It can be a struggle to find the right gift for Mom for Mother’s Day. But, if your mom is a knitter, we have just the thing!

Royal Petite Boxed Knit Kits

These kits, available at your LYS, include two Royal Petite balls and a Royal Petite Pattern… everything mom needs to get knitting!

If you remember at the three-month mark, Ollie required a couple of bottle feedings daily to give him a little extra nutrition.

Well, only a few short weeks after I fed him a bottle, he was completely off bottles altogether! (I am so glad I got to feed him when I did!) Although he still got a little milk from Duchess, Ollie was mostly eating with the other alpacas, having hay and some grain. (This was all perfectly normal, and meant that he was growing up like any other little alpaca!) Part of the early stages of weaning is when the crias can eat in the “cria creep,” which is a little fenced-off area that only the crias are small enough to fit into.

A cria creep is an enclosed area that is big enough for crias to get into but small enough to keep adults out. It helps to begin the weaning process and teaches crias to eat with other alpacas.

That way, the crias can eat like the adults and be near them, but they also start being more of a “mini herd” with each other and learn independence.

Ollie and Tiva eat inside the cria creep together.

On February 5, I got an email from Sara saying that Ollie began weaning! *proud* This is because Foggy Bottom begins weaning either at 6 months or 60 pounds, and Ollie hit 62.6 pounds.

This is the general guideline for weaning, but it is still best to look at the cria as an individual and make a judgment based on its own merits, while using the guidelines as… well… guidelines.  This means that Sara and her parents did not decide to wean Ollie based solely on his weight, but also on other factors that they observed about him, such as his independence, how well he eats on his own already, his interaction with Duchess, his interaction with other alpacas, and more. In particular, here is what Sara had to say about Ollie:

Some crias hit the 60 pound mark really early, but they aren’t “mature” enough to be weaned from mom. Since [Ollie] is so independent naturally, we knew he would be okay because he is 4.5 months old already.

This was an exciting time for me as his adoptive mom since it meant that he was that much closer to living at Linda’s (and thusly right near me!). But, I also had to be patient, as the first and most important thing to know about weaning is that it is a process, not an event, which means that it takes time and should not be rushed. Typically, weaning takes about a month, but it depends on the cria. (I suspected Ollie’s would be pretty speedy, and I was right! It took about three weeks.) As a bonus, the weaning process was pretty comical thanks to the individual personalities of the alpacas. Let’s take a closer look at how it all worked and the antics behind it!

In the beginning, Ollie was first separated from Duchess only for a few hours during the day in a fenced-in area that is right next to where Duchess spends her time. This way, he could still see her, but did not have direct access to her. Gradually, Ollie’s time with the other weanlings was increased until, after a couple weeks, Sara and her parents kept him overnight with them to see how he did. With Ollie still thriving, he spent more and more nights with them. Eventually, it was clear the weaning was successful, so they gave Duchess a couple more weeks near the weanlings before she was moved to the barn that houses the females. At this point, Ollie’s weaning was complete, and he now spends all of his time in the weanling area, having adventures during the day and sleeping with his friends at night. According to Sara, he fits right in, and they are one big happy group!

First, let’s see how Duchess took the separation…

Sara: “I told Duchess that Ollie was not here anymore and she just stared at me.” Photo © Foggy Bottom Alpacas

True to her casualness as a mom, she didn’t even notice Ollie was gone. This is just another way that Duchess is a good mom—she practically weaned Ollie herself!

As for Ollie, he was not weaned alone and shared a pen with about a dozen other crias who were undergoing various stages of the weaning process themselves. Alpacas are herd animals and don’t like to be alone, anyway, but going through a process like weaning all by yourself, well… that’s no fun! The weanlings got all the food and water they wanted, and extra attention from Sara and her parents to help ease the transition. Ollie did so well that when it was time for him to go back to Duchess after his first four-hour stint with the other weanlings, he did not want to leave the weanling area… Sara had to physically carry him back to Duchess (no small feat with a sixty-pound alpaca!)! Ollie began to wait at the entrance to the weanling area in the mornings, ready to go back and be with his friends (though Sara suspected it may also be because he gets breakfast over there!).

