Alpaca Advocate 2022 Summer

Welcome,

We have 6 new members this quarter . Welcome. Our Region aims to be informative and our members are very helpful.

Congratulations to our new 2023 Committee, we have had our first Zoom meeting to plan the Calendar and the next 12 month activities. Our aim is to be inclusive and encourage member participation. All members are encouraged to contact the Committee members for advice, we have a wealth of knowledge from many years of alpaca experiences.

This edition has a focus on a variety of Alpaca Industry topics. Thankyou to members who participated on the regional facebook page and sent valuable articles. Head Office sent out some past Australian Alpaca Magazine many articles are most appropriate so to aide this edition quality I have reproduced some articles.

Our Christmas Party on the Clarence had some special guests The

Jude Barlow, President: Pauline Glasser, Secretary: Michelle Malt

Region of Many Colours December 2022

. How, quickly does the Alpaca year go! Another year with shearing finished and now time for cria and a relax before the Christmas rush. Stay safe everybody and please ask for help or advice if need be, you will have members close by or don’t forget our “in house” facebook page.

Our Future - 2023 “jump on board” put your hand up, if you would like to have fun, the committee is supplying the structure! The region just needs you’re help by actively supporting initiatives. Check out the calendar on page 5, something for everyone. A rewarding experience especially if you add an alpaca or two! Thank you, all for supporting your Committee and traveling to meetings.

Pauline Glasser

STH QLD NNSW President

Unfortunately there was a disappointing turnout at our ARM in mid-October, however we did have enough members in attendance to have a quorum for our meeting. Brian and Rae Donovan from Pocket Farm Fibre Mill shared some good news about developments at the mill, and Brian had some useful examples of what to do (and what not to do) when preparing your fleece for processing or sale. There are a few changes to the committee, with Geoff McGahey and Julie Hockings standing down. Michelle Malt has taken on the role of Secretary, and at the ORM Liz Coles was appointed to the committee, to fill a casual vacancy. We still have a couple of committee positions vacant, so if you would like to contribute to your region, please contact Michelle or Pauline.

The committee held their first meeting at the end of November and are finalising the 2023 Calendar. Our first event will be an ORM at Jacanda Alpaca’s at Wallangarra on 5 February. A number of Educational workshops are being planned that will interest both new and experienced members, and we plan to hold some of these in conjunction with our shows at Grafton and Glen Innes.

Our Monthly Educational emails will resume (now that your Secretary has worked out Mailchimp!), so keep an eye on your Inbox. We are also sharing tips and information on our Region’s Facebook page, along with details of our upcoming events. We hope to see many of our members at our events in 2023, which we are aiming to hold across the region.

Have a safe and happy Festive Season!

Michelle

Hi All

Can’t believe it is December already. Well, what a busy year we have had. We were supposed to attend the Woodenbong Show for the first time for Maree and I but unfortunately it had to be cancelled because of heavy rain the night before and day of the show. Hopefully we will get there next year.

We did attend the Kyogle Show on the 8th October after not being there for many years. It was my first time there and fortunately the rain held off, however it did get very windy at times. The public attendance was good with a bit of interest in learning about Alpacas. Sales were very low at $85 for the day but we were kept busy talking to people. Huge thanks go to Eric Masters (JenEric Alpaca Stud) for bringing his animals and to Pauline and our friend Di Smart for helping on the day.

Lismore Show mid October was a very busy 3 days for us all. We hadn’t been there for a few years thanks to Covid and almost didn’t get there this year due to floods but a huge effort was put in by the Show committee and their volunteers to make it happen. Congratulations! We were moved to a new spot for us which used to be the caged birds shed. It was a great spot, right near the bar and close to food vendors, (and toilets), phew! We were able to set everything up on Wednesday afternoon and just cover it up in the afternoons with plastic sheets because we could lock the front door for the night, which saved us having to pack it all up each day and re set it up in the mornings. Fabulous! It was a great team effort by everyone and the display looked fantastic which included the pen inside for the animals. It was so good in fact that we were awarded “The Most Outstanding Outdoor Trade Display” which was judged by the Young Women (Show girl) winners.

