Alpaca Farms: Holidays, Yarn, Music

Alpacas are gentle creatures and the yarn made from their soft fleecy coats is warm and soft. On our roamings around the region, we're featuring farms and the potential holidays gifts they offer.

On Nov. 28 and 29, visit with alpacas, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Stone Bridge Farm, 116 Crary Rd., Griswold. The farm will be open every weekend until Christmas offering up holiday music and decorations. The Farm Shoppe will be open stocked with warm-as-toast alpaca hats, scarves and gloves. For information call (860) 376-5027 or visit www.stonebridgealpacas.com.

Holiday Alpaca Farm Days will be from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Burgis Brook Alpacas in Canterbury. Activities include meeting the alpacas, spinning, felting and fiber preparation. Farm-grown yarn and roving is available for handspinners, knitters and weavers. Admission is free.

Learn 'Steeks' at Yarns Down Under

Yarns Down Under in Deep River will continue to host a coffee hour every Tuesday morning beginning at 10 am. Drop in visits are welcome.


Workshops coming up include:

Finishing – Better Bound Off Shoulders
Saturday, Oct. 3, 9 to 11 a.m.
All levels. Students must know how to cast on, knit, purl, and bind off.
Instructor: Janis Witkins
Cost: $30
Shoulder seams are an important structural part of a finished sweater. When the garment is worn, literally every part hangs from the shoulder seams, so nothing can ruin the fit and appearance of a beautiful sweater like lumpy or sagging shoulders.


Fair Isle Pillow Class
Thursday, Oct. 8, 15 and 29, 7 to 9 p.m.
Instructor: Jeanne Drury
Level: Advanced Beginner
Cost: $65 plus materials
Fair Isle knitting is multicolor knitting using a technique known as stranding in which you knit with two different colors per row, holding one color in each hand. Following a chart you will create wonderful designs and color changes. Learn to knit a steek and we will cut (drum roll, please!) your knitting to create an opening finished with a button band.

Class requirements and more information, call (860) 526-9986. Or visit www.yarnsdownunder.com.

Yarns Down Under is located at 37C Hillside Terrace, Deep River.

Connecticut Yarn & Wool And Colors Galore

Connecticut Yarn & Wool Company (CYWC) is home to the complete palette of Farmhouse Yarns - bumpy, subtle, soft, wools (and other types) - dyed in color so beautiful to look edible (luscious).

CYWC has two locations - 85 Bridge Rd., before the swing bridge that leads to the Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam, and an outlet location at 25 Boston Post Rd., Madison. Both stores are brimful of tactile delights for anyone who loves to knit, crochet, felting, or related fiber arts. Artists will revel in the paintbox effect - wall-to-wall pure color and textures.

A good selection of quality yarns (other than Farmhouse) is offered, too, along with knitting needles, quality buttons, designer totes, and other must-haves. Twist of Fate Spinnery of Portland yarns (such as the half alpaca/wool) is among the delights made in Connecticut, available at the store.



Suzanna Mayhugh was working and knitting up a hot pink variegated toddler jacket at the Madison outlet location. Inside the shop there was a 40 percent off all yarn (Sunday) sale going on.

Sales vary at each location, so be sure to pick up a free brochure calendar listing goodies such as 50 percent off fill-a-bag yarns and free Mardi Gras beads. And the outlet store (Madison) is not open on Monday and Tuesday; call ahead to verify hours.



More about the free workshops, knitting help, great teachers, and the entrepreneur (and passionate knitter) behind the creation of Farmhouse Yarns, in an upcoming profile story. (She knows her sheep by name and yes, she has her own Connecticut flock.)

Worth a drive to spend time inside with all the colors, especially in late winter, going into spring.