduled), tasks that can be delegated to someone else and tasks that aren't important and can be eliminated. The strength of this strategy is that it works well with the tasks you must complete in a given day, but also on longer timescales, like weeks or months. Multitasking makes you feel like you're accomplishing a lot, but it actually prevents you from finishing tasks quickly and effectively. Keep your attention on one goal at a time, and give it your all. This will also help you avoid getting overwhelmed by your busy schedule. It's hard to stay away from distractions and do your work on time when you're doing it alone. Luckily (or unluckily), everyone struggles with procrastination. Ask a friend or family member if they'd be willing to partner up with you to check in on each other's work habits and accomplishments. You can plan fun outings with your buddy to reward both of you when you meet your goals. If you keep procrastinating, cancel these events as a little bit of punishment.
Summary: Write a to-do list to set goals. Prioritize different goals with set deadlines. Avoid multitasking to focus on one goal at a time. Get a buddy to keep you honest.