Upcoming Events...Take Your Mind off the Rain!

I know into each life a little rain must fall...BUT really!?  Enough already!!!  And sooo much too!  It is true what they say though...good duck weather!  The ducks do love it, and I guess that is why there were 6 babies hatched this week!
So as for the animals:  Handsome the Rooster you read about with the Boo-Boo toe is better and out of quarantine and slowing integrating back with everyone, right now he thinks he is the baby turkey protector and that is fine.  The big turkey's are getting bigger and showing off their stuff...a little bit of parading is happening now, I tell them how lovely they are!  HA!  If you are looking for a turkey for Thanksgiving get your orders in!  We have two groups but limited quantities.

I have done some baking and made some preserves, but the tomatoes are slow to ripen so no sauces yet!

The Fall is approaching quicker than we'd like.  The weather seems to have changed without much notice.  Where did the summer go?  Actually was there a summer?  If you can't fight'm ...join'm!  SO with that in mind here are some upcoming events!

August 30, 2014 Maynooth Farmer's Market, it is the 25th Anniversary!  "Maynooth Madness" comes to life with EVERYONE visiting the market and their 40 plus vendors!  Why not celebrate some of your long weekend in Maynooth,  there will be so much to do and see.  Make sure you check out their Facebook page.
October 7, 2014 Spin - In  another 25th Anniversary!  This event will be in Campbellford at St. John's United Church from 10 am until 3 pm.  There will be a sweets table and BBQ.  What can you expect from a Spin In?  First, the finest quality of yarns and fibre for you to purchase!  There will be hand made items for sale as well.  Local artisans will have knitted, weaved, crocheted, spun, dyed,  sewn, you name it....beautiful unique one of a kind items for you or for you to give as gifts.  Admission is $ 5.00.  Any questions please call Joan McCulloch at 705-653-1509
October 11-13, 2014 - The Norwood Fair.  The Fair is open 9 am to 5:30 pm daily.  This fair is one of the BEST local Fairs going!  An ABSOLUTE must to end the fair season and to get you in the mood for celebrating Thanksgiving!  While you are there, "Thank a Farmer!"  Check out their webpage at www.norwoodfair.com   You have to go!
November 1, 2014 - The Inspired Creations Annual Christmas Sale from 9 am to 3 pm at the Lions Club on 959 Meadowview Road, at Orange Corners Road.  There will be over 30 artisans and vendors with a wide range of products!  See what they have to offer admission is free!

The store is open 10-5 pm Thursday thru Sunday.  Come and get your yarn!  You  might as well start your knitting, the cooler weather is here,dang it all!!!  Meats and eggs also available.  705-778-2070

Another Week at Elmlea Farm

I debated on writing this post for a while, but a question I had posed to me by a caller kinda pushed me to bring it forward.  The owners of Elmlea Farm, Lee and Elmer are away this week...so this is not being written by either...I have been at the farm for a year and this is my personal observation.  First and for the record, Elmlea Farm is a HOBBY FARM.  They do this because, well it's sort of in their blood!  While we all enjoy the animals, the "farm" work itself, well it is hard and it is time consuming and it does come with it's challenges.  For example, it rained so much this week that the sheep and goat barn that was all nice and clean needed...NEEDED to have some extra straw put down as Patrick's wool was starting to shrink because he was so wet!  HA!  Sheep humour!!

Inky Scarecrow

Alpaca Girls

As you know we are a fibre farm and we do not eat our Sheep, Goats, or Alpacas, yes you can eat Alpaca. We do sell goat and lamb from local farmers but not from us.  We do raise chickens and turkeys to eat.  We have ducks too and even though they are threatened with going to the oven, it has been ages since we have had duck on the table!

