Tag: alpacas

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Fiber Arts Friday – Shearing and Skirting

It was a long wait through some hot days but all of our alpacas are finally shorn!  I mentioned a while back that I attended the shearing clinic up at Jay Ward’s place this spring and I got my chance to do some more hands on shearing on my own animals.  I made the mistake of saving the last 3 animals for myself to shear.  My legs were shaking from fatigue after wrestling all the alpacas before them as the header.

My lovely shearer Chris Hatch was so kind to coach me though and gave me great tips on how he runs his pattern and handles all the smaller cria and tui jobs.  Thank you Chris and good luck in the alpaca shearing contest!

Of course after shearing you end up with bags upon bags of fiber everywhere!  12 animals time 3 bags each equals 36 bags stuffed with fluffy fiber.  So, I’ve been working my way through all the bags skirting them on my new skirting table.  Picking out VM as well as changes in color, guard hair, and consistency.  Which means I’ve created even more bags of fiber! (FYI The red on the cria’s nose is loose minerals, she looks like Rudolf though)

The good news? Those folks that participated in our Raw Alpaca Fiber CSA… your fleeces have been skirted, packaged and shipped out already!  You should get them soon! For those of you still wishing to take part in our CSA we do have full and half shares for Spinners and Yarn left! Check out our Etsy Store for details.

Oh yeah, last but not least progress has once again been made on the alpaca fan shawl.  I’m on pattern row 29 of 30! I was worried that 30 pattern rows would not stretch out enough for my wingspan but I think I might be ok.  We’ll see.  Worst case I might add 2 more pattern rows.

So what have you Fiber Arts Friday folks been up to?

Don’t forget to check out these link parties!

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WIP – Fiber and Shawls

It was a very busy weekend fiber wise on the farm with our shearing of the alpacas.  This of course produces bags upon bags of raw fiber which need to be skirted.  Thus my current and most immediate WIP is skirting.

Skirting Alpaca Fiber

I got bored last week during my lunch breaks and started yet another shawl.  My alpaca shawl still isn’t finished but I forgot it at home so it has been dormant still.   The only thing I could find in my car was some cotton so this is what I’ve come up with so far.

That’s about it.  Don’t forget, if you raise fiber animals share your photos them here at Fiber Wordless Wednesday

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WIP: Alpaca Fan Shawl

Hi everyone.  So I finally finished the green shawl (for sale and is now up on Etsy) and loved the pattern so much I wanted to make one for myself.  I started one in heather gray but for the life of me I don’t remember where I put it!  So I started yet another one this time in light fawn.  I’m not sure if it will stay that color or end up getting dyed when finished.  For some reason I have a thing for dark reds right now, we’ll see if that mood changes in a month when this one is finished.

I also stopped over to see an alpaca the humane society had acquired.  They had some questions about care of an alpaca and wanted to know if I knew anyone who could give him a home.  (No worries he has a home already) But, while I was there they loaded my car up with bags and bags of wool from their shearing.  I’ve managed to skirt through 2 fleeces and here’s a photo of some bagged up ready to go into the washing machine to de-grease.

This is actually my first ever sheep fleece.  As it turns out I’ve been so pampered with my alpacas.  I’m not sure I like the lanoline at all and really don’t like how much POOP they can coat the tips with. YUCK!

Do you raise fiber animals?  Don’t forget to share your photos on Fiber Wordless Wednesday!

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Fiber Arts Friday: New Foal

Welcome back Fiber Arts Friday fans!

Ok, I must admit that I have not being getting much done fiber arts wise this week.  The reason, we have a new baby! 

I present to you DHA Reno’s Southern Belle

DHA Reno's Sothern Belle

The only fiber stuff I’ve done this week was 1) buying new alpacas and 2) dying some alpaca yarn for a customer.  I”ll have 3 new Accoyo Huacayas  joining our herd in a few weeks.  Yeah! My herd is growing, hello more fiber!

As for the dying, here she is cooking away in the crockpot.  I’m not sure why it looks bloody in the photo but the end yarn is a dark cranberry.  It’s currently hanging in the basement drying by our coal stove.  The yarn’s new owner has just gotten into knitting and blogging and with any good luck she’ll join in on the fun.

Alpaca Yarn Dye Pot

This just in at 5:30am!  The yarn is already dry! Isn’t it pretty?  Yarn is off of 2 of our alpaca girls Bella and Vanilla and is OH so soft.

Cranberry Alpaca Yarn

I will not be participating in next week’s FAF as I will be off taking a searing seminar. The farm will be in the trusted hands of the hubba and both our mom’s.  Hope everyone stays in their pastures and doesn’t cause them any troubles!

Don’t worry Fiber Market Monday’s will still be on so come join in the fun and highlight some of your handmade goodies that are for sale!

Click Here to see all the Link Parties I participate in!

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Fiber Arts Friday – Loom and Skein

Hi Fiber Arts Friday and Crafty Friday folks.

Ugh, the “day job” has had me very busy this week leaving me little time to enjoy my farm and all the animals let alone fiber arts.

So, here are some teaser photos of the project I have on the “secret loom.”  Ok, now that you have a photo of the loom do you have any idea what it is? 

Rug Loom

Rug Loom

The “rug yarn” I’m using on this loom I made from a fingering weight alpaca yarn using an “Embellish Knit.” I knew those As Seen On TV things would come in handy every now and again.

Lastly, I did manage to finish a skein of yarn.  The colored part is a merino/bamboo dyed in what I call “wine” colors.  Purples, reds, golds and the black is 100% alpaca.   I managed to work up 250 yards of this yarn and now I just need a project for it.

Alpaca Merino Yarn