Try this at home. Many alpaca and wool items tolerate a gentle, cold-water wash with no major trauma or heartbreak.

I have a love / hate relationship with the dry cleaner. I love knowing that my alpaca clothing will be properly cared for at the cleaners. I hate the price.

Practical, logical and moral people read advice columns and helpful hints to find ways to avoid paying a dry cleaner or contributing to global warming via dry-cleaning chemicals. I would like to say I am one of these kinds of motivated, concerned citizens.  But, I’m not.

The honest reason I struggle with the dry cleaner comes down to a matter of my laziness. I never remember to grab my alpaca clothing or other wool items when I have to run errands or go to the store. Stopping at the dry cleaner is one of those infrequent pain-in-the-butt and expensive diversions that’s about as enjoyable as getting my oil changed. I just don’t think about it until it absolutely has to be done. When I reach for my favorite baby alpaca scarf, only to remember that I’d spilled coffee on it last week, and it’s in a bin with my sweater that I’ve worn as a jacket all season, do I start recalling all the other items I’ve put off taking to the dry cleaner. Gloves. Hats. Another sweater.

Shady’s crate doubles as a drying rack for alpaca sweaters, scarves and gloves.

Last week, I couldn’t take it any more. I gathered two sweaters, a scarf and pair of 100% superfine alpaca gloves. I took my own advice I’ve given to countless customers, and I tossed them in the washer.

Not every piece is a candidate for DIY laundering, but here is how I discern what I’m capable of handling:

Lori’s DIY dry cleaner decision checklist

• Will I be an emotional wreck for more than a day if this piece fits an American Doll when I am finished?
  Yes – Go to dry cleaner
  No – Wash it at home
• Have I worn it for at least two years and feel I have gotten my money’s worth out of it?
  Yes – Wash it at home
  No – Go to dry cleaner
• Will my husband notice it’s missing (doubtful) and therefore inquire incessantly (probable) as to its whereabouts?
  Yes – Go to dry cleaner
  No – Wash it at home
• Is the piece a blend of at least 30% synthetic fiber (acrylic, nylon…)?
  Yes – Wash it at home
  No – Rethink previous questions

Both of these items are 100% alpaca. The scarf is grade baby alpaca and the gloves are grade superfine. They both have seen several trips to the washing machine over the past few years.

If I can answer “Wash it at home” twice in the above list, I’ll usually opt to live dangerously and handle it myself.

Most manufacturers of 100% alpaca garments put tags on their wares stating “dry clean only.” Is this necessary? Not always. And, I can’t prove this theory, but I have a strong suspicion that some manufacturers simply use the phrase “dry clean only” to make consumers believe their product is special enough to deserve pampering. (I noticed last holiday season that Dillard’s had 100% acrylic scarves, for Pete’s sake, that read “dry clean only.” What a crock.)

I’ve washed plenty of alpaca and wool items with varying results. Most of the time, everything survives without any problem. Yes, I’ve ruined a few pieces too.

Here is how I wash alpaca clothing and other fine, natural-fiber items.

1. Use cold water always. Hot water, and subsequent changes in temperature for a cold rinse, will shock the fibers, causing them to cling to themselves and felt.
2. Almost any detergent will work. You do not need to use Woolite or any other fancy-schmancy soap. I prefer a liquid as opposed to a powder because powder particles don’t dissolve consistently in cold water. This often leaves glops of detergent residue on your wet clothes. Of course, a diligent, conscientious laundress would take the time to dissolve powder soap in a little water in the microwave, but that would diminish my claim to laziness.
3. By hand: Wash in a large bowl or tub. Do not agitate fibers. Simply soak, swish with hands, press the garment to the bottom and sides of bowl and rinse. Repeat if necessary.
4. In machine: Use the slowest, most delicate setting possible. Check every so often to make sure your item is not felting. If you notice the knit pattern starting to look tighter than usual, pull it out immediately and block dry. Take to dry cleaner.
5. Drying: Air dry only. I know more alpaca and wool items that met their demise from the dryer than from being washed at home.
6. Look at the label before beginning. If your item is 100% alpaca, you will want to be extremely careful. Blends tolerate washing at home far better than pure fleece. However, I have washed numerous 100% alpaca fleece items, and most of the time, they’ve been fine.

Last week’s load washed without a problem. The scarf is 100% baby alpaca; the gloves are 100% superfine alpaca; the maroon pullover, a thrift store find 4 years ago, is 100% merino; and the multicolor crocheted cardigan is a blend of wools, cotton and acrylic. I put them all in the same load.

