Yarn Along & Alpacas

I've actually had a ton of projects on my needles lately. I was so proud of myself for only having one sweater on my needles. Suddenly I'm drowning in WIPS! I did some quick gift knitting and I never got pictures :( 

I have three sweaters on my needles. One for me, one for my son and one for my nephew.  They are all big wads of yarn right now and hard to photograph. Sorry for no pictures in progress, but I did have to share my stash enhancements. I got this wonderful Rowan Fine Tweed. It is so fun. I will be using it in one of my new patterns and I can't wait to start working with it. There are so many colors to pick from I wanted to buy the whole bowl when I was in Chelsea Yarns.

For reading I am still listening to the audiobook "Voyager" it is the third book in the Outlander Series. I love it! I wish I could figure out how I can have more time to knit and listen to it. Over the Summer I was getting up very early and knitting and listening to my audiobook while having my coffee before the kids got up. I got a solid two hours of knitting in before 7:30 am. But now to get the kids to school in time I don't get my morning knitting time, then so much is happening after school I can't find much time to knit before I am so tired and have to go to bed.  I am thinking about not working on Fridays and devoting the day to knitting and working on my patterns. We'll see if that works out..... fingers crossed.

I am loving this cooler weather!!! I think the alpacas like it too. We've been halter training the little guys so they will be ready to go to the shows this Fall. They are so funny to watch as they learn to be walked on a lead. I wish everyone could walk an alpaca every day it makes me smile. I love those fuzzy critters.

Some random pictures at the farm.

Happy Knitting!

ps- if you are in the New Jersey area and want to come meet these alpacas my parents are having a big open house as part of National Alpaca Farm Days. The open house is on Saturday September 27th & Sunday September 28th from 10:00 - 4:00. For directions you can visit their website Arrow Acres Farm.

Joining with Ginny's Yarn Along

Shearing Day 2014

Joel Mariacher and his shearing team showed up at the farm last night to turn the big fluffy alpacas into funny skinning looking creatures. We started shearing last night and finished up today.

Didn't I tell you it is so hard not to laugh at them!

 

Little baby Sapele was as good as gold getting his hair cut.

 

Remember this guy? We kept insisting he was gray.

 

People didn't believe us.....but

 

Look at him now!!!!

 

That is a gray alpaca if I've ever seen one!

 

CCNF Smoke Ring got extra treatment for his hair cut since he is and needs to look like the macho herdsire that he is.

 

Of course Blue was very well behaved for his hair cut too.

 

 

Look at all that gray fleece!!!!

 

 

Although I didn't think I worked too hard this year. Apparently I did because I fell asleep at the bus stop waiting for Brady! As soon as I stopped moving I crashed!  Now it is time to get all those fleeces ready to be spun into yarn!

 

Kids, Alpacas, Birds and Bees Just Because

It is finally WARM! Today is gorgeous! I can get used to 60 degrees.  This morning I planned on doing the 10 on 10 link up, but I quickly started taking too many pictures. I just upgraded my camera gear! I bought a Canon EOS 60D body. No I can't afford it, but I couldn't live without it anymore. There was a used on at my local camera shop and it was in great condition so I finally decided to upgrade. Now I'll have to sell my other camera..... but before I find time to do that I took a gazillion pictures this morning.

 

Today was the first time in a very very very long time we could wait for the bus outside!

 

Seriously can this dog get any cuter. She carries a teddy bear around with her to use as a bed in her favorite sun spots throughout the day. 

Farm chores were a pleasure today. Look how green everything is getting!

In exciting news one of my pictures of CCNF Smoke Ring I took in the Fall is going to be on the cover of the 2014-2015 Alpaca Owners Guide! I am so honored and excited. My sister is also in the picture. We are all so excited. The picture is also going to be in the USA Today. AOA is using it as an ad. I told Smoke Ring, but he didn't seem to be as excited as the rest of us.

 

 

I need to get some fleece shots of the alpacas, but since I was by myself this morning. I couldn't really get a good one. Even though Smoke Ring stood perfectly still I needed two hands to keep his fleece open. So I settled for one hand on his fleece and one on the camera. I'll get better shots when I have help. His fleece is AMAZING!

Smoke Ring and Kigo eating some hay together.  The two studs of the farm.

 

Bing posing for the camera.

 

Blue!

 

Awan and Blue

Bees

 

Hello blue bird.

Okay now I really must get something productive done :)  I hope you enjoyed seeing my morning.

 

Oh I almost forgot here is a fun little video I took of Maggie. She bumped her teeth on the hood of my camera lens at the end. She is a funny girl.

 

 

TIDAL WAVE a lace wrap

I released a new pattern!

 

TIDAL WAVE

a lace wrap

 

 

 

 

 

My lovely friend Ryan came over to model my new pattern for me.

Since the wrap is made of 100% alpaca yarn I thought the alpacas should be included in the photo shoot.

I designed the scarf using a pattern made up of knits, purls, yarn overs and a few purl togethers.

I wanted a lace pattern that wasn't a very open lace. I wanted it to be able to hang over my shoulders and cover me up at times.  I didn't want it to be too transparent, but I'm sure if you wanted to make this on larger needles it would give you a much more open lace feel.

Ono was very interested in the photo shoot, but didn't think getting too close to the model

was a very good idea.

 

 

The babies might not have wanted to get too close, but the big girls were very interested and made sure to check out both Ryan and the wrap.

 

Ryan with her herd of alpacas hee hee

Finally one of the kids came around and wanted to find out more about the model.

Do you see how comfy the wrap looks just draped over her shoulders? That is how I like to wear it.

 

Arrow wasn't shy about getting his picture taken.

 

 

 We went over to see Maggie. She is always up to have her picture taken.

 

 

Ryan is also a photographer and a picture she took of Maggie was used for the cover of

our local paper. It was such a fun picture I thought I had to get a picture of the two of

them together.

 

 

So whether you want to wear the Tidal Wave as a wrap, scarf, bundled around your neck or even over your lap it is warm and comfy and I really enjoyed knitting it.

 

The yarn I used was Shibui baby alpaca dk.

The color I used was Mineral.  I had made a shawl with this same color a while back and it is my most worn hand knit. It goes with everything. Which I love.

 

I'm looking forward to seeing everyone's yarn choices for this knit!

 

Pattern here- Tidal Wave

Yarn here- Chelsea Yarns

joining Ginny's Yarn Along