I’ve been having a great time spinning the merino/nylon blend that I got on sale from knitpicks, but I wanted a break and I love trying to spin new fibers. I settled on a 100% llama braid that I got as a gift a few years back.
Woah.
The staple length is quite long, but the fiber is VERY slippery. I’m spinning it pretty thin, hoping for a fingering weight once it’s finished. I have 4oz total, so I split it into 2oz sections, and then split those sections just slightly to ease my spinning because this fiber sheds unlike any fiber I’ve ever used before. The first day I tried spinning it I felt like I owned a white long haired cat, I was completely covered from head to toe. Now I spin this stuff on the balcony, otherwise it gets EVERYWHERE. Somehow it even managed to get around my kids sippy cup.
Despite the annoying shed factor the fiber is luxurious and absolutely beautiful. I’m having no issues drafting or spinning it thin, I’m spinning from the fold, off the tip, which seems to be my preferred method of spinning. The end product is a very strong very soft yarn with a slight halo (less than mohair, but still a cloud that’s noticeable). I have NO idea what I’ll knit with this. Maybe more gloves?