preparing alpaca for spinning

Comments are always welcome here, and I do try to personally email a reply and answer as many as I can...forgive me if I owe you one ...I'm not as quick on the draw as I once was! I am working my way through my inbox and hope to get to yours soon- if I have not already.

One comment that I have been meaning to address is one from Knitchick, who was wondering how I am preparing the alpaca for spinning....

You may have said this before, but how do you prepare it? Do you wash it? Card it? I've been spinning it raw, but I really can't imagine doing that on the GW.

...so I will answer this question in a post... I continue to work with Violette's blanket. Oh, by the way...in case you have not met Violette yet, here is a nice photo of her. She lives a happy life at Finca Alta Vista farm.

I have been processing this fleece entirely by hand. I have not washed it before working with it. This is a lovely cria blanket, very clean in comparison to other alpaca I have worked with.

First I select a small bundle of locks...about as much as you can fit in a coffee mug (for lack of a better reference). I then flick the ends, and set this bunch aside to spin as prime. I spin it directly from the locks as described here.

But what to do with all the leftovers that remain behind in the flicker? Some of it has small bits of VM and chaff. But not enough to make it objectionable. Slowly, I have accumulated a bag full of these combings. I decide to pick it, and send it through the drum carder.

Next, I spin it on the Great Wheel. I can draw out a good length... 5 to 6 feet of very thin yarn, and as I do this, I can inspect it before winding on the spindle. Because the wool is drawn out so thin, most of the hay like bits fall out on the way to the twist.

Some of the slubs that have trapped chaff or short cuts are then picked out..one at a time, before winding on. Tedious. If this blanket had been sent out to be commercially processed, I doubt if the yield would be the same. I hate to waste perfectly good fiber just because of a little VM....but I do admit this method is very time consuming...The results are pretty much what I am looking for, so time is a trade off for quality.

The Great Wheel spun cops move to the Ashford for plying. Mostly because I have better control on that wheel, and don't have to deal with dropping and crossing the drive band on the Great Wheel.

The above photo illustrates an example of both styles of prep and spinning. The one on the left is the drum card prep...and the one on the right is spun from the locks. Both skeins have been spun on the Great Wheel.

keeping the pace

Everyday life is moving at a hectic pace. I find myself wishing for a nice- quiet- boring routine. A routine with things that I can count on. Lately, I have to check a calendar to see what day of the week it is..the days tend to blend together, speeding by in a blurr of things to be done as I juggle the responsibilities. Note to self...get back to walking. Making time for something that is a constant helps me to feel grounded.

Setting out, the grass is now covered with autumn leaves... they make a loud noise as I shuffle through them. I notice that I deliberately walk slower when everyday life is hectic. An attempt to return to a slower pace? Maybe.

So many sassafras mittens under my feet...I try a few on, but fail to find a perfect fit.

The river is low and still, it moves at a steady pace

the reflection broken only by the shoals.

When life is hectic, things tend to pile up...and go unnoticed for days. It is time to start moving the wood to the shed.

The pumpkins and winter squash slowly make their way out of the garden and onto the dinner plate.

I've been working with different ways to prepare and spin lace weight Alpaca. So far, I think the Great Wheel is giving me the results that I am looking for.

soar gallery and market

My trip to the SOAR Gallery and Marketplace was wonderful.

The Gallery was filled with creative and skillfully executed works of fiberart. I took so many photographs that I filled the memory card on my camera.

Being able to view the actual finished pieces of so many talented people was rare occasion for me, and I was in awe of the color, texture, design and perfection of the works of so many hands.

And then there are the people who belong to those hands!

There were friends I have met before, and many people that I recognized, but did not have the chance to meet...and a moment to say thank you to a mentor.

But like most perfect sunny fall autumn afternoons, it was over all to soon for me. A new group of people were arriving for the retreat, and I slipped out to return to every day life and responsibilities that are necessary. I carried two special packages home with me, they will be a nice reminder of great afternoon.

I tried to make a slide show of some of the photographs that I took- alas- my poor antiquated computer is not able to keep up with some of the programs required to run them...so if you are interested, you can visit my photobucket page and browse through them there.

diggin taters

It is the time of year that I get to thinking about ants and grasshoppers...

There is always so much to be done in the way of harvesting and putting the garden to bed. Days go by, and I feel like all I do is work, work - work and store things away for the winter. I feel like an ant.

Potatoes are taking center stage this week. I'm getting pretty handy with a fork. I only forked 2 out of this entire bunch. An old window screes holds the result of one days digging. They are washed and left to cure for a few days before storing. The harvest was good this year, with only a few white ones showing some presence of solanine (green). I tossed those over the hillside. We raised several different varieties...russets for baking, and whites for boiling...and fingerlings for roasting...

This one wins the prize for the biggest...so far.

And this one wins for best, ahem, artistic expression? Or as my husband says, the biggest "ass". You need a sense of humor and an active imagination when you grow your own veggies.

