A Paca Fun Farm

Last weekend Lucia and I went on our annual pumpkin hunt to Comus Market.  As we drove out there I kept seeing signs for an alpaca farm open house.  So on the way back we decided to stop.  It was so much fun.

When we pulled up to A Paca Fun Farm we could see some alpacas out in front in the fields.  I thought that was the extent of it besides the little store, but after we went in the store they asked us if we'd been out back to see the alpacas.  From there we walked straight into the barn with just a little fence between us and the alpacas.

Lucia seemed to know instinctively to be quiet and calm.   She just watched and watched them.  She was especially taken with the two big dogs who care for the alpacas.  They were eye level with her so I thought she would be scared but she wasn't.  All week she has been talking about George (one of the dogs) who became her imaginary dog friend.

I was loving the baby alpacas.  This one was only two days old (that white fur in the front is one of the dogs).

I also loved getting to see a little into the process of making the fiber into yarn.  They talked us through the process of shearing the alpacas, cleaning the fiber and then dying it.  We could see into her dying studio too.

After all of that I had no choice but to buy some yarn of course.  I bought a lovely bulky yarn to make Lucia a sweater, she picked the color.  More on that when I finish.

I thought these last two were about 2 months old, but looking at the picture it looks like they might be different ages.

PS.  In case you are wondering about Lucia's dress.  I made it in the Spring, it's Anna Maria Horner LouLouThi Velveteen, In The Clearing Berry.  Such lovely fabric.  The pattern is Ottobre 3/2011, Tropical Blend.  I love that she is wearing some things longer now because it seemed like a silly fabric to use heading into summer.  She did wear it quite a bit during the summer though without a shirt underneath.  I'm so happy that it still fits and that she loves it so much too.