Alpaca Bytes

New Alpaca Run-In Shed/Barn

admin — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 12:34:29 +0000

The sight was cleared in time with just 2 days to spare. I got a call last night that our new shed was on it’s way up from PA and scheduled to be delivered at 8am Tuesday morning. Here is is 8:29am and I’m already writing to say I have my shed! It still needs [...]

Alpaca Boys New Home

admin — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 15:56:12 +0000

This weekend has been spent working on the alpaca boys new home. Right now I have temporary fence and a redneck shelter for them to use.

M. has been working on leveling the new area where the amish will put the new run-in shed. Since there isn’t so much as 1 area on the property that [...]

Fiber Arts Friday – Diversify

admin — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 06:00:02 +0000

Welcome Fiber Arts Friday and Crafty Friday followers.

If you haven’t figured out from last week’s FAF title I have fiber arts ADD. I am always trying to figure out other ways of using my alpaca fiber and here are this week’s results. I’m going to let the photos do all the talking.

Loop reins out [...]

Fiber Arts Friday – Fiber ADD

admin — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 05:00:23 +0000

Welcome Fiber Arts Friday and Crafty Friday fans to another week of craziness.

Ever since I brought my first fiber alpacas home I’ve been bitten by the fiber bug, and hard. Finding time to do everything I want to do both professionally, on the farm and with fiber is hard! As it stands this week I [...]

Wordless Wednesday

admin — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 14:14:03 +0000

Fiber Arts Friday – Using Hand Carders

admin — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 12:44:34 +0000

Hello Fiber Arts Friday and Crafty Friday Folks!

I present to you the headless hand carder! Seriously I do have a head a swear but I couldn’t back the camera up any more so I fit in as well as being able to see the carders.

Check out the Fiber Arts Friday link above to see Wonder [...]

Fiber Arts Friday – Still Spinning

admin — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 12:17:33 +0000

Good day Fiber Arts Friday and Crafty Friday followers.

Now that I have a spinning wheel I just can’t keep my hands off of it. I spin almost every night after work, my way of winding down for the night.

I’ve been experimenting with the wheel and the different speeds. I tried my first single which for [...]

Fiber Arts Friday – Cotton Shawl

admin — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 12:45:51 +0000

Hello again Fiber Arts Friday and Crafty Friday followers!

The Tour de Fleece has finally ended. It turns out I really enjoy spinning and I still find myself spending 15-30 min every night spinning something while watching a little TV before bed. I’ve got a lot of learning to do still.

Now that 100% of my free [...]

Just Another Day

admin — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 13:02:22 +0000

One in a million shot?

In what can only be described as a calamity, one of the most unlikely things happened this morning. I was planning on taking one of the young horses for a walk and was getting her ready. The flies have been nasty with all this warm wet weather we’ve been having so [...]

Fiber Arts Friday – Wonder Woman

admin — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 09:00:48 +0000

I missed last week’s Fiber Arts Friday because I was on vacation but that doesn’t mean I wasn’t playing with fiber. So far I have several projects going all at once.

1. Summer Afghan – Currently making simple granny squares out of cotton to make a light afghan for a twin size bed. I [...]

Fiber Arts Friday – Tour de Fleece 1

admin — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 13:09:55 +0000

This is going to be a great month for Fiber Arts Fans! I’m participating with the Team of Wonder for the Tour de Fleece which is a big change up for me. Usually I like to do something a little different each week but now I’m concentrating on spinning for the full Tour de France. [...]

Fiber Arts Friday – Crochet Cotton

admin — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 13:00:49 +0000

Welcome back Fiber Arts Friday followers!

This week was crochet cotton week. I picked some up on sale and decided to play around with it and here are the 2 projects I’ve been playing with.

In the past I’ve told you about the crochet horse fly bonnets my mother-in-law makes and again I tried my hand at [...]

Fiber Arts Friday – Knitting Loom War

admin — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 14:04:00 +0000

Welcome Fiber Arts Friday visitors.

So my project this week was learning to use a knitting board or a knitting loom. It turns out I really hate this thing. Everything I’ve read and watched showed this to be a simple tool for people who can’t knit. (Even kids can use it they boast) Yeah well I [...]

Wordless Wednesday – Cheeto

admin — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 13:10:05 +0000

Fiber Arts Friday – Alpaca Fur Blanket

admin — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 14:08:21 +0000

Hello Fiber Arts Friday followers!

A while back I told you about the unfortunate passing of my alpaca Miracle. We ended up processing her hide and sent it off to be tanned and made into a lap robe. Well the good news is our Miracle Blanket is finished! I picked it up from Sivko Furs, Inc [...]

OpenHerd.com Giveaway!

admin — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 22:23:56 +0000

Hey alpaca peeps!

OpenHerd.com is doing a really awesome giveaway for their new Auctions Pagage.

Click the button below to see what OpenHerd.com is about and to create your free account!

Alpaca Business – Writing an Alpaca Business Plan

admin — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 16:37:08 +0000

Most alpaca ranchers are not going to go to a bank and attempt to take out a loan to fund their initial alpaca herds. So the type of alpaca business plan you’ll probably need is not as in depth as what a bank is looking for. What I use my business plan for is to keep [...]

Wordless Wednesday

admin — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 13:12:22 +0000

Wordless Wednesday

Izzy playing with down fence tape

Fiber Arts Friday – Flannel Blanket Pattern

admin — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 09:00:53 +0000

Welcome back Fiber Arts Friday visitors!

I finished my mom’s blanket! It’s already been washed, and is wrapped and waiting for later this month so I can give it to her. Too bad it’s the start of summer, she might not get to enjoy it until much later since it’s such a thick blanket.

A friend of [...]

Fiber Arts Friday – Crochet Rag Rug

admin — Fri, 28 May 2010 09:00:44 +0000

Welcome Fiber Arts Friday Folks

Last week I spent a lot of time cleaning the screen porch and getting all the leaves and dirt out of there that blew in through a hole last fall. What a mess. After I got the floor cleaned it looked so bare. It wanted something, a rug. I still had [...]