Author: admin

Alpaca farming or ranching is a great lifestyle change from the hussle of the corporate world.
Posted on

WIP: Baby Blanket 1

Guess what?!  We finally had a live, healthy cria birth!  YIPPY! I’m so excited and it got me out of my fiber funk.

Here she is,  Calypso of Dutch Hollow

3hrs old.
6hrs old, at the vet. 2400 IgG!

But you’re here because of the latest project I’m working on.  2 of my office mates’s wives are expecting babies themselves late this year and early next.  So it’s time to whip up some baby blankets.  Blanket number one is for an un-sexed baby.  I’m told the nursery is a lime green so I’m thinking this quick and easy 80 stitch wide garter blanky will fit right in.

I’m using James C Brett Marble yarn which is an easy wash acrylic.  Boy I’m spoiled constantly working with alpaca.  Acrylic feels like crap to me and it’s so, well, synthetic and fake feeling.  But, for a baby, it’s all about easy care and washability so acrylic it is.

Be sure to check out our link-parties tab up top to see what other folks are up to today.

Posted on

Tip: EZ way to stuff a hay net

Sometimes I like to “fork out” hay from my round bale instead of letting the animals free graze on it.  Unfortunately if I just fork off some hay and toss it on the ground surely a lot of it will go to waste which is where a hay net comes in handy.   If you’ve never used a hay net before they are a PITA to fill.  Here is my trick to getting the buggers open and filled with lots of leafy goodness.

1. Employ an old muck bucket and put your hay net in it.

2. Stuff bucket full of hay, feel free to jump up and down on the hay to cram it full

3. Pull up on the draw string and remove from bucket

4. Hang your net where the alpacas can enjoy it

 

There ya go!  Of course it works for square hay too but squares cost to darn much for me to bother with.   700lbs of round bale hay costs me $30 the same weight in small 40lb squares would cost me $62.   I’ll stick to feeding my cost effective rounds 🙂

 

Posted on

Fiber Arts Friday

Well I’ve been a slacker lately!

I’ve been at war with my EZ Blanket which is nothing to the name, it’s just me and my inability to concentrate lately.  My lack of concentration has been messing me all up and I haven’t been doing much fiber wise.  Maybe this weekend will help, it is the Finger Lakes Fiber Festival at the Hemlock Fairgrounds Sat/Sun.   With any luck I can sneak some time off on Saturday to wander through.   I’d link to the site but the entire GV Handspinner’s Guild site is down.

On Sunday I’ll be at the Genesee Valley Riding/Driving Club’s Horse Driving Trials.  I’ll be the paddock marshal again this year.  So if you’re nice to me maybe I’ll bump up your start times 🙂  I can totally be bribed with chocolate and assorted candies.

Still no cria.  After losing the one on Labor Day weekend I’ve been obsessed with watching my other 2 pregnant girls, neither of which seem keen on having a cria any time soon.  *sigh* I want babies!

The one fiber goody I do have to share with you is my new ball windy stick thingy.  I bought it at the NYS fair while I was demo-ing.  Finally, I have something that I can wind a center pull ball with on the go.  Sorry for the blurry photo, I left my phone at home and had to use a different one for the photo.

 

 

Posted on

WIP: EZ Blanket 4

I’m in a rut again.  Not only am I still stuck on the fist of 4 pieces but I haven’t even finished the corner yet!

What happened is I was mindlessly knitting away and when I observed my seam I noticed a hole.  I ripped back to the boo boo and tried to fix it.  In the process I ended up making things worse and had to frog a good ways back to fix it.  Errrrr!

So, after all the fiddling and then re knitting this is where I am right now.  Pathetic.  I need to get moving on this thing.  I want so much to have the 1st section finished by now.

Posted on

WIP: EZ Blanket 3

So while I was at the NYS Fair I had a chance to sit down with some very accomplished knitters.   Because I’ve only been knitting since January I thought I’d show them my work with the EZ blanket and get some feed back.  I was very surprised at their comments!

1. My stitches are uniform and with good tension.

2. My short row was done correctly coming around the corner

3.  My stitches were a little loose as I made the turn but at least I’m doing the turn correctly!

WOOT! I don’t suck, I’m so thrilled!

Here’s the corner so far.