I bought a LOT of raw alpaca a few months back, and very slowly I’ve been spinning it into yarn. I still have a LOT to get through, but I’m taking my time and enjoying the spin. It’s probably one of the more enjoyable fibers I’ve worked with. On my wheel right now is fiber from a 14oz bag of mill ends I purchased. Once I have three bobbins filled I’ll ply them together. I normally do a lot of two ply yarns, but three ply is just beautiful.
I recently knit myself a slouchy hat using some of my handspun yarn from Three Waters Farm. I absolutely love how it turned out. It’s a merino / tencel blend and I did it up in a three ply. Not only was it one of my best spins ever, it just knit up so beautifully.
I’m quickly learning that just because a batt or skein LOOKS good doesn’t always necessarily mean I’ll enjoy working with it. I’ve come across more than my fair share of hard to work with materials. I’m also learning which one are a dream to process, and what price I’m willing to pay for that.
I recently participated in an auction hosted by a Canadian alpaca farm – and in my eagerness to ensure I won ‘something’ I ended up winning -9- fiber auctions (each for an amazing price) and a little over 6 pounds of fleece. Oh. My. I am REALLY looking forward to this fiber. Alpaca is fantastic for those who suffer from wool allergies because there’s no lanolin in the fiber, and typically those who are allergic to wool have no reaction to alpaca.
The fiber also has a few other unique properties – each fiber strand is hollow, and it provides more warmth than wool. It does have a few downsides, like it has little elasticity, and doesn’t hold shape very well – but I’m hoping to knit a hat and mitten set for me and my husband, and maybe for friends / family depending. I have no doubt it will come in handy here in our Northern post. I’ve never spun 100% alpaca before, but I did knit a part of socks using alpaca, and I loved them (and learned not to put them in the wash, next time). Fingers crossed I don’t have too much of a wait!
Another skein completed! It just needs a bath to set the twist. No idea what I’ll make with this yet, but I’m happy to have freed up two bobbins.
The 27th of this month starts Tour de Fleece, and while it’s different than most years (there’s no tour de France going on with covid-19 being a thing) I’m still excited and looking forward to it. I’m hoping to spin a sweaters worth of fleece from the stuff I’ve processed, but first I need to take this mulberry silk blend off of my wheel. This stuff was NOT fun to spin at all. It was slippery, and while it looks beautiful, it just isn’t the fiber for me.
Bring on the tour!
stargrace