Classes Archives - Alpaca Meadows

The Christmas Mouse

First let me introduce a NEW Felted Creation, my Christmas Mouse! It may be way early for this post, but I sure have heard about Christmas in July a time or too, so I think I’m okay at least for today. My cute little mouse was needle felted, meaning I administered lots and lots of pokes with a barbed needle, using alpaca and wool wrapped around a fiber core. His arms are movable, his tail bendable, and he sports a Santa suit and hat complete with fur trim.

I’m also offering a class to make this cheery fellow, for those you that live in Ohio or not too far away. New classes always fill up quickly, so don’t delay registering for the Christmas Mouse Needle Felting Class.

Learn How To Spin With A Drop Spindle

I had learned how to spin on a spinning wheel, but not a drop spindle. My daughter had figured out how to spin with a drop spindle, and my neighbor, and I’ve been to fiber festivals and seen kids walking around spindling. It looked hard. Finally, when a group of gals wanted me to teach … Read more

Needle Felted Bears

I’ll be teaching a Bear Needle Felting Class at the farm this weekend. For those of you attending, or trying this at home, I’ve put together a collection of needle felted bears on a Pinterest Board to inspire you! There are needle felted bears of all shapes and sizes and colors and breeds, felted by … Read more

Felted Rabbits and Bunnies

In preparation to teach another Bunny Felting Class, I thought I would gather together pictures of some of my favorite felted rabbits and bunnies. Pinterest was a great place to do that, hope you enjoy this collection I’ve put together! Felted rabbits really do come in all different shapes and sizes, some that are very … Read more

Private Lessons – Knitting and Crochet

Been wanting to come to a class, but your schedule never coincides with mine? Or you’ve come to a beginner’s class and now you’re ready for more? Perhaps a private lesson is in order. Some people learn easier one-on-one. Schedule the day and time that works best for you. An hour lesson is just $20 … Read more

Picnic in Alpaca Pasture is Highlight of Farm Tour

A group of gals from Columbus, Ohio came for a Farm Tour over the weekend. They had asked if they could bring their lunch, then do a Drop Spindle Class in the afternoon. Though they enjoyed learning to spin, and they enjoyed shopping in The Farm Store, their picnic in the alpaca pasture was the highlight!

When given some options where they could have their lunch, they opted for in the pasture under a shade tree.

Bunny Felting Class

Enjoy pictures from the Bunny Felting Class held a few weeks ago here at the farm! The craft I was teaching is called needle felting. This is the process of poking a special felting needle with barbs at the end of it, into fiber, which agitates, compresses, and locks the scales of fiber together into a more … Read more

FREE Crochet Pattern – Headband Ear Warmer

This year in my Learn To Crochet Class, we’ll be making headbands. As I began to prepare for the class, I found there are many different styles, and FREE patterns too! And headbands seem to be very popular right now! The headband we will be making in class is pictured above in a handful of … Read more

Learning to Knit – What You Will Need

Learning to knit can be a bit overwhelming, but once you’ve learned it can be very enjoyable, calming your mind while your hands stay busy. What you will need is some yarn, a couple of knitting needles, a pair of scissors, and a tapestry or yarn needle. As you progress with your knitting you may want to add to your list of supplies, some extras, some fun tools to make knitting more fun, and sometimes easier too. Take a look at 17 Things Every Knitter Needs.

Choosing Yarn

One of the pleasures of knitting is working with beautiful yarn textures and colors. That being said, choosing which yarn to use can be puzzling. Of course, I’m partial to Alpaca Yarn because it is so soft and such a pleasure to work with, and we do raise alpacas. We have our very own Farm Yarn made from the fiber of our own alpacas, though with our small farm, the amount is limited and we sell out quickly. For that reason we also carry yarn from The Alpaca Yarn Company from Fingering Weight to Bulky. It is important to choose the right yarn for your knitting project. This E-guide on How to Choose and Use the Right Yarn Every Time is a very helpful resource and so is Top 10 Yarn Questions.

Or take it a step further with a Craftsy Online Class by Clara Parkes called Know Your Yarn: Choose the Perfect Yarn Every Time. The description of this class is as follows: “Join acclaimed author Clara Parkes for comprehensive guidance on identifying and choosing the yarn you need for the project you want! Find out the meaning of fiber terms such as staple, crimp, luster, and micron. Then, discover the benefits and challenges of fiber from sheep, alpaca, goats, rabbits, and other animals. Learn about the advantages and disadvantages of plant fibers: cotton, linen, hemp, and bamboo. Explore the strengths and weaknesses of different silks, as well as for synthetic fibers. Clara will even demystify the different types of twist and why they matter. Finally, get tips for identifying mystery stash yarns, evaluating yarn from your local shop, and much more. Match the right yarn to the right pattern with confidence and create projects you’re thrilled with every time!”

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Scarf Crocheting Class

Eight people braved the weather on Saturday and came for the Scarf Crocheting Class at the farm. Three of them were teenagers! It did my heart good to see young people interested in something non-electronic! Growing up, I enjoyed doing most anything with my hands. According to an article titled Knitting & Crocheting are Hot … Read more