Chickens

We do sell eggs and as the laying birds age they just live out their lives here, no stewing pot...but that is just us.  An old hen, while healthy may not be the prettiest looking bird anymore....but this "old hen" with out her feathers isn't always the prettiest bird first thing in the morning either!
This brings me to the reason for the blog....the caller wanted to see about getting eggs from us and wanted to see the animals and know how they were treated.  I completely understand that....after seeing some of the big commercial farms being reported on lately.  It is so deplorable, unnerving and sad to see this, but as a city girl myself...we the consumer are partially to blame.
I know that the turkeys and the meat chickens here will be eaten and that is their destiny...but as they grow up  they are outside in the daytime and in at night.  I probably talk to them way too much!  And they have space and are well cared for.  If there is anything that they need we tend to it.  For example, we have a rooster who has a bad "toe" currently and he has been having his foot soaked and creme applied and he even has a wrapped bandage on it.  I call him "Handsome".  Poor Handsome is currently isolated and he is not happy about that and yes he is in a cage....but that is to keep him safe.  Over the winter a hen was being picked on too much so "ugly hen" was taking out from the others and placed in her own area...as were two other hens...who are actually very gentle and pretty...and they had their own heat lamp and area as well and I said they wintered in the "deluxe hotel!"  Eventually "ugly hen" went back with everyone else when she was better, as for the pretty hens well they "raise" the new laying hens, seems to be their calling and they are good at it!  There is no over crowding, though in the winter I am sure they get bored...but they are chickens!  A dozen eggs costs you $ 3.00.  Yup a whole $3.00, they are usually brown, and varying shades of brown and varying sizes and there a lots of double yolkers.  Eggs are collected twice a day and we have an ebb and flow in production.  But you can certainly go to the store and buy your perfect eggs for less money.  I have no problem with that...I too have done it.....BUT...here is the catch.....those perfect white eggs, or brown are not coming from chickens that are outside...chasing butterflies.  You can't have it both ways!  You can't pay $ 1.99 and want the chickens in the "deluxe hotel"... they will be in a tight quarters to put it mildly.
Turkeys....turkeys are not the smartest birds and sometimes at night it can take me over 20 minutes to get them in...just because they can't move 6 inches to the right and go through the opening....then panic sets in and they have to run around frantic.  By the way we are talking about a 2 foot wide opening that I walk through...open gates!  Anyway...again you can't have it both ways with regards cost.  The cost of our turkeys per pound is higher than a grocery store...for 2 reasons we have less than 30 and we grow them up right...not over feeding, etc.

Spinning

Now if we move on to the fibre side and a skein of yarn.....cost wise.  Yes you can go and buy yarn cheaper than here from a department store, but our fibre is a labour of love.  Are these animals treated right, well Patrick the Old English Babydoll sheep seems to like placing his head on my lap for a sleep and a cuddle and yesterday I cleaned his ears and trimmed his hooves as he lay there.  The little goat Louie stood for me as I trimmed his hooves...no collar, no leash...just letting me hold his leg up and trim.  They have trust in us.  We feed them, house them, protect them and care for them.  That is the one part of animal management and then we shear, sort, pick, wash, comb, spin, dye the fibre to create the yarn for your use.  This is not a compliant...again it is a labour of love and it does the soul good to see what can be made, but this is why the yarns here are NOT $ 10.00 or less for a skein.  I have found that people also like to purchase some yarn and see where it came from...look at the animals.
So that is my view and the way I see it.  I hope my little explanation sheds some light on what we do.  And that it may encourage you to shop from your local farmers.

Bye for Now

As always the store is open from 10 am to 5 pm Thursday thru Sunday.  This weekend the Havelock Jamboree is happening so feel free to drop in if you are in the area.  705-778-2070

New Yarns and Socks in Fabulous Colours!

WOW!  The second week of August already!  Where does the time go?  The days have been nice but some of the nights are actually getting cooler I am sad to say. However, as Canadians we know that there is still lots of time left to enjoy and relax the weather and to engage in our hobbies, especially while on holidays!  So with that in mind, I have something for all you yarn crafters out there or for you who would like to get something for your crafting friends.

