Sancocho Y Mangú

Slow Crawl Into the Holidays

2009-11-09T11:15:00.002-05:00

I really need to get in gear. My house is a mess, my UFOs list is expanding, and I'm not sleeping well. That last one might have something to do with a toddler who wakes up around 4 or 5 am singing songs, proclaiming "Alleluias!", and requesting yogurt. Not to mention the fact that my mommy ears can hear every sniffle, snort, cough in the night.

Visiting family for the Thanksgiving holiday should be interesting. It's not easy traveling with little man but if we don't commit to doing this, the east coast grandparents would never see him. I may try to visit some friends while I'm there. It seems each time I travel back home to NY I get stuck in the house and don't enjoy the city at all. I'm hoping this time will be different. We'll see.

2009-10-23T15:30:00.001-04:00

@ work on a very rainy windy cold day

Mobile Blogging I love You

2009-10-21T10:40:00.002-04:00

Testing mobile blogging feature :-D

Progress on UFOs

2009-10-17T15:14:00.004-04:00

I've been working steadily on UFOs. Luke's Biker Boy is looking good. Some folks on Ravelry helped me figured out how to attach the sleeves to the body. I'm also working on a Multnomah shawl using Lisa Souza's Sock! Merino in Paprikash, this has to be one of the softest yarns I've work with so far. I decided on a shawl because I wasn't quite sure about the color for socks. Once I'm done with my yarn diet (February Stitches West!) I will definitely pick up more Sock! Merino for my stash. I also cast on a Spiral Cowl with my Malabrigo Silky Merino, the pattern is very easy but I messed up the spiral sequence a few rows back. It still looks good only it is no longer a continuous spiral. On the spinning front, I've spun up 2oz of my Shetland roving from Windswept Farms I really love this roving. The natural brown color is very rich and the fiber spins up beautifully. I'm spinning 8oz total semi-worsted and would love to spin up the remaining 8oz in more of a woolen spun.

Work is going well. My students are doing great, teaching once a week is nice. I'm also working 2 days at a non-profit HIV/AIDS organization and that has been great. Thursdays and Fridays are supposed to be writing days but most end up as chore days.

Cold weather has set in but we are determined to save serious money on our heating this season. L. has agreed to seal up all the windows with plastic and I'm going to knit up some draft stoppers for the front and back doors. Little man is already outfitted with numerous footy pjs so I think he'll be ok.

That's all for now. Happy knitting and spinning!

Spinners Giveaway

2009-10-08T08:26:00.002-04:00

Juniper Moon Farm is giving away a spinners stash.

Share your story about best/worst moving experiences and you'll be entered in a random drawing.

Go to this site and submit your story

Entries close at midnight EST, on Sunday, October 11th, 2009. One winner will be chosen at random and the winner will be posted here. The winner has 24 hours to claim his or her (but probably her) prize. Sound good?

Good luck.

My Own Health Insurance Trials

2009-09-24T20:42:00.003-04:00

Last year I had full health insurance coverage under my one-year teaching contract. Unfortunately when I was only offered a part-time position this year (budget cuts) I was no longer eligible for coverage. I could do COBRA at over $400/month or go with a much more reasonably priced individual plan from the same carrier I had had previously, Blue Cross. Sounds too easy right?

Well the first hit came when my initial application for an HMO plan was rejected because I had delivered my child two years ago via c-section (healthy full-term pregnancy, no complications, perfectly healthy newborn). I finally got a hold of a human being in customer service who explained to me that the procedure had knocked me out of eligibility for that plan but she assured me that BC had plenty of other affordable options. I chose one of those options and as she described the details I realized that there were no maternity benefits included. "Well what if I get pregnant. I'm not planning on it any time soon but what if it happens." "Well your pregnancy would not be covered. You need to add maternity benefits to this plan." So I did, for an extra $100+. The plan come to about $280/month but wait, there's more . . . for that monthly price I am also required to provide documentation that I have been covered by insurance for the past 18months with no lapses exceeding 62 days. If I don't then I'm subject to a 6-month waiting period before aspects of my benefits kick in. At this point I was blurry eyed and confused.