And lest we forget that this IS a fiber blog...here is a sneak peak of something I have been working on for what seems like a very long time....some handspun alpaca woven on the tri... I do have a plan going on here...really I do. It has just been taking me so long to do it I may have forgotten what it was. No worries, I'll figure something out!

And because even us ants have to have a little fun...tomorrow I take the afternoon off and head to Pocono Manor to visit a few friends (grasshoppers) who are attending (playing) SOAR (Spin Off Annual Retreat).

PS ...note from author....It was not my intention to offend anyone with the potato photo, the human body is a work of art and the potato was a reflection of that. I apologize for violating the terms of my photobucket agreement. I must have missed the part about vegetables....

things to study

Today was a crisp day. It started out overcast and dusky grey. There are a few whitetail that, lately, have taken to bedding down in the side yard. They offer a good study.

If only there were not so many things that need doing. I'd take out a few pencils and few sheets of paper, and spend some time with them.

I take out my camera instead. It's quick, but not as relaxing as a pencil would be.

My hyacinth beans are finally forming seed pods. I was worried the frost would take them before I would have any seed to save for next year. They provide some of the last color in the garden. The violets and purples close out the year in my garden.

Grandpa Ott..(as promised for Cathy)

Most of the color now is overhead. In the next few weeks, it will peak and fade and finally fall to the ground.

Cutting the corn stalks down and making a shock or shook- is on the top of the to do list. I left several ears on the stalks, again, for my seed bank. But today, I discover that something else has been helping itself to my bank.

Speaking of my bank...pardon me whilst I sing a few verses ... " O The Wells Fargo Wagon is a 'comin yander...."

And has anyone else noticed that in sec. 325 of the Great Bailout Bill, 148 million has been marked for wool research?

September 2008 phenological events

1st - fall warblers
4th - harvesting tomatoes, corn, squash
15th - pull beans to dry
23rd - frogs migrate 25th - hummers & cat birds leave
28th - Toms and Hens spotted at different times. They have not yet joined up.

dye baths and tape looms

A few weeks ago, Grace sent an email around, an invite...to her farm for an afternoon to play with fiber. As things worked out for me, I was able to attend. I had a very nice time!

When I arrived, a few friends were already there. They were out on the patio picking grapes! Beautiful purple/blue concord grapes. I brought my basket and with the help of extra hands, it was filled in a short time. Audrey was joking that we should all fill a vat and take off our socks and shoes and stomp around on the grapes! Maybe next year!

Once we moved inside, we got busy with the dye pots. Grace had already overdyed some hand spun Finnsheep wool that was hanging up to dry. It was gorgeous, and provided great inspiration to dive in and get going. There was still some of the dye bath left so we added to that and I threw in a skein that I had brought from my stash. I got a nice purple.

I also shared Audrey's dye pots (twice) on the stove and did one of my own in the microwave...in addition to a few silk hankies that I dyed in the microwave.

Pretty soon, Bonnie arrived with a tomato pie! It smelled great, so we hurried up to clean up and take a coffee break with the pies. Grace had prepared a pumpkin pie...so we had 2 pies to enjoy! YUM!

After lunch, we moved out into the living room for some knitting...got a chance to see the new (antique) spinning wheel that Fred has been working on. I was going to take a few pictures, but I wanted to use the memory card in my camera to shoot a video of Grace working on her Double Hole Tape Loom. Fred made it for her last year.

The double hole tape loom is a great for weaving tapes, or strips. Some of the patterns are quite beautiful. Grace wrote a good article about the loom that appears in Weavezine..you can read it by clicking here, ...or find it by way of the Weavezine button on my sidebar.

One of the things I love about my loom is the portability of it. You can take it anywhere. My favorite place to weave is outside by the river. I tie one end of the warp around my waist...and the other end around a sturdy object (a tree). Your body becomes the tension device, and both hands are free to raise and lower the sheds and weave! Pick up patterns are fun and easy after you get the hang of it!

Here is the video I made of Grace weaving on her loom. Thanks Grace!

indicators

There are 13 weeks of winter, and 13 color bands on the woolly bear caterpillar. This one looks like the global warming trend is spot on.

The crickets are chirping a little bit slower.

leaves are changing color...

and the leaf peepers arrive. All of these things indicate change.

As the end of September approaches, my pheneology reports are incomplete...not that I haven't noticed.. I just didn't take time to enter the data.

Apparently, others are more dedicated to record weather and track data.

What about you? Do you record data? What kinds of things signify the arrival of autumn in your backyard? I invite you to record your data here - in the comments!

As things are shaping up, it appears that we will escape a first frost in the month of September. Long live the garden!

thank the tree

My good friend and neighbor Happy Acres Judy, has been sharing her harvest with me. A week ago, it was some nice cherry hot peppers...this week it was apples! Thanks Judy!

"Give me spots on my apples, but leave me the birds and the beeeeeesss...pleeeease!"

