About a year ago, just as we were selling our small farm, I won a lovely female alpaca in a raffle, of all things! No, not a frozen chook, or a meat tray, but a live alpaca!! Since then, that special alpaca had a female babe, and we have them on agistment. It was a nice way to ease out of the farm (although I still would like another farm in the future!), and was obviously meant to be, as I have been interested in alpacas since they started being imported into Australia when I was a teenager.
I've been working one day a week helping my friend Jeanne at
Alleena Alpaca Stud on her stunning 40 acre property in the Hawkesbury area. When Jeanne isn't looking, I pretend that it is MY FARM!! It is great to still get a chance to stomp around in boots doing the various farm jobs that need doing, especially at this time of year when the days are sunny and cool. Jeanne is one of those friends who I've just "clicked" with, and I really enjoy spending time with her. She's very knowledgeable about alpacas, so if you are looking at putting a couple of animals on your property, or even to agist if you don't have enough land, I'm sure she can help you with some great advice. Alpacas chase away foxes, so that in itself is enough reason to love them if you have sheep, goats or chooks.
And shearing time is in the not too distant future... Yay! Whoo! I'm sure I'll be there rummaging around for fleeces like a maniac!
Oh, how I loved spinning this BFL yarn! The long fibres just glided through my hands. It was effortless to spin, and is a soft delight to squish. This is my "Freedom Cry" colourway, spun 2 ply in sport weight. There is still some more left to ply, when my little one isn't so demanding due to this nasty flu THAT WON'T GO AWAY. I have had a little preschool-sized body attached to my legs for a fortnight!
I have succumbed. I placed a SOMEWHAT TOO LARGE order with Sheri at The Loopy Ewe for some patterns and scrumdidly yarn. Sheri has very politely been answering my 101 emailed questions, and has a nice range of yarns and other items. US$16 flat postage fee to Australia, and she offers some nice perks for returning customers. Certainly worth a lookie-see.
About a year ago, just as we were selling our small farm, I won a lovely female alpaca in a raffle, of all things! No, not a frozen chook, or a meat tray, but a live alpaca!! Since then, that special alpaca had a female babe, and we have them on agistment. It was a nice way to ease out of the farm (although I still would like another farm in the future!), and was obviously meant to be, as I have been interested in alpacas since they started being imported into Australia when I was a teenager.
A lovely friend has just given me mountains of alpaca fleeces, some of which are short but extremely soft cria fleeces. I had to refuse bags of the stuff, but my garage is still packed to the ceiling. There will be LOTS of carding and spinning of those fleeces soon. At the moment I am still getting through the alpaca fleeces I am spinning for a customer. I'm surrounded by mountains of alpaca fibre!! 
I have listed some new fibres from the dyepot - this scrumdidly sooper-squishulated Blue-Faced Leicester, above in the "Freedom Cry" colourway, is gorgeous, with a nice long staple. Lurvely. There are some other colours listed too, and some merino. Also the odd yarn. Listed on the webstore and etsy. 
I've been pottering around in my studio dyeing some yarn and fibres - it has been a while since I have been able to get away from the kids. Even though my studio is very well ventilated, I don't like the idea of them breathing in any of the nasty fumes. 
More fibrey goodies (NAUGHTY!!!). Humbug BFL and silk roving (top left), humbug shetland (top centre), humbug BFL (top right) and humbug jacob roving (bottom of top photo). The jacob, in particular, is calling my name. I've been wanting to try the wool of this sheep breed since I was about 14 years old reading up on sheep books. (Weird adolescent?? or die-hard fibre-holic??) MUST GET SOME SPINNING ACTION HAPPENING SOON!! 
Above is evidence of cardigan knitting action, a top priority due to the COLD weather and COLD house. More info soon. 