My thanks go to Di Smart for again putting us up for 3 nights, Pauline and Colin Glasser (Wahgungurry Alpacas) for being there the whole time, Roland Schertzer (Erwin Alpacas) for bringing his pen and setting it up on Wednesday afternoon and leaving it there for 3 days for us to use and for also bringing animals on Friday. Thanks also to Judy Barlow (Kallaroo Alpacas) for bringing animals and Michelle Malt (Big Sky Alpacas) for helping on Thursday. Also thanks to Eric Masters (JenEric Alpacas) for bringing animals on Saturday. A huge effort from everyone! The product sales for the 3 days totalled $2660.00 which was amazing. In lieu of our usual raffle money going to the Region it was decided at a committee meeting to donate it to a local charity for flood affected people. So it was with great pleasure we were able to give $200 to the Koori Mail organisation in Lismore who are outstanding in supporting the community through this difficult time.

Which brings me to our last show for the year, Bangalow on the 19th November. Once again, it had been awhile since we had been there but it was good to be back. We had a nice day with plenty of interest in the products and animals. The day’s sales totalled $1075.00 with the socks flying out the door. 27 pairs in fact! Once again it was a great team effort from Pauline and Colin (cleaning, set up, sales and info) Roland (Pen and animals), Jenny and Eric (sales and info) and Maree Dobbins (Rosella Ridge Alpacas) for keeping me company on the long drive and with setting up, sales and info. Thank you all so much.

Have a great festive season, stay safe, see you all next year!!!

Lehanne

A fine but windy day at Kyogle

PARALYSIS TICK IN THE ALPACA – CAN WE BEAT IT?

Liz Coles, Longueville Park Alpaca Stud, Murwillumbah

Prequel to 2008

It is now the Spring and early Summer of 2022 and with unprecedented weather patterns throughout this year the incidence of paralysis tick infestation is at an alarming all time high. Coupled with this increase in ticks is the decrease in the availability of anti tick serum throughout the country.

So now is the time to re-think our strategies for management of this ever present challenge.

Here is a look back at 2008.

2008

The Spring and early Summer of 2008 is shaping up to be another worrying season with early reports that the paralysis tick (Ixodes holocyclus) is extremely prolific and appears to be resistant to many methods of control. Already there are numerous reports of alpaca deaths so how do we the breeders beat it? I guess the short answer is that we can’t but we can implement many measures to minimise its effects. A summary of some of theses measures will be discussed. Perhaps as starting point for determining the emergence of paralysis ticks, regardless of what area you are in, is always check with the local Veterinarian– the day the first dog arrives in the surgery with tick paralysis usually heralds the start of the ‘tick season’.

Identification of the Paralysis Tick

The paralysis tick is relatively easy to identify. The legs form a V-shape line from the snout down the sides of the body; the first and last pair of legs are brown and the second and third pair are pale. The body is pear-shaped to oval and yellow –grey to light grey with a dark band on the sides: the face is oval but wider at the rear and brown; the snout is very long.

Figure 1 The Paralysis Tick

Effect on the Alpaca

If there is the slightest possibility that an animal is suffering the effects of envenomation by a paralysis tick, it is essential to thoroughly check the animal and, in particular the eyes, ears, nose, mouth, external genitalia and under each leg. The paralysis tick secretes a neurotoxin in its saliva that causes a progressive paralysis of the hind limbs and eventually respiratory failure. The tick may go unnoticed (particularly when the alpaca is in full fleece) until weakness and difficulty in walking develops; urgent veterinary advice is essential at this stage.

How Do We Minimise the Effects of the Paralysis Tick

An authority from the NSW DPI, advises that “paralysis ticks were very difficult to control because:

• they are only attached to animals for a short period of about a week,

• each non-parasitic stage may survive for up to nine months on the ground, and they can attach to native animals which cannot be treated with a tickicide.” (1)

Where possible breeders should be limiting the use of chemicals and this can be achieved by implementing sound farm practices and reviewing pasture and grazing management.

Farm Practices

Emphasis put on the practices of good farm management and sound animal husbandry. Paddocks should be clean, free of scrub, blady grass and lantana and, if possible, minimal exposure to native fauna (which are notorious for carrying ticks). In a further attempt to deter the passage of tick carrying native fauna, some breeders have gone to the trouble to erect chain mesh fencing! Because of the vulnerability of newborn and young cria, careful selection of clean paddocks must be given high priority. Most breeders will have this group in a ‘maternity paddock’, certainly for the first few weeks. Also, paddock rotation, sowing improved native pasture species and keeping pasture short are also considered to be very beneficial. If only we had pasture to keep short!

