Tag: alpaca mecate

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Fiber Arts Friday – The Holiday Rush

Welcome back Fiber Arts Friday and Crafty Friday folks.

This week has been spent mostly with work.  Unlike most folks, the life of a geek gets crazier around the holiday’s when everyone else gets time off.  Something about people hate being without their precious internet so they make us all work when they’ve left to play and aren’t using it.  So, I hear by send out a Christmas salute to all my fellow tech heads who are buried in work like I am.

What did I managed to do with the little time I’ve had to myself?  I worked up some cord and braided this beautiful pair of reins.  Best part of this latest braid is that it is 100% alpaca and machine washable since I preshrunk the cord.  I have them up for sale but really have been eyeing them up for myself instead.  If they don’t sell by New Years I might have a Merry Christmas gift.

Alpaca Braided Mecate

I also managed to spin up some alpaca/merino/tencel that I plied and dyed.  I’d show a photo but it’s a gift so I don’t want to spoil it if someone gets nosey.

Lastly my hubba made me a great little tool for my fiber fun.  Ive been using the as seen on TV Embelish Knit to make knit cord for rugs and really thick yarn projects but its slow.  M kept watching me a little at a time make batches of cord and said, “wouldn’t it be nice to have that motorized?”  So he went out to his shop with my Embelish Knit in hand and worked up a metal attachment so I could hook up the devise to my cordless drill.  The result?  Fabulous, it’s so fast and easy to make cord now.  My only slow down now is having to stop and wind up the cord and then continue on.  FYI, the beautiful cordless drill? My birthday present from M, isn’t he awesome?

Embelish Knit Drill

 You’ve seen this knit cord in past projects I’ve done as in the “Loom and Skein” post.

Rug Loom

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We have rope!

I’ve got it!  It took me a week of annoying my husband stretching cord all throughout the house but I finally got the hand of making rope.  The projects I have been working on this week are all for sale.  See our Shop for what is available.

Next thing on the list is to dig through all my alpaca 2nd and 3rds in the basement and start spinning them into cord to be made into rope. 

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Hand Made Reins and Lead Rope

Since the weather has not been the greatest for riding my horses I find myself spending these winter months doing little projects while I dream of spring.

I might be in “English” leather country but I’m a cowgirl at heart and love the feel of a mecate or rope reins in my hands. The weight and lay of a good rope cannot be beat in my book and I decided to make one for myself.

Since I raise alpacas it seemed only fitting to make my new reins out of alpaca. Each cord I used to braid with is made up of 8 strands spun fiber (or yarn) this part requires a rope machine.  Each cord is made up of 8 strands; 2 strands per hook; a total of 4 hooks.  Using a rope machine, these strands are kept under even tension and twisted counter clockwise up to 15% shrinkage (differs for each type of fiber)) and then counter spun clockwise around one another creating a rope cord. I made 6 of these cords and a 7th to use as a core.  

Since I’m still new to rope making I haven’t yet mastered the art of twisting cords around a core into rope.  So I opted to do a 6 plait round braid around the core, back braided scissor snaps on each end and left the fringe on to a little character. 

Hope you enjoy the photos.  First 2 are of the reins the last one is of a lead rope I made to show my alpacas with.  See our Shop for what is available.

Fiber Arts Friday as moved to it’s new home with WonderWhyGal! Check her out!

Video is from Back At The Ranch please give them a visit.
Shows great detail of spinning horse hair and twisting it into rope.

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