Friday's Picture

Have a wonderful weekend!

Me and My Alpaca

Shea (age 2) took Sandy for a little walk to see the apple tree in full bloom.

Wednesday Yarn Along

Happy Spring!

Trees are blooming, the alpacas are getting ready to be sheared, bees are swarming my mom's backyard, pregnant alpacas (and human) moms are preparing for new babies, flip flops are making there way out again....and there is always knitting going on!

Here's what we are working on this week.

Leanne:
I'm getting farther along on the little bubbles cardigan for my little man.
Yarn: Mission Falls 1820 cotton.
I'm hoping it fits him for the cooler fall nights.
Ravelry Link:
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/little-bubbles-baby-set-pattern

Ten Cable Baby Hat
I made the first one too little for a July baby. So with the mathematical genius help of my sister, Andee, she adjusted it for a bigger head! Thanks Andee! So now it's more of a 6-12 month size.
Ravelry link:

http://www.ravelry.com/projects/leannecoppola/cabled-baby-hats


Andee:

Charlie Hat-
Plymouth 100% baby alpaca DK
Pattern by: Andee
Pattern name: Charlie Hat
Made for: Charlie's new baby
Size: Infant
Raverly link: http://www.ravelry.com/projects/AndeeKF/charlie-hat


Arrow Acres Alpaca Hat-
Yarn: Tan- Plymouth 100% baby alpaca DK
Yarn: Brown- "Star"
Pattern by: Andee
Pattern name: Arrow Acres Alpaca Hat
Size: Infant
Raverly link: http://www.ravelry.com/projects/AndeeKF/alpaca-hat--star

Liz:

Alyssa Cowl
Inspired by the beginners basketweave scarf
This will be a cowl for a lovely woman Liz met at the alpaca birthing clinic
Yarn: Star's
2 ply double strand
Size 5 needles

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/beginners-basketweave-scarf

Some Pictures from our Knitting Group
This is how we spent a "wild and crazy" day on spring break!

What are you working on this week?

Happy Knitting!
-Leanne, Andee and Liz

Baby Watch cont....

Star

Picture from August 2010

and Star April 2011 (getting closer to her due date)

Melody

pic from Aug 2010

and April 2011 (getting closer to her due date)

Leanne

June 2010 with Awan & her two boys & her winning pickles and peppers.

and April 2011 busy knitting a hat for her little one on the way.

Happy Easter

Friday...One Picture No Words

I follow a few blogs that post a picture on Fridays. No words...just a picture to enjoy.

Have a great weekend!

Wednesday Yarn Along

Happy Wednesday!

Baby watch continues on the farm. My mom and my sister, Liz, went to a birthing clinic in Martha's Vineyard over the weekend. So they are ready and prepared for our little crias! Hopefully they will write something about it this week on the blog. In the spirit of new babies, I will share some baby projects I have done for my baby on the way. I just started a baby hat using tan alpaca yarn, but not much to show yet so pictures will come next week.

On and Off Leanne's Needles:

Baby Kimono Style Sweater
Made with 100% alpaca yarn
Ravelry link:
http://www.ravelry.com/projects/leannecoppola/baby-sachiko-kimono-sweater

Baby Hooded Cardigan
Made with Cascade Superwash Yarn hand-dyed by Liz
Ravelry Link:
http://www.ravelry.com/projects/leannecoppola/easy-baby-cardigan
Buttons are from etsy


On and Off Andee's Needles:

Original Pattern by Andee:
Lace wt / 2 ply
Alpaca 10 % synthetic cashmere
Yarn is from our beautiful Momma, Melody

(Melody)

Same hat in Black
Berroco Comfort Knitting Worsted Weight
50% Super Fine Nylon
50% Super Fine Acrylic

Liz at Work

Liz has been busy learning how to birth an alpaca...so here is a picture of her spinning from the fall. I hope we have inspired you to knit and create this week!

What are you working on? Leave us a comment.

Happy Knitting,
Leanne, Andee and Liz

And of course, pictures of some alpacas...
Sanda and Awan

Kal and Awan
Our handsome fiber boys

Spicy

Happy kids feeding the boys carrots

Easter Parade

Brady and I made an Easter Bonnet / Hat last night for his Easter Parade at school. I used a cowboy hat from the party store. He wrapped the garland around the hat, used a glue stick to secure the grass on top and placed the eggs. Then he made the egg for the front. He drew a bird on a nest. He wore it so proudly to school today.

I thought you might get a kick out of it. Sean thought it could use some more blue.

Wednesday Yarn Along

Happy Wednesday everyone! Welcome to the Arrow Acres Yarn Along.

We had a beautiful day here on Monday. It was warm and sunny...then the storm rolled in yesterday! What a storm it was. Now back to chilly and grey. Hopefully the weather will turn and we can enjoy some more outside time. The only good thing about this gloomy weather is that it leaves more time for knitting. We would like to share what is on (and off) our needles this week.
Enjoy!

On (and off) Andee's Needles:
Baby Hats
Yarn: 100% baby alpaca
White yarn is suri alpaca

Slouch Hat made with Sublime Cashmere Merino Silk

On Leanne's Needles:

I am continuing to knit the baby blanket for this little munchkin. A row here, a row there...it will be done someday!



Bubbles Baby Sweater
Ravelry Link to pattern:
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/little-bubbles-baby-set-pattern

This is the yoke. Looks weird now, but love this little sweater. I am working with Mission Falls 1820 Cotton. So sad this yarn is being discontinued.

Spring Scarf
Half off the needles. Hope to finish today and get it blocked.
Made with Madelinetosh Pashmina. Yum.

So that's what's on our needles this week! What are you making???

Oh...and the girls say hi :)
Happy Knitting!