Separating Stock. To minimise the possibility of exposure to ticks from other livestock, alpacas should be grazed in separate paddocks. Isolating new animals as they come on to the property will give breeders time to assess the condition of the animal.

Other Strategies

Some other strategies worthwhile considering include:

Regular Checking. Whist not always possible in larger herds, physically checking the cria on a daily basis is a certain way to detect ticks before paralysis becomes apparent. At least observing the herd each day is important. If an animal is not keeping up with the herd or is listless and has difficulty in walking, and especially in the hind legs, be very concerned. There is no room for complacency!

Guinea Fowl. Whilst lacking scientific endorsement, running guinea fowl with the alpacas is recommended by many breeders. It appears the fowls eat the developing larvae and nymphs and help reduce the tick population. Don’t be put off by the noise they make – they are only doing their job!

Ear Tags. One breeder has suggested the use of Y-Tex Python ear tags as an alternative to tick collars.

Breeders’ Views and Practices in the Management of Paralysis Tick

During 2006, extensive investigation and discussion with many breeders in Queensland and parts of NSW produced some interesting views and management practices. A summary of these investigations is as follows: Responses are in italics.

Using Cydectin by injection - The majority of the breeders use this agent specifically as a ‘tick control’ but not as a worm drench. The drug is used only during the tick season ie. approximately six months and regular worm counts indicate either negative or very low worm burdens.

Using Cydectin as a pour-on – Nil

Applying Dog Tick Collar - With the use of tick collars it is essential NOT to trim the end of the collar but to leave a ‘tail’ to allow for the fleece growth on the alpacas neck.

At what age is the collar applied? – The responses varied from one day up 12 months of age

What period of time was the collar on the alpaca? Reponses varied from 3 months up to a weight of 40 kgs

What brand of tick collar? Frontline – 1, Virbac -1, Kiltix -3, Preventic - 3.

Other methods for tick control? Bayticol Spray - 2; Amitraz – 1; Taktik – 2; Dectomax -2

Note:Bayticol ® Pour-On was withdrawn from the market in 2002

At what age is tick control commenced? Varies from one day up to 12 months of age.

If you have lost an alpaca to paralysis tick, at what age and what tick control prevention was in use. Several breeders reported losses ranging from 6 weeks to 2 years; some had used prophylactic measures, some had not.

Do you also drench for internal parasites and agent used? Ivomec- 8; Panacur- 5; Q-Drench –6; Equimax -1; Virbac-1; Closicare -5; Valbazan –3; First Drench – 1; Paramectin – 1; Nivermectin -1. Other breeders indicated they only drench when clinical signs such as scouring and weight loss were evident.

These responses clearly demonstrate the many and varied measures being used to control the paralysis tick. However, as with so many prophylactic measures there is frequently a ‘pay – off’. The availability of use of so many agents, whilst assisting with tick control may also be building up a chemical resistance to internal parasites and the animals’ health may be compromised. It must also be emphasised that there is still no veterinary product registered for exclusive use for the alpaca. This is also the case with tick collars. So breeders please be aware!

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Australian paralysis tick will always be a part of some regions of our landscape and those alpaca breeders will have to learn to live with them! From the responses to the investigations and personal discussion, it would appear that most breeders are satisfied with their individual methods of paralysis tick control. As with so many management practices any prophylaxis is dictated by the environmental and climatic conditions together with the breeders’ experience and herd size. Until we get sufficient funding to conduct a scientific study in to the most satisfactory means of tick control each breeder will need to run their own specific program. Breeders can try many different techniques which will minimise exposure but there is no sure way to prevent paralysis occurring in alpacas.

What suits one breeder may not suit another – each situation must be assessed on its own merit but do your best to beat it!

Further Resources

Further information can be obtained from: www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/primefacts: and www.pethealth.com.au/index. Tick Paralysis in Farm Animals in Australia

NSW Agnote DAI-267 2nd Ed

References: 1. Agriculture Today. September 28 2006. “ Farmers deal with loss of chemical” Paul Freeman

Acknowledgements:

NSW Agriculture

NSW DPI, Wollongbar

All the breeders who gave so freely of their time to share their expertise and experiences.

ERWIN

Reprint from ALPACAS AUSTRALIA MAGAZINE Spring 2015

PREGNANT?