Our new yarn and socks have arrived and both come in great colours and yes even styles!  Styles for yarn?  Well a bit of an exaggeration but we just got in some Boucle yarn!  And in stunning colours too!  Boucle is somewhat of a novelty yarn but what it means basically is it is a looped yarn and very pretty!

Boucle

We have stunning purples, reds and light blues.  Also we have received new colours in our Alpaca/Wool blends, the Black and Purple are gorgeous.

Alpaca/Wool

 And let's not forget the Mohair/Wool blends with it's rich reds, oranges, cranberries, greens and purple too just too name a few of all the colours we have available.

Mohair/Wool

Next we have socks in great new colours....we have PINK and yellow and blues and greens...of course we have our standard colours too of neutrals and blacks and greys.  In our socks we carry a relaxed fit which is a bit looser in the calf area great for anyone who doesn't like a tight sock or who has circulation problems. We have our standard high sock and then our thermal socks in both an ankle or sport sock length.  I should also mention our insoles are in...and yes we have your size!

New Sock Colours

Thermal Socks

The store is open from Thursday thru Sunday 10 am - 5 pm, but you can always call and see if we are around or make an appointment.  There is an array of hand crafted items in the store along with many more fibre products ranging from batts, to roving to wool yarns.  And on the farm side we also have some lamb and beef in along with chicken and eggs

Something Older, Something New

 It's been a few weeks since our last blog...you'd think we were on holidays or something!  Not the case just busy and getting busier...gardens are growing, baby chickens, turkeys and ducklings are growing, alpaca baby growing...speaking of which the baby is a boy not a girl as first announced. And we have new product arriving,  hence the title of "older and new".  I will be showing and telling you things in the next weeks, regarding new arrivals and upcoming events.  But today I am featuring our authentic barn boards and our newly arrived handcrafted yarn bowls!

Barn Boards and Various Baskets

Motifs and Plain Authentic Barn Boards

Yarn Bowl

These bowls are not only practical but gorgeous pieces of pottery!  Designed to hold your ball of yarn, keeping it clean with easy access ...they certainly could be used to "hold" for other items.  I personally think it will be a great base for a gift basket!  These bowls are locally crafted and are for sale at our store for only $ 30.00.

Yarn Bowl

Various designs of Yarn Bowls

Yarn Bowl with Yarn

As always the store is open Thursday thru Sunday 10-5 pm.  Come in and see our selection of natural fibres and handcrafted items as well we have farm fresh eggs and local meats.

2014 First Cria Born!

Mocha and Cria Girl July 2014

Good Friday Morning!  This morning Mocha had a baby girl!  She is a pretty dark brown and as all cria's she is all legs!  This is the first of our cria for 2014, both Mom and baby are doing well.

Yesterday we had a group stop by the farm, they had stopped by to see the animals but to learn about what we do with our animals, our industry.  They learned about the different fibre goats, the Olde English Babydoll Southdown sheep and of course our Alpacas and Llamas.  They enjoyed seeing how the animal's fleece was made into different products.  The store was a great hit and buying socks and yarns from animals you just met makes it all a bit more special!

Mocha and Cria girl 2014

The store is open from 10-5 Thursday thru Sunday.  If you would like to have a group come for a tour the cost is $ 20.00 per person and you can come anytime during the week, we can discuss options and what you would like to see.  As always we are NOT a petting farm, but we do have a few VERY social representatives from each species who love the attention...we even have "Pretty" Hen!

The store has local beef and lamb from other farms, we have eggs, chicken and turkey's which we are taking orders for now.

To get in touch with us please call 705-778-2070 or you can email us at elmleaalpacas@gmail.com

See my legs, they are new!

Mocha and baby

A Brief Peek at a Farm Tour...part 1

Good Wednesday Morning!  I'm late with this week's blog!  BUT....for a very good reason....we hosted a farm tour on Monday and what a GREAT time! 

While the weather was iffy at first, it turned out to be a wonderful day.  We had our sun shelters up, there was tea and coffee when things were a bit dreary to warm you up and of course a good selection of cold drinks.