Remember the blossoms in May? Here is the fruit...crisp, sweet, juicy. Thank the tree...and thank the bee.

My virtual good friend Judy Smatterings has been working on apples this week also...she has a good recipe for freezing them, and mentioned her "gizmo". We all have our "gizmo's" of choice...mine is an old one that still works just fine..

When my husband was a young teen...he cleaned out a chicken coop with his friend. When the job was finished, the owner of the coop directed the boys to select something they wanted out of an old shed. My husband took the gizmo. His friend took an old fashioned crank ice-cream maker.

I made pie filling with some of my apples. The recipe calls for 6lbs. I have more apples than that..so I will try Judy Smatterings recipe and freeze the rest..tomorrow. I plan to try an apple pan dowdy too....yes, this just might be the year of the apple pan dowdy!

Pint jars were handy, so I filled those. Six pounds made 5 pints. They cook down. Seems like a lot of work...but the tarts I will make this winter will be easy. Pop off the lid and away you go!

6lbs of fresh apples, peeled with a gizmo, and sliced. (You can dip them in ascorbic acid if you want them to stay nice and white)

2 cups of sugar stirred into the apples...and let sit so the juice can start to run...about 30 minutes. This is exactly the amount of time it will take to get your jars and lids ready.

Stir in about 2tbsp of flour and some cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg and the juice of half a lemon.

Cook over medium heat until it starts to bubble and the juice thickens. Pack into jars, fill to 1/2 inch head space and process in a hot water bath for about 25 minutes. If you need more syrup, you can make some ahead of time...just use about 1/4 cup of sugar to 1 cup of water..more or less depending on if you want it thicker or thinner.

Oh, and don't forget to wipe down the counters and mop the floor when you are all finished...that gizmo sprays apple sticky-ness all over the place.

frog migration

The frogs are on the move. I have been noticing them more and more.

Each day there are a few more green frogs, and they gather together... This could be due to the nice spell of dry weather we have been having.

Or perhaps, they have other ideas....

I have been taking advantage of the dry weather. The cabin shutter windows need attention. They are high maintenance. So, I scrape, then re glaze and apply a fresh coat of paint. To finish the job, I scrape again...you know..the places where I didn't have a steady hand and got the paint on the window...and finally, I pull out the Windex. Nice new windows ready for the indoor season! The south face of the cabin is finished. Hopefully, the weather will hold out and I can get all the windows done in the same year.

I've also been busy with buttons....

Kristi had sent me a swatch that she knit for the february lady sweater that she is making. She was looking for some buttons. It was fun getting the swatch in the mail..her knitting is lovely and the button hole fit the button perfectly. The vote was in favor of the square shape in padauk wood..the wood color is a nice match with the yarn, and the square shape will really set off the neckline. I'll be looking forward to seeing the finished project.

Anne had recently ordered a few buttons also. She choose the toggle shape for her Tudora. The toggle shapes are fun! And I think they were a good choice for those "one button" projects.

I'm having fun sending the buttons out, it is a kick seeing what is choosen and where it winds up. I contemplate making the buttons available on etsy.

walk with me wednesday, savor the sun

On Monday, summer will be over. The last of the summer sun finds special places to distribute it's rays and warmth.

It settles on ferns in the wood,

reflects the sky on the river,

and defines the smallest of seeds.

The last of the summer sun glistens, shimmers and beams. It is sweet. I want to say good-bye.

Good-bye to the warm long and lingering afternoons.. to fireflies in the evenings. Good-bye to the catbirds, and rubythroats, to the flowers full of color, to the dragonflies and beetles...the bees and wasps.

There is fulfillment, and ripeness in the garden.

It is the time of year when we reap and then glean. And the sun shines a little less, shadows grow tall and once again, it is time to turn.

hey!

Hey, it's my 5th blogiversary! Snort!

Thanks to everyone who visits me, your comments and readership are what keep me motivated, inspired and blogging!

pulling the flax

Manise had asked if the flax I was spinning in the previous post, was the flax I have harvested from my garden. The answer is no. The flax I was spinning came from Belgium. It was lovely! I dream of have such good results with the flax from my garden!

I am still pulling my flax. Pulling it at different intervals is necessary, it is not ripening at once, and I am experimenting and keeping notes. I have been making sheaves of several handfuls, a little larger than a quarter, no bigger than fifty cent sized bundles.

I tie them together with a farmers knot, using smaller strands of flax.

While pulling, I think of how beautiful these plants are, and I am grateful for the harvest of my small plot. One can only imagine how important a good crop of flax must have been to our ancestors.

When I have many sheaves, I carry them to the south side of the deck, where they hang to dry.

The sheaves look beautiful to me when the sun strikes them. Once they are dry like hay, I will ripple the seed heads.

I finished pulling the flax a few days ago. With the smaller bits that were left in the field, I made a flax maiden.

She will guard over the retting process (and next years field), and hopefully make sure everything turns out just right! After all this work and time, if the flax is not retted correctly, all will be lost!