The Prairie Spinner

I happened to have a few pictures to illustrate the steps from beginning to end, so thought I’d share them with you.

It all started with the visit to a local alpaca breeder two years ago (Sunflower Alpaca Farm, shortly before they moved to Fort Scott, KS).  I was completely charmed by the animals, and took quite a few pictures.

L to R: Frosty, Mocha, Molly (in front), Levi (in back), Dulcie

Of course, I had to buy some wool in all the different colors!

Gorgeous colors...

Having specific motivation at last, I started spinning it in August (two years later)…

Five of the six colors: from the top, Levi, Frosty, Molly, Mocha, Taffy

Add white to those shown above, and you’ll have all the colors I had to work with.  Once I started knitting swatches, the light grey turned out to be a much greater contrast to the white than I had expected, so I blended two other colors to use in between.

With all the ripping (I probably knit enough for a third glove!) it took longer than I had hoped to finish the gloves I’d planned from the beginning.  After an all-nighter, I did get them finished just in time to check them in at the state fair.

Finished Alpaca Fair Isle gloves

I may find out tomorrow how they placed in the new ‘item-knit-of-handspun-yarn’ class, and will let you know.  But whatever happens there, I’m delighted with my first pair of gloves, and will definitely knit more!

UPDATE:  I just heard from a friend – my gloves won the class!  There was at least one other entry, and I hope the class will have even more entries next year!

*End of post*   I see that there is advertising below, at least on some views.  Please feel free to ignore it!!

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