Results: Everything washed perfectly fine on the hand wash / delicate cycle. I used cold water and Arm & Hammer liquid detergent. I air dried them all on Shady’s (the alpaca blog dog) crate. Nothing shrunk.

My oops:  I should have put these items inside pillow cases. My tan scarf got snagged on the central pillar and frayed into a small

I should have pinned this baby alpaca scarf inside a pillow case before putting it in the washing machine. It got snagged on the central column. Live and learn. BTW, notice the fiber’s bright luster. This is a quality of alpaca fleece that is judged both on the animal at competitions as well as in fleece shows.

disaster. I will no longer be able to wear this piece as a dressy accessory. It’s now a sledding and barn scarf.

Do you ever hand wash or use your machine to clean your alpaca or wool items or do you rely on the dry cleaner?

__________

Sirius Alpacas is a family farm in Chardon, Ohio that raises and boards alpacas for fun, therapy and profit. The farm uses its fleeces in the production of high-quality yarns and felted goods.

alpaca sweaters

How to avoid the dry cleaner: Cold water, delicate cycle, air dry

Share and Enjoy

The post How to avoid the dry cleaner: Cold water, delicate cycle, air dry appeared first on Alpaca Treasure.

Shady, the alpaca blog dog, looks great in an alpaca scarf.

An alpaca scarf is a must-have accessory for any age, any gender, any species.

We’ve long extolled the virtues of wearing scarves. Men wear them. Guys should wear them. Our Weimaraner dog, Shady, loves them.

And, don’t get me started on my my scarf collection. I’m told I have too many. To which I reply, “Impossible.” I have scarves in silk, cotton, acrylic blends – and alpaca of course. I happen to be wearing my only cashmere scarf as I write this post. (I don’t discriminate among natural fibers. I like lots of them for different reasons.)

But, I’ve got to say that as far as luxury accessories go, it’s hard to top alpaca. It’s soft, durable, warm and has an unmistakable luster that gives it a sheen that other fibers lack.

How do you like to wear scarves?

__________

Sirius Alpacas is a family farm in Chardon, Ohio that raises and boards alpacas for fun, therapy and profit. The farm uses its fleeces in the production of high-quality yarns and felted goods.

alpaca sweaters

Alpaca scarf looks great on guys, men, ladies and Weimaraner dogs

Share and Enjoy

The post Alpaca scarf looks great on guys, men, ladies and Weimaraner dogs appeared first on Alpaca Treasure.

Where under the snow is all that alpaca poop hiding?

As I was doing barn chores this morning, plodding through snow, feeling like an arctic beach comber looking for alpaca poop in my paddock, a wave of inspiration hit me. The simplistic genius of games like I Spy Treasure Hunt and the Where’s Waldo? had never been more apparent to me. Why was I not sitting on my couch in my pajamas, drinking coffee, checking my Twitter feed?

I’ll tell you why.  Finding frozen alpaca poop turds beneath six inches of snow is more fun.

There’s a fortune to be made in seek-and-find games. Now, I’ll I need to do is convince my kids that’s the case. If I’m successful with them, my test market, you can bet I’ll be taking my idea to Parker Brothers. How many hundreds of thousands of Farmville farmers are there? How many of them are missing out on wearing Muck boots (with alpaca socks on tootsies, of course), picking up their shovels and rakes as they scan the paddock, knowing full well that somewhere under all that pretty white fluffy snow, lie clumps of frozen alpaca poop? Too many. It’s time virtual pansy farmers experience the full spectrum of farming fun.

Snow and sky at Sirius Alpacas. If this isn’t the prettiest place on earth, it’s got to be in the top 10.

The object of the game is to find as much alpaca poop as possible. The person who finds the most in the shortest time wins. Of course, I’ll add a few hazards – like angry alpacas who spit at players as they go about their manure removal chores. I’ll toss in an alpha male who kicks from time to time. And, once our gamers find their alpaca poop treasures, they’ll have to figure out a way to detach it from the frozen ground. I always forget about this freezing phenomenon until I have to pry frozen poop from the earth. Admittedly, I’m not as persistent as the better gamers would be. In real life, a swift kick with my Muck boots is all the effort these stubborn clumps get. A better alpaca farmer would mosey to the shed, get the pick axe and chisel the alpaca poop away from the ground and into the sled. I’m not as dogged. I give up, figuring things will eventually thaw, and I can do extra work later. Sure, this means that my spring is messier and muddier than most people’s, but so what? If I can’t see it, it doesn’t bother me too much.