I thank God that I am a healthy individual who rarely visits a doctor's office (I've got the records to prove that), I can't imagine what it's like for people who are actually ill or have suffered a serious illness in the past. The need for a public option is evident; sick people shouldn't have to live in fear and spend there energy on customer service calls. I wish the news outlets would preface each health care debate story with the profits figures for each of the major insurance companies as well as campaign donations figures for all members of Congress (Dems and GOP) and perhaps most important with personal stories from people who have lost their jobs and their insurance along with them.

Girls' Night Out

2009-08-26T09:23:00.012-04:00

I rarely go out. In fact, since moving to Detroit last year I haven't really made any new friends. But last week I finally went on a girl's night out with someone I met at wedding last March. I had such a good time. We're both moms trying to build our careers and it was just fun to talk to someone. I'm committed to getting out more.

And in the spirit of getting out more, I signed up for a class at Stitches Midwest. I am very excited. A very close friend of mine lives in Chicago and this is the first chance I've had to visit her since moving back to the Midwest last year. Of course this is the first time since my little man was born 2 years ago that I've been away from him overnight. I'm already a little freaked out but I'll only be gone for 3 nights so. . . .

On the Needles:
I've moved on to the 2nd Lacey Rib Sock. It's a really easy pattern, I don't know why I've dragged this project on. Of course I wasn't paying attention and had to rip back quite a bit. But I'm back on track now. Also on the needles is my dh's Biker Boy. I've finished the body and am nearly done with sleeve #1. It looks like I'll be done for the onset of Detroit's bitter cold.

Off the Needles:
I've finished a bunch of bibs for my friend's soon to arrive baby. I also finished 2 pairs of Fetching using my Araucania Aysen. I was surprised I was able to knit up 2 pairs from just one skein (191 yds). One of these pairs will go to my niece who started 8th grade this week

The Needles:
I recently purchased a set of Knit Picks Zephyr interchangeable needles. I had been planning to buy a KP set because my Denise interchangeables are constantly "overbooked". The Zephyrs are sleek, lightweight, slightly flexible, and super pointy. The sharp points are definitely a plus, I've been able to knit up lace which I could not do with the Denise needles. The points range from size 4 to 11 and the set comes with 4 cables (2- 24" and 2- 32"), 8 cable caps, 2 cable keys that I'm not quite sure how to use.

Although the needles are sleek they have enough "drag" to control slippery yarn. The cables are flexible enough to use for magic loop although I'll likely purchase a 40" cable since the 32" is a bit tough for knitting up sleeves using this method. I like the thin, flexible cables on this set for my more delicate knitting but I was a bit worried about their sturdiness for heavier yarns. One of my current projects is a sweater knit up in bulky yarn and it's heavy. The cable seems a bit vulnerable under that weight but it has held up so far.

On the down side, the tips on the KP inerchangeables are screwed on and unfortunately while knitting they tend to unscrew. I've gotten into the habit of tightening up the tips before I begin a knitting session and that seems to do the trick.

Another down side to the KP Zephyrs is that they are not labeled. In other words I have to use my needle/gauge tool to check the size of the tips. It seems like it wouldn't be too hard to chisel in the needle size at the base of the tips. Oh and by the way if you order a set, check all the tip sizes immediately. I discovered that my set was missing one size 6 tip. I called KP and they're sending replacement sz6 tips. They have great customer service by the way.

Overall, I am very happy with my purchase. The acrylic has just the right amount of slick for my knitting pace and the clear material helps me see the stitches when I'm working with darker yarns. And then of course there is the price: $44.99 is a pretty good value.

If anyone has more specific questions they'd like me to answer feel free to contact me.

That's all for now. Happy Knitting!

Even Knitting Hasn't Cheered Me Up

2009-08-17T09:43:00.012-04:00

It's so sad when knitting and spinning fail to cheer me up. I didn't even come close to meeting my goals for the Summer (big surprise there!). I was stressed most of this Summer over the fact that I don't have a regular job. How is it possible that after all the work, time, and money I put into a Ph.D., I'm still unclear about what I want to do "when I grow up." I'm almost 40, this is no time for uncertainty and yet . . .

Anyway, I am going to start a large spinning project this week. I have 1lb of Shetland from Windswept Farms. I want to 3ply it and knit up a vest and perhaps matching mittens or cowl. I have to see what my yardage is but 1lb of fiber should yield some serious yardage.

