Fiber Arts Friday: Happy New Year!

Years ago I submitted my first-ever Fiber Arts Friday post.  I was still pretty new to fiber arts and The Alpaca Farm Girl was hosting the weekly link-up.

A few years later, The Wonder Why Gal started hosting Fiber Arts Friday.

I went through peaks of posting and linking up each week, as well as valleys of posting less than once each month.

Over the last year or so, when I had something fibery-related, I still used the Fiber Arts Friday label.  It's one of my favorite bloggy traditions.  So in 2017, The Wonder Why Gal has passed the torch to me.  I hope to do my predecessors proud, and I hope that you will join me here each week to share your fiber-y adventures.

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I finished spinning this Bison+Silk a while ago, but just got around to washing it.  It was a very nice preparation from The Buffalo Gal in southern Wyoming.  I acquired it at the Estes Park Wool Market a few years ago.

The silk gives it a nice luster and it's quite lovely after being washed.

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Happy New Year and Happy Fiber Arts Friday!

NaBloPoMo 2016

Whelp.  NaBloPoMo 2016 did not go as well as I had hoped.

There was a lot to think about last month.  Much of which had to simmer before publishing.  So I have several draft posts that did not make it out into the world.  I also have several drafts in my notebook that did not even make it to Blogger draft status.

I wrote something about half of the days in November and only published on a third of the days.  So while not great as far as metrics go, something is better than nothing... which was at the heart of my goal for the month. :-)

I hope everyone has had a nice fall (or spring).

Fiber Arts Friday: Doing What I Love

My days have been extremely full recently.  Which means that many things have just not happened.

As much as I would love to say that I can do all the things... Well, I CAN DO all the things.  I just can't do all of them whenever I want to.

I often have to pick and choose.  Making choices based on priority, available time, money or energy.

I know I'm not alone.

But I am attempting to prioritize things that give me joy and fill my energy reserves... like going to Knit Night with my Comadres.  :-)

Winter is Coming... Eventually

No snow.

Barely a freeze so far. 

I'm still wearing flip flops most days. 

The water tank de-icers are out and the extension cords are marked.

The Sun Still Rises

And the animals still need to be fed.

Historic Day!

While Hubba and I have already dropped our ballots off at the polling center, I can't help but feel emotional today.

The polls close in 12 hours.

Alpacamundo Monday: On Guard

Miles (Timberline's Colorado Marathon Man) and Nobu (Colorado's Leap of Faith) are watching the activity beyond our neighbor's property.

Yoda (Blue Mesa Yoda) has nothing to worry about.

Bill Clinton Came for a Visit

This is an historic election.

With Colorado being one of the purple states, we've had many political visitors over the last several days.

Bill Clinton is the one who initially got me excited about the political process and I was proud to vote for him.

This year, I am proud to support another Clinton for President.

President Bill Clinton talked about Hillary Clinton's plans for education, clean energy and economic development.

Representative Jared Polis talked about a conversation he might have with his son in eight years about whether boys could be President.

Senator Michael Bennet talked about working together and with purpose.

Both the crowd and people working for the campaign were wonderful, joyful, supportive, helpful and kind to each other.

This girl's t-shirt says, "I am your future President."

I have now had the opportunity to listen to three presidents speak... two I voted for and one I did not.  All were better in person than the news sound bites and Facebook memes would suggest.

If you have the opportunity to listen to a President speak in person, please do and remember, it's better to build bridges, not walls.

Fiber Arts Friday: Rill Scarf, part 2

I've been knitting a small amount most days and I'm getting close finishing the increase section of my Rill Scarf.

Perhaps one day I'll figure out a way to take better photos of curvy, in-progress things.  ;-)

Happy Fiber Arts Friday!

Things that Work: Headlamps

A few years ago, a headlamp was the only thing I wanted for Christmas.  Hubba thought I was weird, but it was the only thing I wanted.

My sister succumbed to my desire and gifted one to me.  I was so happy.  :-)

Hubba continued to think I was weird for coveting such a simple device.  Then our power went out... for a very long time.  Not only could I see my way to the barn in the dark, but I see my way around the house without carrying a flashlight.  So we went to the store and got Hubba a headlamp too.

With the extended darkness of late fall, we could not get everything done without the magic of Headlamps.

Headlamps definitely work!

Darkness

The days are so short this time of year.... and they will continue to get shorter for several more weeks.

I am looking forward to the time change next week.  So while it will be dark when I get home from the DayJob, it will be light when I'm doing the chores in the morning.  :-)

NaBloPoMo 2016?

I was talking with some friends at the Lunch Table last week about National Novel Writing Month and remembered that I participated in National Blog Posting Month last year.

I'm still not entirely sure what the process for formally participating is, but I enjoyed the process of writing so there was a blog post every day last year.

At this time, I am not committing to posting every day this month, but I do want to commit to writing every day this month.

So we shall see how it goes.  Happy NaBloPoMo! :-)

Fiber Arts Friday: Grateful

I am grateful for every moment I am able to spend with my alpaca fleeces.

Even if it's extra time skirting an especially dirty, but delicious fleece.

Happy Fiber Arts Friday!

