Monthly Archives: June 2012

Sheep to shawl competition

Posted on June 15, 2012 by cliffhousealpacas

One of our favorite events at the Estes Park wool market was the “Sheep to shawl” contest. Teams work together to card, spin and weave a shawl in one day. Although at some shows they actually start with the sheep … Continue reading →

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Yarn – Filigree

Posted on June 14, 2012 by cliffhousealpacas

I’ve spun my first 200 yards of yarn on the new wheel! I’m calling this one “Filigree”, after my favorite jewelry technique: twisting together wires of precious metal into loops and whorls. I particularly like to work in silver, as … Continue reading →

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Yarn – Hieroglyphics

Posted on June 13, 2012 by cliffhousealpacas

Before I allowed myself to spin anything on my new wheel, I had to finish that beaded yarn that didn’t want to cooperate. I like the concept of this yarn, Morocco’s slightly orange fiber with a bright copper bead, but … Continue reading →

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My new sidekick

Posted on June 12, 2012 by cliffhousealpacas

I bought a new spinning wheel at the wool market! This is my new Schact sidekick. It folds up almost entirely and has an over the shoulder strap for carrying (thus the name: sidekick – the sides fold up and … Continue reading →

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Recapping the Estes Park Wool Market

Posted on June 11, 2012 by cliffhousealpacas

We’re ba-ack! Mom, Dad, Aunt Geri, Uncle Jerry and I spent the weekend communing with fiber denizens of all stripes. Alpacas, goats, paco-vicunas (a breed of alpaca), sheep and llamas were all represented. In addition to the displays by various ranches … Continue reading →

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Yarn in progress – hieroglyphics

Posted on June 7, 2012 by cliffhousealpacas

Instead of trying to make that gold beaded yarn that has me so un-inspired, I decided to use the same singles with these new, metallic copper beads. The warm color of Tuscany’s fiber reminded me of sandstone and the Sahara, hence … Continue reading →

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Because we don’t have enough businesses

Posted on June 6, 2012 by cliffhousealpacas

Mom and Dad have many interests. Ballet, horsemanship, theatre, knitting, Native American art,  computer programming (for fun), vinting, we even went through a sort of lumber jack phase. Well, their most recent interest is bound to be tastier. They’re considering becoming bee … Continue reading →

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Sparkly scarves!

Posted on June 5, 2012 by cliffhousealpacas

Thank goodness I’m not the only crafter in the family! Mom, who knits using a rake loom, has been busy. She knit this pile of sparkles using one strand of handspun suri alpaca yarn (that’s the gray) and one strand of blue … Continue reading →

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Estes Park Wool Market

Posted on June 4, 2012 by cliffhousealpacas

The fam and I are headed up into the mountains this weekend to attend the 22nd annual wool market! If you are in Colorado, have an idle weekend and are even vaguely interested in fiber art and the warm cuddlies that … Continue reading →

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Monetary matters

Posted on June 1, 2012 by cliffhousealpacas

I need your help. We’ve set a goal to have an online store by August, and the biggest unresolved question may be the most important: how much do we charge for our yarn? Take these two skeins of that “Rocker Gurl” … Continue reading →

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