Alpaca fleece

[ORChick]

I got an e-mail from my friend this morning; one of her patients mentioned that she has 4 alpaca which she shears every year, and doesn't do anything with the fleeces! So my friend asked if I would be interested in doing something with them along with her. Of course I said yes. Now, my friend knits and such, as do I, and - years ago - I took a spinning & dying class, and still have the drop spindle (which I'm sure I could re-teach myself to use) - but other than that neither of us has had anything to do with a *fleece in the raw*. I do know a lady in town (*know* might be an exaggeration; I've met her a couple of times at the art center) who is a fiber artist, and I know she has at least one spinning wheel. She might be able to guide me towards one that I could rent, if I get that far. Any advice for a total novice?
And, I might add, if this turns out to be way more complicated than we want to deal with, I may come back here and auction them off to the highest bidder .
My friend will pick up the fleeces this coming weekend, and bring them up with her when she comes to visit the following weekend, so I've got almost 2 weeks to *learn everything about carding & spinning*

 

[valmom]

and doesn't do anything with the fleeces!

AARRGH! Grab them! Even if the animals are older the fleeces are so so so nice compared to sheep wool. I LOVE my alpaca fleeces I bought. The drop spindle is easy to re-learn. I haven't even really "unpacked" my spinning wheel since we moved up here 8 years ago- I use the spindle. Much less space consuming.

Or get them and I'm sure there are people here who would love them! (not me, I have enough to spin with my two- and have an alpaca farm down the road. )

 

[ksalvagno]

I'm one of those alpaca owners who doesn't do anything with my fleeces. I sell them cheap to my girlfriend and she uses them. I used to spin but it was just too time consuming to only end up with yarn. I used a double treadle spinning wheel and loved it. It has been a long time since I spun anything though.

Is there a spinning guild in your area? I bet plenty of women in that group could help you out.

 

[mrbstephens]

If you don't want to deal with all the work involved in preparing the fleece (it's a lot of work and takes time and patience) then you can send the fleece to a mill. They will clean the fleece, card it and make it into roving all ready for you to spin.
If you do want to get into prepping the fleece on your own, you will have to first wash it. This can be done in the washing machine. HOT water, NO AGITATION(this will felt it), with Dawn dish soap. Hang to dry. Then, you'll need to skirt it. That means pull the locks apart while the bulk of the dirt/grass etc falls out. Then you'll need to flick card, comb, or card the fiber into rolags or small batts. Now, it's ready to spin.
I've been buying my fiber already prepared into bumps of roving. I've also bought sheep fleeces, that I've been preparing myself. What's fun about that, is I'm able to dye it or combine it with other types of fiber, but It's A LOT of work! Maybe you and your friend would enjoy the extra work if you do it together.

 

[ORChick]

I think that I am OK once the fleece has reached the *ready to spin* stage - not proficient, but have a fairly good idea about what to do, and how to do it. Its the getting that far that has me a little worried. But there are a number of alpaca farms in the area, as well as people who do things with the fleeces. I haven't had anything to do with them in the past just because I haven't had the fleeces to work with. Spinning, and dying (with natural dyes) has always fascinated me, but, not having sheep, or other wool producing animals, has made this a rather theoretical interest on my part.
My friend is a physician, and thus is short on time. She also lives 2 hours away from me. I can easily see that the *idea* is interesting for her, and she knows that I am somewhat of a *hippie-type*. So I am pretty sure that she will collect the fleeces, bring them up to me, be fascinated by the process ... and leave it at that . She'll also enjoy knitting with the finished wool. No problems; she and I have been friends since 5th grade, and know and understand each other's weaknesses. But, I fancy, the bulk of dealing with these fleeces will fall on me ... and thus, on you, because I am totally ignorant
Amusing side note (maybe): DH, when he heard about this latest project, made a little pun in German - "Du spinnst!" - which means pretty much "you are crazy!". "Spinnen" is the verb "to spin", as well as the vulgar term for what a crazy person does. (Don't add this to your German vocabulary if you aren't in the right part of Germany - where he grew up it is amusing; in other parts it is quite insulting)
So, another SS project to learn about. What fun! Next step - getting my own alpaca (Shhh, don't tell DH!)

 

[mrbstephens]

Well, you must check out this website and join a few of the forums then; http://www.ravelry.com/

 

[ORChick]

Well, you must check out this website and join a few of the forums then; http://www.ravelry.com/

Ooh! Thank you for the link!

 

[valmom]

I like Ravelry- I don't get on it too often since every project takes me way long to finish and I only search patterns. Have they added a spinning/fiber section? Last I heard it was in the works.

 

[ORChick]

My DH reminded me last night that there is a lady in town who has opened up a new gallery; she is a fiber artist. I need to go into town and talk with her about the fleeces, and pick her brains.
Thanks for the Ravelry link; wow! a person could get lost in there!

 

[ORChick]

What have I got myself into???

My friend stopped by on her way to Portland, and dropped off the fleeces ... from 4 alpacas over 2 years! 28 large plastic bags worth. Well, 10 of those bags are filled with the third cuts, which are very short and dirty, and will probably end up in the compost, but still ... 12 bags of the first cut wool (is it wool if it is alpaca? ), and 6 of second cuts. So far I have just admired it, and stuffed it all in the greenhouse, to keep the cats from getting into it. I'll start with the seconds, to get the hang of it, but not for a day or two.

The cost of all this? My friend has promised to teach the alpaca owner how to knit ... that's all.

I've found that there is a spinning group here in town; they meet once a month, and this coming Monday will be the day. I think I'll go in and talk with them