Soft, Clean, Colorful Raw Merino

Oh, look at that crimp, look how clean, over 3 inches long, and, Beth, you can huff it 'cause it smells so good. I bought 4 pounds and 11 ounces of this gorgeous Merino lamb from genopalette. If you go to the Etsy store right now, nothing will be listed, but look and click on what they have sold to see their lovely fleece. If you contact Desiree through the Etsy Contact, I know that she will have some for you. This is my third purchase from the McMurry's and I couldn't be happier.

I really thought that Merino came only in white, but look at this. The colors are deep to pale ashy greys and tans and browns. I can't decide what I'm going to do with it. Maybe send half with Sonata's brown fleece to Stonehedge to be make into yarn. I have 5 pounds and 5 ounces. The rest I'm thinking will go to Zeilingers with some fawn fleece to be made into roving.

☼

Since becoming part of Ravelry, I am learning that many knitters really don't like to use pure alpaca. They want more memory and bounce, so I'm trying to provide them with it. Speaking of Ravelry, I found out how to feature my yarn to sell so have spent several hours today getting that organized. For you Ravelriers, I'm Maple there, and my yarn is NorthStarAlpacas (all written together like that)

I'm Dyeing for Spring

This plant from Nikki for Easter was my inspiration yesterday to heat up the dye pot. My dyed stuff makes a lovely background for the Tulips.

This fiber is dyed from roving that I picked up on Saturday from Zeilinger's mill in Frankenmuth. They did a beautiful job cleaning and processing it. And (heh, heh, wringing hands and cackling) I have over 5 pounds that will keep me dyeing for a long time.

The fiber itself is 75% white alpaca that I purchased from Okko, 20% white lamb Merino that I purchased from McMurrays, and 5%Mohair that I purchased from Edie at SpinningMoonFarm.

I'm so pumped to dye that I'm going to get at it again today (as soon as the View is over ☺)

Renee's Alpaca Hat

This is the handsome, light fawn Beau who used to stay with my dear, dear friend Marianne who lives down in Nashville, MI. He is now cheerfully being a herd sire, studly guy that he is.... I used his fiber to make the yarn for this hat.

Renee from Madison, Wisconsin knitted this dear little hat this month. Actually I could use it this morning. The wind is just a howling out there and our thermometer reads 32 degrees. Oh, woe is me - the barn critters need their breakfast and poop needs to be moved.

SPRING is coming, Spring IS coming....

Renee bought the 122 yard skein of yarn that I hand dyed in roving form and then spun up. She used US size 8 needles to knit her hat. More of her work can be seen on Ravelry.

☼

I enjoy so much seeing my yarn make the complete circle from the fiber of my alpaca friends to a usable finished product of my fiber friends.

A Wallaby for Each

I finished the girls' hoodies and just couldn't wait until their birthdays, go gifted them as Easter presents. My friend Nancy made them matching scrunchies for their hair. (Have I mentioned that I really, really can't crochet. My fingers act like they have no memory at all. )
☼
Both sweaters turned out a little large, but I guess that's good 'cause they may get a couple years out of them. And both girls seemed to like them. The youngest at 6 years old, Elizabeth, decided that she needed to learn to knit yesterday. That lasted about 5 minutes and we moved to the spinning wheel at her request. We waited until Meredith, 8 years old, finished the roving that she was spinning, and put Elizabeth on. Actually, she did quite well and took home a little ball. In the past she had only wanted to "pedal"
☼
I have started a Wallaby sweater for the girls' mom, Nikki. Yesterday I asked her if she wanted a pouch and a hood. Yes, please. Guess I was kinda hoping that she would say no. But I'm still excited about doing this pattern. It works from the bottom ribbing up and I added stitches for Nikki's pouch last night (twice 'cause I just couldn't get it the way I liked).

Happy Easter

♥ We hope the Easter 'Paca is good to you today ♥
Photo by Beth

Sonata's Easter Bonnet

♪♫♪ Beth wrote a sonnet about Sonata's Easter Bonnet ♫♪♫♪
☼
Buddy Beth has been in the barn again with her camera.

Funky Handspun

Yesterday I said that I could reward myself and do a fun skein of yarn and here it it. ↑ I spun a slubby, thick and thin from the roving posted yesterday but as I was spinning, I added pieces of shiney, brightly dyed mohair that I purchased from Cheryl at her cherylavenue Etsy shop. Then I threaded 140 little gold beads on beige Wooly Nylon thread and plied with it. I wish that the beads showed up in the picture...... I ended up with 160 yards which should be enough to knit or crochet some little thing....a skinny scarf or a funky hat.