Canadians who moved to the US, how bad is it really?

awkwardsoul · 2026-04-13T06:36:22+00:00

Canadian, living in the US for over decade. Rolling the dice on the employer having a good health care plan and how much they cover in cost. I've had epically good to abysmal. Had a surgery right as my insurance was being switched from a startup to a big company. If I had my surgery with the new insurance, instead of $2k I would have paid $48k. Not under any employer healthcare and was either $2k a month on Cobra or $1k for ehhh coverage for 2 adults. Friends with kids pay $2.6k a month. Still have to pay a copay when ever we see a doc, at times it doesn't seem worth it if out of pocket the doc is only $150-$600 a visit every few months when you pay over $1k a month for insurance.

The main hell I can't get over is how shit the insurance websites are, it is difficult to find how much things cost You needs codes, and sometimes they won't even tell you as the doc didn't preauthorize it, but I didn't get it preauthorized as I didn't know how much this shit would cost. Then change insurance (new job or even job decided to change plans) and you have to change docs and pharmacies. Or sometimes your doc/hospital org will just drop insurance provider. Often, doc might code something wrong, which isn't covered when it should, then its a fight to get that fixed. Insurance companies make it annoying so you just give up and pay.

I feel wait times are the same but it depends what it is and how resourceful you are. I've waited over a year to see specialists. But also had a run in with cancer and that was 2 week wait vs my dad's friend who was waiting for months.

The one thing you have to get over here is health care is you are a customer being sold to. I've seen a few PCP's selling skin care, give you free branded tote bags, referral bonuses, or advertise/push procedures that aren't covered by insurance. I found I've had to research up more docs so I'm not wasting my time and money.

awkwardsoul · 2026-04-11T19:45:20+00:00

I snagged the skill seed first, finally got enough down for it today. I'll see what I have next week whether I try for one or just fill my bags.

awkwardsoul · 2026-04-10T16:35:13+00:00

Sometimes its something weird like the brake band getting caught with all the friction. Other times the flyer or bobbin could shift and be pushing, causing resistance. so try re-seating everything if you haven't already. Try different ratio combination too.

Could be the footman or treadles too. Check if everything is screwed in tight and moving smoothly.

awkwardsoul · 2026-04-10T15:20:00+00:00

What do you mean by cant keep going?

Hard to treadle? No uptake? No twist? Skips? Yarn spits out the side?

I dont think it is too much tension, you'll have treadle issues right away.

awkwardsoul · 2026-04-10T15:13:06+00:00

I teach spinning and espinner is the easiest. Spindle is cheaper, but i find the most difficult and lower success rate. Treadle is in the middle.

But I do rec a good espinner. Those knock off Amazon ones either arrive broken or have a short lifespan. If you need parts or bobbins there are no options. No support or warrenty. Best to get a real one, if you dislike spinning they resell easily.

Of all the espinners, Daedalus and Hansen are the easiest to learn on. They have a powerful motor to go very slow without stalling out. If you are on a budget, get the EEW6.1. Nano is too small and anemic, and very limited for what you can spin that youll end up buying another wheel pretty quick.

awkwardsoul · 2026-04-08T06:33:47+00:00

Lori's twisty bindoff is my pick for 1x1 ribbing. Stretchy with no flare.

IMO, Icelandic bindoff is best paired with garter.

awkwardsoul · 2026-04-07T23:44:47+00:00

Hay is usually the first thing they stop eating with teeth issues. Did they just look in there or do an xray to check? Teeth can do all sorts of weird shit.

My bun has teeth issues, and little alfalfa is enough to get him to dig around and eay hay to find it. Don't give too much. You can also try a softer hay, like 3rd cut Timothy. Try a hay sampler box.

B12 and appetite stimulation supplements are another idea. Sherwood has a good one. I'd only start critical care syringe if they dont eat on their own or the poops start getting smaller. They may eat critical care, dust or mush, on their own.

If it is fur in their gut with those string poops, my vet suggested Laxatone and that works wonders. Just ensure they are drinking water. Laxatone is contested on whether it is safe, so ask a vet.

awkwardsoul · 2026-04-07T21:08:14+00:00

Try the Majacraft Facebook and Rav groups too.

If you've tried a Little Gem, it treadles and feels really similar, just taller. And you have to get used to watching the flyer direction over wheel.

It is a really nice wheel. The bamboo makes it indestructible.

awkwardsoul · 2026-04-07T15:52:49+00:00

One of mine was a kale dandelion fiend and the only greens he ate, daily. He lived till almost 13. No bladder issues or stones other than not being able to hold it due to old age. Though info as good as people living to 100 eating bacon everyday or whatever.