Ah ha! I see a spot of alpaca poop! Quick, shovel it up before more snow falls and hides it!

What drives me nuts is the mess in the barn. If I can see alpaca poop on my barn floor, it’s got to go. I can’t leave it alone. I have to scrape at it till it’s all gone. Anytime the temperature dips below 20 degrees Fahrenheit, I’m screwed. I chisel, kick and scrape frozen manure until I’m down to the bare floor. This process can take anywhere from 5 to 25 minutes, depending on how much pooping the alpacas decided to do inside as opposed to outside where it would be conveniently hidden by snow. Then I sprinkle limestone pellets over the area to try keeping it clean for the next 12ish hours.

Although the frozen element adds a bonus challenge, the real fun is in finding these frozen clumps of alpaca poop under the snow. Perhaps I could add a dowsing element to my game. Or, maybe give points for psychic intuition. Who knows? Maybe I’ll put a sign next to our driveway and invite people to pay to play. Or, better yet, I’ll see about getting the kids to play this afternoon and see how it goes.

And then, we’ll wait for spring.

Even Shady has a tough time sniffing out alpaca poop in all this snow.

__________

Sirius Alpacas is a family farm in Chardon, Ohio that raises and boards alpacas for fun, therapy and profit. The farm uses its fleeces in the production of high-quality yarns and felted goods.

Sirius Alpacas also imports fair-trade Andean items including socks, scarves, hats, gloves, sweaters and more from Peru and Bolivia, offering the style and culture of South American goods while helping the farmers, artists and craftsmen of that region. Lori Weber, co-owner of Sirius Alpacas, is the creator and writer of this alpaca blog. You may reach her at lori@siriusalpacas.com.

It’s nice to have a buddy to help with barn chores.

alpaca sweaters

I spy alpaca poop hidden beneath the snow – A game waiting for an inventor

Share and Enjoy

The post I spy alpaca poop hidden beneath the snow – A game waiting for an inventor appeared first on Alpaca Treasure.

The beginning of the end. These alpaca gloves needed a quick repair before I would unwittingly unravel them.

Let’s set something straight. I don’t sew. I don’t mend. I don’t reattach buttons. But, when my fingerless alpaca gloves started to unravel  after three seasons of abusive wear, I reassessed my lack of practical domestic skills, and set out to fix them.

Let me explain.

When I buy something that I like, I use it as long as possible and expect it to last forever. When the signs of wear and tear bow to the brute forces of time, I usually rebel by buying replacements. But it’s not that easy with my alpaca gloves. Three years ago I splurged and bought myself a pair. These hand warmers became the functional fashion staple of my wardrobe from October through March for two straight years. I chose the light gray color to coordinate with nearly everything.

Repair instruments included a couple crochet hooks, a yarn needle and well, alpaca yarn, of course.

At first, I said I would only wear my alpaca gloves for driving. I wanted them to last. But, I enjoyed feeling how soft they were and how cozy they made my hands feel so much that I soon began wearing them into the grocery store, post office, bank – heck, anywhere – when I would have to get in and out of the car several times on a trip. I started teaching night classes in cold classrooms in them. Then, I started wearing them when I walked my dog, Shady. I blame her for the first signs of fraying. She tugged on the leash and pulled through my right-hand grip, exactly in the spot where the unraveling began. Driving, shopping, errands and dog walking led to the most abusive practice yet: Typing.

Rolling the top edge of the glove allowed me to type freely with warm hands. But, all that pulling weakened a loose area near the top band, eventually causing it to fray and unravel.

You’d think typing would be harmless, but it’s not. I’m always cold, and sitting at a desk keyboard isn’t conducive to building heat in the body. I hate cold hands. My fingers need to be warm enough to type freely, which is possible in these gloves if the top edges are rolled over. And, that’s the big problem. I would roll the edges over when I got to work, and then unroll them to drive home and run errands and walk the dog. All this rolling and unrolling took a toll on my poor alpaca gloves.

I noticed that the first stitch had unraveled at my son’s winter baseball practice. I didn’t have a crochet hook, yarn needle or matching yarn with me at the time (who would?), so I did the only sensible thing. I started pulling and picking with teeth and nails, trying to salvage any part of the unraveling yarn that I could. Anyone who has experienced the obsession to pinch a tiny dot of poison ivy until it blossomed into its fullest potential, understands this compulsion. I can’t leave well-enough alone.

