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Monthly Archives: October 2011
Yarn types: a spinner’s prospective
I’m going to admit a sort of dirty secret here. I used to crochet with Red Heart yarn. Maybe you don’t realize what a sin that is, so let me explain. For $4 you can buy 365 yards of their … Continue reading
It is done.
Bonus points if you know what movie I’m referencing in the title, especially if you aren’t related to me. I’ve finally finished the yarn order I’ve been trying to fill for two months. This time, I used the correct color … Continue reading
Posted in fiber art
Tagged beaded yarn, beads, hand spinning, hand spun, handspinning, handspun yarn, seed beads, yarn
3 Comments
How to: Spin a beaded yarn
Good morning! Today, I thought I’d explain how I spin beaded yarns, since I tend to get a ton of questions about it. I guess some knitters add beads to their pieces after they are finished, using tiny crochet hooks. That … Continue reading
Posted in fiber art, how-tos
Tagged alpaca fiber, art yarn, beaded yarn, beads, fiber, hand spinning, handspinning, handspun yarn, seed bead, spinning, video, yarn
12 Comments
Alpaca bio: Tuscany
Tuscany, as our first cria, holds a special place in all our hearts. Born to Tulip before we’d even brought the alpacas home to the ranch, Tuscany was adorable from the very start.
Alpacas and their friends
“Wow, they’re just a bunch of spare parts, aren’t they?” It’s an oft repeated sentiment from first timers on the ranch. Alpacas are, undeniably, weird looking. But you should see their cousins! Alpacas belong to the camelid family, which includes, you … Continue reading
The best laid plans
After an unseasonably warm early fall, we woke up on Saturday morning to 4 inches of snow and white out conditions. Beautiful…the only problem? Saturday was the Cliff House Ranch open house. Then the power went out. Dad, the eternal optimist … Continue reading
Posted in business
Tagged alpaca ranch, alpacas, hand spinning, hand spun, handspinning, handspun yarn, ranch life, snow, weather
3 Comments
Boogie is starving
Below is a picture of Tuscany, Morocco, and Merlin. Do you see the scene stealer? What else is he trying to steal? Here, this picture is even more obvious. Oh Boogie. If a way to a man’s heart is through his … Continue reading
Brittany’s Story: 4 weeks later
Four weeks have passed since she Brittany tried carrots for the first time. We tracked her down to see if she made any progress with her addiction. We found Brittany begging for carrots from strangers. She’ll take a carrot from … Continue reading
From start to finish: Part 4 – Washing
Washing. It sounds straightforward, right? Well it’s not. This step is one of the easiest to get wrong, and the penalty for messing up is turning all your fiber into a big felted knot, completely ruining it (it’s like putting … Continue reading
Alpacas in sprinkler video
If you’ve ever wondered what alpacas look like when they’re playing in a sprinkler? No? Where is your curiosity? Well it’s a fairly tame sort of “playing” but it’s adorable.