Fiber

Suri Alpaca

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click on picture for larger image

click on picture for larger image

 

 About 2 weeks ago I received a 1 oz sample of Suri Alpaca.  I have not had the pleasure of handling or spinning Suri Alpaca.  The fiber is very silky and drapey as compared to Huacaya Alpaca that has more spring or crimp, both are very soft.  I need to finish the Llama that I have on the wheel so that I can try this out.  I love new fiber experiences. 🙂  I appologize for not putting this picture up sooner, my life has been a zoo for the last couple of weeks.  I put Ann’s card on the fiber so you can see where this lovely fiber came from or you can click here to go to her website.

 

click on picture for larger image

click on picture for larger image

 

 I have also finished a fleece tied blanket for my grand daughter Leena.  Her birthday was a few days after mine and things and time got away from me.  This was a little bit larger project than I anticiapated (probably because I had not done one before ;P).  But it’s finished and it looks very nice.  The color on the underneath side matches the bow tie on the teddy bears.

 

 

I have throughly enjoyed the wonderful 60’s that we’ve had here yesterday and today.  It is like an early spring and so very wonderful.  I will try to hold onto the wamth and sunshine during the upcoming cold winter that is sure to come soon.  But then spring will be just around the corner. 🙂

Spinning the Llama

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click on picture for larger image

click on picture for larger image

 

This is the chocolate Llama roving that my son bought for me to spin for him.  It is turning out a beautiful  heathered brown. 

People have said on my spinning list that the Alpaca and Llama are dirty fibers to spin, wonderful but dirty (because they roll in the dirt), and I thought how bad can they be?  Well, this was professionally processed and it still has some dirt.  I can’t even imagine trying to spin the unprocessed fiber.  Still I’m sure it would be worth it, because it’s soft and this one is a breeze to spin.  It will get another washing after the yarn is plyed and skeined and I’m betting there will be dirty water. 

I was concerned that I wouldn’t be able to spin it thick enough as I’m use to spinning sport weight to baby weight yarn and my son wanted worsted weight, but it seems to like being worsted weight so I’m happy :).

Yes, that is Snow! plus Alpaca!

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Somedays there are more than a week between blogs and sometimes there are  just more things to talk about.

Snow in early October!

Snow in early October!

 

Yes, that is snow!  I woke up this morning to snow coming down.  Not the big flakes, just little ones but there it was, bold as brass.  And it was a bit on the chilly side as well, only 30 or so but still with the wind blowing, I had to stop and get some ear muffs and of course I couldn’t find my gloves this morning and I knew I would be outside (see next paragraph) so I had to stop and get some on the way out of town.  sigh.  The snow stoped shortly after mid morning and never really stuck anywhere but on the cars, flowers and bushes and that is now all melted too.  It really could have waited another year or two to snow as far as I’m concerned ;P.

 

Alpaca Farm

Alpaca Farm

Alpaca - Llama - CVM rovings

Alpaca - Llama - CVM rovings

Ok, for my birthday, my son took me out to breakfast this morning and then to an Alpaca farm that was having an open house.   You can see all the goodies that I came home with in the picture on the right.  One is my son’s, who wanted me to spin the Llama for him to knit with (the chocolate color) and the auburn color is mine :).  We got the Llama on sale at less than 1/2 price, what a deal and oh so soft!!!  I also bought some light tanish (is that a word? :P) CVM roving that is from a local owner.  I didn’t know we had any in IA but seems that there are two here who raise the CVM sheep. 🙂  It’s nice stuff.
 
 
Alpaca

Alpaca

Llama

Llama

Lots of Alpaca and Llama were in attendance.  They don’t really like to be petted by strangers, tho some will tolorate it.  I was able to scratch a couple on the  lower neck, you don’t really touch their heads, they seem to be kinda funny about that :P.  Tho they had a few that would take a treat out of your hand.  Fiber on the hoof, so to speak, is very soft stuff :).  One of the Llamas (wish I had taken a picture of him) was a beautiful white with black ears and black spots just above his feet and he had a single rather than double coat which was extremely soft.  His name was Radar.

 

Beautiful Fall Bouquet

Beautiful Fall Bouquet

 

And when I got home this is what was waiting for me.  A beautiful Fall Birthday Bouquet from one of my dear sweet friends in TN, thank you Anne. 

Since my memory has always been bad, when people remember my birthday I’m always amazed. 😛

I’m off Monday for the holiday and even tho it’s unpaid, it will be a welcome day to rest and relax. 🙂  Hope you all have a wonderful week end too.

