Tuesday, December 26, 2017

Knitting With Nieces

Five years ago, I gifted my first two nieces matching sweaters. Niece number 1 then learned the knit stitch, which I chronicled here. Today, we did a quick review and then went straight to a lace pattern.


Very little conferring was needed, even to interpret the lace pattern. She just learned the symbols and asked an occasional question about the execution of a stitch. Slowly but surely she made her way through the pattern. The purl stitch; so much patience needed! Whew!


We used the snowflake part of the Snowflake
Sweater pattern by Tin Can Knits.


Let's show some serious appreciation for the fact that she used relatively tiny needles (size 3) and DK weight yarn.  The stitches are so even and look professional.What an amazing crafty young lady!


The evening could not end without a quick lesson on blocking, the most important part in the finishing process.




I can't stop blogging without bragging about my niece one more time. Check out these lovely place tags she made for our festive holiday dinner. She even painted the faces on the button to make it look like a snowman. She is My People!

Friday, December 22, 2017

Bye Bye Bella Oak

Tonight we bid a tearful good-bye to Bella, who died unexpectedly this afternoon while we were away in Chicago. Bella is the beautiful brown alpaca in all of these pictures, and was a big prize winner in her youth. Her fleece was so soft and fine.


Her other herd sisters will remember her as bossy and a bully trying to steal all of their hay and grain. Bella had the best indignant groan/grunt to keep them away from the food containers!


We are once again indebted to our neighbors, who took her to the Purdue Animal Hospital, about 2 hours away, this afternoon. The clinic will be doing an extensive autopsy to see if our other alpacas are at risk. Hopefully this is yet another mysterious death of some kind of natural cause. In the meantime, we mourn the loss of the only alpaca you didn't mind being touched if you sidled up to her quietly.

Rest in peace, sweet Bella. 2005 to 12/22/2017