Saddle Mountain

A hike under a sickly, November sun.



First through the deciduous trees.



Then by an uprooted pine.



The trail became a stream, and the rocks were mossy.



And on the way home, the last few leaves, a golden glimmer in the woods...

Thank you for the special day.

What did I ever do to alpacas?

That this should happen to me?
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.
.
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I have some variegated deep gray alpaca batts that are just begging to be made into a shawl. A shawl that every so gradually shades to light grey at its beautifully blocked tips. A shawl that is so light, and so soft, and so warm that one imagines it has magical properties (like those cloaks from the elves). The fiber itself was hand prepped by the genius at Loop Fiber Arts
and I have hoarded it for the day when I would be "a good enough spinner."



And, dear friends, it turns out that I am allergic to alpaca. Not just snuffly allergic, but hand- itching, nose-running, pretty-well-miserable allergic.

For this reason, my lovely loop batts and lots of other alpaca fiber now for sale on my ravelry page (mention that you read about it here and I'll give a special discount to my blog readers... um... if I have any readers...)

*sniff*

*a-CHOO*

Yesterday

My MIL kindly sent this little table loom home with me:



It is simple, two shafts, 15 inches wide. I've been curious, but not sure how to start without a warping board. Yesterday a friend from the guild showed me how it's done. With all the proper tools it is much easier than one might expect. My camera didn't make it to the lesson, but I look forward to taking pictures next time.



Putting all those ends through all those eyes is quite meditative if one is not in a hurry...