Category Archives: fiber art

stuff I make and sell

Rake looms: knitting for beginners/the lazy

Posted on October 28, 2011 by cliffhousealpacas

I’ve been making all sorts of crafty confessions lately. Here’s another: I knit on a rake loom. It’s not that I can’t use knitting needles, I’ve done it that way too, it’s just that for a standard double or single … Continue reading →

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A few of my least favorite things

Posted on October 27, 2011 by cliffhousealpacas

The sigh my bike tire makes as it goes flat, people who step on the heels of my shoes, and having to go down three flights of stairs to take the dog out are a few of my least favorite … Continue reading →

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Studded snows

Posted on October 26, 2011 by cliffhousealpacas

Winter has decided to smack us around a bit. They’re forecasting 4-8 inches of snow for us today and this evening. It’s hard on the animals, because on Monday it was 80 degrees F, and today it’s snowing with a forecasted … Continue reading →

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Spinning in the dirt

Posted on October 25, 2011 by cliffhousealpacas

It’s a great visual right? When I tell people “I spin”, invariably, there’s a long pause. I can see the wheels in their heads turning. Most of my hippie bean eating friends (love you guys) have a visual of me … Continue reading →

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“A dead squirrel on his head”

Posted on October 24, 2011 by cliffhousealpacas

On Sunday, I spun Marcello’s fiber for the first time! It’s an order from a friend, a search and rescue guy in need of a warm, weather proof hat. Mom called before she sent the batts up, afraid that since Marcello’s … Continue reading →

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Funky Carolina Blues

Posted on October 21, 2011 by cliffhousealpacas

The holidays are right around the corner, if you are a crafter, and I’m cranking on my special orders. Last night, I finished plying this yarn: It’s the first finished product I’ve made that involves Tuscany’s fiber, and I rather … Continue reading →

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Buttery delicious

Posted on October 19, 2011 by cliffhousealpacas

Mmmm. Tuscany’s fiber is every bit as yummy as we hoped it’d be. I got a box in the mail from the ranch with two freshly washed and carded batts of this deliciously soft fiber. It was kind of like … Continue reading →

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It is done.

Posted on October 14, 2011 by cliffhousealpacas

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 →

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How to: Spin a beaded yarn

Posted on October 13, 2011 by cliffhousealpacas

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 →

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From start to finish: Part 4 – Washing

Posted on October 5, 2011 by cliffhousealpacas

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 →

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