Our first Giveaway for Alpaca Bunny Smackdown week is an example of peace and harmony between these gentle animals. Brought to us by Fiber Artist Roo from Moonwood Farms. This is Roo’s lucky week. Since she raises alpacas and angoras she really can’t lose.

This batt is called PERSUATION (the purple girl)
A super soft blend of [...]

August 3rd, 2009 | Tags: alpaca, angora, batts, Giveaway, spinning | Category: AlpacaBunnySmackdown, Alpacas, Fiber Arts | Comments (41)

So I’m having a dilemma. I’ve come to a crossroads.
My goal this year is to work the Fiber side of my alpaca business. To that end, I have tried new things. I have begun to knit again. I’ve learned to dye my fiber and yarn, and I’ve even tried Spinning. The idea was to try [...]

June 25th, 2009 | Tags: alpaca business, carding, drum carder, Dyeing, Fairhope Alpacas, fiber, Pat Green Supercard, spinning | Category: Alpacas, Farm Business, Fiber Arts, Fiber Arts Friday, New Additions, Tending the Hearth, The Alpaca Lifestyle | Comments (27)

A few weeks ago we had a Beginning Spinning Class at our farm. Instructor Sherry Watkins came from Tennessee to teach us how to spin alpaca fiber into yarn.

Sherry brought Schacht Spinning Wheels, both the Matchless and the adorable Ladybug (which has a tiny ladybug on it – in a different place on each wheel) [...]

June 18th, 2009 | Tags: alpaca, Beginning Spinning, class, fiber, fleece, skirting, spinning | Category: Alpacas, Events, Fiber Arts | Comments (2)

This Friday I will be getting a crash course in the Fiber Arts! My guest this weekend is Sheri Watkins from Loudon, TN. Sheri and her husband, Bill, own and operate Frostglen Alpacas. They have been alpaca breeders for 20 years!
Sheri is teaching a Beginning Spinning class here at our farm, Fairhope Alpacas, tomorrow. I [...]

May 22nd, 2009 | Tags: alpaca, Beginning Spinning, Blog Carnival, Dyeing, Fairhope Alpacas, felting, Fiber Arts Friday, Frostglen Alpacas, Sheri Watkins, spinning, spinning alpaca, washing alpaca fleece | Category: Alpacas, Events, Fiber Arts, Fiber Arts Friday, Lifestyle, New Additions, Tending the Hearth, The Alpaca Lifestyle | Comments (4)

Since I am gearing up for our Beginning Spinning Class at the farm on May 23, I have spinning on the brain. I’m trying to learn a little ahead of time so that my brain doesn’t explode the day of the class. Here’s a helpful video on pre-drafting alpaca fiber for spinning.

In case you missed [...]

May 15th, 2009 | Tags: alpaca, alpaca fiber, Beginning Spinning Class, Fiber Arts, Fiber Arts Friday, Fiber Arts Friday Button, pre-drafting, spinning, Start Spinning, video, yarn | Category: Alpacas, Fiber Arts, Fiber Arts Friday | Comments (10)

Start Spinning Book Review & Giveaway

I just finished reading Start Spinning: Everything You Need to Know to Make Great Yarn by Maggie Casey, and I have to highly recommend this terrific book. It has excellent photographs and she walks you through things slowly enough that you don’t get lost.
Ms. Casey begins by answering the question [...]

May 1st, 2009 | Tags: Alpaca Breeders, alpaca farm, alpaca fiber, Alpacas, Beginning Spinning Class, Fiber Arts Friday, Giveaway, Maggie Casey, RSS, spinning, Start Spinning, yarn | Category: Alpacas, Fiber Arts, Fiber Arts Friday, Giveaways, Lifestyle, Tending the Hearth, The Alpaca Lifestyle | Comments (47)