Happy To Be In A Spin

Not only did last week zoom past in a blur, I can not believe it was two years ago since we had our Alpaca Adventure.  My concept of time is all over the place.  Does it happen like this for anyone else or is it just me?  It has been far too long since I have had some quality time with my spinning wheel, literally months.  Yesterday I had a rare couple of hours to myself and I ignored the housework piling up around me (crafters are good at turning a blind eye to the trivial stuff in favour of expressing our creative genius)!  I do not think it is a good idea to store my spinning wheel next to Bob the Budgie for long periods of time, I had to blow lots of little blue feathers away.

When we win the Lottery Euan and I would like to become farmers...we would specialise in Free Range Poultry (eggs only of course).  We would also like alpaca, pygmy goats and pigs.  Any other cute critters would be a bonus.   There is just one problem with this plan, I never buy Lottery tickets! 

  I bought a gorgeous black alpaca fleece from the farm on the day of our visit and it has sat patiently waiting for my time and attention.  I already had a white fleece.  Then somebody gave me several sacks of alpaca fleece in beautiful shades of copper and brown.  The shed is bulging at the seams with fleece as I also have several sheep varieties!  It's ok, it really is, I do not have a stash hoarding problem!  Do I?  Short of finding Rumpelstiltskin it aint gonna spin itself.  I do not believe in saving the best until last.  Life is too short.  So yesterday I chose to start spinning with the best fleece I have.  The fleece belonged to a handsome male alpaca called Ace.  Ace is sadly no more and I see it as a fine tribute to him if I can turn his fleece into something beautiful.  I have a preference for using locally sourced fleece where possible.

 This is 'raw' fleece, unwashed.  You can see it has a good crimp.  We spinners admire such things as 'crimp'. I really am no expert but I know this fleece is a beauty and I have spun some beasts!  My very first fleece was a Hebridean that looked like it came of a sasquatch and I knitted Bullet Proof Socks.  You can wash and card your alpaca fleece if you prefer but I am spinning it in the raw, unwashed state.  Individual spinners each have their own preference, there is no right or wrong way to do it it my humble opinion.  Alpaca fleece has no lanolin like wool, it has no grease and no smell, alpaca are much cleaner than sheep.  Alpaca do not get mucky but they do like a dust bath and there is a very small amount of grass seeds and vegetable matter in the fleece but I just take it out as I spin.  It feels very natural and organic to spin this way.

 Slowly but surely this bobbin will fill up.  Then I will fill another bobbin and ply the two together.  I have Navaho plied alpaca before for peg loom weaving and I had a very chunky yarn.  Some of you may remember my 'Trouble with Tribbles'.   Navajo plying creates a 3 ply yarn.  I am aiming for something finer and will two ply this.  This is a long slow process and this fleece will keep me busy for months.  I have delusions of grandeur that I will be wearing a beautiful, hand knit or crochet, alpaca cardigan.  I may be waiting a few years.  It is a good job I am in no rush.
          Alpaca fleece has some amazing qualities over wool I blogged about it Here last year and there is a photograph too of my fleece mountain!   Come the 'Alpacalips' this fleece mountain of mine will be a real asset.
XXX 

Getting Down and Dirty with Alpaca Fleece

Now I know to you that does not look much, to me it is a big deal.  It is the sum total of at least six hours spinning, probably nearer eight hours.  It is a good job I am not spinning to make a living because we would be on bread and water at the rate I spin.  I have not weighed the skein but I would estimate it is about 80g.  It is Navajo plied, so that makes it a three ply yarn.  It is better than my previous attempts with alpaca in that it is finer.  My previous attempts made a chunky yarn and the dog loved that skein and pinched it twice.  The bag I am spinning from looks exactly the same as when I started.  I am spinning straight from the bag and picking out small amounts of vegetable matter and dirt as I spin.  I am saving any fleece that is not for spinning and I will put it out for the birds.  There will be chicks in the spring in the most snuggly of nests, they won't want to leave home.  My Ashford Kiwi spinning wheel is getting rather mucky and so are my bobbins.  It is quite common to spin raw alpaca though as the fleece tends to be dusty rather than filthy.  I have to keep washing and scrubbing my hands and using lots of hand cream and olive oil on them.  I will wash the skeins to set the twist and clean the yarn.