We were able to shear a Llama and Snowflake was very happy to oblige and have her huge "blanket" removed....much cooler now!  She even had a pedicure!


Llama Fibre

Patrick and Lucy along with all the other sheep and goats entertained the crowd and Patrick was very insistent on getting his head petted.  Timo was our Alpaca ambassador and he came out to give kiss and smell everyone's hair!  He's a cutie.


Lucy and her son Jerry

Elmer gave an explanation of the various kinds of Sheep, Goats, Alpacas and Llamas and even showed the chickens and turkeys and ducks of various shapes and sizes and farm fresh eggs were greatly in demand!

"Scrappy"

Then it was on to the REAL purpose of this farm, the fibre....how fibre is processed....Lee took everyone through a full demonstration, the raw fibre...shearing, picking, combing, carting and spinning!   She makes everything look so easy! 

The store offers a great variety of fibre, alpaca, wool, mohair, blends of each and beautiful vibrant colours!  The solar dyed yarns were a real hit!

Store fibres

I will be posting pictures on Monday going through the steps.  Our group arrived at 10:30am and left at 3pm.  While we provided the drinks they brought their own lunch.

If you think you might be interested in having a group tour of the farm and the store just let us know.  Reach us at 705-778-2070 or email elmleaalpacas@gmail.com.  The cost is $20.00 per person.  We can slightly tailor the even to your needs...but keep in mind that we are NOT a petting farm and while Patrick and some others love the attention, most of the animals are farm animals.  Another point of interest is being a FIBRE farm means we are NOT eating these goats and sheep...or Alpacas!  The purpose of our farm is to use the fibre from these animals is various ways whether through creating yarns for knitting and crocheting or for using the fibre in felting.

BUT our farm store does sell lamb, goat, and beef (supplied by local farms)along with chicken, turkey and eggs.  If you are looking for your Thanksgiving Turkey you need to order it soon! 

Store is open Thursday thru Sunday 10 am to 5 pm!  Come say "Hi"!

Knitting Machines: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

The Knitting Machine...Part 1

I love my knitting machine, I hate my knitting machine, I realize this every time I go to use it.

The Good:  I can knit a pair of mitts in less than 2 hours, a shawl in about the same amount of time and use beautiful lace stitches.

The Bad:  When getting into rhythm half a dozen stitches fall off and you create a loop at both ends.

The Ugly:  Creating a garment too big or too small or trying to ensure that the scarf made with Alpaca and/or Mohair doesn’t have totally curled edges.

There are three kinds of machines:   1. Fine or Standard has needles 4.5mm apart  2. Mid- Gauge has 6.5mm needles 3. Chunky or Bulky has 9mm needles.  These names refer to the weight of yarn that you can knit with them.

Double Bed Singer Bulky

Single Bed Brother Bulky

There are single bed machines which knit flat pieces and double bed machines also called main bed and ribber which will knit tubular pieces.  There are also manual, punch card and electronic machines. You can get Intarsia carriages for some models and Lace carriages for some.

The most common names under which knitting machines are sold are Passap (no longer in business), Singer, Brother (the easiest to get parts for) Bond, SilverReed (still producing a limited number of models)

People seem to think if you use a knitting machine it’s not as personal as hand knitting.  Knitting with a machine does not mean you are only moving a carriage across a bed over and over again without any thought.  One of the main reasons people stopped using the knitting machine is due to the precision required to actually produce a garment.  There is much hands on work required besides moving the carriage, you must cast on your stitches, track your rows, decrease or increase stitches by hand.  Then there is the planning of the piece, making a swatch, choosing a pattern, the yarn and then working to produce a good looking, well finished piece that fits the recipient. This is just as much of a personal journey as any hand knitting piece I have made.

Machine knitting has a place in the fibre spectrum and I seem to surprise myself with its endless possibilities every time I sit down to use one (I have 4) of my machines!

Felting, Fibre, Turkeys and Eggs

Another rainy day on the farm!  Which is good and bad....good for the gardens...bad for haying!

