Knitting retreat day 3

Friday morning and the sun is shining. Sandra, Sue and I take the dogs for a walk after breakfast, Bix is on good form and makes it all the way around the block. Sue and Sandra collect more walnuts and some conkers, there was talk of sitting down and drawing them, but I think they are confusing this with my plans for painting courses next year.

We spend the rest of the morning with our knitting and after lunch set off for the Alpaca Farm. Farrlacey Alpagas are based in the Charente near Ruffec, the lovely owners Trevor and Dick are very welcoming.

Trevor talks us through the breeding process of Alpacas, they are true romantics, singing (known as orgling) to each other during mating (a long slow process that takes at least an hour), then after an 11 month gestation period the female gives birth to a single baby. Twins are very rare and hardly ever make it to full term. We meet Ted the most prolific stud on the farm and visit the mums and newborns. After tea and a quick fix in the shop buying yarn and beautiful warm alpaca insoles we take the scenic route home. Driving through the beautiful town of Vertuil sur Charente I take a wrong turning, after a few renditions of lost in France we make it back onto the main road and arrive home just as it is getting dark. Culli has cooked us provencal beef stew for supper followed by lemon cheesecake.  

Day two of the knitting retreat

A morning of knitting and chatter at home, homemade soup for lunch and then a trip across to the Charente to visit Farrlacey Alpacas

The shop at Farrlacey

It was a lovely drive through the rolling countryside to meet these beautiful animals and welcoming owners Trevor and Dick. The five of us squeezed into their little shop which is packed with gorgeous knitted and woven scarves, shawls and throws, yarn, alpaca duvets and pillows and even alpaca insoles for toasty feet.

Merino lamb

We were all tempted by the goodies, as I have a cupboard bursting with yarn in every room in the house I managed to restrict myself to just one ball of the beautiful rose grey shade for now, I feel a pair of lace mittens coming on, but am also inspired to do some designs using these beautiful yarns, so will probably be paying another visit soon, maybe the crochet group would like to go at the beginning of May....

Farrlacey products are for sale through their website and if you happen to be in the Charente the shop is open Thursday and Saturday afternoons.