Technically it is rather 'thick and thin' although I tried my best to get a consistent, even yarn.  I am wondering if preparing it before spinning would be a better idea.  I am not too smitten with the idea of putting 'dirty' alpaca through my drum carder though.  I would be really interested to hear what other spinners do with their alpaca fleece.  It is a lovely soft yarn, I will squish it and love it more when it is washed.  I am feeling rather daunted by the amount of fleece I have.  I am a bit like Gollum with the 'ring' I don't want to part with it.  I have fancy notions of large Alpaca cardigans and swishy shawls, winter hats, scarves and gloves, bed socks, tea cosies, you name it I have fancy notions of Alpacaring it!   Either my stashing skills are great or my Other half has noticed the nine bags stacked in the shed but is too worried to ask....  Now I can imagine you having a chuckle at my expense when I say, I am not sure if it is my imagination or if spinning this fleece is actually giving me a mild case of hives!  It would be just my luck to find I am allergic to it. 

Ten 'Top Facts' about Alpaca - 'Mystery Bag' Reveal

I love the colour of this fibre and you can see the natural crimp

1)    The Ancient Peruvians used Alpaca fleece to make clothes for royalty, it was known as 'The Fibre of the Gods'.  It was a status symbol and a prized trade item.  Textiles were the highest form of tribute and more highly valued than gold and silver.

2)    Alpacas were domesticated in Ancient South America as much as 6000 years ago.  Milenia of selective  breeding produced the finest fibre.  Alpaca were said to be on loan from the Gods for as long as the human race could treat them with kindness.  They were highly prized, providing fibre, food and fuel.  The Spanish Invaders failed to recognise the 'Treasure of the people' they were blinded by the Gold and Silver.   90% of Alpaca were slaughtered almost to extinction.

3)    In 1989 there were only about 150 Alpaca in the UK, now there are more than 20 000.

4)    Alpaca is as soft as cashmere yet lighter in weight, stronger and warmer than wool.

5)    Alpaca is warmer than wool and is said to be 30% warmer than Merino.

6)    Alpaca comes in 22 natural colours, reducing the need for dye.  However white Alpaca is in demand and takes dye particularly well.   British Alpaca Society 'Alpaca Fibre Colour Chart'

7)    Alpacas are sheared annually and each fleece will weigh between 2 and 5 kg.

8)    There is no lanolin in Alpaca fibre so this makes it hypoallergenic and more suitable for people with wool allergies.

9)     Alpaca fibre is naturally fire retardant.

10)   Alpaca is second only to silk for strength and durability.

Reveal!  A very guilty secret.  Nine large bags of 'Raw' Alpaca.  My friend is a Dog Groomer and one of her clients has 'Pet' Alpaca.  This fleece has been in her shed for a while.  It has been given to me on the understanding I make something for the Alpaca Owner from the fleece.  I spun for about three hours yesterday and have about a third of a bobbin full.  It did make me think of our friend 'Rumpelstiltskin' again.  This is going to be a labour intensive journey into the heart of darkness!  I wonder how long I can get away with keeping the fleece mountain a secret.  I am sure to get quite a reaction when it gets discovered.  Euan stood aghast looking at it.  He said "Mom, what?  What the?  You need to learn to say no!  If anybody asks you again just say no!  You have enough for years here!"  From the mouths of babes eh?  Could you resist such a treasure hoard?  Fibre of the Gods and all that.  It could be worse I could have got a real live Alpaca, Lord knows I am tempted.   I am hoping to go to The Premier Event for British Alpaca - in March, who knows what I could come back with?

Rumpelstiltskin - Not quite spinning straw into gold!

I would like to introduce you to the 'Baa Lamb Brothers'.   They were a very cute Christmas present, hand made by my Mom.  Euan has the white one and I have the grey one.  I love their little woolly fleece.  I play with therm more than Euan does!  Mine will join me on my 'Spinning Adventures' for 2012.  They are pictured on top of a 'Woolly' Mountain of 'Merino'.  The Woolly Mountain is presenting quite a challenge...which is where the story of 'Rumpelstiltskin' springs to mind.  This is part of a 10kg Bale, I ordered out of overexuberance when I first started to spin!  Ooops.  It was a shared purchase with my Mom so that takes me down to a 5kg Merino Mountain.  Yes my Mom has a Merino Mountain of her own too.  My intention is to get  a large quantity of it spun ready for some  Dyers Adventures in the Summer.  Watch this space!  Whirrr whirrrr whirrrrr!  (That is the wheel going around!)  The Lady that initially 'taught' me how to spin said to me after about twenty frustrating minutes, "You'll get there, but you are not exactly 'Rumpelstiltskin'!"  I thought that was very funny.  Especially as the lady made a deal that if she couldn't get me spinning she would jump into the brook!  I think she had a few moments where she thought her feet would be getting wet!

