Christmas Open House

Merry Christmas! Magnolia Blossom Fiber Farm held its first Christmas Open House on December 12th, 2009. Friends and neighbors were welcomed to visit, enjoy cookies and cocoa and get up close to the alpacas. We had a mini-store set up in the sunroom for a place to shop and snack, also to get warm. Brrrh! It was sunny, but not warm with the December winds blowing.

I have a few gift items left for you review, if you are not done with your shopping for Christmas. If you see anything you'd like, email me at Mrschnaars@aol.com, and put Magnolia Blossom Blog in the subject line.

(1) Lace Alpaca & Silk scarf and berret, mauve. ($60 for set)

(1) Lace Alpaca & Silk scarf, black with wine tassels. ($25)

(1) Alpaca Fairisle bolero sweater, rust & cream brown accents, Ladies small. ($150)

I hope you have a blessed Christmas holiday, and take the time to hold your loved ones close. All blessings come from God Almighty, so remember to thank Him for them.

Till 2010 - Maggie Schnaars

Spinning Yarn Rocks!

Autumn Greetings to all! Indiana is experiencing a very strange autumn, indeed. Cold, wet, only an occassional blue sky. We keep waiting for that crisp, sunny fall weather we look forward to. On the other hand, these guys don't seem to mind.


Meet El Vaquero. I just spun the yarn and knitted Peter a winter hat from his fiber. It's beautiful, soft, bulky, very warm. Vaquero is my passive-friendly fellow. He's the first one to come to greet you, but will run quickly if you try to pet him. He likes Peter the best, and will tolerate me.

Meet Cirrus. He my gentle fellow. Cirrus's fiber is baby soft and I love to bury my hands in his fleece. Cirrus is my special needs fella, due to blindness in one eye. It doesn't stop him, as he follows the others around, and is the first one in the barn for feed pellets at night. I am spinning Cirrus's fiber right now, and it is veryyyyy soft. His is the only fiber I will dye, perhaps some muted colors for baby items.
Lastly, meet Maximillion, or Max. I call him Groucho Marx in reverse! His hum is the most comical, and he is a very calm fellow, especially friendly when the basket is being filled with new hay. I have yet to spin Max's fiber, but that will come soon enough. (When my son Matt is home from college, he greets the pacas with a mimiced Max hum that is right on!)

I just ordered an Anderson Originals Kitten Drum Carder. When I have tried it, I will post how it went. My spinning wheel is a Lendrum and I love it. It is so smooth and easy to operate. I need to order a jumbo head assembly, though, for plying. I am such a fledgling in the spinning world, my only wish is that I had started in this hobby when I was much younger! So much to knit, so little time!

Living Large on Our Small Farm

Magnolia Blossom Fiber Arts is now a full fledged Fiber Farm. We are living large on our small farm in Goshen, Indiana.

The last time I posted was January 2009, and I listed all the changes that would be taking place this year. Well, all of them happened!

Meet Cirrus, our littlest alpaca at Magnolia Blossom Fiber Farm. He is part of a brotherhood of 3, the other two being Maximillion and El Vaquero. We moved into our little cottage in March '09, amidst sleet and snow. The bathroom was passable, so I said, "Let's go!" Our home on Nathena Lane was for sale, but is now being rented out. (You gotta roll with the economy.) The alpacas arrived in May, a week after Shearing Day at Turkey Creek Alpacas in Milford, IN. So, the photos are of the fellas undressed, looking pretty dorky.

Daniel and Davina married on June 6th, and now live in Greenville, SC. Matt moved into a house at IU with 3 other fellas, and is now cooking for himself. Yeah, Matt! Our house is pretty small, so when Matt comes home for breaks, he sleeps in his room in the pole barn (not kidding!). He remodeled a room for himself, and it looks pretty cool.

The fiber business is still cranking, even with a down economy. The Johnny Appleseed Festival was a success, with myself and 4 other farms together at one exhibit. I worked on my spinning wheel all day and talked with many visiting folks. It was really fun and very tiring. I have several items for sale at Turkey Creek Alpacas' farm store. There are mittens, sweaters, hat and scarf sets, and a shawl. Look for photos on the next blog. Thanks for tuning in.

January 4, 2009 New Year! New Projects!

Emily's Hat and Mittens (new pattern)

A Happy New 2009 Greeting to Friends and Family! We received many colorful and fun cards during the Christmas season, so I feel in touch with lots of old buddies now. My last blog entry was last fall, so I'm behind. The included photos will show you what I've been up to, as far as knitting goes anyways.