The result. It’s not perfect, but it’s perfectly functional.

So, when I noticed that the two stitches that originally frayed out were slowly expanding into the next row, I tucked my alpaca gloves into my purse, and vowed to not touch them till I found a crochet hook, yarn needle and yarn. The fix was easy. It took me about 20 minutes to use the crochet hook to make a “ladder” out of the loose knitted stitches, similar to picking up a dropped stitch when knitting. Unfortunately though, the top horizontal strand was broken, and I didn’t have anything to attach to. So, I took some gray alpaca yarn left over from another project (that’s why you shouldn’t throw away leftover yarn scraps), and wove a clunky pattern through the open stitches. It wasn’t pretty, but it held.

The result is that I now am back to abusing my alpaca gloves. In fact, I’m wearing them, tops rolled back, as I type these words now. Don’t you love happy endings?

Do you find it difficult to not pull a loose thread? Would you take the time to repair your alpaca gloves or would you buy another pair?

__________

Sirius Alpacas is a family farm in Chardon, Ohio that raises and boards alpacas for fun, therapy and profit. The farm uses its fleeces in the production of high-quality yarns and felted goods.

alpaca sweaters

Mending alpaca gloves: Obsessing over a tiny fray evolves into minor glove surgery

Share and Enjoy

The post Mending alpaca gloves: Obsessing over a tiny fray evolves into minor glove surgery appeared first on Alpaca Treasure.

Shady, the alpaca blog dog, models Lori’s purple alpaca vest. It took about 8 treats and a dozen hugs to get her to sit like this.

How to pose Shady, the alpaca blog dog, for photos in alpaca clothes…

Getting a dog to sit still for the camera requires preparation, patience and props.

Every so often people ask me how we get Shady, the alpaca blog dog, to wear alpaca clothes. Wonder no more! Today, I share Sirius Alpacas’ tricks for getting a high-spirited Weimaraner to calm down long enough for you to snap a few good shots for your next holiday greeting card or blog post.

Preparation

Your dog has no idea what a camera is. She could care less if she happens to drool on your favorite alpaca scarf while you’re positioning her into the perfect pose. And if she snags a sweater? It’s yours. Get used to the new look. So, to get her to be calm, it’s best if you tire her out a bit before attempting to gain her cooperation. Here’s what we do.

You’ll need an assistant. Find a friend who likes dogs and who is unfazed by teeth, claws and drool. This person needs the same amount of tolerance and persistence that your dog has for digging treasures out of the earth. My assistant for today’s was my daughter, Maya. She was fantastic.

What lady doesn’t need a fashionable hand bag (or paw bag) and matching fingerless gloves? What should an alpaca blog dog carry in her bag? Why, treats and her blogger’s iPad, of course!

Play catch with your dog prior to the photo session. Get her to run and run and run. And when your arm is whooped, your dog will just be getting warmed up.  So, put on your best Tim Lincecum imitation and keep throwing. Your dog will eventually start to tire. We use what I call a “go-go gadget arm extender” (Chuckit! Sport 18M Launcher) throwing device to increase the length of our throws and encourage even more running. Sometimes, though, we don’t need to go through all this throwing. If she’s in a cooperative mood that day, we can just put her on a leash and lead her around town for an hour or so.

Alpaca blog dog ears are too cute and floppy to leave exposed to harsh winter winds. Cover them with a Sirius Alpacas’ chullo.

Also, be sure to have your area arranged before taking pictures. Don’t start looking for the backdrop while you want your dog to relax and sit still. If she relaxes too long, she will undoubtedly be replenishing her energy reserves. You don’t want that. She needs to be slightly groggy when you’re snapping photos.

Patience

If your dog moves a few dozen times while you’re working on a shot, do not get flustered. Just have your assistant keep repositioning her. Sometimes you’ll find that a great surprise photo may emerge out of a ruffled moment.

A few extra treats helped Shady cooperate, and even relax a little.

Plan on taking a kajillion photos. And, after you think you’ve taken the perfect shot, take a few more. Even if you’ve tired your dog sufficiently, her reflexes will spring to life should a cat walk by or a dust mote remind her of something she should be chasing. You never know if you’ll capture her prime essence during one of these unexpected outbursts. Keep taking pictures.