Rovings for spinning or felting

Today is just an update day....we have been shearing, shearing and shearing...and are almost done.  We did something a little different this time,  I kept some Alpaca fibre separate for those of you that enjoy felting.  It is something that I am quite enjoying.  You can felt in many different ways, such as Nuno felting...adding layers of fibre such as merino to silk to create a wearable items, i.e. a scarf, Needle felting, where you can create free standing objects ..animals are very common..."statues" you would almost say, Wet felting where you take wool and create sheets of felt and Resist felting where you use cardboard or plastic to create a form.  So as you see fibre doesn't just have to be made into a yarn for knitting and crocheting but it can be used in it's raw state as well to create other items.  I have both yarns and fibres.  We have Alpaca, Llama, Mohair, Merino, Wool, and Cashgora here for sale plus a few other specialty bits and pieces.

Turkeys from 2013

In other news the baby turkeys have arrived and we have more coming this week.  And although it is only June we do start to take orders for Thanksgiving as much as we don't want to rush the seasons, if you want a turkey you need to book early.  Last year we couldn't meet the demand!  Something else I want to mention and for those of you who have been here you know our turkeys when old enough get to be outside in a secure area in the sun and locked away at night.  It's a good turkey life!

We also have farm fresh eggs!  Nothing compares to farm fresh eggs!  The colour is brighter and the taste richer...enhanced.

We still have kids for sale...the boys have been wethered now.  We have a Nigora, Jake who is all black, and two Pygora/Nigerian Dwarf crosses, Louie and Jerry as well as Mick our Olde English Babydoll.

As always the store is open Thursday thru Sunday 10-5 pm or by appointment.

And don't forget if you are interested in booking a farm tour...give me a call at 705-778-2070

Group Farm Tour Available

Over the past months I have shown you a number of our animals, fibre processes and our product.  I hope you have enjoyed the pictures.....but have you ever thought about getting a group together and meeting the animals and seeing how the process is done first hand?

Store 2014

We can accommodates a fair size group ..you can participate too if you like,  doing things such as carting fibre.  Remember it is a farm, the animals are not pets per say...HOWEVER.. there are some animals here, sheep, goats. alpacas, llamas and even chickens...who would just love to say HI!  And if you have a camera.....some....Lucy, Patrick...are camera hogs!

Goats

We would provide you with a range of beverages, water, tea, coffee, and a scenic spot for you to eat any lunch or snacks you have brought.  The cost is $ 20.00 per person.

Chickens

After you have toured the farm, met the animals and seen how yarn is made you can check out the store and see if anything strikes your fancy.....and you could even buy a dozen farm fresh eggs!  And YES they do taste better!

Alpaca

Any questions just give us a call at 705-778-2070.  The store is open to the public Thursday thru Sunday 10 am - 5 pm, or by appointment.

Have a great week and now...for me it's haying time!

Olde English Babydoll Southdown

Alpaca Socks and their Benefits

It's Friday and it's a beautiful day in Havelock!

Today's news...our socks have arrived!  Our shelves are full.  We have a selection of Alpaca socks in regular length in a variety of shades, neutral and coloured.   We have a "Relaxed Fit" sock meaning there is not a fitted cuff...so if you need a sock that doesn't fit closely for comfort or for circulation reasons the Relaxed Fit is for you!

Neutral Alpaca Socks

Coloured Alpaca Socks

There are Thermal socks in two lengths, one we call a "slipper" sock, it sits above the ankle and the other is a sport sock.  These socks are absolutely terrific in boots or work shoes or to wear to bed for you with cold feet!

Thermal Slipper and Sport length

And finally we have our Mohair socks.  Theses are limited in number so you need to buy soon!  They also come in colours and neutrals.

Mohair

What is the benefit of an Alpaca sock?  The sock provides warmth when needed but because the fibre is breathable it also provides coolness!  This is due to the air pockets found in the Alpaca fibre, dry, cool and warm all at the same time, ideal for keeping your feet comfortable!  Alpaca beats both wool and cotton for keeping feet at their best!  Alpaca socks are durable meaning they are a good investment. And finally the feel of Alpaca is smooth, a luxury that is affordable, practical and durable...all in all you just can't beat a good pair of Alpaca socks!