Members have the opportunity to test their herd any time of year by using the Regions wireless PREGNANCY TESTER: Easy to use the tester gives you an on the spot info re pregnancy. Photos are able to be saved and printed.. FREE APP download to your Phone or Ipad. APP = SMARTVUS

Email : cpg4764@bigpond.net.au to arrange your loan. Forms will be sent to you to sign and delivery and return will be negotiated

They can be downloaded from there and are accessible via this link https:// drive.google.com/open?id=1vKqw4ZA5BXrBbkB4WVgV2lyHGDu8icAs

To download click the icon shown at 1. You need to hover to see the icon. You can download them all using the link at 3. But they are quite big and it will take a while Clicking in the centre of the magazine thumbnail will allow you to read it online. It will open in the browser window like a regular pdf.

LizColesfromLonguevilleParkAlpacasisourCommittee representativeonthistopic.Lizhasawealthofknowledgeonthis topichavingbeenonHealthandWelfarecommitteesinthepast andLonguevillewerepartoftheoriginaltestingofeartagsasto thetypeoftagnecessary.Morecurrentinformationshortly.

Members have the opportunity to test their herd fleece any time of year by using the Regions Fibre Lux Machine.

Easy to use the machine gives you an on the spot idea of your animals micron. Good to have before shearing!

Email : cpg4764@bigpond.net.au to arrange your loan. Forms will be sent to you to sign and delivery and return will be negotiated

Fibre Testing

Micron Man Pty Ltd

Email for more information microman@iinet.net.au

New England Fibre Testing Service Walcha 02 6777 2122

Australian Wool Testing Authority (AWTA) Geelong office 03 5277 9842 Melbourne office 03 9371 2100

FACEBOOK QUESTION

“5

Look at the Poo!

A ruminant has multiple specialized "stomachs" which allow the animal to digest fibrous materials. The one of special interest is the rumen which is quite large and is where bacterial digestion occurs to break down material that would otherwise be indigestible. So you need to think of ruminant digestion as a bacterial digestion factory instead of like us humans (digest chemically, with only a little help from beneficial bacteria). What this means is, it is possible to mess up the bacteria in the alpaca's gut and rumen and they will starve to death with a full stomach. How would this occur? You could overadminister antibiotics. Your vet will tell you how to administer antibiotics. If you think a little more might be better, you might wipe out the gut bacteria along with the bad ones that you wanted to kill. There are other ways, but normally, you will never encounter this problem. The rumen is designed to house and take care of its bacteria population.

Changing pastures

With many ruminants, moving onto fresh pasture is the beginning of runny stools. The bacteria get a sudden slug of different feed with a different moisture content, and they can't digest it very well. Typically, after a few days, a slightly different population of bacteria that is better suited for the food coming in will develop and the diarrhoea will go away. Alpacas are not nearly as sensitive to this as are sheep and cattle. This is a good thing.

...it is a good practice not to shock their system with changes in feed.

Avoid sudden changes

Though alpacas are not as sensitive to feed changes as other ruminants, it is a good practice not to shock their system with changes in feed. When moving from dry lot to fresh pasture, make sure they have a ready source of the hay they are used to. They will naturally eat some hay as well as the fresh pasture and give their rumen and bacteria time to adjust.

Analyzing digestion problems

The most important steps you can take to make sure everything is going well are the ones made in your pastures. Check the poop piles. Yes, your neighbours and friends will think you're crazy. Do it anyway.

WISE - The Watkins Index of Stool Efficiency

Yes, I manipulated the title to make a cute acronym. What I'm doing is assigning a number to each stool type to make it less difficult to describe. We're going to go from a 10 (which is individual beans) to a 1 (which is as fluid as milk). Also, by way of comparison, I'm going to use food to describe each one. You may find this disturbing, but when you've lowered yourself to talking about poop, you gotta accept a little humour.

not many of 'em. You see little definition in the wad.

10.Jelly beans (licorice) or malted milk balls

These are the piles good to see. All is well with the digestion process.

5Stiff mashed potatoes Exactly as described. Colour them dark brown and that's what they look like. When you see these, start to be concerned, and try to identify who the owner is.

4 Chocolate pudding

Find the owner.

.9 Blackberries

Sometimes referred to as pine cones, but that's not a food. Basically, these are jellybeans stuck together. These are also OK in the poo pile.

