{A Few FO's and a Gift!}

So I teased you the other day about my spinning and Alpaca experiences, but then didn't post yesterday. Sorry! The story goes that I met a nice lady named Robin at the Farmer's Market a few weeks ago and Mr. Pie saw on her card that she also raises Alpacas.  When we asked her about she said they had JUST be sheared and she had garbage bags full of fleece to go through.  Well, as you can image the light in my eyes lit up like it was Christmas and I gasped and asked, in a tiny voice, "Can I come help you wash and card and stuff?"  She laughed and was more than happy to oblige! 

Finally yesterday I went to visit Market Basket Produce (her farm) about 40 minutes from me.  I didn't bring my camera because I didn't want to seem like a weirdo! LOL They were pretty darn cute though, all skinny and hairless. hehehe  We laid out a whole alpaca fleece on the floor and walked on it with our bare feet! MAN is that stuff soft!!  Robin showed me how to wash, pick out guard hairs and other garbage, and then we hung them to dry.  THEN she got out her spinning wheel to show me what she was working on!

She's a beginning spinner, but let me played on her spinning wheel!  It was a newer model and it has two feet pedals.  It was those pedals that kept getting me, I would accidentally spin the wheel backwards -  Not helpful at all. hehehe  Before leaving she sent me home with a little gift!

I've been pondering a little spindle for some time now but  I really don't know if I have time to pick up another new craft! LOL  I'm on the lookout now for some inexpensive (but easy to spin) fibre so I can see if I like it. :D

Other than that excitement, I've been doing lots of healthy things, like cooking and working out.  I'm kind of on a mission at the moment to trim up and drop a few el bee's while I'm at it.  Mr. Pie and I are counting calories and writing down everything we eat.  Today is just over one week since we started and I've dropped about 3.5 pounds, so I guess it's working. :)

And of course, I've been crafting.  I've been doing a few small projects since I cast off my cardigan.  Here's a couple of bags that I'll bring to the craft show.  The first is knitted in some of the yarn that Jenny sent me called Viking Milk and Honey.  It's 70% cotton and 30% milk fiber.  How cool is that?  I love that it's the colour of eggplant, spinach and mustard.  Yum!  There are some super long colour repeats  which works great on this bag! I have another skein for a second one like this.

Cotton Lacy Grocery Bag 

This second one is one I whipped up out of some burlap I had with straps made of the left over green canvas from my outdoor spices hanger thingy.  The stencil on the front is one I cut for my t-shirt. Cute, right? I think this is as simple as it gets.  One long piece of burlap folded in half and stitch up both sides, I didn't even use a seam allowance on the side or anything, it's just the raw edge 'cause I think it looks neato.  I did make the straps pretty long, which I hope will help the person carrying it. 

 Random Burlap Bag

And there ya go!  I've been keeping busy even though I'm not in school, as you can tell.  Now, I think I'll begin knitting Christmas presents.  If anyone in my family wants to place an order, now's the time! :P