About a week in, I went to visit Ollie to see how he was getting on. First, the weanlings ate…

Ollie eats with the other weanlings at the trough. RainMan is eating with Ollie, then the little white one on the left is Tiva, Rupert is behind her, and Magnus is in the back. Duchess was kept on the other side of the fence that Magnus is next to, and that is where Ollie was returned at night time before he was completely weaned. (Evie is the very curious one in the lower right!)

(Apparently, eating is really hard work because later Ollie was sitting next to the trough, cozying up to it like he was ready to take a nap.)

Ollie seems to really like the trough… (Incidentally, when alpacas sit like that, it is called “kushing”!)

After mealtime, the weanlings went exploring…

Ollie and Magnus are half-brothers, and Magnus is actually a full brother to Linda’s Mr. Jones! All three boys have Kingscliff as their dad. Photo © Foggy Bottom Alpacas

At one point, Ollie wandered over to a gate that was open…

“I am so glad you’re here! Come on, I want to show you where I play! This gate wasn’t open yesterday, so it is new and exciting!”

He then went about exploring the snow, as you can see…

Ollie got snow on his face while he was exploring the ground for edibles.

I told him he had snow on his face and so he came closer so I could get a better picture.

“What? Did you say I have snow on my face? That’s okay, it’s what all the fashionable crias are wearing this season!”

See how his ears are flattened? He is uncertain about me, so he is being a little cautious.

Then he went to go contemplate deep cria thoughts by the fenceline…

“I am a free spirit that cannot be caged! Mr. Independent! *sigh*”

Throughout the weaning process, Sara and her parents observed Ollie closely, checking that he was gaining weight steadily and was overall still healthy and adjusting well.

Ollie comes to visit Barb as she checks on how the weanlings are doing.

So, as we can see, little Ollie did just fine during the weaning process! Sara and her parents took great care of him, and now he spends his days with his friends in the weanling pen, plotting adventures and seeking fun! Duchess is back with the other females, awaiting the next time she will become a mom. Let’s check back in with her once more as we sign off for today…

“Ollie who?”

If you can believe it, the next installment in the Ollie series will be when he comes home and begins life with me and Linda’s alpacas! (I think someone else will have to take pictures that day because I will be too busy flailing in excitement.)

My Forest Floor in Dusk #418

I wish I could knit as fast as I dream about projects…

I had to make this dream a reality with Forest Floor, a project I could not stop thinking about after writing a review of Alana Dakos’s new book Botanical Knits. I kept thinking about how this one-hank wonder must be a quick knit since it was less than 164 yards of yarn. So, over a weekend I cast on and bound off, and it was exactly what I was looking for: a quick knit I could dream about and finish quickly, and that had great results!

For those among you who are process knitters, Suri Merino has a gentle halo and feels lovely while you’re knitting. Watching the leaves form kept me knitting, as I thought about how “just one more round!” would get me closer to another completed leaf!

For those among you who are product knitters, I cannot stop wearing this hat! [Jillian interjects: "I can vouch for that!"] It is the “Baby Bear” of hats–always just right! The Dusk color looks great with just about everything, the hat isn’t too tight or too slouchy, and it never messes up my hair (even though I wear it all day long, even indoors!).

Plus, this hat was even faster for me to knit since I finally started knitting from charts. The Zelda Wrap is what converted me (check it out here) and I’ve been a speed-knitting chart reader ever since!

What pattern is calling to you? What do you want to drop everything for and just knit?

Introducing the Spring/Summer 2013 Organic Cotton Pocket Pattern Collection for Simple Kids Knits

Blue Sky Alpacas would like to share our four new and easy patterns featuring organic Skinny Cotton and organic Worsted Cotton. This collectible pattern set features tender illustrations and tactile packaging with designs that allow children to “just be”! Relaxed, simple heirloom pieces to be worn with discovery in mind. You are sure to treasure these items just as much as the memories made while wearing them.

Beatrice steps gingerly into the chilly water as she guides her bright red sailboat away from the shore.

The Beatrice Top encourages long, carefree days at the beach. As with all of the items in this collection, this top is named after a Minnesota lake. (We are, after all, the Land of 10,000 Lakes!)