3 Creamed mashed potatoes

Granny mixes milk with the mashed potatoes until they're nice and smooth, like warm icing for your cinnamon rolls. Identify owner quickly. They will need medication to avoid health/weight decline and fibre breaks.

2 Ranch salad dressing

8 Plum pudding

These are squishy, poorly defined pellets that are squeezed together. You can still see good definition in the wad. This is about what you'd expect moving onto fresh pasture to create. Should get back to normal in two days.

7

Cheap plum pudding

Plum pudding with cheap plums and

1

Heavy cream

Beyond this point, intervention and medication is urgent. Dehydration will occur quickly.

Electrolytes will need to be added to their water.

Editor… I have often thought of this article when out in the paddock doing the morning rounds. Well worth knowing the differences and possible reasoning.

Ingredients

• 3 large eggs

• 300g plain flour

• 250g butter, softened

• 250g sugar

• 1 tbsp ground mixed spice

• Pinch of salt

• 410g jar of mincemeat

• 500g dried mixed fruit

• 4 tbsp brandy

• 20cm round or 18cm square cake tin, lined with baking paper

Method

1. To ensure the cake is positioned centrally in the oven, put one of the shelves just below the centre of it. Set the oven to 140°C/280°F/Gas Mark 1.

2. Break the eggs into a bowl, beat them lightly and add the rest of the ingredients, except for the brandy. Use a wooden spoon to stir the mixture until smooth, then spoon it into the lined cake tin. With a wet hand, press the mixture into the tin and smooth on top, so that it's level.

3. Bake the cake in the centre of the oven for 3 - 3.5 hours, or until the cake feels firm to the touch and a skewer comes out clean after being inserted into the cake.

4. Remove the cake from the oven and place the tin on a wire rack. Leave the cake to cool for about 15 minutes, then spoon over the brandy. Leave it to cool completely in the tin.

Remove the cake from the tin and peel away the lining paper. Wrap it in clean baking paper and then foil, and store in a cool place for up to 3 months, until ready to cover with icing and decorate.

BEANIE, BOOTIES, CABLES, CAST OFF, CAST ON, DECREASE, GARTER STITCH, GLOVES, HEADBAND, KNITTING, LACEWRAP, MOSS STITCH, NEEDLES, PURL STITCH, POM POM, RIBBING, SCARF, SHAWL, SOCKS, SLIP NOT, STITCHES, STOCKINETTE, SWATCHING, VEST, YARN.

Ekeko on guard at Longueville Park

K Q B O O T I E S W E S H G N E E D L E S R O T Y L E A I U A I A O W P C A S I A R T D N F C G A H K J K P D T T L I Z E X T C S V B K B E

C E N W M C A S T O N A R

A P L R M H O T K N O N S

B I J A B I U I H V T D T

L G Y P R N C T T F X R I

E O X A E G S C Z W A Q T M S N V B R V S H A W L C C

Z A E E S N D E F G H J H

L P S O S C A S T O F F L I U P T Y T T R E W Q A Z E

T O C K I N E T T E X S H C E M O S S S T I T C H D A A C P V F R R I B B I N G N R F O T G B N H Y U J M K N F I M O L P D E C R E A S E P U R L S T I T C H F E D G

Weeds

Summer is thetimeto do some paddock maintenance and keep a look out for those nasty weeds.

• Fireweed (Senecio madagascariensis) is an introduced daisy-like herbnative to Madagascar and southern Africa.Itwas first recorded in Australia in theHunter Valley in 1918.It is not known how it was introduced but it could have been broughtin as a garden plant. Itspread slowly at first, but in thepast30 years has rapidly increased its range,most likely aided by modern transport and rural practices.

• Fireweed occurs in beef and dairy pasture east of the Great DividingRange.Itis established along theentire New South Wales coast and north to Brisbane.Isolated infestations found near Caboolture, Cooroy, Belli Park, Maleny,Yandina,Pelican Waters and as far north as Gympie.

• Itcan cause illness and is toxic to livestock, particularly cattle, Alpaca and horses,causing illness, slow growth and poor conditioning which can resultin death.

