Our days are getting longer … but colder.

In the midst of winter it can be hard to keep motivated, but the jonquils are flowering and the winter wattles are starting to line the highway with their cheerful yellow gold blooms. So all the signs are there for an inevitable return to warmer, spring weather. So grab a hot cuppa and let’s get weaving through the rest of winter!

This months activities included a continuation of Heather’s rigid heddle workshop group; a visit from James Fallon High School year 8 students, teachers and parents; a Portuguese Knitting workshop; as well as the usual wide variety of projects (U.F.O.’s – Un-Finished Objects) worked on by Guild members at our Wednesday sessions.

Some members are planning to attend the upcoming Craft and Wool Shows so we hope to get feedback from those, and hope they have a great time (and not spend too much).

Our next Monthly Meeting will be on Wednesday the 13th of June, so if you want to catch up on some of the exciting workshop plans come along and join us. Last month’s treats to keep us all warm and going included some wonderful pumpkin soup and hot bread rolls, thank you so much Julie!

 

The June Show & Tell included lots of winter warmers, so let’s get into it …

Cheers all,
KathyW, Editor.

Committee 2022 – 2023

President:
Jane Manning

Vice President:
Debbie Carpenter

Minute Officer:
Rhonda Delahoy

Secretary(communications/events):
Julie Hofer

Assistant Secretary:
Amanda  Eaton

Treasurer:
Loraine Parker

Assistant Treasurer:
Rhonda Delahoy

Newsletter Editor:
Kathy Wheeler

Library Equipment Officer:
Rhonda Delahoy

Social Media Officer:
Kathy Wheeler

Public Officer:
Julie Hofer

KeyHolders Roster
Wednesday Work Days and Meetings

1st Wed of month – Pam J
2nd Wed of month – Jane or Julie
3rd Wed of month – Heather or Rhonda
4th Wed of month – Loraine
5th Wed of month *IF* there is one – tba

Show & Tell - 8th June 2022

Robyn C

Jane

Deb

Rhonda

KathyW

Workshops

The May Rigid Heddle Workshop was a great success with some lovely pieces being worked on by enthusiastic participants after the June Meeting wrapped up.

Click on any image for a slide show …

The June Workshop saw Deb demonstrating Portuguese Knitting, using 8 ply wool and the appropriate needles. Starting with a cast on of 20 stitches and  4 rows of garter stitch.

Also Heather demonstrating Foundation Treble Crochet using 8 ply wool and the appropriate crochet hook.

Jane wrote: “A very successful day. All old dogs learning new tricks…..it was great fun.”

Fleecy Follies

Keeping, breeding and raising our natural fiber animals has it’s challenges. They are like our children, needy but independent. All with unique personality traits, and all capable of having a bad day or three or being totally delightful. So here’s another fleecy story to give an insight into the world of keeping livestock.

Spit Happens

This month I had intended to find a fleecy sheep story, having done an alpaca one last month. However this morning gave me a photo op I couldn’t resist!
 
Alpacas appear from a distance to be peaceful, graceful and gentle creatures. Sometimes that appearance can be far from the truth!
 
One of the way alpacas express themselves, as most folk know, is by spitting. What may not be quite as obvious are the myriad reasons why alpacas spit. One of the most commonly seen ‘paca excuses for a good old spit-fest is the food fight.
 

Now alpacas could show kids a thing or two about food fights. They do it very well and with great gusto. Amidst lots of screaming with muzzles pointed skywards, balls of partially digested food build up in their cheeks as they lock-and-load. Then if the offending alpaca does not back down and move away from the prized position at the food, spit flies. And it goes everywhere! Many a time I’ve been caught as collateral damage in between two sparring alpacas.

If you’re lucky it might just be the current mouthful of pellets or hay and fairly dry and inoffensive, although at the speeds they are spat out pellets sure can sting. If you’re unlucky its a mass of sloppy green stuff, partially digested, extremely sticky, and it STINKS! 

 
One of the side effects of the alpaca spitting process is that after a few good spits, the spitters lower jaw and lip drops, with stinky green slime of partially digested food and saliva dripping off it. The stinkier the spit, the lower the lip. This makes it easier to identify the “combatants” – where there is one dropped lip there is usually at least one other. It also means as hard as the spitter might try, actually eating the object of desire that started the spit-fest in the first place is exceedingly difficult, and often another alpaca will get the spitters share. That is off course unless the spitter spat at the food – which is also common. Then no-one (except possibly the spitter) will touch it.
 
Often I’ve noticed my alpacas will seek eucalyptus leaves to chew to take the nasty taste away. If an alpaca sidles up to me with sweet eucalyptus breath I can be pretty sure spit had happened.
 
Sometimes it seems my alpacas understand what I am saying to them, but no amount of telling them they will regret a spit-fight seems to help. So I just smirk, shake my head and leave them to let it wear off.
 
Food fights are not the only reason alpacas spit … but that is for another time.
 
Notes: Ruby is an old girl who should know better. Ora is the ‘pacca equivalent of a young’n who figures she knows everything and should have whatever she wants …

Do you have a funny or amazing fiber animal story? If you’d like to share it in a future Newsletter contact the Editor.

Last words ...

Ok, so this Newsletter SHOULD have gone out on Sunday, but this last month has flown by too fast and got away on me!
 
Keep safe and well everyone, and at the very least – keep in touch.

Newsletter contributions are always welcome. So, if anyone has anything they want to contribute, or requests for articles, email me!

Cheers for now,

KathyW, Ed.