A Shawl for Davina (new pattern)

Davina is a very special young lady in my son, Daniel's life. (A wedding in June!) The cable lace shawl in knitted in a wool/silk/linen blend yarn I found in Newark, DE, at Stitches in Style.

Mag's Hat and Mitts (new pattern) Baby Ben's Sweater Set (new pattern)

2009 will bring big changes for Peter and I. We will move into our new (old) cottage just down the road. A few alpaca may be coming to join our entourage. We will see our oldest son get married in June. Our youngest son will move into an apartment in Bloomington while attending IU. As I continue to design and knit, hopefully the blog will be updated on a more regular basis. We send our best wishes to family and friends and will be praying for an improvement in the economic issues that affect us all, for continued employment, and for the Lord's provisions of shelter, food, and transportation for those who have suffered recently. May God Bless You in 2009.

Maggie Schnaars

Fall is a Great Time to Knit!

Fall in Indiana! What an inspiration of color and texture! I love this season here in the heart of the Midwest. Golden corn and soybean fields, red and flame orange maples, fiery red shrubs, crisp blue skies in the early morning, even the post-season appeal of my many flower beds. Many colors of this Fall season translate into yarn designs. I recently purchased several hanks a of lace-weight alpaca/silk blend, in moss green, cranberry, wine, and a muted periwinkle. YUM! I am currently working on a cable-lace stole in a luscious chocolate wool-silk-linen blend. (I think I need a mocha...)

Recently, a beautiful young lady agreed to model a few of my knitted items for sale at the Indiana Alpaca Outfitters shop in the American Countryside Farmers Market (Elkhart, Indiana). The first is a lace alpaca shawl made from Alpaca with a Twist Fino.

The next item is a chunky alpaca/wool (2 strands together) bolero. This is the 3rd of these sweaters I've made. They are sooooo cozy, especially going late fall-early winter. I can custom-make these to a customer's chosen yarn and colors.

A very smart and helpful yarn store owner recently took several knitted baby items on display to her sorority gathering. It was a blessing to those of us who display and sell our items at her store. The ladies bought every item! It is an encouragement to know that even the tiniest hand-knitted items are valued by wee folk (and those who love to shop!)

I want to say "Hey!" to all my knitterly girlfriends. Have a sweet time with your yarns this Fall, drink a mug of Earl Grey w/ French Vanilla creamer, and settle into a nice, comfy easy chair. Stop by the Farmers Market if you get a chance. It's candy for the eyes!

Maggie

Soon to be Christmas! Where's the Snow?

Fairisle Mittens, $52 (100% alpaca, Alpaca Outfitters)

It is nearly December, and no snow to speak of. Having spent nearly 20 years in Alaska, I like snow in the winter months. In the far north, winter could last as long as 9 months. Here in northern Indiana, we average about 5 months. As I get older, I find that suites me just fine! Hello to all my Alaska friends! Wish I could fire up the old sauna and have a good chat with you and wonder at the northern lights above.

The knitting needles don't have a chance to get cold here. Just finished is the alpaca/wool bolero sweater. It is one of those sweaters that looks good on almost everybody. (Why am I not smiling, then?! )

Alpaca/wool Sweater, $105 (Alpaca Outfitters)

It is very toasty and good for warding off the chilly Indiana winds.

The items here can be purchased through Alpaca Outfitters in the American Countryside Farmers Market, Elkhart, Indiana, or by emailing me at Mrschnaars@aol.com.

Have a wonderful Christmas season, and take time to remember that the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ, is the reason for this time of celebration.

God bless you, Maggie.

Brrrh! November and Northern Indiana wind!

Today is a good time to spend the day at home catching up on the blog and tidying up the knitting room. No snow yet, but I'm sure it is on the way. Weather like this makes me want to put on this new sweater, made with an alpaca/merino wool blend. It is my first official fairisle sweater, a keeper for sure. It is handknit and took plenty of time to complete, but well worth it. (not for sale)
I'm not Norwegian, but I am married to a man with the ancestry. Does that count? This shawl design is based on a norwegian lace pattern. The yarn is 50% alpaca, 30% merino, 20% silk. The feel is buttery soft. ($80)
This baby (3-6 months size) sweater and stocking cap is knit from a yarn called "Punch", alpaca and tencel blend. It is very lightweight and soft. ($45 for set)
November calls for a good scarf, this one is made from baby alpaca fiber with dark brown alpaca trim. The pattern is basket weave diagonal. ($20)

All of these items and more can be seen and purchased at the Alpaca Outfitters boutique in the American Countryside Farmers Market, Elkhart, Indiana. You can also contact me by email at Mrschnaars@aol.com. Stay warm. Drink lots of cocoa!