Happy Birthday to Me :)

/ LDSVenus / 2 Comments

Venus5ab

 

 I try not to think about birthdays anymore.  It was certainly easier to do that when I lived farther from my children, but they insist on helping me celebrate one.  My daughter and almost son-in-law are taking me out to dinner on Saturday evening.  My son that knits is taking me to an Alpaca farm on Saturday morning – I will get to pet an Alpaca and I can see a little fiber in my future (saving a little out of my paycheck for that) :).   I’m sure my other two son’s will be showing up or calling to let me know they haven’t forgotten it either.  My dad sent me a wonderful birthday card that had my picture, of when I was 16 years old, on it.  I’m sure he’s probably trying to make me feel better about having a birthday :P.  Why can’t we start out older and each year get younger instead? 🙂

I’ll take my camera to the Alpaca farm and bring back pictures :).

It’s Yarn!

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Handspun Cria

Handspun Cria

 

 Ok, I finished spinning on Thursday but didn’t have time to ply until today.  It’s offically yarn :).   It is soooo soft.  It came out about 16 wpi (“wraps per inch” for those who are yarn impared :P) that is, depending on what chart you use, fingerling to sport weight and I’m gonna call it sport weight, and this skein is 224 yards.  I was worried that I might over ply but I didn’t and it is luxurious to handle.  You can see one of the spools of singles and the fiber on my August 17th post.

  

click on picture for larger image
click on picture for larger image

 

 I’ve put this picture up so you can see the twist.  I’m pretty impressed with the results of this Cria Alpaca yarn.   I will need to buy some more of the fiber tho, as this was not enough for a shawl or capelett, it used about 4 of the 6 ozs.  I will need to spin probably 1 & 1/2 to 2 more skiens.  It will be a pleasure to spin more but I’m sorry that I have to wait to knit it up :P.  Maybe I’ll knit as I spin to urge me to spin more frequently to finish :).

 

I purchased this wonderful roving from Deer Trace Farm in Fayetteville, TN.  They don’t appear to have a website so if you are interested in contacting them regarding some fiber just email me and I will hook you up with their email addy and/or phone number.

Oh yeah, I got to watch the Dallas Cowboys play yesterday evening (still indoctrinating my 3 year old grand daughter to be a Cowboy fan :P.)  They won, I wasn’t sure they were going to, they certainly did not have it all together the 1st half and were down by 2 touch downs, but then they revved it up during the 2nd half and won.   But then they have always been known as a 2nd half team. 🙂

Hand Crafted Soap

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CD Spindles

CD Spindles

 

 

I decided to, as a fun project for the Activity Day Girls in my ward, to teach them to spin using a spindle.  I bought these from one of the vendors on my spinning list who makes and sells them.  The Activity Day Girls range from 8 to 11 years old and I thought this would be a fun activity.   I am sure the girls will enjoy them. 🙂  Hopefully I am training new spinners for the future :P.

 

Custom Soap

Custom Soap

 

It was time to reorder my smell good soap (one of the luxuries I decided I needed :P)  and I have to say that  Autumnoak  makes the most wonderful soap!!  She will even custom make soap for you.  She  loves what she does does and it shows!  I love her Sandalwood & Rose and the Lilac & Lavender soaps .  What wonderful smells and the soaps lather so nicely.  I also love the way the soap lasts and doesn’t dwindle away quickly.  You will have to go check out her etsy store and see all the wonderful soap smells she has for sell :). 

 

Punta/Wenslydale Wool & Mohair rovings

Punta/Wenslydale Wool & Mohair rovings

 

She also sells roving and I bought some of this wonderful Punta and Wenslydale Wool roving (the beautiful blue and white roving).  She also sent some very lovely Mohair roving for me to play with, I have never spun or handled any Mohair before and it is an interesting texture.  I am excited to see what the yarn will look and feel like when I spin it.

If you spin you should check out the very nice rovings she lists on her etsy site.  She is wonderful to do business with.

Spinning Fiber

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click on picture for a larger image

click on picture for a larger image

 

This is some very soft fiber.  The content is Alpaca, baby Alpaca, Silk, Merino, Cormo and glitz from Twisted Sheep Fabulous Fibers on etsy.  It is very pretty and should spin up into a beautiful yarn.  As soon as I get finished with the green and red that I am spinning together, I plan on spinning this new fiber.  I really will finish the Christmas yarn (red and green), hehe, I just have not had time to sit down and spin, too much going on in my life, but I need to make the time to do it because I miss spinning.  With the weather still nice I should do that for 30 min or so when I get home from work to relax, before it gets to hot to spin out on my balcony. 🙂