Alpacamundo Monday: Sunrise, Sunset

Two ends of the same day.

Alpacamundo Monday: Bed and breakfast

Frieda relaxing yesterday morning, while Apple, Pearl, Willow and Holly try not to disturb her.  ;-)

Fiber Arts Friday: Orange Socks, part 2

Both of Hubba's Orange Socks now have complete gussets.  Be careful, I'm knitting at lightning speed.  ;-)

Heels are next.

Happy Fiber Arts Friday!

Fiber Arts Friday: Modified Rill Scarf

The Rill Scarf has been in my Ravelry favorites for quite a while.  I love the simple elegance of this pattern and have had a few different ideas about which yarn to use.

So after finishing the Alpaca Cape, I decided on fine gauge alpaca that has been in my stash for quite a while too

I don't really enjoy making lace. So after about 6 or 8 rows I had messed it up.  Yes it's a simple lace pattern and yes I messed it up.  :-/  Maybe I should take a class one day... I think lace can be truly beautiful and I would like to do it well. But for now, I changed the lace panel to garter stitch.

After a couple of more false starts, I think (hope) I'm on my way.  ;-)

Happy Fiber Arts Friday!

Alpacamundo Monday: it's looking like fall

The leaves are changing.  The days are shorter.  The air is cooler.  The alpaca are quietly growing their warm fleece.

Fall is in the air.

Fiber Arts Friday: New Socks

At the end of March I stopped by the Interweave Yarn Fest.  I was in search of supplies for my loom.  I found those and also came out with a little roving and yarn... only one of each, so I really do mean "a little."  :-)

For someone who prefers natural colors, I find it interesting that when I do buy yarn, it is often a pop of color.  I suppose it makes sense since I can spin my own yarn and I'm not too interested in becoming a dyer.  ;-)

Yoth Yarns is a relatively new brand with great presentation.  I loved the industrial feeling of their display furniture and color palette.  Which made the few non-steel-like colors really pop out.

The orange made me think of Hubba, so I brought home one skein of "Little Brother," a fingering weight of squooshy Superwash Merino, Cashmere and Nylon.

I thought I might make him a hat, but he said he preferred socks.... so I wound the skein into a cake, weighed it and then broke the cake into two... 50g each.

I considered trying two-at-a-time socks but given the fact that I have yet to be affected by SSS (Second Sock Syndrome) and I had a trip coming up, I decided that one at a time would be easier to handle on the airplane.

I am using US#2 (2.75mm) and the Sock It To Me pattern.  So far I have worked both socks to the end of the foot and am into the second gusset.

Happy Fiber Arts Friday!

Alpacamundo Monday: Sunrise

I know I posted a sunrise picture recently, but with the sun rising later and the little bit of fog on Wednesday morning, I couldn't help myself. ;-)

I hope you had a lovely Labor Day weekend, if you're stateside.

Peaches, 2016

Peach Pickup Day was a couple of weeks ago.

As I've mentioned before, our neighbor sells peaches as part of a fund raiser for women's college scholarships... something I feel very strongly about.

There were 2 Lug Boxes or 36 lbs of very delicious and juicy peaches.  This is about all I can get done in one weekend.

We have plenty of jam from last year and are using more frozen. So I only made one batch of butter, one batch of a new-to-me savory peach chutney, and I froze everything else.

These will be so delicious in January.

Alpacamundo Monday: Hay Day

Hay Delivery Day is one of my favorites.  The alpacas and dogs come up to their fence when the hay arrives.

The neighbor's cows followed me up and down our shared fence trying to convince me to give them some too.  But don't worry, they have plenty of their own hay to eat.

I just love the smell of fresh hay in the barn.

Alpacamundo Monday: Big Thompson

So I was sitting on the edge of the hay bin, attempting to get a good photo of Alpacamundo's Big Thompson...

He was very curious about what I was doing.

After a few extreme close-ups and he was satisfied, I cleaned the nose print off my lens...

and got a much better photo of the Dark Rose Grey boy.  :-)

Fiber Arts Friday: County Fair, 2016

I had three entries prepared for this year's county fair.  The Tibetan Mastiff 3-ply from last fall, the Yak single from last month's Tour de Fleece and my finally finished Alpaca Wrap.

All three were awarded ribbons.  Two blue and and one red.  :-)  The red was second place to myself, since both of my yarns happened to be the same class.

Along with 1st place, the Tibetan Mastiff won a special award from one of my favorite local shops.

Along with first place for it's class, the Alpaca Wrap won Best in Show for Knitted Items!

OMG!  I was really just hoping for some useful comments.

So while each of the yarns had some deductions, the wrap was given a perfect score!

The judge said the wrap was "simple but striking."  Exactly what I was going for.... I'm just over the moon with my very first finished object entry.  :-D

Happy Fiber Arts Friday!

Alpacamundo Monday: Modified Mucking

Hubba had wrist surgery about a week and a half ago.

He was feeling stir crazy in the house, so we cut down the wooden-handled rake to make it easier for him to muck one-handed.

We already use the short-handled shovel.

About 2 1/2 months until things are back to normal.  In the meantime, he's able to get a little exercise, outside, in the sun.