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Author Archives: cliffhousealpacas
Alpaca bio: Bravado
Bravado may be my favorite of our alpacas, and it has nothing to do with his fiber (which I haven’t even spun yet). He’s a suri alpaca, unlike the rest of our herd, who are huacayas. Instead of being fluffy his … Continue reading
Losing the twist
People are always surprised to hear that I like to do all the spinning on a project within one or two days. Making yarn doesn’t seem like it should be a time sensitive endeavor. Since I’ve been in a sorta … Continue reading
The parts of a spinning wheel…
…have hilarious names. I couldn’t decide which was funniest, so I decided to share them all with you. Let’s start at the bottom and work our way up. The twist in yarn is originally generated by your foot pressing the treadle. My wheel only … Continue reading
Posted in fiber art
Tagged hand spinning, handspinning, handspun yarn, orifice hook, parts of the wheel, spinning, spinning wheels, yarn store
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But no blue ones
According to the ARI (Alpaca Registry, Inc.), an organization that tracks the lineage of American alpacas, there are a whopping 16 recognized colors of alpacas. The Alpaca Owners and Breeders Association recognizes 22, the other 6 being combinations of the solid colors like “pinto” … Continue reading
Posted in animals
Tagged alpaca colors, alpaca registry, alpacas, american alpacas, ARI, colors, natural colors
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Alpaca bio: Morocco
Morocco reminds me of the quiet kid in class. You know the one that sits in the back and doesn’t talk much, but you’re pretty sure he’s either the smartest kid there or a sociopath. Yeah, that’s our Mo.
Posted in animals
Tagged alpaca bio, alpacas, biography, birds and bees, paddock, quiet kid
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Spinner’s block
I swear, I’m not bipolar. I just go through these dramatic swings in interest level, commitment, and mood about spinning. At the moment, I’m not interested, committed or happy about it. I can’t even blame a “Christmas rush” like I … Continue reading
Posted in animals
Tagged bad mood, carder, hand spinning, mom and dad, spinning, writer's block
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Farm check!
Last week, our vet, Dr. Balch, came by for what she calls, a “Farm check!” (the explanation point is required). She looked at each of our alpacas, checking their body mass indexes, their teeth, and their toenails. I think of … Continue reading
Cliff House Alpacas 