Come see us at the store in Havelock!  We are open Thursday thru Sunday 10 am to 5 pm.  If that time doesn't work for you give me a call!  As always the store has fibre to suit your knitting, felting or spinning needs.  Oh and yes we have eggs!

Have a great weekend and DROP IN!

Our New Yarns Have Arrived!

Spring has hit the store walls and the colour is just bursting! 

Elmlea Farm Store

We have a beautiful array of colours, both dyed and natural.  There are 2 ply and 3 ply.  Mohair, Wool blends as well as Alpaca, Mohair and Alpaca, Mohair and Wool blends.  
Of course we have our pure Alpaca yarn as well as wool and numerous other specialty blends!  

New Colours

Drop by and see what we have to offer! We are open Thursday thru Sunday, 10am-5 pm or you can call for an appointment.  We take Visa&M/C or cash.  

Alpaca Corner, Hand Spun or Dyed

Mohair Blends

What is Pygora and Cashgora Yarn?

Today is a continuation in the discovery of yarns. Here at Elmlea Farms we have a variety of fibre animals and in the goat department we have, Cashmere, Nigerian, Angora and a few crosses...Pygora(that's a Pygmy and an Angora cross)and the Cashgora is a(Cashmere/Angora cross) and currently Nigora(Nigerian/Angora cross)

The Pygora is a relatively new breed developed by Katherine Jorgensen of Oregon. Aiming for an animal that would yield a fine spinning fiber, she crossed a registered Pygmy goat with a registered silky-fleeced Angora goat. This mating produced F-1 generation hybrids, which when bred together resulted in the true Pygora. The Pygora Breeders Association (PBA) organized in 1987, and according to the association, the breed’s popularity has steadily increased since that time.  The name Cashgora was coined in the late 1970's in Victoria, Australia and later came to be recognized by the International World Textile Organization in 1988.  The Nigora is a medium sized, dual-purpose milk fibre goat.  It originated in the USA in the early 1990's.  Early Nigoras contained a mixture of Nigerian Dwarf and a coloured Angora goats.  Jill(Nigerian) bred to Omar(Angora) has given us two babies a male and female pure black.  We are excited to see what their fibre will be!  Neither Pygora, Cashgora or Nigora are used to produce yarn on a commerical scale.  We however do produce these fibres, excluding Nigora at this time.

The wool of the Cashgora combines the advantages of both Mohair and Angora, while maintaining softness, brightness and shine.

 "The fiber of Pygora goats reflects the best qualities of both the Angora and the Pygmy. From the Angora goat comes long, silky-smooth, lustrous ringlets. The Pygmy goat contributes its’ very fine down, in some cases fine enough to be classified as cashmere. This combination of qualities results in fiber with an excellent range of characteristics that maintain fineness as the animal ages.

Pygora fiber may be spun and then knitted, woven or crocheted. Because of the fineness of the fiber, it spins into a lovely yarn that is soft enough to be worn next to the skin. Items such as baby garments or luxurious shawls are well suited to Pygora yarn. Pygora also felts beautifully and locks of Pygora may be used to create wigs, beards or novelty toys. Pygora pelts make wonderfully posh rugs or chair accessories. Thus, Pygora fiber is fast becoming crafts persons’ and fiber artists’ preferred choice for any number of diverse projects". ...taken from pcagoats.org..Goat Fibre Desc. 

Come to the store and see our selection of fine yarns...Lucy may even help!

The Store is now open Thursday thru Sunday 10-5 pm.  Please feel free to drop in or call first.  We have new items and of course there are farm fresh eggs!

Knitting with Mohair and Mohair Blended Yarn

Happy Monday Everyone!