I want to knit up a quick sweater for my little boy before winter arrives. There's a pattern I've been meaning to knit up but the largest size is too small for him so I will have to bust out the calculator and make some adjustments. I usually don't like to alter a pattern because I'm not very good at the calculations but I figure a child's sweater is a good project on which to practice.

I also have some serious sewing I'd like to do but man am I bad at it. I have not returned to the Box Bag but will do so very soon. I was hoping to sew up a bunch of them for my small projects.

Here are a few of my finished objects for your viewing pleasure:

Summer is Over

2009-08-07T11:08:00.002-04:00

I can't believe it's August already. Time to get back to work. Not that work ever really stopped. I'll be teaching one course this Fall as well as some consulting but I'm hoping to land a more steady position before the year ends. Not an easy goal given conditions in Michigan right now.

As far as knitting goes, I'm in baby knitting mode right now with all the impending births in my life. I've knit up a bunch of bibs but I still need to get some buttons for those. I knit up a Yoda Sweater for my friends baby along with a Bunny Tail hat, just need to steam both of those. I would really like to sew a few items from the Amy Butler book I just purchased, starting with the Cutie Booties.

Sweaters Are Heavy!

2009-08-03T20:05:00.004-04:00

I am finally knitting that sweater I promised my partner years ago (Biker Boy - rav link). I'm knitting it in a bulky wool/alpaca blend and man does it feel heavy. Thank goodness the designer recommended knitting it on circulars to keep the weight off the wrists. This is officially the first adult sweater I've ever knit and I'm a bit nervous. I've cast on and frogged a few times now never getting past 2 or 3 inches of knitting but I've been steadily knitting without mistakes for 8 inches now, so far so good. I was concerned about the size but I'm trusting the gauge and I'm just going with it.

I'd love to cast on Pioneer using a 100% bamboo my sister bought for me but I'm worried that the bamboo may stretch out. I need to order Sz 5 dpns and then I'll cast on.

My entire family is suffering with allergies this week. My son is able to sleep but he is very runny nosed. Since the symptoms aren't too severe we've decided not to give him any drugs. His pediatrician said it would be ok to give him something but if he's eating and sleeping and generally happy, why bother. We adults on the other hand are not doing so well. I haven't been able to take in a deep breath all day without coughing. I'll have to sleep with my emergency inhaler tonight.

Oh I just got two books in the mail: Weekend Sewing by Heather Ross; and Little Stitches for Little Ones by Amy Butler. I really want to get some sewing done, especially for the new babies that are due this Fall and Winter. I figure if I practice on small projects the bigger ones will be easier.

Sew What?

2009-07-23T16:35:00.003-04:00

My mother and sister are amazing seamstresses. There's pretty much no limit to what they can sew: clothing, home decor, etc. I on the other hand suck at sewing. But I want to master it. At least for simple things like pillows, small bags, skirts.

I've purchased a couple of sewing books and just ordered a couple more but I've decided to work on a Box Bag for my first project. Dragoknitfly offers a great tutorial but I swear I am severely sewing challenged. First, I can't cut straight to save my life. And along the same lines, I can't stitch straight either. Very frustrating.
I have some beautiful fabrics from Purlsoho.com and I'd really like to make a bunch of these little project bags to accommodate my knitting startitis. I've reached a point in the tutorial that just doesn't make sense to me and I've had to rip out the stitches and re-sew a couple of times already. I gave up for now and put it aside. I will go back to it in a few days.

Check Out the New Layout

2009-07-20T19:54:00.002-04:00

As you may have noticed I changed the layout of the blog. I wanted something fresher and I really like this template. I hope the very few of you who read this blog like the new look.

Hulu & Netflix Watch Instantly, Get on that folks!

2009-07-20T16:33:00.009-04:00

My partner and I gave up our tv when we moved from California to Detroit. Of course we cheated a bit and kept a small 13" set until Michigan went digital in June. Now we're into Hulu.com and Netflix "Watch Instantly". I recommend both services.

As far as knitting goes. I've been working on a Baby Yoda Sweater for my friend's new baby boy, Trent. I'm eager to start a new knitting project but I really want to finish my UFOs before casting on anything. My Lacy Rib Socks are taking forever, it's such an easy pattern but it just won't end. I'd like to cast on a Swallowtail Shawl with one of my Malabrigo Lace skeins. I would also like to cast on for a vest using my 586yds of handspun Polwarth.

