Maine Fiberarts Tour Photos

The Maine Fiberarts Tour was well attended last weekend and we all enjoyed sharing our knowledge of fiber, fiber animals and methods of using fiber in creative ways. Take a picture tour of the event at Eolian Farm Llamas and Shetlands.

Maine Fiber Arts Tour

The Maine Fiber Arts Tour is this Friday through Sunday, August 7,8 & 9. Tour Maine fiber studios and farms, there are over 130 participating in the 3 day tour. Eolian Farm will have fiber artists demonstrating and the barn is open for tours. This is the list of demonstrators so far:

Anna Barber
raises angora rabbits, knitter, felter, spinner and dyer - angora/merino yarn
demonstrates rabbit care, needle felting a small animal figure and spinning
selling angora rabbits, felted animal figures, dyed angora/merino yarn

Edna Brown
weaver and knitter
demonstrates weaving and teaches children how to weave

Karen Jelenfy
needle felter, knitter and owner of Village Books selling fiber related books
demonstrates needle felting or knitting a wall hangings
selling fiber related books, Knitting Out Loud CD's and felted wall hangings

Dick Johnson
raises fiber animals and is indispensable on the farm
tour guide in barn to answers questions relating to the animals - llamas, Shetland sheep, chickens and percheron Jack

Jenni Johnson
raises fiber animals, shearer, fiber processor, dyer, spinner, weaver, knitter, felter
demonstrates fiber processing, children's felting, spinning and lucet braiding
selling raw fleece, roving, yarn, dyed carding and egg yolk soap

Linda Murdock
spindle maker, spinner, knitter and dyer
demonstrates using a drop spindle and knitting
selling drop spindles and dyed roving/yarn

Open Farm Day

I hope that everyone who visited our farm on Open Farm Day had as much fun as we all did last Sunday. Although the preparation is always hectic I find it is worth the extra effort when children learn how to weave, spin or learn what transformations fiber goes through to become clothing. Everyone loves to visit with the animals, feed them carrots, touch a nose, scratch a chin or walk with them in the pasture. Next farm event is this coming weekend with the Maine Fiber Arts Tour on Friday through Sunday, August 7,8 & 9. Stay posted for information on visiting fiber artists and activities that will be ongoing through the weekend.
From Open Farm Day:

What happened?

What happened to May and June? Have I been that busy with shearing, fiber, planting and visitors? Well it's time to change that for a while. How about some before and after pics of the sheared llamas and sheep? Here you go, they love their new nakedness! Has to feel SO good to rub up against a rock or get drenched in the rain without all that fleece weighing you down.

Knitting for Barbie

Cindy loves to knit, just can not get enough of it! Be it coats, pants, dresses, hats; you name it and she knits it! Her specialty is Barbie knitting and here are a couple of examples of her detailed knitting, right down to the tiny buttons. Thank you for sharing your knitting with me Cindy, and your wonderful dog stories too.

Why do I love my animals?

Starburst commercial starring a llama!

Starburst commercial posted on YouTube about sharing with a llama.

Llama cria

Calling Orrion, a llama cria. Yes, they do know their name!

Loss

We lost our llama Eustis this week. Eustis came from another llama farm a few years ago, with his buddy Ross. He arrived on the farm not particularly liking to be touched and had learned to love my llama rub down. He no longer ran out of the barn when I approached, but let me do my chores around him and learned to step aside when I asked. Always a gentleman at feeding time and always came when he was called. He was a very large llama, with a heart to match. I will miss him.

Spinning Shetland Wool

The Shetland sheep produce a variety of wool types. This is some I am spinning right now, the turquoise is from a Shetland with a single coat and the black with white is a Shetland with a double coat.

The double coated fleece has two layers, an outer layer that is a bit thicker, the white in this case and the inner layer that is a shorter, finer fiber, the black. The outer layer helps to keep the under layer clean and dry.

This yarn will be used to make some socks because the outer layer of fiber on the double coated fleece provides some extra resistance to wear.

Packaging up the soap

Wrapped egg yolk soap. My aunt and cousins are patiently waiting for some soap for their new bookstore in Tubac, Arizona, TJ's Tortuga Books & Coffee Beans.

New batch of egg yolk soap

This is some of a recent batch of egg yolk soap curing. No coloring is used in the soap, the color is from the egg yolks. The ingredients are all natural, saponified olive, coconut and palm oils, egg yolks and tea. This makes for a soothing, sudsy and cleansing bar.

NS Design Community Concert

New barn roof & unhappy Shetlands

Practically no snow left and it is close to 50 today. The barn roof is finally being replaced! No more buckets in the hay loft. It amazes me that this job will be completed tomorrow, if not too many roofing boards need replacing. The sheep are not too happy with the loud music and hammering. Next picture you see of them they will be shorn and frisky.