Central Park Hoodie - update!

Below are my 2 sweaters so far. The green is wool and the grey is alpaca - little man "Mavic". The wool has been easy to work with because it has a "cottony" feel to it so doesn't slip as easily on the needles. But the alpaca has been a DREAM to work with. This sweater will be perfect to throw on during chilly winters.

Donegal wool from Ireland

Alpaca - "Mavic"

Note the pretty stitch markers too! Those shown here were my personal creations.

You can purchase the most awesome stitch markers from our shop at the American Countryside Farmers Market. Our "knitting jewelry" was made by Ali of One of a Kind, one of our favorite market neighbors.

More favorites

Our schedule is getting hectic as we move into spring - well OK, it's technically still winter but we are hopeful! Spring is right around the corner and there is much preparation to be done,both at the farm and the shop. We are thinking "spring"!

A few more favorites to share:

Knitting books:

Knit Fix; problem solving for knitters by Lisa Kartus
This is a wonderful book for novice knitters and probably would be a good memory jogger for long-time knitters as well.

Big Book of Knitting by Katherina Buss

This book has been really helpful – instructional photos are great and there are many finishing techniques and ideas. She needs to do her research about alpaca fiber tho – she states “you can get 2 lbs. of fiber from an alpaca every 2 years”. While this pertains to the Vicuna, alpacas produce every year with the clip being anywhere from 2 to 15 lbs. This depends on many things including the animal’s age, environment, production status, etc.

Felt books:

Felted Knits by Beverly Galeska
I’ll admit I’ve never made anything from this book. When I purchased it I apparently didn’t look at it closely and thought it was “just felting” – turns out it’s felted projects by knitting first. Now that I am knitting more, I’ve given it a 2nd look. It has some awesome projects and I will be making some of them, hopefully soon! Any comments from others on this book?

Please share some of your favorites!

Favorite crochet books

Stitch’N Bitch Crochet; the Happy Hooker by Debbie Stoller
This book is great for beginners as well as intermediate. It features up-to-date fashions with lots of flair. I’ve made several of her patterns and have found them easy to follow.

Amazing Crochet Lace by Doris Chan
If you follow crochet at all you’ll be sure to see Chan’s name in many magazines. Her designs are stunning and give a whole new look to crochet. This book is geared toward intermediate/proficient crocheters, however there are some patterns that even a newbie could figure out without too much trouble. I am totally fascinated by her modern twist on old fashioned stitches!

Funky Chunky Crocheted Accessories by Jan Eaton
This is a ‘must have’ for every new crocheter. It has basic accessory patterns with lots of idea for basic edgings and trimmings, beading and embellishment to spice up any item. All patterns are made with chunky yarn so crochet-up very quickly.

Central Park Hoodie - alpaca style!

I joined the Central Park Hoodie “cult” and am on my way to learning to knit cables! I’ll be making my hoodie in Donegal wool from Ireland (per class requirements) and at the same time making one from alpaca yarn from our herd. My “choice” is being made for me as I’ll need over 1200 yards and want a solid versus tweed for this sweeter so the full effect of the cabling will be featured. I would LOVE to make it from Alaska’s glowing bright white fleece but alas, I just don’t have enough yardage. So I’ve decided the lucky alpaca will be Mavic – he’s a pinto with a bay black blanket on white. Blending his fiber together with a little bit of white from Snow Chief created a soft gray with lovely handle. To die for!!

You can check out the Central Park Hoodie blogs here: http://wordpress.com/tag/central-park-hoodie/

Came in like a lion!

Hard to believe it's mid-February - we've had such extreme conditions this winter! What is winter coming to in Indiana? The alpacas are enjoying the crisper days but not the ice in the pasture. Some have been doing their best to learn "ice skating" while others get their legs into a knot and need to be rescued - just kidding - they ARE very cautious though!

On the fiber side, I’ve started a poncho line this winter; most of them are made from natural yarns from our herd. These ponchos are very stylish this year and are hot sellers!! I've included some photos - comments are welcome!

The Poncho at left is "Je ne sais quoi" from one of our foundation girls. She's a favorite on our farm.

The poncho on the right is made from a blend of our herd. The model is "Cookies'N Cream" painted by husband, Lee.

The last poncho is made from Alpacas With a Twist "Highlander" (45% alpaca/45% merino).

"Real World" colors are much more vibrant. They are a must see!

Another high side for February, last year’s clip is back from the mill and looks awesome!!! I've included some pics of the yarn and rovings. They are all LUSCIOUS and I can hardly bear to part with them! Most of them are on their way to our shop at the American Countryside Farmers Market in Elkhart County. So plan a visit to the shop and check out the newest gourmet line! (links are in the right corner)

Warmly, Liz