As you may have noticed there has been a theme to my last few posts.  I am hoping that by "teaching" everyone a few extra things with regards to different yarns and crafts that you may want to try your hand at creating!  I am looking outside and thinking I can't wait to be able to find a few hours; later on as Spring progresses and the farm "clean up" is done and sit outside and make a few things while enjoying the warmth of the sun.  Yes I am positive we WILL have warmth...soon!

Angora Kid

Also everything that I am showing you, you can find at the store.  Today I am talking about Mohair and knitting with it.  As you may remember...Mohair starts here with an Angora Goat just like our newest member of the family, Macy!  I have Mohair and Mohair blends in a beautiful array of colours!  Remember the store re-opens May 1st but you can certainly arrange a time to stop by just by calling 705-778-2070.

Here is an article by: The Halo Effect: Tricks and Tips for Knitting with Mohair

Posted by Ashley Little on Jan 27, 2014 in Knitting 

The soft halo effect that mohair yarn creates can add instant softness and elegance to any knitting project, but there are a few things to keep in mind when knitting with mohair. Here are a few mohair tips, plus a few of our favorite mohair yarns and patterns to knit.

About mohair yarns

Mohair fiber comes from the angora goat (not to be confused with the angora rabbit that produces angora fiber). You’ve probably also noticed mohair labeled as kid mohair. This mohair comes from a kid — a baby goat — and is both finer and softer.

A few things to keep in mind when working with mohair:

Drape

Mohair’s soft texture allows it to drape beautifully. Keep it in mind for wraps, scarves or any other type of accessory that calls for a luxurious, elegant drape. You’ll see many examples of this in the patterns below.

Ripping mohair

Mistakes happen and sometimes we need to rip our project. Because of the long, delicate fibers, ripping mohair can be a challenge. Be sure to rip your work out slowly, gripping the yarn as close to the work as possible when you rip.

Texture

Mohair creates a beautiful drape, so why not leave it at that? Don’t go too insane with the texture of your stitches. You don’t need to add any fancy cables or special stitches to the design because mohair is already making a statement on its own.

If you’re a fan of lace knitting, consider mohair for your next lace project. Its airy texture goes hand in hand with a lot of beautiful lace patterns.

Mohair patterns to try

Mohair is versatile enough to work well in many different kinds of knits. Check out these Craftsy patterns for inspiration and ideas for your next mohair knitting project.

Photo via Craftsy member irissch

Sequined mohair lace vest

Have you ever worked with Artyarns before? The sequins and beads of their mohair is already attached, so you can knit up your project without worrying about attaching them as you go. This lace vest uses just two skeins of Artyarns Beaded Mohair and Sequins for a vest that’s loose but also slightly clingy because of the mohair fibers.

Get the Sequined Mohair Lace Vest pattern.

So ...You Think You Know Alpaca Yarn!?

Today I would like to talk about Alpaca Yarn.  It is a beautiful light weigh fibre with wonderful attributes, but there are some misconceptions, so to address this I am posting an article from "Knit Picks" that gives a nice brief history on the animals and on the fibre/yarn.
In the article it talks about blending the yarn for larger scaled knitted items.  The store offers you all that is needed to start knitting, from knitting needles to Alpaca, Merino, Mohair yarns.

The Elmlea Farm Store reopens on May 1st, 2014!  If you would like to get started on any project sooner or need fresh eggs please feel free to call me to arrange a time to drop by, the number is
705-778-2070.
Enjoy your weekend!

by Knit Picks Tutorials on December 11, 2009 

Alpaca

Hailing from South America, the alpaca belongs to the camelid family that also includes camels, llamas, guanacos and vicunas. They are a docile breed whose fleece spins into luxurious yarns. More than three quarters of the world’s alpaca population resides in Peru.¹ In centuries past, the alpaca was an incredibly valuable animal, even more so than precious gems! Clothing created with alpaca was restricted for use by royalty. The alpaca has been domesticated and is treated as one of Peru’s national treasures. England has the double decker bus, the U.S. has Mt. Rushmore, and Peru has their alpacas. What a diverse definition of treasure!