Outfit changes: I usually line up a few items of mine or my kids’ I’d like my dog to wear in the order I want my assistant to help her put them on. It’s important to minimize the time it takes to get the dog in and out of outfits. Now, Shady is a dog who routinely sits still to have her teeth brushed or nails polished. So, she’s used to being handled around her face and feet. But, when the urge strikes her to bolt into action, I don’t waste time getting upset with the dog. She’s a dog.

This was one of the last photos we took, and by this time (about 20 minutes of work), Shady was ready to chew a bone and have her tummy scratched.

One time, we just had to stop because Shady, my sweet alpaca blog dog, didn’t have the sit-still skills that day. We regrouped and tried it again later. No harm done.

Props

Insert the word “treats.” Every time Shady sits exactly as she should, she gets a treat. Sometimes, all it takes for her to get the treat is a long gaze at me with puppy-dog eyes. Then, it doesn’t matter what she does. She wins.

Shady’s purple glove matches her purple manicure. By the way, the theme of the day was “all things purple” – if you couldn’t guess!

My assistant, Maya, had a pouch of treats she clipped to her belt for easy access. When I want the dog to look in a certain direction, Maya would wave a treat in that direction, saying “Stay, stay, stay…” until I had taken enough pictures. Then, Shady would get the treat.

Granted, Shady consumed the equivalent of a second lunch in dog treats, but who can argue with the outcome? What is your experience with taking pet photos?

Other Shady, the alpaca blog dog, posts:

Shady sits on alpaca toys!

Shady s a hunter hat

Shady s a rainbow of scarves

And, of course, our most ambitious pet-photo session was taking Laffy Taffy to Great Lakes Mall for a photo with Santa!

__________

Sirius Alpacas is a family farm in Chardon, Ohio that raises and boards alpacas for fun, therapy and profit. The farm uses its fleeces in the production of high-quality yarns and felted goods.

alpaca sweaters

How to pose Shady, the alpaca blog dog, for the camera

Share and Enjoy

The post How to pose Shady, the alpaca blog dog, for the camera appeared first on Alpaca Treasure.

My sister Kelly models our newest alpaca hat: The visor cable cap.

I don’t know why I was born with a desire to wear hats, but with a head that mocks my wish.  I just don’t look good in hats. And to make matters worse, I sell hats. Nice alpaca hats that I love on other people. They’re comfy, colorful, soft, knit, crocheted and embroidered. They’re made from baby and superfine fleeces that my customers wear and love. Heck, they email me photos of themselves in Sirius Alpacas’ hats, thanking me for finding a hat that they enjoy wearing.

The closest I come to looking OK in a hat is wearing a baseball cap. So, when I saw this alpaca knit visor cable cap, I thought I’d found the perfect hybrid. Here is an alpaca hat that looks a little like a baseball cap. And, it’s warm and has a cute brim. It’s got that buttery soft alpaca feel and it’s knit in a patterned design that looks cabled, but is really simply a knit-and-purl trick. And, it works well casually as well as dressy. What’s not to like?

I love it.

I would like to lie and tell you that this is what I look like in this hat. But, that would be a lie. Really – this is not a photo of me.

When I tried it on, I thought of my sister, Kelly. She’s a hat wearer and looks good in nearly anything she tops her head with. She teaches Zumba and usually wears a visor cap during most of her classes. She tried on this new alpaca hat and as you can see in these photos, she looks good in it.

Alpaca hats are not recommended on the beach. Kelly sports one of her Zumba bandanas here.

By the way, probably the one thing this alpaca hat is not good for is doing Zumba, an activity that causes dancers to shake and shimmy so much that they usually start removing their warm-up jackets and sweatshirts about 5 minutes into their session. As much as I like to extol the virtues of alpaca fiber for nearly any activity, I can’t really get excited about wearing it in a gym – or on a beach for that matter.

Kelly, my Zumba-dancin’ sister, gets ready for a Zumbathon.

But for chilly weather walks, skiing, waiting for the bus or simply looking casually chic as you amble about town on errands, Sirius Alpacas’ visor cable cap is a fantastic alpaca hat.

By the way, my favorite alpaca hat is a homemade one-of-a-kind needle felted monster hat that’s not for sale.

__________

Sirius Alpacas is a family farm in Chardon, Ohio that raises and boards alpacas for fun, therapy and profit. The farm uses its fleeces in the production of high-quality yarns and felted goods.

alpaca sweaters

Alpaca hats: Visor cable cap looks good for any activity that’s not Zumba

Share and Enjoy

The post Alpaca hats: Visor cable cap looks good for any activity that’s not Zumba appeared first on Alpaca Treasure.

