Tag Archives: spinning

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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Frustration

Posted on May 31, 2012 by cliffhousealpacas

Generally, the yarn and I are one with each other. We can compromise between what I want it to become, and what it wants to become. But I’ve spun hundreds, probably thousands of yards of beaded yarn, and I can’t seem … Continue reading →

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Conservation of mass

Posted on May 25, 2012 by cliffhousealpacas

I’m stumped. It’s like an unsolvable word problem from grade school math. I start with 6 ounces of unspun fiber, intending to make 6 ounces of finished 2-ply yarn. I divide that roving in half, and spin a bobbin of singles … Continue reading →

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Yarn – Soft mist

Posted on May 21, 2012 by cliffhousealpacas

Happy Monday! Blech, eh? Pfft. Work days. Anyhoo, I had a busy weekend. In addition to doing battle with an overgrown forsythia bush, I spun about 300 yards of this medium weight grey yarn. This is Loredo’s fiber. He isn’t one of our … Continue reading →

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Random fiber word of the day: pilling

Posted on May 4, 2012 by cliffhousealpacas

When short fibers work themselves out of yarn or fabric and are subject to abrasion, they form little balls of fiber called pills. No doubt you’ve noticed them forming on your favorite hat or sweater over time. Washing clothing inside … Continue reading →

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A recommendation: Wild Fibers Magazine

Posted on May 3, 2012 by cliffhousealpacas

Do you know where the fiber in your yarn came from? Do you know what animal makes cashmere? Mohair? Where do those animals live and what are their lives like? What about the farmers and ranchers who care for them? … Continue reading →

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Now THAT was a spinning marathon

Posted on April 16, 2012 by cliffhousealpacas

Over the weekend we were busy folks. Mom, Dad and the Bro had some manure adventures, which I’ll detail tomorrow, and I spun a whopping total of 621 yards of yarn. How many CSI episodes? Only 24. Twitch. I haven’t … Continue reading →

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YEEEAAAAAAHHHH!!! Dunn nunn nunn

Posted on April 12, 2012 by cliffhousealpacas

It looks like she…*puts on sunglasses*…spins a good yarn. Yeeaaaahhh! Dunn nunn nunn *title credits roll* Sorry, had a David Caruso/CSI Miami moment there. I normally spin by weight. I spin two ounces of a single on one bobbin, then two … Continue reading →

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Yarn – Black Lace

Posted on April 11, 2012 by cliffhousealpacas

I finished my first batch of yarn using mill-processed roving! I’m calling it, for simplicity’s sake, “Black Lace”. I haven’t “unboxed” my postage scale yet (in the words of the instructions that came with my spinning wheel), so I don’t … Continue reading →

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Spinning marathon

Posted on April 9, 2012 by cliffhousealpacas

There’s nothing like 5 big bags full of deliciously fluffy roving (that’s unspun, processed fiber) to get a girl spinning again. I started slow, since it’s been almost over a month (!) since I have done any spinning. We have … Continue reading →

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