HankTheTank and Ownedby3alpacas Journal

[Southern by choice]

I read somewhere that some alpacas like to look at themselves in the mirror. I think I'm going to get one for mine (if I can find a free one) to see if they like it. I should also teach them to read and get them books about weather. They are convinced the only place it snows is in their pasture and want to come out and graze. They don't believe me when I tell them the snow is everywhere and then Luke gets mad at me when there really isn't any grass out there.

Stop lying to that baby! It really is only snowing in his pasture!
How come you aren't shoveling the snow out of the pasture for him.

 

[Ownedby3alpacas]

Stop lying to that baby! It really is only snowing in his pasture!
How come you aren't shoveling the snow out of the pasture for him.

I actually did shovel a path for them to the stream! They are spoiled.




I got most of the fiber sorted into boxes labeled with the alpaca's name and the year

We got to borrow a spinning wheel from a family member who doesn't use it much. She showed us how to use it quickly so I'm still learning. I have 2 skeins spun but they look horrible. It's fun and very addicting already.

The foster puppies are getting so big! They will be going to their new homes this weekend.

 

[CocoNUT]

Nice spinning wheel! Don't worry about the spinning being "perfect"...just call it "art yarn" which DOES sell for premium prices! Seriously! Alpaca is more difficult to spin that wool...less 'grip' than wool. I started with alpaca and switching to wool was very hard! The more you spin, the easier (and consistent) it gets. You could always just send some of your fiber to a couple of us spinners here and we'd be happy to spin away!!!
I recently spun up some merino...it was REALLY hard for me to adapt to. I like icelandic and shetland...the more soft, yet coarse fibers. That merino just slipped right out of my fingers...it drove me NUTS! Sure is soft though.
We need photos of your skeins! I'm sure they're perfectly FINE!

 

[HankTheTank]

Her skeins look fine to me, but hey, what do I know

 

[Southern by choice]

is it ok to say I am a bit jealous???? Boxes of fiber

 

[CocoNUT]

That's what I'm saying...she could send some of those boxes OUR way...and we could "help" her clean and spin them up!
I'm so jealous of people who can spin a professional looking skein. I mean with NO variations on the width of the yarn. Especially when you start to get into the laceweight! I mean WOW! Talk about good control. My yarn is getting thinner...but it still varies a little. But hey...if you can crochet/knit/weave with it...its AWESOME!
Again...that is a nice spinning wheel. I'm really interested in trying a double treadle....we'll see. Everytime I save my money...DH comes up with stuff we absolutely NEED! Ah well....

 

[purplequeenvt]

We have bags and bags and bags of wool (plus some llama fiber) in our basement that no one has been able to get to yet. Probably 4 or 5 years worth (times that by 40 or so sheep per shearing......).

Oh and BTW, the yarn you are making now, someday you will want to go back to spinning it unevenly like that (it's called novelty yarn) and you will have a hard time going back! And my mom is one of those people who can spin a PERFECT skein. It looks like it came off a machine.

 

[Ownedby3alpacas]

Southern: And this isn't even all of it! I have one more blanket fleece still in a bag (I need to get one more box) and one more that went to Arkansas with my sister. Then I have a couple bags of the other fiber parts....

Coco: that was my original plan, to see if you and Bridge would be willing to spin some for me. I had already sent Bridge a message and was about to PM you too, but I decided I should really learn how to spin. And I'm glad I did. It's a lot of fun! And very addicting!!

purplequeenvt: that's a lot of wool! I'm glad to hear some people want to make what I'm making, maybe I should just say I'm making novelty yarn so know one knows I'm messing up



a pile of rolags

dying skein #1

skein #2, washed but still drying

skein #3, still in the process of making it

 

[HankTheTank]

Hot Kool-Aid/fiber smells FUNKY

 

[Pearce Pastures]

That is so cool! I love it!