My sister, Lisa, and her daughter, Faith, show off the scarf that took me 14 months to knit. Any real knitter would have knocked this baby out in a week.

New Year’s resolutions lead to the barn, office and hot tub.

Happy New Year! This is that special time of year when my normal sense of inadequacy doubles as I watch all my friends and acquaintances dig into their New Year’s resolutions with genuine conviction. Several of my friends have started walking or running programs. They have given up donuts. A friend of mine from high school resolved to find ways to reuse or give away anything she hasn’t touched in the last two years. “Reduce clutter and help others,” she said. I like that. Another woman I know had her last cigarette at a party on New Year ’s Eve and hasn’t smoked since.  OK, it’s been all of 7 days, but she’s on her way, and I’m cheering her on.

Real Men wear scarves.

I used to make New Year’s resolutions. They sometimes lasted a few weeks. One year in college, I resolved to call home every Sunday. That was hit or miss for a while, but my mom and I had far more conversations that usual because of that resolution. Other efforts were far less fruitful. Every attempt to stop eating chocolate, give up wine, and read all the unfinished books on my shelves before buying another one were complete failures.

The only New Year’s resolution I ever kept was made out of desperation. Having missed several appointments and a job interview because I could never find my car keys, I resolved to be aware of my keys’ whereabouts for an entire year. I came up with a few general guidelines about car key storage and I am convinced that because of those practices, I added several minutes of clarity and happiness to my life.

Sirius Alapcas’ New Year’s Resolutions

This year, I am looking at New Year’s resolutions a little differently. I’m not making one for myself. Rather, I’m coming up with several ideas I’d like to work on for my farm, website, blog and product line. Like my car-key resolution, these new ideas for 2013 stem from issues that have been somewhat problematic. But, there’s hope.

Farm Resolutions

Sirius Alpacas plans to ramp up breeding in 2013 and try for a couple cria (babies) in 2014.

1. Breed two females this summer for 2014 cria. It’s time for our hot mamas to get busy and make a few babies. Now that the economy is slowly improving, we’re hoping to add a few more animals to our herd. We’ve got a couple herdsires in mind. Now, we’ll just have to plan their big dates.
2. Fix a few fences. Our 4-H pigs loved to dig, and managed to destroy a fence corner in the outside paddock. Who did they think they were?! Well, we showed them. (Two words: livestock auction.)
3. Convince JR to add a Hot Tub in an upper pasture, under the barn eaves. This will take some work, conniving and beer, but I feel up to the challenge. Does he realize the extra incentive there will be for me and the kids to mow pastures, trim toenails, give shots, sweep and do general chores?  A hot tub is exactly the motivation that’ll inspire us to all go the extra mile for our herd.

Website Resolutions

1. Fix the “About us” page for Sirius Alpacas. It’s been three years since I put this page on our site, and I’m embarrassed to look at it every time I see it. It needs photos. It needs descriptions. It needs links.
2. Update all photography that’s out of date. As our suppliers change products and colors, we have to shoot new photography for each product as it arrives. This is nearly impossible when we’re running a kiosk and several shows.

Blog Resolutions

1. Fix the categories. Combine and condense into meaningful groups.
2. Post once a week at a minimum.
3. Find another blogger, preferably someone who blogs about fashion or fiber arts, to write a guest post for.
4. Knit a hat or other project using my alpacas’ yarn. Write about the project and document progress with photos or video. I sort of did this when I knit my sister a scarf for Christmas last year. It took me 14 months to produce a scarf a real knitter would have knocked out in a week. Luckily, I am undaunted by the myth of productivity.

Product Line Resolutions

1. Add more yarn to our offerings. We have a few bags of fleece I would like to blend with silk or bamboo or maybe cotton. I’d like to produce a few specialty batches of yarns to offer our knitters.
2. Expand our scarf line. Our customers love our alpaca scarves. Next to alpaca socks, scarves are our best-selling items. I’d like to offer more blends and colors. They’re fashionable, warm and can be worn in all seasons.

These ladies make spinning look so easy. Ha! How good are they at mucking pastures?

Oh, I once tried to make another New Year’s Resolution. I bought a spinning wheel, and attempted to spin my animals’ rovings. It’s been 3 years, and I’ve done little other than produce uneven “novelty” yarn. Maybe, just maybe, I’ll shadow a spinner or two this year and go to their spinning groups or meet them for tea or go to a lesson.

