I know I'm a slacker!

Yeah, yeah, so sue me. Nobody reads this anyway! But here's what has happened of late in the realm of our alpaca adventure. Little Mark went to two shows. Walked in the Virginia Classic because the weather was horrid and they didn't separate the classes like they should have. Took 5th in the Palmetto Classic with comments about his staple length being positive. It's a start I guess. It's just too frickin expensive in this economy to be entering shows. Unfortunately because we're not a big farm we need all the advertising we can get. And we can't afford to pay for it in publications. Never gonna get one of these guys sold at this rate.
On to fiber though, not getting that much time to work with my fiber as I had in the past. My stuff all sits idle collecting dust right now. I still haven't finished my blankets from last year and I've got shearing coming up next week! That means more blankets! I'm thinking of paying the shearer to skirt them for me and then sending them off to a mill for processing into roving that I can then spin myself. Spinning is not as intensive as doing all the carding and cleaning. It will cost a little bit but it will be better than letting it sit and go to waste. And maybe I'll eventually be able to create something beautiful out of it!
I got some guidance on my spining wheel issue recently as well. It looks like I'm going to have to create an entirely separate tension knob and buy an additional spring in order to use my plying head. I was told I should have recieved the spring with the plying head but I didn't. I attempted to contact The Merlin Tree as well to ask about this issue but haven't recieved a response. That's been typical unfortunately. I don't have a lot of good to say about them once you buy a wheel.
On the other hand I have managed to get some sewing done. I made my little boy a pair of pajama shorts with pirate skulls on them and my little girl a dress with Ariel all over it. And I finally put together the backing for my Christmas quilt. Now I just have to get the batting, pin it and sew it! Yeah sure, that will happen this year. Not.
Anyway, just a short update, no pictures. I promise I'll have some by May though. I'm going to the farm where my pacas board later this month and I'll take some pictures then. Holly should have her baby by then so there will be a new cria to name (and pay for)!

My oh my, it's a New Year!

And with that comes even more change! I know, it's hard to believe, but things don't like to stay the same. Lessee, Mark is going to his first show in March, I'm going to enter him into the Virginia Classic and have him tag along with Dawn Dolpp of Mada Vemi alpacas as a show buddy. I'm also thinking about entering him into the Palmetto Alpaca Classic show as well. Not sure how he'll do but I want to get some judge's comments so I know where to go next. Also helps get my name out there so maybe I'll be able to sell one of these guys along the way.

Princess didn't like her date so much with Mr. Legend. So, it's a wait till spring thing. The plan now is to breed her and her mommy in May. Holly should have a new baby by then (hope for a girl!) and Princess will be a little more mature. And if Mommy says it's okay maybe she'll think it's okay. That's the idea anyway. Holly is going to be bred to Dynamite, also owned by Mada Vemi Alpacas. He's a rose grey and Holly is brown so I'm hoping to get a beautiful baby there as well.

I have been busy with projects lately though I did take a 3 week break to spend major amounts of down time with my kids over Christmas and New Year. I finished a crochet poncho with my natural brown/black blend alpaca yarn. It's got a lovely cowl neck and side slits for the arms, very classy. The picture doesn't do it justice. The other thing I've been doing, not related to alpacas, is learning to quilt. I finished a small Christmas quilt just before the holidays and then this past weekend, put together a table runner and matching napkins for my friend Michelle. It's cute, the white fabric has kitties in Santa hats all over it. She loved it, needless to say.

I have even managed to do some spinning. I had some lovely roving that I bought at the 2007 VAOBA show and I finally pulled it out to spin. It's turning out quite nice. Now I just have to figure out how to put the plying attachment on my wheel so I can ply it when I'm all done. That and the two bobbins that I already have full of some grey I was working with need to be plyed so I can use the bobbins!