Back from Vacation. Need a Vacation.

2009-07-10T21:10:00.008-04:00

We were gone for 10 days: Michigan to NYC, NYC to CT, CT to NH, NH to ME for the 4th of July celebrations then back to NYC for one night to break up the drive and home again Monday. Our little man was a wonderful and patient traveler considering how many hours he spent in his car seat and how many different homes he slept in. The trip was fun but exhausting.
I did get to visit the Harrisville Designs shop. It was a total surprise. I didn't realize that we were in that Harrisville. The shop is very nice.

My knitting has been slow; very slow. I still haven't finished my Lacy Rib Socks.
I did however finish spinning my 8oz of Polwarth fiber. It yeilded 586 yds of 2ply (prior to washing). It turned out very nice and I will post pics soon.

Spinning Out of Control?

2009-06-23T10:25:00.009-04:00

I've managed to get some amazing spinning done in the past few weeks by spinning 15-20 minutes per day. It was great. I finally feel like I've got the hang of it and am actually noticing more of the yarn's behavior as I spin. This is a pic of 8oz of Polwarth roving spun and 2-plied. I have yet to skein it up and wash it, but I may do that tonight. It is so much fun to spin I recommend it for anyone who loves yarn.

I need to keep a better record of the fibers I spin and I need more information on the variety of fibers. I want to check out Clara Parkes' new book The Knitter's Book of Wool to see if she provides good details on fibers that I could use as a reference.

Unfortunately I am going to go on a fiber stash diet. I have so much roving, locks, and silk hankies that I should be pretty busy spinning for a long time to come. My last purchases were 1lb of Jacob roving and 1lb of Rambouillet roving. The Rambouillet was no where near as soft as I thought it would be and I actually contemplated buying some hand carders to process them some more before spinning. I'm going to sit and think on that a bit since hand carders are pretty expensive.

I'm also putting my other gadget purchasing dreams on hold. I've been trying to win a bid for a Swedish bobbin winder on eBay but I keep losing. It seem as if the same people keep bidding on these winders and I wonder if folks just create multiple identities on eBay and bid to drive up their own prices. In any case it is so frustrating that I just prefer to buy a new winder. If I buy new however I will buy an electric winder recommended to me by Jasmin of the Knitmore Girls Podcast. The idea is to use the winder to store my spun singles onto plastic bobbins which are much cheaper than the Ashford bobbins. But I'm asking myself more and more, "Is this a need or a want?" It's just a "want" so it is going to have to wait perhaps until the end of the summer.

Our urban gardening is coming along nicely as well. Tomatoes, peppers and basil are all doing nicely. Unfortunately I was unable to find an inexpensive strawberry pot (you know the kind with the holes in the sides) so I just left them with the tomatoes and they took root in that planter (oh well). I should admit that I'm only good at growing mold and this is really my partner Luke's adventure. He of course has a wildly successful garden at the Department of Health where he works. I will post pics of that garden soon.
And finally my knitting has been a bit stalled of late, I'm still working on the Lacy Rib Socks (rav link) from Wendy Johnson's Socks from the Toe Up. They are very easy but I just haven't devoted time to the pattern. The 4th of July holiday driving odyssey will no doubt provide ample knitting time. I must plan carefully what projects I will pack for the road. I'm thinking the socks as well as my Noro Kureyon Leaf Lace Scarf and perhaps a few bibs and burb rags for the impending arrivals of my friends.

I also want to plan out some quick knitting projects for my friends in California. I haven't seen them since we moved and all our kids are 1 week apart. I was thinking about some cute vests with "gender appropriate" colors. I'd have to knit 4 plus one more for my little man so 5 toddler size vests by September. It seems doable.

Well it's back to work now. Happy spinning, knitting, and gardening!

Reviews: Malabrigo Sock/Berroco Sox Metallic/Knit Light

2009-05-21T17:06:00.020-04:00

I've wanted to do product reviews for a while now but haven't had time. Actually I also wasn't sure what I would say about any given yarn. After all, having touched and sniffed the yarn before purchasing it (yes I sniff yarn), I pretty much already knew I liked it. Nevertheless I'm going to give this a try.

First up Malabrigo Sock: The yarn is a very squishy 3-ply light fingering weight and retails for about $19 for 440yds; 100% Superwash Merino Wool. One skein should be enough for an adult pair of socks but you may want an extra skein if you want longer socks.

