Rose Grey Alpaca

I have two alpacas, one is true black and the other is dark fawn almost brown. I don't have a rose grey - yet - but I do have some rose grey fleece - started washing it today - I just love that color! It's like a warm grey/brown.

I have plans to mix it with Dorset wool - to give it some memory. Once I card and spin it (drum carded - by hand - still looking for an electric carder) I'll be making a vest from Oat Couture - called the Oregon Vest. Since most of my shows are outside - I thought this would be a great way to showcase my fiber/yarn.

Cranberry Mint Alpaca Handspun

I have been spinning some white alpaca - two ply. Decided to keep a few skeins white and dye a few. Here is a picture of the first dyed bunch:

I call it cranberry mint. It has for the most part cranberry - with a few hints of green. It starts at a very light cranberry to a dark green. I love to dye yarn - you just never know exactly how it will turn out. Most of the time my dyes turn out well - even if it wasn't what I had in mind :)

Knitting Snob

I learned to crochet when I was young - then learned to knit. I've gone thru plastic needles, aluminum, and now nickel plated circular. I have never used a knitting loom. Knitting loom....hmmmm....that's not real knitting is it? My friend said she had an extra set of knitting looms and that I could have them - I didn't want to say No thanks - I can knit with big girl needles - so I took them. She provided a ton of patterns too - I eyed them up - thinking "Hey - I can make that on these?" I made these for Joe (DH)

I'm now working on a pair for me - different design but still on the loom :)

Call me the humble knitter :)

Spring is Here!!

Spring is here - I snapped this picture of a hummingbird - LAST SPRING!! Okay - so I am in denial - I'm thinking that the snow has melted and the mud season is here (that's the time between winter and spring that every farmer hates/loves) I would welcome some mud right now.

Now back to reality - time layer up and go out and feed :)

Angora Dyes

I sold out of carded dyed angora at the show this past week end. So - I am back to the dye post this week :) I use Pro Chem and Jacquard- they are acid dyes. When I first started dying angora - I could never get it dark enough. I learned to leave it in the pot over night - that seems to do the trick. Currently in the pot is pink - it looks like hot pink but will rinse out to a soft pink.

This is national blue out of the and drying on a screen.

Diane from Rainbow Mountain Alpacas is on her way down for a farm visit - a fiber play date and a cup of tea- what could be better on a cold snowy day?

Weather vane

This is Don King the rooster. He sleeps on top of the chicken coop - he kinda hooks his head over the peak and stays there all night. He won't go in the chicken coop because the hens peck at his long white feathers on the top of his head. I am sure I have the only living weather vane :)

Pgh Knit & Crochet Show

This show was moved from the spot it was in last year - what a great move!! The show was packed with new and old faces - vendors and customers alike. I had a few friends stop by - was nice chatting with everyone!! I was a solo act this year and really appreciated all the help. Special thanks to Sara , Kathy, Rachael & Diane. For those of you who couldn't make it this year - be sure to put it on your list for the next year - it's a must. There is every type of yarn, roving, kits, books and hand knitted items.

Spider vs Blind Person

I wear glasses - at night when I go up to bed I leave them downstairs because I will forget to pick them up in the morning on the way downstairs. I am fairly blind with out them - I can see close up but not any further than 5 feet. As I walked into the bedroom I saw a small black thing moving across the ceiling over my bed. I know it's a bug - probably a spider - that I don't want to share my bedroom much less my bed with. I stand still - not knowing what to do. If I go down to get my glasses and come back he will surely be gone - then I won't be able to sleep in my bed with both eyes closed - one eye will have to be open to look for the bug all night. I turned to the book shelf to get a book - even if I can't really see it I can still whack it. As I turn I hear a "tink" noise - it fell off the ceiling and on to the comforter. ON THE BED! YIKES! I can't see it - I stand in my flannel pj's - book held high above my head for the whack if I spy the bug. It's a waiting game - blind person vs bug. I started to move a fold in the blanket and there it was - a black spider - I whacked 'em - a bunch of times. Even a blind person gets a spider once in a while :)

DSL

WOOOHOOO! I am now a high tech hillbilly! We finally, FINALLY have dsl out here! It's so fast I can't believe it. I can send and receive pictures and not have to wait at least 20 minutes per meg. I'm doing the happy dance around the farm!!