Dare to Dream of Alpacas

I have never hid the fact that I would like fibre beasts. Mostly I want alpacas but I would also like a few sheep and a llama.

When I was at Camilla Valley Farm the other day buying my hand carders, another customer came in to buy a piece for her loom and she was telling me that there was going to be an Alpaca Show and auction in Orangeville at the Fair Grounds on the weekend.

DH and I were down in Orangeville today so I mentioned it and away we went! I'm sure he was quite wary of me looking at fuzzy little alpaca faces because he knows how I feel about them. I think he kinda likes them too now! They are so sweet. We were looking at the ones that were scheduled to be auctioned off and my goodness, they are so sweet! Their poop doesn't smell and they are very clean critters. They make a lovely cooing sound when they're a little scared and I'm sure that big echoey building with the auctioneer on loudspeaker wasn't helping that any!

I'm in love! Here are a few pictures that I snapped of the ones that were being auctioned off today:

This guy (or maybe girl?) was quite nervous. It was in the last enclosure sort of off by itself and they don't like to be alone. Poor wee baby. I love this brown colour.


This one really took an interest in my hubby. DH has a greying beard and grey in his otherwise very dark coloured hair, almost like this wee one's face.



I'd like a brown one and one like this to start, I really like the puffiness of their coats!




This one acted totally different as soon as I held my phone up to take its picture! I swear it was busting a pose for me. I really wish I could have taken it home with me! Look at the tufty hair on its head!! So freakin' cute!




We stopped at Fines Hardware in Shelburne on the way home to look at their sheds. I saw a couple of really nice 10X10s that would be PERFECT for two alpacas! I didn't hear too many complaints by the man that would have to pay for and assemble it. :o)

My dream of alpacas may soon be realized!



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Testing Hyperlinks

Oh please work!
Google

Okay, that works!! YAY for BlogPress. I'm going to go fix the hyperlinks in my previous blog so they should work too. :o)

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Processing Fleece...The Next Step

Well, this summer I learned how to skirt and pick out vegetation and then wash dirty sheep fleece. I laid it out to dry and then bagged up the clean and dry fleece waiting to amass the equipment/supplies to do the next step, Carding.

Today I took a road trip over to Camilla Valley Farm (Camilla Valley Farm) and bought a set of hand carders.

Here they are:










Aren't they lovely?! I got the coarse ones to start with and I hope to create some roving so I can make some nice thrummed mittens and slippers. (Thrum as described by the Yarn Harlot: Thrum FAQ)

The BEST thing about these puppies was this:




Gotta love it when I see those three lovely words: Made In Canada!

@spinndiva sent me a link to an awesome little visual aid to learn the carding process.

Here's a link to the YouTube video: YouTube Carding Video

While at Camilla Valley Farms I saw things, things I shouldn't have seen. Things like big used floor looms and brand new small table looms. A rainbow of colours of yarn on cones ready to be woven into lovely fabrics. I will resist this area of fibre manipulation.....for now.

I really need to finish a couple of projects before I get my hands on the carders and get at the fleece because as soon as the fleece is carded into roving, thrummed items will start appearing!

Cheers and Happy Thursday to all!

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Toy Knitting Addiction

I knew it would be a problem. I knew that I would get addicted almost immediately. Toy Knitting. Yup, it happened. I'm addicted. I really had to force myself to put away the bin of yarn dedicated to toy knitting so I could work on Christmas knitting.

The first toy I knitted was a little roundish sheep I knit as a test knitter for Anita Elmore of ASE Knits 'n Crochets. The name of the pattern is ASE's Little Lamb - Knit Version.

The counter weight that you were to put in the body was a high bounce ball but I didn't have one so inside the one I made is one regulation Titlest. lol.

Here's the wee guy:




The pattern was written to be worked in the flat and then sewn up but I really, really dislike seaming so I converted it (and all other toy patterns) to be worked in the round on DPNs.

Next I found an awesome giraffe on Ravelry that I had to do! The pattern is called Knit Giraffe by Amy Gaines. He was a lot of fun to do and I changed him around too to be worked in the round. The legs were supposed to be knitted separately and then stitched on, I worked them in the round too.

Here is Gerome:




I don't like where you can see that I picked up and knit the legs on. In the future, I'd fix this if I were to make another one.

I love the look on his face, he makes me smile!

Hey, I just noticed that is Darryl from Coronation Street on in the background. :o)




By the time I finished Gerome, I was hooked! I want to knit toys and toy clothes all day long! Really, I do!! lol.

I found Barbara Prime of Fuzzy Mitten next on Ravelry. Well, I completely fell in love with her patterns. They were easy-peasy to convert to "in-the-round" so off I went.

First there was the free pattern, Fuzzy Mitten Lamb by Barbara Prime of Fuzzymitten.com. I made him with grey Alpaca Natural Blends by Bernat and some other worsted weight for the black. He's an articulated toy but sewing the arms and legs on was a little tricky before I got my great long needle.

May I present Johnathan Livingston Lamb:




Here's Johnathan in the purple heart sweater:



And in his blue Filatura DiCrosa DK weight Hoodie:



Next was Alice the Alpaca. I made her with the Alpaca blend in Rust:




Here she is with Johnathan:




Then came Harriet Hare:




Then Harriet got a lovely dress made with Crofter's DK Fair Isle Effects yarn:







And last but certainly not least, came Wee Willie Hedgehog. His pattern is Little Oddment Hedgehog by Little Cotton Rabbit. If you've never seen any of Little Cotton Rabbit's work, do yourself a favour and google her. WOW, she does AMAZING work. Here is Willie:







Here's a picture of the whole gang hanging out in a basket:


Oh, yes...there's a few extra body parts hanging around in the basket.

I've forced myself to stay away from the toys for now but just you WAIT until I have my Christmas knitting finished. There will be more toys and more clothes on my needles.

Now after all this typing and picture imbedding, please please please BlogPress, don't crash my blog.

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My new knitting blog

Hello all:

I decided to start this blog to chat about things knitterly.

I've been learning so many things it's hard to keep track! I love the process of knitting and learning new stitches, it keeps my mind sharp(ish).

For the header I've just selected the panoramic view of the pink clouds that look like cotton candy until I make a cool one with things I've knitted. 

So, I'm BevKnits and I'm knitting to stay sane.

Here's my first Girasole.

Pattern by: Jared Flood, Brooklyn Tweed

Yarn: Kertzer Northern Worsted

Needle size: 6.5 mm