VAOBA just offered another one of their wonderful seminars the weekend of the 17th. It was held in Petersburg at Virginia State University at their Randolph Farm. They have been doing some work with alpacas and the effects of worming and feed on fiber. It was pretty interesting stuff. Learned a lot and, as always, met some more wonderful people. Got to catch up with some I haven't seen in a while as well. Carolyn and Jackie were there as well as Anita from 3 Hawk Alpacas. Dawn and Sue too with some ladies that are just getting interested, Gaynell and Diane. It was informational, food was good and it was nice seeing everyone again.

I'll try to post more regularly if only because I like to write, regardless of if anyone is reading!

How things change!

Mark Anthony glued to mom Holly. Isn't that the sweetest face?

Wow, how things change in two months! First, our pacas have moved to Virginia. The wonderful farm they were staying at sold their entire herd and we had to find them a new home. So they are frolicing with the Alpacas of Nottingham Hollow now. I'm not sure Mark is so thrilled by the idea since he's been weaned from Mom and put in a separate pasture, but I think he'll be okay. Mom is pregnant and due in April and she needs to keep everything she's getting for the baby. Princess isn't quite sure what to make of it either but she's got a couple of maidens her age there and they share a pasture. She doesn't know yet that she's got a date this month with a hunk named Amerikhan Legend. She's been very interested in the boys lately so hopefully everything will go well and we'll have a new baby next year at this time from her. With their combined fleece characteristics we should have a beauty!

Sadly the chickens had to find a new home. We had to change our homeowners insurance and the new company wasn't real thrilled to find "farm animals" on the property when they came out to do the assessment. So, in order to keep from having our insurance cancelled the chickens had to go. They went to live at the former Charmed Alpacas. They don't have alpacas any more but they still have chickens. Which means I now have to add eggs back to my grocery list. But I don't have any more poop in my back yard so I guess it's an even trade off.

The VAOBA show in October was fabulous. I assisted in the fleece show again this year and learned even more about fiber. I got to listen to David Barboza judging the fleece and couldn't have asked for a more enjoyable and educational experiance. The VAOBA store setup this year was amazing as well even though I didn't sell anything. And Princess didn't win anything in the spin off either though I did get some great comments about her fiber. I wish I had a better 2 oz. to send in but her prime is so matted I'm not even going to be able to use it I don't think. I am carding her seconds and will use it for either needle felting or wet felting. It's like working with cotton candy though because it's so fine.
I bought some yarn at the show as well but I haven't found a project for them yet. I'd love to do a vest but since I'm only slightly above beginner when it comes to crochet and knitting and I haven't made friends yet I'm not sure I'm going to be able to pull it off. I'll keep working though!

Other than that, it's getting to be winter in Virginia and it's cold so I'm not inclined to be outside that much which is perfect for working on all those projects that have piled up!

Well, it's been a while since I posted, I apologize. It's been a busy month. Not for fiber though, haven't actually got to do too much with my fiber. It's been busy with my real job, the one that pays me right now. I did get the opportunity to help out with herd health at Charmed Alpacas this month. I learned how to administer the shot for de-worming and did almost all of them. That was quite an experience. The pacas are getting their fleece back and looking rather lovely this time of year. Our Mark Anthony is getting to be a rather good looking boy. I need to get him on the show circuit. He could be our ribbon winning future herdsire! I don't have a recent picture of him to show off, need to get one I suppose. I'll add that to my list.
On a totally different note, the chickens have begun laying! We're getting 2-3 eggs daily. They are small and brown but just as edible! We scrambled up a dozen this past weekend and made the kids breakfast. They were very excited to be eating eggs from their chickens. I guess that means I can knock eggs off my grocery list from now on. Yeah!
That's the quick and easy, I'll post again shortly when I get some pictures. Till then, Paca Power!

Spin off here I come!

So I'm back from travel and prepping my prime alpaca fiber for entry into the VAOBA spin off in October. My alpaca, Princess, was a bit like velcro and as such I don't think I can really show her whole blanket. But I can get a good 2 oz. so I'm going to enter it into the spin off. I've posted a picture but it's not very good, white fiber and camera flashes don't mix well, at least in my inexperienced hands. For example you can't tell that she has fabulous crimp in this picture, but she does. And I just got her fiber test back, she has a mean diameter of 20 and a CV of 15. All of which means (I'm told) that she's got really nice fiber! Yeah!!