The Details

Pattern: Beatrice Top
Designer: Erika Flory
Size: 6 months (12-18 months, 2T-3T, 4T-5T)
Needles: Size 5 (3.75mm) needles, or size needed to obtain gauge
• Size 5 (3.75mm) double pointed needles, or size needed to obtain gauge
Yarn: Blue Sky Alpacas Skinny Cotton, shown in Gravel #314
Pocket Pattern available at Blue Sky Alpacas Stockists
Digital Pattern available in the Blue Sky Alpacas Pattern Store

Ready for a picnic after a morning of discoveries, Cameron tiptoes across the sandy beach in search of the perfect location.

The cool breezes of early spring are no match for this comfy hooded vest.

The Details

Pattern: Cameron Hoodie
Designer: Bobbi IntVeld
Size: 6 months (12-18 months, 2T-3T, 4T-5T)
Needles: Size 7 (4.5mm) needles, or size needed to obtain gauge
• Size 8 (5mm) needles, or size needed to obtain gauge
Yarn: Blue Sky Alpacas Worsted Cotton, shown in Sleet #635
Pocket Pattern available at Blue Sky Alpacas Stockists
Digital Pattern available in the Blue Sky Alpacas Pattern Store

Gazing at the expanse of the lake, Georgie takes in the blue depths of the water while wriggling toes in the warmth of the golden sand.

This organic cotton blanket wraps your little one in handknit love—it’s just right for drying off or falling off to dreamland!

The Details

Pattern: Georgie Blanket
Designer: Cheryl Nelson
Size: S (L)
Needles: Size 8 (5mm) needles, or size needed to obtain gauge
• Size H (5mm) hook, or size needed to obtain gauge
Yarn: Blue Sky Alpacas Worsted Cotton, shown in Shell #606 and Stone #626
Pocket Pattern available at Blue Sky Alpacas Stockists
Digital Pattern available in the Blue Sky Alpacas Pattern Store

As she enjoys a visit to the lakeshore, Harriet pauses in her exploration of the shoreline to listen to the lap of the waves and the cry of the gulls.

This simple handknit dress is soft and swingy—perfect for playing along the water’s edge!

The Details

Pattern: Harriet Dress
Designer: Cheryl Nelson
Size: 6 months (12-18 months, 2T-3T, 4T-5T)
Needles: Size 7 (4.5mm) needles, or size needed to obtain gauge
• Size 7 (4.5mm) double pointed needles, or size needed to obtain gauge
Yarn: Blue Sky Alpacas Skinny Cotton, shown in Zinc #304
Pocket Pattern available at Blue Sky Alpacas Stockists
Digital Pattern available in the Blue Sky Alpacas Pattern Store

The “look”!

I’ve been enamored with the Zelda Wrap since its release. The look, all the places I would wear it, and how lovely it would be to knit.

Peridot perfection

I have also been enamored with Blue Sky Alpacas Alpaca Silk in Peridot for ages.

When I realized that Alpaca Silk is completely interchangeable with Metalico (both the fiber content and the gauge are exactly the same), it was a total “Eureka!” moment:

Violà! Zelda Wrap meets Alpaca Silk, for results I love!

But the finished wrap wasn’t even the best part of knitting Zelda for me, as I have now been officially converted into a chart-loving knitter! I have been knitting for a long time, but for some reason I just completely disregarded charts. I didn’t need them or want to use them, preferring the written directions. But… on the other hand, how could I have a “preference,” if I never, ever even tried to use charts?!?! So, I gave charts a go with Zelda. Instead of reading pattern lines multiple times, spending long minutes counting as I worked across a row, I simply looked at the logical chart with the repetitive tessellations, saw how the stitches moved in predictable ways, and realized how much more efficient charts are at relaying this type of information than the written pattern.

The stitches started to move in predictable ways.

Zelda is an intermediate-level pattern because it is worked on the bias and has three charts to work from, but if you have always wanted to master charts I would strongly recommend trying this pattern. A chart illustrates knitting on a grid, as a whole, instead of individual line-by-line components and does take some getting used to, but once you get the hang of it, you can work more quickly and with fewer errors! I’m so glad to be a convert, I wish I would have given charts a real chance a lot sooner.