Alpaca fleece is a “protein fiber”. This doesn’t mean knitting with it will make you stronger, it merely indicates that the fiber comes from an animal- namely, the alpaca. Alpaca fiber is strong, warm, and comfortable. Each fiber is hollow which makes it incredibly lightweight. Even the most delicate alpaca garments are warm for this reason. Perhaps alpaca’s greatest feature is that it can be worn next to the skin comfortably. The explanation for this is the behavior of the scales on the exterior of the fiber itself. They all lie flat in the same direction, making for a smooth surface. Less expensive than cashmere and with the strength of mohair, alpaca is highly desirable and functional. As with most natural fibers, alpaca needs to be handled with care when it comes to water exposure. Be sure to read and heed the washing instructions on your yarn or sweater.

While there are 2 breeds of alpaca, Huacaya and Suri, the former makes up a whopping 95% of the population.² Differences between the two are numerous and as you may have guessed from the percentages, the Suri is harder to come by. Suri qualities include fleece that grows downward like human hair in wavy or curly locks with a silky texture. Huacaya fleece is coarser and grows straight outwards, at a right angle to the skin of the alpaca.

YES SURI, BABY, YOU’RE SUPERFINE!

When alpaca fiber is processed, it is evaluated and sorted into one of several categories based on its micron count (in layman’s terms: the softness quotient). Micron count is a technical measurement determined by studying a sample of alpaca fleece and calculating the average diameter of the shaft of each fiber. Baby alpaca might have a micron count in the high teens whereas superfine alpaca would fall in the mid-twenties. The lower the number, the finer the fiber. *Please note that baby alpaca is a classification group, meaning it doesn’t always come from young alpacas. It merely refers to any fibers from an alpaca’s fleece that fall within said micron count. While fibers become coarser as an alpaca ages, it is possible for older alpacas to continue to produce fibers that fall in the baby alpaca micron count range.

Yarn Classification	Average Micron Count	Average Fiber Length
Baby (finest)	21-23	>=64mm. (2½ in.)
Superfine	25-26.5	>=65mm. (2½ in.)
Suri	26-27	>=68mm. (2¾ in.)

Yarns sold by Knit Picks fall within these measurements.

If all of this jargon confuses you, then you might relate better to the methods used by Peruvian women who hand sort all of the fibers and determine their classification based on how they actually feel.³ The finest and softest feeling fibers are tagged as baby alpaca, and so on for fine and superfine yarns. Fiber from various parts of the animal can have different feels.

SMOOTH OPERATOR

Knitted garments made of alpaca have some interesting properties. You should know that alpaca yarn is pretty stubborn when it comes to elasticity. It’s not that it won’t give, it actually has a tendency to be too generous. If you knit dense stitches and patterns or hang heavy embellishments on it, it will become distorted with no hopes of regaining its youthful figure. This is due to the aforementioned smoothness of the fibers. Since the scales lie flat in the same direction, the plies or strands of an alpaca yarn slide past each other instead of clinging and gravity can take its toll on the fabric. Gravity, as we know, can sometimes cause an undesirable elongating effect. So make those 100% alpaca projects light and airy, or use a blend for greater resilience and elasticity.

Speaking of which, all blends happen for a reason. There are ways to make alpaca yarn work for every project and that is by blending it with complimentary fibers. Blended yarns are not created arbitrarily. Wool, for instance, is a highly crimped fiber and therefore offers some elasticity. Since alpaca fibers contain only shallow waves, mixing in some wool makes an otherwise unyielding yarn a little more forgiving.

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¹“A Shaggy Business” The Economist. Vol. 377, Issue 8455, p. 38. 12/3/2005.

²Quiggle, Charlotte. “Alpaca: An Ancient Luxury” Interweave Knits. Fall 2000.

³Lavan, Cindy. “Evaluating Alpaca Fleece” AlpacaNation – Alpaca Industry’s Central Marketplace. June 2002. http://www.alpacanation.com/articles/AlpacaFuture_Oct02.asp