Tag: Alpaca

Artful Women’s Exhibition with Zonta in Canon City, CO

Posted on by Melisa

The international organization, Zonta, has an annual fund raiser.  This fundraiser is for their scholarship fun and local and international service projects.  It is called the Artful Women’s Exhibition.  An Art Show that has 3 categories.  Drawing/Painting, Photography, 3D and Fiber.  I have 3 pieces that will be in the Fiber category.

Pastels

We will be having one or two fiber artists from Ft Collins, Colorado judging the 3D and Fiber category.  I believe this is the first Art Show that I have entered any Fiber Entries that will be judged by actual Fiber Artists.  Most times, the judges are NOT fiber Artists so I have never been able to understand how they could JUDGE Fiber.  I am looking forward to this.

The opening night is October 5, 2012 from 5:30-7:30pm.  The show will also be open October 6 and 7, 13 and 14th, and the 20th.  It will be at the old Sunflower Bank Building at 531 Main Street, Canon City, Colorado.  Admission is $5.00.

I plan on getting to know more about the Zonta Organization and the local chapter.  Their mission statement is:  To empower women to improve their status through education, economic stability, health and wellness, to serve our community through local and international projects and through contributions, and to further the mission of Zonta International.

Bits and Bobs

This is a good thing and I hope to find out more about them.

The 3 pieces that I am entering will show hand spinning, hand painting and dyeing, spinning from carded art batts, spinning from locks, crochet, weaving on a rigid heddle loom and free form crochet.

Beehive Art Yarn Shawl

My three entries are Pastels, Bits and Bobs, and Beehive Art Yarn Shawl.

Pastels is an 8 ft triangle shawl.  It was woven in continuous warp method on an 8 ft triangle loom from yarn that I hand painted.

Bits and Bobs was hand spun from art batts, rovings, and various other bits and bobs of fiber received over the years.  It has alpaca, merino, wool, angora rabbit, angelina for sparkle and glitz, and other assorted fibers that I have no clue about as they came in art batts.  I hand wove panels on my rigid heddle loom and free form constructed this jacket.  I also wove a bag that I later felted for extra durability and wove a panel to be used as a wrap skirt to complete the outfit.  This outfit has not been exhibited in Fremont County.  It was my entry into the Art Prize Competition in Grand Rapids, Mi in 2011.

Beehive Art Yarn Shawl was spun from locks and hand painted in vibrant colors.  The yarn is extreme chunky and bulky.  I used a crochet hook that is much bigger than my thumb and free form crocheted this into a unique OOAK shawl.  Ribbon was added for a nice touch and to close the front of the shawl.

I am looking forward to this exhibition and hope to see you there.  Come Look for me 🙂

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Update:  “Bits and Bobs” won Third Place in the 3D and Fiber Category at the Artful Women’s Exhibition.  The judge particularly liked the different textures, colors, and seeing the “hand” of the artist in the weave and spinning.

Hand Painted and Dyed Yarns for the Store

Posted on by Melisa

 

All 57 hand painted skeins drying in garden

I have over 60 new skeins of yarn for the online store. I did a massive dye project and hand painted 57  200 yd skeins in less than 24 hours.  They were at the Salida Fiber Festival and are now going into the Alba Shop to get ready for the Holiday Shopping.

Here is a shot of them all hanging on the line to dry in my garden.

Most are in colorways of about 6 skeins, with each skein being 200 yds.  One 200 yd skein will make a lacy scarf and 2 skeins making a lovely shawl.

Purple Mint 60/40 merino mohair

I have 21 skeins of 100% pure Angora Rabbit lace weight 2 ply yarn.  This yarn is a stunning 28 wpi!  Such a delicate fine 2 ply lace yarn.

 

 

Pure Angora Rabbit Yarn in Pastel

I have 36 skeins of a blend of 60% merino and 40% mohair.  This yarn is dyed in about 8 different color ways.  This fiber was grown here on Alba Ranch in the Colorado Mountains.  It came from 2 white merino sheep, White Mama and Crazy 208.  The 3 white angora goats were Michelle (grandma), Lucy (mom), and Sami (wethered grandson).

