The third bag is to collect "everything else"... the legs, belly, etc. Very high micron (coarse) fleeces can be used for blankets or felting and needle craft projects such as rug yarn. Ruth Kalispell, Montana, USA Permutations in Fiber Felting and Fiber Studio. That is, it may seem as though it doesn’t adhere to itself as much as sheep wool. Even under the best pasture practices and shearing conditions, fleece will contain “stuff” that needs to be kept out of the fiber preparation and spinning processes. Wet Felting. Lots of people have sensitive skin and alpaca works well for them. I have been reading through this point about Alpaca, and from the different things I have read here and on facebook it seems like a lot of people prefer to use merino over alpaca for felting, for various reasons. Working with raw fleece can be both rewarding and frustrating at the same time. One bag of 650g raw fleece has a staple length varying from 5-12cm and a medium crimp, so it must be huacaya. preparing alpaca fleece, interesting that they don't wash before spinning so that the fleece doesn't accidentally felt. Also between rinses be sure to fill the next tub of water at the same water temperature you are taking the fleece from. Preparing and Spinning Alpaca Fleece I am the happy owner of two kinds of white alpaca fleece from TOFT . But she has taken it a step further and has built a loom and woven a rug from fleece. When preparing alpaca fleece for spinning, a drum carder will help to draw the fibres out and together. You’ll want to keep it on the wash cycle for continued agitation, checking the progress every five minutes or so to check the work. Carding produces woolen type yarn while combing produces worsted type yarn. Also has info at end of article about drum carding vs combing. We have chosen to work with Alpaca fibre because it is pleasure to work with in first instance - it is soft, luxurious and silky. The smaller bag has locks with more of a wave than a crimp, so I think it is the … Preparing Your Llama or Alpaca Fleece–With a Fiber Blow Out Box Step by Step Tutorial on How to Build Your Own Box with PVC Pipe After owning llamas for 11 years, I am finally starting to get interested in producing things with their wonderful fiber. ... We are an alpaca farm with 150 quirky alpacas, 10 enthusiastic employees and thousands of amazing alpaca products. The Huacaya has the more normal 'Teddy Bear' fleece that is closer to wool and is much easier to felt. Also has info at end of article about drum carding vs combing. JUST FOR KIDS! I will be doing a class shortly and one of the women who … When desired level of felting is reached, set to spin on cold water. On the way my other friend and I decided to collect the wool which we kept discovering caught on thistles and hedges. Needle Felting. Arrange your wool roving or felt scraps on the foam surface in the basic shape you want to felt. Felting Flat Items. Some of you may remember a post I wrote here in… This makes it easier when you are pulling out the fibre as you spin as it won’t separate as easily. Tutorials, Tips and Techniques. Links to Some of My Favs! It is very similar to sheep's wool, but stronger, warmer, not prickly, and hypoallergenic. This was a successful venture and we collected far more raw wool than we initially expected. ... Alpaca fleece will felt but it is much softer and takes longer to wet felt. Wool or Alpaca fleece, Second fabric, Needle felting brush or foam block, Needle felting tool. We've recently seen the beautiful fleece rugs she's felted and shown us on the forum with her daughters. ! The silky nature of alpaca can make it seem ‘slippery’ compared to other fibres. Our guest artist/author is Zara Tuulikki Rooke. preparing alpaca fleece, interesting that they don't wash before spinning so that the fleece doesn't accidentally felt. Be careful when checking as the water will be hot. I have been hand-processing my Alpaca's fiber since 2006. Preparing Fibers. Suri Alpaca Alpaca Wool Alpacas Spinning Wool Hand Spinning Farm Business Fibre And Fabric Needle Felting Weaving Wool Tricot Spinning Closure Weave. One bag of 650g raw fleece has a staple length varying from 5-12cm and a medium crimp, so it must be huacaya. Carding produces woolen type yarn while combing produces worsted type yarn. I…