Ok full disclosure time, I'm addicted to sock yarn. I just love that weight of yarn and not just for socks but for lace shawl/scarf patterns as well. When Malabrigo Sock arrived at one of my local LYSs I jumped on it. I now have 4 skeins. The colors are incredible and I don't think the pictures online do the colors justice. They are very rich but not too busy. The colors are so amazing that you can enjoy them in skein or ball form without ever knitting them up. I struggled to decide on a pattern worthy of my Malabrigo Sock but I've reminded myself that there is plenty of yarn out there so I don't have to hoard. That said I cast on for Wendy Johnson's Lacy Rib Socks from Socks from the Toe Up and I love the way they are turning out. The yarn is very soft, not at all splitty. I have found one knot so far which really surprised me but I'm not bothered by that.

Next up Berroco Sox Metallic: Fingering / 4 ply, 380 yds; 73% Superwash Wool, 25% Nylon, 2% Metallic. This yarn retails for about $15

I’ve always been a little wary of yarns spun with shiny metallic thread. In part because I just don’t like shiny fabric but also because the metallic seems to be a bit rough. It reminds me of gray hair (of which I am increasingly familiar). Sox Metallic is very pretty and softer after its been in the wash. Oh and it seems to hold up well in the washing machine. The color palette is fun and there are a few additional colors I would like to try out. I’m hoping that the Sox Metallic color palette expands perhaps to more subtlety variegated hues. This yarn knits up very nicely with great stitch definition.

Knit Light™from Nancy’s Knit Knacks retails for about $12. I was very excited about this product and bought it a few months ago. Unfortunately it is not as easy to use as I had hoped. It comes with a neck strap but is difficult to angle properly. I find myself adjusting it constantly. I think it will be easier to use with practice. On a positive note it is very lightweight and comes in a convenient little cardboard tube so I just keep it in my knitting bag. It also doubles as a pointer light so even if I don’t use it for knitting I can always use it when I’m giving a PowerPoint presentation. In an effort to save my eyesight I’m going to make more of an effort to use it.

I have a number of new skeins of yarn: Mother's Day and birthday gifts and my sister is sending me some linen from her stash as well as some choice finds from the Webs Tent Sale. I'm really looking forward to knitting with linen so I will likely review that yarn next.

Happy knitting everyone.

Slipping off the Yarn Diet Wagon

2009-04-25T21:27:00.004-04:00

I haven't been completely faithful to my yarn diet (although I've done pretty well I think). I bought some Berroco Metallic Sox last week. It was so pretty and on sale. I just could not resist. I immediately cast on my first pair of toe-up socks. They're coming along nicely, in fact I'm on sock #2.

I've been visiting the WEBS site periodically, filling my cart with lovely yarns but closing the browser before making a purchase, so sad. I keep telling myself: this yarn will be on sale again one day, just work with what you got. But me wants the precious, big time!

I'm going to resist and work on spinning some of the fiber stash I've developed.

Wish me luck.

So Much to Blog About

2009-04-17T15:41:00.035-04:00

My last few posts have stressed the amount of work I've had and that's not over yet but I did want to post some fiber-related items.

First, I want to thank my RSE pal Mirya for the beautiful scarf and wonderful treats she sent me all the way from Australia. The photo doesn't do it justice. It is knit in a super soft green and black speckled colorway. It is long and slim so I've been able to wear it to work as the weather warms up. It's perfect because the mornings in Detroit are still chilly. Mirya also sent a whole bunch of goodies including:

Organic Cotton Yarn, Fiber for Spinning, Labels, Buttons, Reminder Tabs, Chocolate Wafers, Gummy Animals (delicious), Caramel Koalas (demolished those immediately)

This was an amazing swap and Mirya and I had loads of fun chatting weekly.

Here's what went out to my pal: The Leaf Lace Scarf in Cherry Tree Hill SockItToMe yarn.

This was a very easy knit. In fact I've cast on two more for Mother's Day gifts. I also sent my pal a spinning fiber sampler with 1oz bundles of a variety of fibers; I added some spinning record pages as well so she can keep track of her swatches. The package also included some Knit Picks circular needles and Knit Picks Essential Yarn and of course some yummy chocolate. Of course I failed to take a pic of the package which was bundled in bright spring colors.