I also have a six skeins of Baby Woo Boo.  This yarn is 35% baby alpaca, 30% merino, 30% bamboo and 5% nylon binder.  It is a wonderful soft, stretchy boucle with lots of bounce and is still very lightweight.

WooBoo Green

I hand painted all these skeins myself and love the colorways.  I am just starting to photograph them and will be uploading them to the shop here shortly over the next week.

Red Fall 60/40 merino mohair

I have taken over 100 photographs of the yarns and all the Lincoln Long Wool Locks.  Now they are all edited and I will be uploading them in the shop as I get them done.

I have decided to include a few photos of the yarns just to tease you.  Keep an eye out here as they come your way.

Pastel Dreams

Posted on by Melisa

Pastel Dreams is finally done.  It is an 8 ft triangle shawl handwoven on a triangle loom.  The fiber is hand painted Boucle yarn.

Pastel Dreams

35% baby alpaca, 30% merino, 30% bamboo and 5% nylon binder to get those lovely loops.  It has taken me many months to weave this as I would leave it for weeks and then come back and do more.  The fringe I did focus on but still took several days to do that alone.

Working on such a big piece was interesting but made life difficult in the little cabin.  I can not remember the amount of times I have stubbed my toes, rammed my shins, caught my hair on the loom, snagged my clothing on it, and smacked my head.

Apparently I did not totally hate it as I am starting another one right away!!  I wound the hand spun yarn from the skeins into balls in preparation last night.  So this next one will be from the mystery yarn I hand spun a few months ago.  Maybe by the time I finish it, I will have figured out what to call it instead of Mystery Yarn.

Pastel Dreams on loom.

I made goat cheese today again.  Decided to try a different flavour and went for Dill and Black Pepper.  This batch did not make much as I ate almost all of it so there is only a small bit left.  hmmmm…….off to milk the goaties for more cheesemaking.

Ponchos, Shawls, and Mobius Oh My……

Posted on by Melisa

Ponchos, Shawls, and Mobius OH my….they have been multiplying as I have been crocheting so very much recently.  Crochet is easy to do, easy to transport and relaxing.  Free form Crochet is even more of my favorite as I form and shape the garment as it emerges.  Size Changes can be made as I go along to get very interesting shapes and designs.

Fall Circle Poncho.  This is free form crochet at its best with a 17 mm size R. I used a lovely Boucle Yarn that is 35% Baby Alpaca, 30% Merino, 30% Bamboo, and 5% Nylon Binder….Baby WooBoo Boucle Yarn.

Close up
Fall Circle Poncho

 

 

I hand painted the 2 skeins with Greener Shades Acid Dyes for Color to get this wonderful array of Fall Colors.  I also crocheted a lovely small cowl neck line for extra warmth and snuggle as this is such a super soft yarn.  Every person that has tried this Fall Circle Poncho on has twirled in a circle smiling and giggling or they have wrapped up with it and burrowed deep like a turtle.  It is a springy, soft, bouncy yarn with lots of character.

 

Close up

 

Chartreuse Green Boucle Poncho is another free form crochet poncho that I did with the same size hook and  the same Boucle yarn hand dyed into this eye popping Chartreuse Green.

 

Chartreuse Green Boucle Poncho

This is more of a ballet sort of poncho, closer to the body, more open lace and much lighter than the circle poncho.  It is such a fun color!!

Spring Fling Shawl is done with the same large size R bamboo crochet hook and the Boucle Baby WooBoo Yarn.  I hand painted this in these lovely spring bright colors.

Spring Fling Shawl with both ends wrapped over a shoulder
Spring Fling Mobius

 

 

 

 

 

The Spring Fling Mobius can be worn in so many ways such as low on the shoulder like a small snug or wrap.

 

Spring Fling Mobius double on neck

 

Or it can be worn double looped around your neck for a very warm neck indeed  on those cold nights.

All of these can be found in my shop online for Alba Ranch except the Fall Circle Poncho.  That I am going to put in a Fashion Show in Salida, CO in October.