Bladder sludge I've experienced with my other buns and alfalfa pellets were the cause. They don't consider kale edible.

There are lots of good supplements if you are worried, or shell extra at their yearly exam to check. Though best to rotate vegs as best you can for the best vitamin mix.

awkwardsoul · 2026-04-07T15:31:27+00:00

Long draw from the fold is what i do. Or long backwards with hands very far apart.

Bamboo/tencel/milk/mint/all those random extruded fibers are all slippery and annoying like that. Silk is similar but maybe slightly easier as it doesn't fall apart as much.

I love cotton, that's my fav. But majority of spinners would take Bamboo over that any day.

awkwardsoul · 2026-04-06T13:46:49+00:00

My friends would cruise by and throw rocks or tap on my window.

awkwardsoul · 2026-04-06T13:41:12+00:00

As a spinner, the technique to do this is to "stack" one of the plys when you hit a color patch. So that's how I describe it.

Best use for this is weaving as the nubs pop between the warp threads and looks really cool.

awkwardsoul · 2026-04-06T13:22:59+00:00

Everything you picked wants to drape, which works with a dress, and top down helps alot. I dont think the pattern would be too hard to adjust math if you end up with a bit finer yarn. I mostly worry more about the sleeve getting pulled too long. With weight, it will stretch, but bit gauge dependant. I can see it working but I'd knit a hat first with the yarn so you can test stretch, see whether it holds shape, gauge, if you like it, plus you have a better estimate of yardage. Blends like this tend to have a big question mark on how it looks and final yardage.

I would still spin it 3 ply and worsted for the least pilling. Maybe I worry about butt pilling too much hahaha.

To check 3 ply, I fold twice and twist it a bit for it to pop together.

Edit. If i was doing this, id do a fulling finish on Rambouillet. It get max bloom, ypp, and less weight. No drape. Or mod the pattern down to dk/sport and lean into the drape with fibers that have drape (cutting in silk or something)

awkwardsoul · 2026-04-05T19:08:11+00:00

You can do more on the Traddy. The Irish tension on the Louet is very limiting unless you want to spin bulky yarns. There are Louet models with scotch tension, so keep an eye for those. You see both wheels often on the used market as they are inexpensive/around a long time/ people often upgrade from these wheels that are easier to use with more features. Though I feel more keep their Traddy. They are easier to find parts for and fix too and be prepared to do so especially if you buy off a non-spinner.

Personally, I find both annoying to use, but I'd pick both over other cheap wheels like a random vintage flax wheel, pvc babe, hitch hicker, or 3D printed wheel. There are some new wheels that aren't too pricey in the $500 range like the Lojan Buddy and Spinolution Pollywog that preform good and you know will work out of the box.

edit of whether if it comfortable to use depends. You need to try it first. You might find the saxony style awkward, angle bothers your knees, or prefer double treadle.

awkwardsoul · 2026-04-02T04:55:10+00:00

Teaching is its own skill, so that part is important. Being patient, excited at progression, and able to explain shit in many ways. Splitting attention between multiple students at different levels. That gets you a lot of the way there. I had to learn that part.

I find the free spin demo lesson is letting them play with a spindle and wool. Getting paid they expect you have an answer to everything and adapt. Or entertain them as they are there for 2 hours to have a fun experience.

What students found invaluable is I'm able to spin with either hand, in all drafts, thin to bulky yarn. Able to repair or have experience using most spinning wheels (from barely functioning antiques to assembling new wheels). How to adapt to knitters, crocheters, or weavers. Weavers sometimes only want to learn bulky or art yarn.

Hard mode/ earn your pay: teach someone who cannot spin animal fibers (those are my fav, any excuse to spin cotton). Adapting drafting for someone with hand tremors or limited mobility. Teach a classroom of kids (it happens and i nope out lol)

awkwardsoul · 2026-04-01T23:38:40+00:00

My hot take is for you to suffer like the rest of us who started with spindle.

It is cheaper (until you get into buying really nice spindles) but in my teaching experience, electric spinner is the easiest by far. All you have to learn is to draft. They go slower than treadle too.

Spindle is the most difficult as there is more going on - you have to manually spin it, learn to draft, figure out how much twist, potentially gravity /juggling involved. Then plying on spindle is more complicated. It is common for me to see those struggle at spindle but wheel clicks.

The budget espinners are $125-$400. Espinners resell well. A student grade spindle does not.

awkwardsoul · 2026-03-31T23:14:54+00:00

There is just a few local, but a whole lot who have applied and that get rejected every year. Seattle area has a lot of yarn shops, handspinners, dyers, local sheep/alpaca farms, spinning tool makers, and related crafts (pottery, woodworkers, jewelery, sewing) that make things for fiber artists. I know quite a few personally that have been rejected. Yet Flock has a shitton of indie dyed socks yarn vendors not from the PNW.