Once I get my car keys.

Lisa and her daughter Grace snuggle in the alpaca scarf I gave her for Christmas.

__________

Sirius Alpacas is a family farm in Chardon, Ohio that raises and boards alpacas for fun, therapy and profit. The farm uses its fleeces in the production of high-quality yarns and felted goods.

alpaca sweaters

New Year’s Resolutions lead to the barn, office and hot tub

Share and Enjoy

The post New Year’s Resolutions lead to the barn, office and hot tub appeared first on Alpaca Treasure.

This alpaca retailer’s kiosk doubles as a blog desk.Dear Readers, this is from where I am reaching out to you.

Here’s the economic report from an alpaca retailer at a mall kiosk: Things look good. People are shopping. And even better, people are spending.

And, I’m not just talking about dropping upwards of $18 for a pair of alpaca socks. People are buying electronic gadgets, jewelery, clothes, shoes, cell phone cases (I’m right next to a Cellairis, and they’re always busy), candles, puzzles, calendars…  I see it all. Traffic was slow the first week of December, but it always is. This week, more people are out shopping for gifts as well as for themselves. And, they’re not holding back too much.

A quick aside: I’m nearly finished reading a good book about money and how people think about it. It’s called The End of Money: Counterfeiters, Preachers, Techies, Dreamers–and the Coming Cashless Society. I used to think cash sales were always preferable to credit card transactions, but Wired editor David Wolman and author of this book, makes a good point about how cash costs us to make, protect and distribute. What exactly is money? Why do we all agree so readily that it is sacrosanct – and given the ease (not to mention sanitation) of cashless transactions, why do so many people still revere carrying paper rectangles and little metal coins? Wolman makes a pretty good argument for going completely cashless.

Sirius Alpacas, though, happily accepts all cash, valid checks and major credit cards. We use Square and love it.

Between selling at Great Lakes Mall at our kiosk just outside of JCPenny – and vending at craft shows and the Crown Classic Dog Show at the IX Center in Cleveland, I haven’t been getting much blogging done. In fact, I am typing this post from my kiosk between customers.  And, I’m getting interrupted a lot – which I’m perfectly OK with. I’m always happy to talk with shoppers.

All this consumer confidence puts me in a good mood. If people will buy an alpaca fur hat for Aunt Ginny and then toss in a baby alpaca scarf for themselves, who am I to argue? This alpaca retailer is happy to serve anyone who wants to share alpaca products with others or experience them for themselves.So, I send a deep thank you to everyone who has stopped by our kiosk and booths this season. It’s been a pleasure to talk with all of you. Several customers look for us every year, and I get a thrill each time someone says, “I got socks from you last year, and they’re my favorites.”

I may be shallow, but I live for comments like that.

Sirius Alpacas wishes everyone a joyful, peaceful and bright season.

Carolers surprised shoppers with Christmas music on the main concourse at Great Lakes Mall.

__________

Sirius Alpacas is a family farm in Chardon, Ohio that raises and boards alpacas for fun, therapy and profit. The farm uses its fleeces in the production of high-quality yarns and felted goods.

alpaca sweaters

Alpaca retailer at work: Economy looks good

Share and Enjoy

The post Alpaca retailer at work: Economy looks good appeared first on Alpaca Treasure.

Laffy Taffy took her Christmas wish to the Great Lakes Mall and snuggled with Santa for this fun photo.

Pictures with Santa for Laffy Taffy, a sweet alpaca, conjure visions of alpaca socks and a dream of a Peruvian dinner.

I was talking with my alpacas last week, asking them if they’ve missed us a little since Thanksgiving. Our time in the barn with them gets curtailed every holiday shopping season, when we spend more time with alpaca socks in the mall than we do with actual alpacas in the barn.

They become livestock mall widows. They’re like elves who make it possible for us to enjoy those plushy alpaca socks that make winter tolerable. Yet, they have no idea where their fleece goes after they’re sheared.

“Do you miss us?” I asked the boys. They could have cared less. They were more interested in extra helpings of grain and getting closer to the alpaca ladies.

Laffy Taffy, a cute Peruvian alpaca, had an affinity for JCPenny, H&M and Sirius Alpacas, of course.

The ladies, however, were intrigued by this concept of shopping malls. I explained that for Sirius Alpacas, malls at this time of year involve things like caffeine overdosing at Gloria Jean’s Coffees, buying presents for family and friends, and taking pictures with Santa.

