The Hollyhock Blog

Making more mittens!  I got 2 pair knit yesterday. 

More mittens

I can’t say they are exciting – or even pretty, but they should keep some little boys fingers warm next winter if he forgets to wear mittens to school one day.  I needed to get back in touch with my knitting machine! 

Tomorrow we plan to take Sonny and Rolly to Pioneer Village in Zimmerman from about 10 – 3.  It is a festival sponsored by Faith Community Lutheran Church.   Kathe and I will be spinning and we’ll have yarn and things for sale.  There is also music, food, volleyball and lots more going on.  Stop by see us if you can.  The weather looks to be outstanding!

As I walked by a window, I glanced out and saw something unusual.  Something black in the pasture.  We keep the pasture closed off until after shearing – there is hay on the ground that was pushed out with the snow.  Another look…. yep, someone had gotten through the gate.  Spotsie, Annie and Georgie were in the pasture, the others stuck behind the gate.  So I opened the gate and let them all out for the rest of the day.

"We have escaped"

They sure enjoyed it.

Out in the pasture

It was cool and breezy, no bugs, not too hot, perfect for grazing.  But now they will have to wait until after they are sheared on Saturday. 

Annie M.

This is Annie resting after her day of adventure.  Does she ever need a haircut!  She can barely see.

The boys

Rolly in front, then Sonny and Vagabond in back in his pen.

And I did get these 2 pair of mittens knit today.  

2 more pair

Yeah – blaze orange.   My supply of charity acrylic yarn is dwindling.  Color selection is down to oranges and neutrals. 

I have some yarn drying that I dyed today.  Pictures and more dyeing to come!

Last week did not produce anything for charity for me to blog about.  It was a crazy, busy week.  But today I have these. 

More mittens

Another 2 pair of little mittens.  Nothing new, not very exciting,  rather ho-hum for you to see at this point!   But I think they will be welcomed by a little person with cold fingers when winter comes around next year. 

We are in full preparation for shearing – trying to keep the alpacas’ area as clean as possible.  And after that is Shepherd’s Harvest.  I’ll have fleeces to get ready for the show, fleeces to get ready for sale and things to get ready for sale in the retail booth.

Yes, I have knit 2 more pair of mittens, another skein of acrylic yarn used up.

Maroon mittens

I may have told this before, but I thought you might like to know the reason behind my charity mittens.   Some time in the mid-90′s, a group from my home town of Braham decided to start a knitting group.  We called ourselves the Knit Wits.   One of the founding members said she had a stash of yarn from a friend who had recently passed away.  That friend’s wish was to have her stash used for making something for children in need.  So that stash of yarn was our starting point for knitting for others.  Since then, we’ve been given yarn by many others and have made hats, mittens, scarves, blankets, lap robes, chemo hats, premie hats and more.   It seems our stash has been blessed as it never seems to run out!   So, I keep knitting mittens!

Yeah,  I’m kinda bored with them.  At the same time, I know they will be used and appreciated by the school kids next winter.   And I’ve made so many pair, I can make them quickly and feel like I accomplished something.

Dark green

So, I have another 2 pair to add to the stash.  The smaller pair has a cord that will connect the mittens and go through the sleeves. 

I’ve been spending a lot of time freshening up my website.  Take a look:  Hollyhock Farm Alpacas.   What do you think?   My very first newsletter went out this week.  If you are not signed up, just click the link in the right side bar.   You can read the archived newsletter on the Contact Us page of the website.   These were a couple of my ‘big winter projects’!  It is good to get them done!  

I think there’s a craft show in the works for May!  More details to come.