I was so very afraid this scarf would be a disaster. I could only knit about 4 rows each day because of all the work but as the scarf progressed it was looking very ugly. Well not UGLY just not lacey. But the Ravelry crowd held my hand and blocking is amazing. Here's proof:

Thank you to everyone who promised me blocking would prevail.

Knitting For Your Health

2009-04-08T17:35:00.001-04:00

Watch CBS Videos Online

Eminem's Ode to Detroit

2009-04-08T08:13:00.000-04:00

Man I'm Tired

2009-03-16T22:15:00.002-04:00

My partner and I have been working like lunatics this past week. We both have serious deadlines to meet and we're traveling to California for a few days. It has been crazy. I've sat in front of my computer working for two days straight and I've only made a minuscule dent in my work pile. How is that possible? I literally have more work than I can humanly accomplish by Thursday. And I was hoping to get a few days rest since this is Spring Break. But alas, no real break, EVER!!!
On the knitting front I've made progress on my swap pal's scarf. I knit 12 rows each day (about 25 minutes of knitting). It's all I can spare but slow and steady has worked. I'm still a little uneasy about the lace pattern. It's simple enough but lace is really a mess before you block it. I had read that before but it really is true. You can't even see the pattern. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for the miracle of blocking. I've been assured by the Ravelry folks that all will be fine. The rest of my pal's package looks great. I want to get one more item for the package and then I'm done (except for the scarf of course). That's all for now. I'm off to bed for what will hopefully be 7 hours of uninterrupted sleep.

Work, Work, Oh and Some More Work

2009-03-09T09:54:00.002-04:00

These past few weeks have been insane. I fell behind in February with my partner's travels and then with a flu/cold that lasted for 2 weeks. Now I'm behind on everything and I'm not sure how to catch up. There's just more work than is humanly possible for me to do unless I give up sleeping altogether for a few days and that could get really ugly. Today's goals are bill payments (priority), grading and posting grades (students want to know how they're doing before heading into Spring Break), reading (must catch up in order to grade students' comments on readings), and of course there are interviews I need to review. I'm guessing housework is going to take the biggest hit this week since my partner is traveling again until Wednesday. Argghhh. Oh and my RSE swap scarf is due April 1st.

Fiber Treats from My Sweet

2009-02-25T12:17:00.008-05:00

As I mentioned in a previous post my partner Luke has been traveling lately to promote his new book. When he travels he usually buys me something fiber related.

Here are the latest treats: a skein of Manos del Uruguay Wool Clásica in colorway 122 and a skein of Araucanía Aysén in colorway 803 Blues. I don't have particular projects in mind for either of these at the moment but I'll check out what the Ravelry folks have been doing with these yarns.

I Dream of Fiber

2009-02-11T17:51:00.003-05:00

In my fantasy life I sleep past 7am, wake up to a pancake breakfast, own a self-cleaning house, and can knit and spin for hours each day taking breaks for a good novel and a gourmet lunch. Ahhhh! In my real life I'm working two jobs and my house seems to get dirtier while I sleep, which unfortunately is only until 6am when Chooku (a term of endearment for my little boy) wakes up every day.

Last week I enjoyed a spa day courtesy of my DH. FOUR HOURS of the most amazing massage, facial, mani-pedi treatment I've ever had. I wish I could do this once a week. Another continuing treat is my spinning class. I'm loving it. Since I'm the only student in the class it's basically a private lesson and my teacher is great.

My wheel unfortunately was acting up but luckily I was able to take it The Spinning Loft where Beth gave it some much-needed care, a little tightening here and there and the wheel is perfect. I also picked up some polwarth (soooo soft). I haven't blogged in a bit so I have not shared my recent purchases: Icelandic wool roving; shetland roving, 1lb of dark brown shetland from Windswept Farms in Michigan.

I also bought a Kromski spinning bench from The Spinning Loft. I'm hoping this will promote good posture while I spin.

I want to review the fibers I'm working with in upcoming posts so come back soon.

The Bella MIttens Are Done

2009-01-31T16:29:00.003-05:00

My Bella Mittens are done. This is a free pattern that is based on mittens worn by one of the protagonists of the Twilight movie. I haven't seen the movie or read the books but I love the mittens nonetheless.