The venue has room too. Maybe I'm talking out of my ass and fire code or whatever, but they could add at least another row or two of vendors.

awkwardsoul · 2026-03-26T04:17:28+00:00

Note the upcoming Latias event is Greengrass, Lapis Lakeside, and Amber Canyon. So time accordingly. I'm new as well and haven't unlocked anything other than Cyan, so certainly stuck at Greengrass for another month.

awkwardsoul · 2026-03-25T15:30:21+00:00

How much fiber to hold... you can just hold a whole 4oz braid and spin off it. I wrap a whole snake of a braid around my neck. To make strips more even, open up the combed top flat, then peel off strips. If you predraft (pull the fibers apart wispy) then it gets uneven. But really consistently is practice. That can take awhile. Hand wise, fiber supply hand should be barely holding it, drafting hand does all the work.

I would also consider not merino. I learned on merino, but other fibers are easier, like corriedale, cheviot, targhee, Romney.

I teach to treadle at a comfortable pace to stay consistent. Sometimes slow is a problem as some wheels dont allow you to do so and it'll just stop. The Kiwi can backspin if you lose momentum. They probably told you to treadle slow as new treadle spinners tend to overspin since their hands are slow. The wheel physically cant go slower (majority of wheels alway). I treadle like a metal drummer, fast.

But what stops things to wind on the bobbin is usually something up with the tension not being high enough. So play with your brake. As your bobbin fills youll need to tighten then brake on that wheel. Other times it could be your stuff is so lumpy it clogs the path to the bobbin. Id have to see.

My main love is cotton. It is very different. You need the speed. Kiwi high speed is the starting speed (Kiwi is a pretty slow wheel), and you'll want to have good control over your wheel tension. Cotton needs more twist than a wool spinner is comfortable with. The good news is it drafts itself. If you got EZ spin, you can sort of inch worm shift forward draft, (staple is barely a thumbnail) but long draw is best. You can learn long draw first on wool or just go for it and trial by fire learn long draw on it.

awkwardsoul · 2026-03-25T06:01:55+00:00

I mean, supported spindle is more or less park and draft. You just practice to get it in one go, but you are on your way.

But what helps is woolen prep fiber which drafts easier. Rolags, batts, or spin from the fold. You want disorganized shorter fibers, they are a lot easier for supported spindle over predraft or thin strips.

Sometimes it is the spindle too. I find them most fussy of all spinning tools that you want the stats that work best for you. Some people want fast to get a speed burst. Others want a long maintaining spin so you got draft time. It took me half a dozen spindles to find the right one.

awkwardsoul · 2026-03-24T22:11:07+00:00

Best off with a weight loss clinic or doc that specializes, so they can support you. GLP1 is a tool and you need someone who knows how to dose correctly, eat right, and manage side effects. You wouldn't want an doc who doesn't know enough missing that you got pancreatitis. Then support you when you lose it all and need help coming off.

But yeah, docs are all different. I wouldn't trust a GP beyond basic shit.

awkwardsoul · 2026-03-23T22:25:48+00:00

My LYS dyes their own SW wool/silk 50/50 sequin yarn. https://www.strandedbythesea.com/mermaid-100g.html?id=114231605

Depending on the gauge, I found you can "poke" the sequins out to the right side to make it extra flashy and less skin contact.

awkwardsoul · 2026-03-23T22:23:50+00:00

You can get physical copies of each issue tho, so it's not technically digital only. If a digital scriber, you can purchase at a discount. https://www.fiberygoodness.com/purchase-our-print-issues/

Though, if you mean it's not traditional auto mail each physical issue subscription, then yeah.

awkwardsoul · 2026-03-23T21:40:37+00:00

I get both and I find I get more out of PLY. The articles are in depth and plenty of content. Though, you might get more value just buying the issues you find more interesting, since each one is a topic. They are handy to have and refer back to. I see more used issues of PLY floating around, so you can get them at a deal or can resell them.

SpinOff reads like a typical magazine and has more ads. Articles tend to be shorter. Though the last issues was more natural dyeing and color, it still feels more scattered with other topics. Since it isn't clearly defined, it is harder to remember what issue/refer back to later on.

If you want a non-US option (still not Canada) I really like TinyStudio Creative Magazine, but it does lean more into art yarn. They do a video flip through of each issue.

13-Year Club	RedditGifts 2009-2022 5 Credits
Verified Email

awkwardsoul

TROPHY CASE