ESP Biography



SHAUNA RAKSHE, Stanford grad student in chemical engineering



Major: Chemical Engineering

College/Employer: Stanford University

Year of Graduation: G

Picture of Shauna Rakshe

Brief Biographical Sketch:

I grew up on the rural outskirts of Portland, Oregon, where a lack of neighbors to play with contributed to both good study habits and a reliance on crafts and outdoorsy activities for something to do. I attended University of Michigan for my undergraduate studies before coming to Stanford to pursue a PhD. My husband goodnaturedly puts up with the yarn and fabric strewn about our apartment...as long as he gets regular kickbacks in the form of handknit socks.



Past Classes

  (Clicking a class title will bring you to the course's section of the corresponding course catalog)

H536: Whack & Sew: Fearless Sewing! in Splash! Fall 2009 (Oct. 10 - 11, 2009)
Don't let fussy patterns intimidate you! Whether you've had some experience sewing or have never even sewn on a button, you can enjoy simple sewing projects with amazing results. In this class, we'll use both hand and machine sewing to create decorative pillows. You'll learn to operate a sewing machine and sew basic seams, to use fusible interfacing to applique one fabric to another, and to sew both simple and decorative seams by hand. The focus of this class will be on developing the skills to create your own projects in a fun, low-pressure environment. No complicated must-get-it-exactly-right patterns and directions here: you'll simply think up a design, take the scissors and "whack" out your shapes, and sew as your whimsy takes you! All materials will be provided; you can take your pillow home at the end of class!


H271: Intro to Crochet in Splash! Spring 2009 (Apr. 04 - 05, 2009)
In this class, you will learn the basics of crochet by making a cotton washcloth. You'll learn how to start and finish a project as well as some commonly used stitches: chain stitch, single crochet and double crochet. We'll also discuss fixing mistakes. By the end of your washcloth, you'll be ready to tackle just about any project you can imagine!