Blog - Flying Goat Farm

Stash Appreciation–Spinning with Alpaca Fiber

by Lisa Check | Aug 3, 2015 | alpaca, Blog, Stash appreciation

Spinning Alpaca How do I get alpaca fiber? Alpaca is available as a commercial top for spinning or you can go to your local alpaca farm and buy fleeces. Fleeces are sheared from the animals once a year. They are usually graded at the time of shearing into 3 to 7...

Stash Appreciation–Alpaca Part 2

by Lisa Check | Jul 27, 2015 | Blog, Stash appreciation

What about alpaca yarn? Remember I said it was really warm. When you consider making a garment with alpaca, consider the warmth requirements of the wearer. Don’t make a sweater for someone with hot flashes, just sayin’. But that same lovely person, may...

Stash Appreciation–Alpaca Part 1

by Lisa Check | Jul 20, 2015 | alpaca, Blog, Stash appreciation

Just one look in those eyes with their long, long lashes and everyone falls in love with an alpaca. Of course that is right before they spit on you. I have been smitten as well. I do not personally own any alpacas. They have been offered to me, and I have just always...

Using Hand-Dyed Yarns: Epic or Fail?

by Lisa Check | May 26, 2015 | Blog, knitting

If you are like me, you have many, many hand-dyed yarns in your stash! I am just so drawn to bright, vibrant colors and it is hard to walk away from a beautiful skein. The question is what kind of garment should be made with these yarns to really show them off. I...

Stash Appreciation–Mohair Blends

by Sam Fargo | Mar 20, 2015 | Blog, mohair, Stash appreciation, Yarn

Mohair is an incredible fiber: strong, brilliant, resilient, warm, breathable and renewable. It does do better when it is blended with another fiber. Mohair in yarn can add a nice halo or fuzziness to the yarn. It also gives off it’s brilliant shine and luster....

A Year of Stash Appreciation–Mohair

by Lisa Check | Mar 2, 2015 | Blog, mohair, Stash appreciation

Mohair is such a favorite of mine. Of course, I would love it since I have a fiber flock of angora goats with lots of mohair on the hoof, so to speak. According to Clara Parkes’ book, The Knitter’s Book of Yarn, “Goats with silken hair” were...