Ranch Life – Alba Ranch

Alba Ranch Changes

Posted on May 21, 2021August 9, 2021 by Melisa

I have had a break from most yarn spinning due to goat kid season. Although I have still got a little spinning in between all the Ranch goings on.

This time of year brings bottle babies, training new goats to the milk stand, getting used to milking numerous goats again and than the fun times of weaning the goat kids.

We have also been doing some tree felling, getting the trails back into shape, and some much needed clean up around the property.

Of course it has to look worse before it can look better. But here are a few shots during this summer to catch you up with changes here at Alba Ranch.

Mozzie, the Moswolt M1 Spinning Wheel

Posted on October 17, 2019October 17, 2019 by Melisa

Last week I test drove a unique old artisan spinning wheel. A Moswolt M1 Spinning Wheel. Meet Mozzie…..

Mozzie is a bit clunkity and talks and chatters, but he is a workhorse beast. It is the first single treadle wheel I have ever owned. He has one speed ratio of about a 4:1. His orifice is a half inch and my lockspun bulky yarn just slide right on through. The flyer has hooks all down each side and surprisingly my lock spun yarn rarely caught on any hooks. It seems one does not HAVE TO HAVE a giant orifice or sliding ring guides to spin bulky lockspun yarn. One has to have smooth hooks with no burrs or sharp bits.

His bobbins are super big, holding approximately 10-12 ounces of yarn. The take up is strong and most times I spun with the brake off. Even at this slow ratio, I was able to do a modified backwards long draw down to a rather fine yarn. It felt faster than my Country Spinner 1 which is also a 4:1 ratio. I was able lockspin finer and backdraft long draw, which I just don’t seem to be able to do on my CS1. So being all things equal ratio wise, I have no idea why I can spin fine on Mozzie. I guess he did not read the spinning book rules and has his own ideas.

Mozzie really shines doing a 5 Bulky Art Yarn. The strong takeup creates a bulky weight lockspun art yarn quickly. I spun up a bobbin of my favorite locks and than thread plyed them off with a lace weight angora yarn. I had approximately 69-70 yards of Mozzie Spiral Art Yarn. Not too bad for a first Art Yarn skein.

Wild Flower Honey Lockspun Textured Art Yarn

Posted on September 22, 2019June 1, 2021 by Melisa

Recently Alba Ranch was part of a giveaway with 5 other artists.

Wild Flower Honey Art Yarn Kit was Alba Ranch’s part of the Grand Prize for the Sweeter Than Honey Giveaway.

The giveaway featured six artists in various mediums all celebrating bee keepers, bee keeping, and the honey bee. The Grand Prize was a $300 value.

I was so inspired while creating the Wild Flower Honey Art Yarn Kit, that I created a new colorway just for the shop which is coming soon to the Alba Ranch Shop.

And with even more inspiration, I decided to weave a scarf on my rigid heddle using a second Wild Flower Honey Yarn Kit.

If you want to make sure you know when the next giveaway, sale, or new collection will be released…. Sign up for the Alba Ranch Email List at Bit.ly/AlbaRanch

Carnival and Purple Passion Lock Spun Textured Yarn

Posted on September 4, 2019April 9, 2020 by Melisa

Got my shawl photographed this evening. I used a giant Tunisian Crochet Hook and a modified double crochet made up stitch I created to get that lacey open effect.

Tunisian Crochet Textured Yarn. All homespun yarn was lock spun and hand dyed. The fiber is Leicester Longwool. I lock spun and thread plyed with a fine 2 ply pure pink Angora Rabbit yarn. The spirals and curls are so pretty.

It is a mix of Summer Forest, Carnival, and Purple Passion Lockspun Textured Yarns.

Alba Ranch

…..where Handmade Treasures and Artful Healing Intertwine

Tag: Ranch Life

Alba Ranch Changes

Mozzie, the Moswolt M1 Spinning Wheel

Wild Flower Honey Lockspun Textured Art Yarn

Carnival and Purple Passion Lock Spun Textured Yarn