WIPs Wednesday 10/8 plus a little more fall fun

So last weekend Jess and I went to the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire.  I had never been to this faire, and have not been to any faire since about 2002.  I did not go dressed in period clothing, and I am glad because I was cold enough in jeans and a sweater heh. It started as a super rainy morning and it was one of the colder days we have even had recently.  Anyway, I ended up having a great time! I got to see falcons, men in kilts, and a few sips of mulled wine before some yellow jackets claimed it for themselves.  I dipped my own candles too. Here are a few photos from the day!

Notice I remembered to bring knitting with me too

Didn't try one, but maybe I should have....

Much harder than it looks. I ended up with two candles, one I like more than the other, but still a fun activity!

We also ran into many fabulous knitters. In fact, I can safely say I have never run into this many knitters outside of a fiber festival! Jess and I also managed to not get any pictures together (I swear we will never break that habit), well except for one when we had an impromptu dance party on the way.

It's all about the bass, about the bass.....

So back to the WIPs, I started a project that will remain secret until after Christmas. I am not sure if the hubby reads the blog, but if he does I do not want to spoil his surprise.  I have been working on my Jane Eyre shawl (I do know my sis in law reads this, but I am warning her now if you do not want to be spoiled, walk away from the blog).  The shawl is getting huge, so huge I added a connector and another cable to see if I could stretch out the stitches more.  It still gets bunched up heh

I really wish you could see how pretty this is turning out

Close up of the flame lace panel down the center

I am almost to the last repeat where the flame lace is the majority of the stitches instead of the center.  It will be slow going for those last 24 rows I am sure, but I am getting there. I plan to work on this as much as I can over the next few days.

I started spinning up the alpaca batt that I got at the alpaca fest a few weeks ago.  I have been remembering to add more twist to the ply and it still has a nice fluffy halo.  It is going to be so soft and squishy when I finish. This is the first ply all finished

I have also started my next stitching project. This is another one from the Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery. It is the 12 days of Christmas.  Maybe I will finish it in time this year!!

I've also been busy the past few weeks.  As Jen mentioned, we went to the Renaissance Faire with a new group of friends.  I had so much fun and I hope to go again next year!

Jess and her new boy toy

Two weekends ago I went apple picking with my mom after church.  We went to Grim's Orchard.  We picked about 13 pounds of jonagold apples and I picked a couple of a darker type of apple (I forget the name).  The orchard is really cute.  They have a corn maze, hayrides and a play area for kids.  They also sell apple cider donuts and apple cider slushies.  (SO GOOD!!!)  When I came home, I found a bag of cider donuts from Jen hanging on my door.  <3  I was going to freeze some, but I ended up devouring them instead.  With the apples I picked, so far I baked a diabetic friendly apple crisp  and want to make some battered apple rings and a pie. 

My beautiful mama

Pumpkin head Jess

So many apples!

I have a few FO's to share on Friday and a couple of WIP's I have been working on. 

Jen and I are both knitting with our Miss Babs MDSW exclusive yarn.  I am knitting a pair of Jaywalkers.  The pattern is crazy easy, I am just hoping they aren't too snug.  I decided to do an afterthought heel, mainly because I was at work and couldn't concentrate on the pattern heel.  

Jaywalkers in Miss Babs Cosmic-Inspired by Tulips

Jen here, just wanted to put socks up here so you can see how the same yarn in a different dyelot, with a different pattern knits up. I am making Charade socks. I love the herringbone pattern and the bright spring colors are fun, even if it feels weird to be knitting these in the fall.

 I have also been working on some cross stitching.  Since I already finished my Halloween Sampler, I felt that finishing my Gingerbread Lane was more crucial than finishing Halloween Town.  I am almost done with the 2nd house.  I decided that I am just doing the houses, not the scene underneath or the countdown.  I am hoping to be done before Thanksgiving.

Gingerbread Lane pattern by The Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery

Alpaca Festivals and Apple Picking

Even though this weekend didn't feel much like fall I spent it doing some very fall activities.  When we were driving home the other day I saw a sign that said alpaca on it. I was so excited that I had John turn around to see when it said. 

Evidently we have an alpaca farm less than 5 miles from my house!  According to the sign these alpacas have been on the Late Night with David Letterman too. I have no idea what that is all about, but I went to the Autumn Alpaca fest anyway.  
The farm is behind a golf course, which explains why I never noticed the alpacas.  There were a few vendors there selling fiber and fiber related items. There was yarn from the local alpacas and they had items made from alpacas in Peru.
I bought two needle felted pumpkins that were made by a lovely local fiber artist. She was needle felting while we talked!

Shepherd Hills Alpacas 

I then went to the next booth where I saw a table full of alpaca locks, and some fiber batts.  I met a wonderful woman named Deborah from Black Diamond Alpacas.  She was so friendly, and even invited me to her local knitting and spinning groups. I will definitely be joining them at a meet up soon. I told her how I have some alpaca fiber at home, but have been scared to spin it. It is so soft and pretty, I would hate to ruin it. She let me try some alpaca on her wheel

I am so used to my double treadle wheel that this was a real challenge for me. Once we lessened the tension I was able to get the wheel going and not have too much backspin.  Alpaca was not as hard as I thought it would be.  I learned that I need to add way more twist than I think that it  needs.  Evidently the fibers do not lock together like a wool fiber does, so you need that extra twist to make it stable.  She also recommended that I try an alpaca blend first. She had some lovely batts so I bought one for me, and one for Jess.

This is 60% alpaca from two different alpacas from Black Diamond Alpacas, Rhett and Romeo. I got to see pictures of them too! The other 40% is Rambouillet.  I am eager to spin it up.
The rest of the time on the farm I spent looking at the baby alpacas on the obstacle course

He did not want to go through the hoop, kept backing up, it was so funny

I love their faces so cute!

It looks like he is kissing the other one!

It was a lot of fun, and so exciting that the farm is so close to my house.  I was sorely tempted when I saw this

So tempted

But I went home with just my fiber and needle felted goodies.

Sunday we spent the morning in New Jersey apple picking!It was so nice that John had the day off and could go too! We picked Mutsu, Honey crisp, Macintosh, and Red Delicious apples. I have plans for apple bread and hopefully enough for some canned apple pie filling.  We had some yummy cider and apple cider donuts too.  

We had lunch at Hot Dog Johnny's. If you are near the Belvedere area of New Jersey, I highly recommend it. The hot dogs are cooked in peanut oil and are delicious. I am not a big hot dog fan and  I really like them.  We ate them on picnic blankets with some friends and their sweet little girl. It was a really fun afternoon. Have I mentioned how much I love fall? If only we could have these amazing falls and then just skip winter heh