The other item I'm having issues with is a hat. I love the hat, love the color, even ended up liking the design. However, the size is super huge. I seem to have problems with my needle felting technique when it comes to hats. I called Catie Dutcher and she's helped me with some tips but it was too late for this hat. Now I"m trying to find a way to shrink this guy so it can be worn by a normal human and not a giant. I'm currently trying elastic around the bottom, under the band. Not sure if that's going to work though since it seems to make the top sort of mushroom. It has been suggested that I wash it in hot water but I'm afraid that's going to shrink it height wise as well as width wise and I don't want that. And I'm not sure what would happen with my band. That's my lovely "novelty yarn" from my spinning/plying attempts. I managed to crochet it into a hat band. Not bad, huh? Except too big. Such is the nature of experimentation.

On a totally separate note, I was reading the Georgia Mountain Fiber newsletter and noticed that they have a new partner, Amia Yarn Company, for marketing alpaca fiber and products. I haven't dealt with them yet but it's good to see the industry making some strides. Amia is hosting a contest to promote their grand opening. You can find out more by going here: http://knitwitchblog.blogspot.com/2008/07/contest-time-again.html

So, if you read that you know that I'm going to get entered at least once. And if I decide to send a picture of my hat, that's twice. I'm all about entering. I'd love some beautiful alpaca to crochet. Not much of a knitter, goes too slowly for me since I don't know all the stitches. But I'll learn someday. Maybe this winter while I'm freezing in Virginia. Who knows? At any rate, that's all for now, enjoy your pacas!

Back to the Spinning Wheel

I've been traveling for the past week and will be on the road again Wednesday but I thought I'd take a minute and post a new note. I'm hoping to be spinning here again in a few minutes and see if I can't finally get some usable yarn all plyed and ready to go. My Hitchhiker wheel is pictured to the left. It's made by The Merlin Tree and I have to call them next week to see when my jumbo flyer and bobbin are going to be mailed out. Not sure what I'll make yet, that's half the fun. I'm still trying to get all of my raw alpaca fiber carded so I can do something with it, whether it be spun, wet felted or needle felted. When I get back from my next trip I have to get some things together for submission to the VAOBA show in October. I'm submitting some prime fiber for the spin-off and maybe some items for the fiber arts. If nothing else I'm going to put some things in the store and see if I can't actually sell something! That would be nice.

The chickens have been released from their cage and allowed to wander the yard. They seem to have figured out where home is and haven't tried to run/fly away. They like it under the bushes we have because there's lots of yummy bugs there. The husband has been cutting back some of our wild blackberry vines and the lower limbs on the bushes so they can get in under them for shade and munchies. The bugs are going to figure out pretty quickly that it's not safe for them any more! That's all for now, the spinning wheel is calling!

We've got chickens!

Well the day has finally arrived. We have chickens in the back yard. Four barred rock juveniles. Here they are hiding under the house my husband so painstakingly built. The kids are very excited. Until they realize they have to clean up after them. They had fun going to get them too, the lady we bought them from had just about everything under the sun with wings and pot bellied pigs on top of it. She had two litters of pigs less than a week old.

On a totally separate note I thought I'd try to needle felt a hat out of raw Llama fiber today. Not sure how it's going yet but I don't think I like working with the forms I currently have. That and I'm not sure I'm doing it right, it seems to stretch out and instead of a small hat I end up with a large. Trial and error. That's why I'm using the llama and not my lovely alpaca. I don't want to waste it on experiments. I'll work out the kinks with the llama and then make a final product with the alpaca.

Also, I was invited to join an alpaca forum, alpcasocial.com, where the members can chat live, ask questions, exchange info and generally benefit from a wide variety of knowledge. It's a great initiative and whoever thought of it deserves a big pat on the back.

I'm heading up to Nottingham Hollow Alpacas tomorrow to skirt some prime blankets for show, one more thing on my to do list will be knocked off!