I smell like an alpaca

It has been written that alpacas do not smell. What should be written is that compared to most livestock they have a much milder aroma. As I sat down to write my first entry to this blog I thought an alpaca followed me into the house. It's me, I smell like an alpaca. Guess I've been spending a little too much time around my fuzzy friends. Nothing a good shower won't cure. For the record I do not knit. My job is to take care of the alpacas so that they will provide us with the most wonderful fleece in which we will make luxurious yarns. Shearing day is coming up in May. My fluffy friends will turn into the skinniest and funniest looking creatures in just a matter of minutes. Wish I could have someone shear me so I didn't have to go to Weight Watchers. Today is the first warm day we have had in a very long time. We used to have horses and they always laid down and sunbathed when it first warmed up. It would look like a field of dead animals. Alpacas apparently like to do the same thing. As I entered the field to clean up, the three little boys were all stretched out soaking up the sun. When they saw me all got up except Kigo. He is my beautiful brown Jr Herdsire. He was doing a good impression of death. Was sure he was just sunbathing but had to make sure so I walked over to check him out. He didn't move a muscle but his eyes said it all with an attitude "can't you see I'm sunbathing leave me alone". I backed off. Turned on the fans to keep them cool. Sure hope this nice weather sticks around for awhile.

Sunsets and Strawberries

While my parents were out at the Harrisburg Show, I was home enjoying the herd. On my walk home from the night time feeding, I was blown away by the beautiful sunset. This is a picture of the old barn and the big black walnut tree.

Another picture I wanted to share was of the awesome strawberries my boys and I found at A&P. This may not be exciting to anyone but us, but they were HUGE and delicious!!!! Just gave me a little taste of the summer berries that will be growing soon. Tossing them with some Cool Whip tonight. Tomorrow's weather forecast is 75 degrees! Turn the fans on Mom! Alpacas will be needing it. I hope the warmth lasts more than a day.
We all need some outside playtime around here.

The wood cutting board in the background is made by Liz and Nick...another Mayo Lane creation!

Hope you had a good weekend. Enjoy your week!
-Leanne

437 yards down...437 yards to go

I have been working on this little Seashell Scarf this week. I am half way done! I am knitting it with Cascade Yarns Alpaca Lace. I am using size 2 needles. The scarf measures a little over 15" wide. I have used one skein 437 yards and now onto skein #2.

This scarf is so soft I love it.

Andee

GOOD MORNING SUN!!!

It's a beautiful sunny Saturday, and Mom and Dad are on their way out to MAPACA (a very big alpaca show in PA. They won't be showing any of our animals, just going for the fun of it)

We're hoping that all of our friends who will be showing their animals do very well this weekend!

Now for a little inspiration....

I have been having a hard time getting inspired to crochet anything for the past few weeks.

It's time that I come up with a fun project... but what to make?! Spring/Summer projects are difficult for me to come up with because I tend to make a lot of scarves and hats in the winter. I love to make blankets, so maybe I will have to come up with a fun idea for a new blanket.

What inspires you in the warmer months, and what kind of projects do you make?

Baby Watch!

I talked to Mom (AKA Alpaca Mama) and it is official, we are on baby watch for Star!

Her due date is Mid-May, and she usually has her babies within a two week range (a week early or a week late), but we get to start baby watch 45 days before the due date!

If you don't know much about alpaca births (which I am going to assume that most of you do not!), there are some interesting facts!

A very high percentage of alpacas have their babies roughly from 7AM-2PM. Most of the alpacas who do not deliver within this time frame have something wrong with the birthing process; there is a problem with the baby or the mom. (Mom and I will be attending an alpaca birthing clinic next weekend in Martha's Vineyard... we should be experts afterwards!) We have also learned that most alpaca moms have their babies on their own with no assistance.

We are hoping for easy, uneventful births, and to be able to look out into the field one morning and see a little ball of fuzz next to Star, and a few weeks later next to Melody! *We will have an abundance of pictures to post when they arrive!!!*

Wednesday Yarn Along

In the blog world, knitters have a "yarn along" on Wednesdays. Knitters post what they are working on to inspire others. We are excited to join this Wednesday tradition! We hope you enjoy looking at what is on our needles this week!

On Leanne's needles:

Cashmere Deluxe Blanket from the book, Knitting for Baby by Melanie Falick and Kristin Nicholas (my new favorite baby knitting book)

I am knitting this blanket for my baby boy on the way. It's been on my needles for a while now, but I'm really enjoying knitting it every free moment I have. My goal is to have it done in time for his birth! Yarn: Sublime cashmere merino silk dk in peacock blue

On (and off) Andee's needles


Little Sea Shells Scarf
Cascade Yarn- Alpaca Lace 100% baby alpaca
Andee's original pattern
casted on 100 stitches using US2 needles
Pattern to come!


Baby Hat
Sublime Cashmere Merino Silk dk

Slouch Hat
Original Pattern by Andee
She's working out the kinks and will share the pattern soon!
Andee has some beautiful pictures of the slouch hat on our Facebook page. Don't miss them!

On Liz's Spindle:

100% Alpaca Handspun Yarn
Made on a drop spindle
This yarn is sooooo soft! Just beautiful.

So that's what we're working on this week. What are you working on? Leave us a comment!

Happy Knitting,
Leanne, Andee & Liz

Winning Pictures!

Here are a few pictures from the weekend. More to come...

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner

Spicy- 1st Place Ribbon

Tka "Kigo"- 2nd Place Ribbon

Tka "Kigo" and Spicy are on their way home from the North American Alpaca Show. Both are coming home winners! Tka took the second place ribbon in his class and Spicy won the blue ribbon for her class. We're so proud of them!!! Looking forward to giving them an extra carrot for their good performance.

Abenaki Acres also took home tons of ribbons. Every animal that went in the ring won. Great Job!!!