Tag Archives: hand spinning

Yarn types: a spinner’s prospective

Posted on October 17, 2011 by cliffhousealpacas

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 →

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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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The best laid plans

Posted on October 10, 2011 by cliffhousealpacas

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 →

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Annnnd…fail

Posted on September 22, 2011 by cliffhousealpacas

I finished the spinning project I’ve been working on. Unfortunately, it was supposed to be black and brown yarn with BROWN beads. Now I have 250 yards of the wrong yarn, and no more Brittany or Tulip fiber to work with. … Continue reading →

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Update on current spinning project

Posted on September 21, 2011 by cliffhousealpacas

I can tell that the creative juices aren’t flowing when I’m already winding the two-ply yarn off the bobbin, and I still haven’t come up with any names. Usually I have half a dozen by this point, most of which … 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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Artist show recap

Posted on August 18, 2011 by cliffhousealpacas

Sooooo. Here are the long-promised pictures from the Cimarron Sky Dog Artist Benefit Show. Nice, right? We had over 100 products, all hand-made at some level, all done this summer. We most definitely pulled out all the stops. It was … Continue reading →

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On letting go

Posted on August 17, 2011 by cliffhousealpacas

You all remember the prayer shawl I just finished? The one I crocheted from my own handspun yarn? Here’s what happened when Mom, Aunt Geri, and I went to put a price on it for the show: I’d just driven … Continue reading →

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How-to: Andean plying bracelet

Posted on August 2, 2011 by cliffhousealpacas

On Sunday night I spun another 150 yards of “Dark Heart” yarn. Usually I’m pretty good at ending up with two bobbins that have about the same amount of yarn on them, so I don’t have leftovers after I ply. … Continue reading →

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