Tag Archives: fiber

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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Random fiber word of the day: batt

Posted on September 29, 2011 by cliffhousealpacas

If you quilt, or play baseball, you may have an idea of what a batt/bat is. In baseball, it is long piece of wood used to bean people who make you angry. In quilting, batting is the layer of filling … Continue reading →

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Random fiber word of the day: spindle

Posted on September 20, 2011 by cliffhousealpacas

Ever since I started spinning, I’ve wondered “How in the world did Sleeping Beauty prick her finger on a spindle?” Like most spinners, I learned the basics of turning fiber into yarn on a simple device called a drop spindle. In … Continue reading →

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Random fiber word of the day: Niddy noddy

Posted on September 8, 2011 by cliffhousealpacas

Or is that two words? Or not words, according to spellczech. No matter. I usually get about three sentences into a yarn about yarn when my non-fiber friends interrupt incredulously, with something like “What in the world is a niddy noddy? Did you make that … Continue reading →

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From start to finish: Step 1 – Shearing

Posted on August 25, 2011 by cliffhousealpacas

This post is the first in our “From start to finish” series, in which I’ll take you through our 12 step program for fiber addicts. Actually, it’s more like 6 steps, but that’s not as catchy. These posts take a … Continue reading →

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I updated the felt gallery.

Posted on July 25, 2011 by cliffhousealpacas | Leave a comment

Preparing for Cimmaron Sky Dog Artists Show

Posted on July 23, 2011 by cliffhousealpacas

The fiber artists at Cliff House Alpacas have knitted/crocheted/felted/spun ourselves into carpal tunnel preparing for our next show. We’ve been invited to bring our wares to a private silent auction and craft sale to benefit the wild horses at Cimarron Sky … Continue reading →

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Wet felting + Me = Fail

Posted on July 21, 2011 by cliffhousealpacas

I’m not trying to toot my own horn here, but sometimes people say things to me like, “Wow, you are a natural at X” or “I can’t believe you’ve only done Y for such a short time”.  And I am … Continue reading →

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Glitzy yarn: Heart of Darkness

Posted on July 16, 2011 by cliffhousealpacas

I’ve been working on another yarn for two evenings now, and I quite like it. It’s hard to see in the photos, but it’s Brittany’s fiber mixed with the shiny, red/brown glitz. The trick to Brittany’s fiber is a really, … Continue reading →

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Alpaca bio: Brittany

Posted on July 14, 2011 by cliffhousealpacas

Brittany stole our hearts before we’d even really decided we wanted to do this whole alpaca thing. It had taken us years to become horse-people, did we really need a new species? So we went to an alpaca breeder to learn about caring … Continue reading →

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