• Alpacas from theSouthern states are not familiar with Fireweed. Is situated in a lush volcanic valley near Kingscliff NSW. We source the best genetics for our Grey breeding program. We have animals for sale. Pregnant females and wethers. Visitors welcome by appointment Ph 0266741022

Stud services $880@

THE CURSE OF THE THIRD BEANIE by THE NUTTY KNITTER

So when it comes to beanies, it’s fair to say I am definitely a beginner. Let’s make no mistakes about that. Scarves, not a problem, even ones with a fringe. But let’s face it one can only knit scarves for so long before it starts to get a bit boring, so I decided to bite the bullet and give a beanie a go on, circular needles, no less. I mean, how hard can it be, right? Millions of people and even kids can knit beanies. I even know someone thatcan knit one in an hour. So with great enthusiasm, the circular needles in hand and 100% Australian Alpaca yarn (of course) I mean is there any other? Out came the phone and straight on to YouTube for a tutorial, well actually 5 of them from 5 different people with 5 different ways of doing it, seriously? After wasting a very long time I decided that wasn’t working and that I needed help and there was only one person to ask. Yep, you got it, the one who can knit a beanie in one hour! Sensible, right?

Fortunately my instructor was extremely patient with me and before I knew it I was actually knitting my first ever beanie. Yahoo! It took me a week or so but in my defence, as much as I would have loved to, I couldn’t sit knitting all day, so I did it in the evenings. It was a miracle that I finished it and I was so proud of my effort that I decided I could do another one and low and behold, it got finished in a week and even, (wait for it) had a pom pom attached, (that I made myself) Hold onto your beanies people, the new knitter on the block is coming through!

“Oh no” I hear you all say, “Too confident, too quickly– right? Well maybe. I started number 3 and right from the start it just didn’t feel right but I persevered, (when I start something, I have to finish it). The first bad omen was when I dropped a stitch – Almost the end of the world as we know it! What to do? Forget YouTube, not enough hours in the day! Ah ha – dive into the knitting bag for the little yellow and black pocket edition of “Knitting For Dummies” which to my horror did NOT have instructions for dropped stitches, Why the hell not? Wouldn’t that be one of the first things a dummy would do? Luckily I had a plan B –“The Art Of Knitting” magazine was still in the back of the craft cupboard and thankfully it had a section on fixing my problem, with pictures, Hallelujah, Disaster averted (For now)

So back to the knitting, night after night, round and round I go on those circular needles. Finally it was the right length to start the decreasing process, always a joy, that K2 tog! That’s knit 2 stitches together for those of you that don’t know knitting speak! (I digress, sorry) So after the proper amount of rows decreasing, it was time to finish off, which is when it happened! I got too cocky and just went and started to “cast off”, I know – I can hear you all screaming No, No, No, but too late, I was doing it and about half way round the 56 stitches, I realised it wasn’t going to end well because it wasn’t pulling in at the top. There was nothing else to do but to un-cast off, which meant – knitting it back onto the needles. I won’t tell you how long that took exactly, but it was a very very long time with (lots of swearing that can’t be repeated here) and dropped, but fixed stitches (which I am quite good at now, gofigure)

Unfortunately I didn’t get it all done in one go as my eyes were starting to go blurry, so I put it carefully onto the floor and went to bed. The next day, I was trying out my new cordless vacuum cleaner. I’ll just pause here for a second to let that sink in – because you all know what is coming, right? Yep, you guessed it, the head of the cleaner got too close to the knitting and faster than the speed of light it sucked that yarn into the head. It was almost the case of the missing beanie, but fortunately the yarn broke before the whole thing got

sucked into that bad boy head. Imagine the swearing then! All was not lost though (Phew) I was able to untangle it all and saved the beanie and the cleaner head. Did I say it was brand new and the first time I had used it?

I still had to finish the un-casting off, which took another long time to do. I got there eventually and the beanie was finally back onto the needles. Yay! At that point I had to re-join the broken yarn. It was then time to get the “casting off” business right, so it was back to the little yellow and black book for “dummies” for the instructions with pictures. All good, I had this under control, so off I went and guess what? The same problem was happen again WTF??? Is the definition of an “idiot” someone doing the wrong thing TWICE but expecting a different result? Don’t answer that!

Oh well, too bad. I dug my little heels in and kept going and when all those 56 stitches were off that needle I just darned the top of that beanie together, which is what I should have done in the first place! Wait, no actually that’s wrong. What I should have done was read the beanie pattern instructions which clearly say “Draw all the stitches together with a darning needle before you pull the stitches off the needle and tie them together.” Simple!

Moral of the story is - read the instructions and stick to the pattern! So two big questions were, Pom Pom or not? YES!

For sale, one beanie $200, not neg.