This small tool looks like a large, dull sewing needle with a large hole at the end. Push about 4 inches (10cm) of the drawstring through the hole and then push the bodkin through the casing of your garment. If your bodkin has a clamp on the end instead of a large hole, open it and put the end of the drawstring under it before you clamp it closed. You can buy bodkins from craft supply or hobby stores. If you're inserting a drawstring through a large casing or thick fabric, such as on a hoodie, it can be tricky to feel the safety pin through the fabric. To make it easier, push at least 1 inch (2.5cm) of a drawstring end into a straw and staple the straw so it goes into the drawstring. Then, push the empty end of the straw through the eyelet. Keep pulling the straw through the casing so the drawstring comes out the other side. Since the straw is larger than the safety pin, it's easier to feel it through the heavier fabric. It also won't snag on the seam allowance. To remove the staple, pull it away with a staple remover. Keep in mind that this may damage delicate fabrics, but sturdy drawstring cords will be fine. If you'd like to make a sturdy tool that you can use again and again, find a wire coat hanger. Untwist the hook and shape it into a long straight wire. Then, bend the straight end to create a small hook and push the drawstring through the hook. Push the hook end of the wire through the eyelet and keep pushing the wire until the drawstring comes out the other side. If your drawstring keeps slipping off of the hook, bend the wire over the drawstring to keep it in place. Feel free to bend the wire as you feed it through the casing, especially if you're inserting the drawstring through the rounded part of a hoodie. If you can't find a safety pin, straw, or hanger, look for a pen that has a pocket clip and wrap the drawstring around the clip. Then, slide the opposite end of the pen through the casing. Feel the pen through the fabric and pull it through the casing until the pen and drawstring come out of the other end. Ensure that you're using a pen with a pocket clip so you don't accidentally push an exposed tip through your fabric.

Summary: Buy a bodkin to save time and effort. Use a straw if you're having trouble feeding a safety pin through the casing. Bend a wire hanger to make a hook for pulling the drawstring through. Wrap the drawstring around a rounded pen cap if you can't find other tools.

Take the loose end of yarn in your left hand and wrap it around two or three fingers of your right hand, creating a loop. Start at the palm-side of your hand and wrap the yarn over your forefinger. Wrap the yarn around the back of your fingers, past the middle or ring finger, and back up along the palm-side of your hand. You should create a full, closed loop. Hold this loop closed with the thumb of your right hand. Use your left hand to grab the yarn just before the loop. Pull this yarn through the loop, working from the bottom (palm-side) of the loop to the top (thumb-side). The yarn you grab should come from the side of the yarn still attached to the ball. Do not grab from the loose end. After completing this step, you should see a second loop form. Slide the first loop of yarn off your fingers once this second loop appears. Slide the hooked part of your crochet hook into the second loop your created. Pull down on the loose yarn beneath your loops to tighten the yarn around the hook. The loop of yarn should be about 1 inch (2.5 cm) away from the top of your hook. When you pull down on the yarn, the first loop should turn into a knot and the second loop should close onto the hook. Once the yarn is tightly attached to the hook, you're ready to begin making stitches.

Summary: Wind the yarn around your fingers. Pull the yarn through the loop. Insert the crochet hook into the second loop.

Tell the person, in direct but not harsh or dramatic terms, how their behavior has affected you. Try to focus on yourself and your feelings rather than the other person. For example, instead of saying, "You sabotaged our project at work," try saying, "I noticed that our project wasn't the best, and I want us to be sure it is better next time." When you talk to someone and tell him that his behavior is hurting you, it is likely that he will deny everything (remember, passive-aggressive people don't like to talk about their feelings-- they certainly don't like to be called out about them!). Stick to facts and give examples, but be prepared for resistance and denial. A passive-aggressive person might harbor feelings of low self-worth or issues from his or her childhood that makes it difficult to communicate feelings effectively. Talking together can help you understand the possible roots of the passive-aggressive behavior, if the person is willing to open up a bit and you are willing to suspend judgment and be understanding. Ask questions about his or her childhood, youth, early relationships (especially ones that might have ended badly), or other life scenarios where speaking his or her mind might have backfired. Remember, passive-aggressive behavior is often a coping strategy used by people who have had negative experiences that left them feeling helpless or powerless. Depending on how a person responds when confronted about their passive-aggressive behavior, you might realize that there is a good chance of salvaging the relationship, or that this person is rigid in his or her ways and unlikely to change. Many times, avoidance is the only strategy that can use to avoid being a victim of passive-aggressiveness. But if the other person recognizes the problem and is willing to work on it, there are many ways to improve your relationship by working on your communication strategies.

Summary: Be honest. Try to be understanding. Decide if this relationship is worth saving.

This step can be tricky depending on where your pad is. It is easy if a concrete truck can reach the pad with its' chute, but if not you will have to use a wheel barrow or power buggy to move the concrete from the truck to the forms. The concrete must be poured quickly so you have time to move it into place while it is still wet. Essentially, screeding is leveling out the top of the concrete. Run a strait board on the top of your forms across the concrete, if there is a large pile-up, have someone rake back the pile so you can proceed with the screed process. It is best to have one person on each side of the screed board and pull back the concrete simultaneously. If your pad is too large or not in a position to be screeded from the outside, one person or both people must stand inside the pad and do your best to run the board along the 2x4s. If you cannot perform these two methods for screeding, it is suggested you seek help from a more advanced concrete finisher. Bull floating is the first step of smoothing out the concrete. It will knock down all of the rocks and bring the "creamy" concrete mix to the surface. Doing this correctly should leave your pad flat and smooth with no holes. The "wetter" the concrete is, the easier it will seal all the holes up; if you wait to long to bull float, it will be hard to seal the surface. If some holes will not close up, you can sprinkle some water to aid in the process. Hand edging the concrete will create a nice rounded edge as opposed to a sharp rigid one. It will also seal the edge. If an error is created in the edging process, use the hand float to clean up along the edge. The hand float should be used to seal up any holes that are reachable. After the first round of sealing the surface by bull floating and edging, it is generally time to do the process over again. The objective is to get the bull float lines and edger lines to go away, while the top remains smooth. This may take some time depending on weather, if the sun is out it it will dry up quicker. There is a video tagged in these instructions that will help you learn how to properly finish concrete.
Summary: Pour the concrete into your forms. Screed the concrete. Bull float the concrete. Hand float and hand edge along the outside. Finish bull float and edging.