Laffy Taffy, a 3-year-old Peruvian and Chilean mix, who’s worn Santa hats in the past, wanted to know more. I told her that thousands of people walk by the Sirius Alpacas’ kiosk just outside of JCPenny and pet our fake llama made out of alpaca fiber. I told her about how kids come to have their pictures with Santa be taken so they can sit on his lap and tell him what they want for Christmas.

Taffy was all over this idea. I could relate. When it comes to shopping, I can spend days browsing book stores, electronics aisles, earring counters, and shoe and handbag displays. I told her about a cookbook, The Art of Peruvian Cuisine, I’ve been eyeing because I want make papa rellena, mashed potato pancakes with a surprise meat filling.

The ladies of Sirius Alpacas patiently wait for their turn for pictures with Santa.

She hummed to me in alpacaspeak. “Take me to this mall of yours. I want to get my picture with Santa taken. I want to find the food of my mother country.”

“Well, I can take you to the mall,” I told her. “You can have your picture with Santa taken. But I don’t think the food court carries any Peruvian cuisine.”

She hummed back. “That’s OK. I want to meet this Santa and I will ask him.”

Whether or not Laffy Taffy gets some authentic Peruvian food rests entirely in Santa’s hands. Will he deliver a few recipes this season? A cook book? A few ingredients? Or, will she continue eating hay and grain?

Laffy Taffy’s shopping adventure and visit with Santa is shared in this YouTube iMovie trailer:

Laffy Taffy gets pictures with Santa

__________

Sirius Alpacas is a family farm in Chardon, Ohio that raises and boards alpacas for fun, therapy and profit. The farm uses its fleeces in the production of high-quality yarns and felted goods.

alpaca sweaters

Alpaca Laffy Taffy experiences pictures with Santa

Share and Enjoy

The post Alpaca Laffy Taffy experiences pictures with Santa appeared first on Alpaca Treasure.

Craft shows are better with chocolate, especially this bar of dark chocolate with caramel bits and sea salt.

You know what one of the best things about holiday craft shows is? I’ll give you a clue. It rhymes with “mood” and tends to elevate mine. And, it starts with an “F.”

It’s food. Specifically, chocolate food.

No matter how slow sales may be, I have never attended a show where I didn’t find desserts that made the experience better. From homemade cookies to banana bread to nut rolls, craft shows have been the best place to find all the things I love eating. Unfortunately, these are the very same things that trigger my antagonistic relationship with my jeans. But, that’s what January guilt is for, and at this time in the wee days of early December, I’m planning on wearing roomy yoga pants most of the winter.

Last weekend, I had the good fortune to vend our alpaca wares at St. Dominic’s Holiday Boutique craft show in Shaker Heights. And, my good friend, Mary, who I see only a few times a year at best, just happened to be selling her sister-in-law’s homemade jams behind me. I know I should be delighted that we had a reunion of sorts, but instead, I will be honest. It was the chocolate Mary bought and then decided she didn’t like that ended up in my possession that made me realize I will never be as cool as she is. I don’t think I could part with it.

Mary is one of my best buds from my Cambridge, England semester. Mary doesn’t like dark chocolate. Other than that, she’s awesome.

This is my friend Janet, a graphic designer and talented artist and crafter. She does like dark chocolate.

OK, I think she gave it to her sister-in-law first, but she possesses restraint and altruism. She shared it with me. And then I gave a piece to my former coworker, Janet, who also happened to be vending nearby. And then I ate the whole thing. It was great. It was one of those to-die-for dark chocolate bars with crunchy bits of caramel and sea salt.

I wondered less than one second about Mary’s disturbing lack of dark-chocolate love, then let it go. Maybe this windfall was the universe’s way of telling me that some things are just meant to be. Don’t fight them. By the way, this is the same Mary I roomed with in Cambridge, England for a semester in college, back when I worried a lot about everything.

So, to all the shoppers who stopped by my table to say hello and talk about alpaca socks at the craft show, I say “thank you!” But to Mary, I say: Thank you, and if you should ever come across any wine you’re not fond of, give me a call.

__________

Sirius Alpacas is a family farm in Chardon, Ohio that raises and boards alpacas for fun, therapy and profit. The farm uses its fleeces in the production of high-quality yarns and felted goods.

alpaca sweaters

Holiday craft show heaven is found in dark chocolate and old friends

Share and Enjoy

The post Holiday craft show heaven is found in dark chocolate and old friends appeared first on Alpaca Treasure.