Ah!  Ahem, yes another fibre Mountain!  Tis lovely.  A momento from our Summer 'Alpaca Adventure' at Cotswold Vale Alpacas Lovely Crimpy Locks of goodness.  It is quite different to spin compared to wool.  I have experimented, as I really fancy a light floaty shawl in 100% Alpaca.

This sample is 'Navajo Plied' so it is a 3ply yarn and anything but light and floaty.  I am not overly proud of this yarn as it is very uneven due to my inexperience with Alpaca and Navajo Ply.  I love it, but I know it is not technically great.  I would like to experiment felting thicker Alpaca yarn.  This would make a very dense fabric, ideal for a bag.

This is what is currently on 'The Bobbin'.  'Clamour for Glamour', a delicious hand painted 'Yummy Yarn' Fibre.

You gotta start the year as you mean to go on...look at me...all that 'Glamour'.  I still can't quite spin 'Straw into Gold' but I can manage a bit of 'Glamour' quite nicely, even if the only thing that is glamorous about me is what's on my bobbin!

A 'Real' Alpaca Adventure

I was so excited this morning, today I had arranged to go out into the 'Wilds of Worcestershire' to visit Cotswold Vale Alpacas 'Farm'.  What beautiful weather we had too.  You can see how parched the grass is, we have had a  very dry spell in this county.

We were made very welcome on the farm by Ginnie, who breeds Alpacas, spins, knits and felts with their gorgeous fleece.

  I have never been close up and personal with an Alpaca, they look adorable, unfortunately for me they are not up for hugs and cuddles but they do get close and show an interest in people.  Ginnie currently has thirty eight Alpaca with one more expected any day soon.  These were all the girls of various ages.  The array of natural colours is stunning.  There are Huacaya and Suri Alpaca, the Suri Alpaca having the longer fleeces and the Huacaya having a fluffier fleece.

I was surrounded by Alpaca.  They are adorable and have such a gentle none threatening nature.  They have such kind faces and they even look like they have a sweet smile.  I am quite nervous around horses, cows and large animals, but I felt fine surrounded by Alpaca.

Some of the babies were still suckling from their newly sheared Mums.

All babies are so cute aren't they?

I loved the way they were happy to chillax with us close by.  I couldn't help looking and seeing gorgeous knitted stripes of natural colour.  Since I have been spinning, I look at animals and see yarn!

Euan is a farmer in the making, with his 'Goat Farm' training this year and today feeding Alpaca.  He had a very hands on experience and really enjoyed himself.  He is very confident around all these different animals.  He is feeding 'Ace' here, Ace is a two year old Huacaya male.

This is another male, his name is Ewen.  Ewen has a fantastic fleece and he is a stud male.

Here is Euan feeding Ewen.

Mom and I have gone halves on Ace's fleece.  Boy oh boy, it is going to be a treat to spin with.  I can feel a luxurious shawl on my shoulders already, born and raised 'Worcestershire Alpaca'.

My apologies for the poor quality photograph, but I wanted to show you, Ginnie spins and sells her own Alpaca yarn.

She also knits these gorgeous bags and felts them into a very strong fabric, oooh I don't know how I resisted one of these!

They are sold with a label including a photograph of the animal that the fleece came from.  How cool is that!

Ooooh!  I don't know how I resisted one of these either!  A scrumptious litter of three week old kittens and we did get a cuddle.

This is the last photograph, it's Ronnie and Roxy, the pygmy goats!  These are little bundles of fun too.  I could definitely make room in my back garden.  What a brilliant Alpaca Adventure.   It was very educational and we had great fun.  I have some beautiful Alpaca fleece to enjoy.   I am off to work on a business plan!  I need a career change.  Euan would be a brilliant 'Farm Manager'.  I will definitely go back to the farm, I have asked Ginnie to let me know when the 'Australian Shearers' are in town!  Wink, wink!