On spinning alpaca

I have been having an in-depth look at alpaca these last few days. Over the years, I have spun quite a quantity of commercial alpaca tops, and by and large have got on very well with it. Once or twice, I have bought magnificent fibre in the States, usually called something exotic like "Royal baby", or "suri". Now, I do know what suri is - but one wonders, one really does, about some of the rich and famous......

Sorry. This was meant to be a serious post.

From time to time, what you might call local alpaca has come my way, I have even been asked to spin it for the proud owners, and I have samples and refused. On the grounds that I really couldn't do a good job. The samples always came out like wire no matter what I did. Obviously due to my deficiencies as a spinner. I asked advice, from various quarters including the internet, and often got the answer - blend with fleece. I would never get a good result if I didn't. Yet somehow, I remained unconvinced.

Last year, I acquired quantities of the stuff, seduced by the gorgeous colours, particularly the almost blond, and a pretty dark silver grey. Which I hid in my stash and quietly ignored. After all, I couldn't spin alpaca fleece, only tops.

Then, my AH class, who had also benefitted from the source of the alpaca, started demanding as indeed was their right, that I should lead a session on what to do with it. Hence my work over the last few days. And I am so glad they did demand. It turns out that (what a surprise) it wasn't actually my fault at all. (Do you think I could eventually manage to apply this lesson to other areas of my life??) So, what have I learned?

It is all down to quality. The fleece I have is nothing like the previous, apart from the US versions. What I have in my stash is fine and silky, very free of vm, and pretty clean. I tried the first little bit in fear and trembling - after that, I studied, experimented and had a dam' good time.

The advice that you don't need to wash alpaca is true. It is a little dirty, but nothing that even I, who wouldn't dream of not washing fibre as a rule, doesn't feel entirely happy using just as is. Very little grease.

The advice that alpaca likes to be spun fine is by and large true. You can spin the loveliest even, delicate-looking but strong yarn from this good fleece. You can comb butt and tip with a dog comb, and spin, resulting in a yarn of which to be proud. But if you do want a thicker yarn, carding it helps in that.

You do not need to blend with wool, although of course, you can if you wish. I personally didn't like the resulting yarn, blended with a very nice natural dark Falkland top, all that much, but it worked out quite satisfactorily. The benefit would be a loftier yarn with some elasticity. Might it be warmer? Tempting to say yes, but alpaca is surely the fibre that keeps those high altitude Peruvians warm, and they might know better.

Alpaca blends beautifully with silk. I used a warm honey brown sashe (wild African) that toned well with the brown alpaca, and loved the yarn. But I also like the blend with tencel - I am not sure of any advantages of blending with this, but tried it out just because.

I also discovered in my stash a wonderful commercial preparation, labelled "baby alpaca" that I had been given by a generous friend. I loved it so much, I am now spinning it for myself, probably for a shawl, and will simply allow the class to admire it from a distance.

Photos.



Do not adjust your set - or faint. Of a sudden, I am organised. A sample book, no less!



From left to right - combed alpaca, carded with tencel, with silk, with Falkland top. All plied.



Grey alpaca, combed and carded.



The white baby. This is such a close-up, the yarn appears quite bulky. But it really is fairly fine.

This exercise has been informative to say the least, and also fun. Another lesson learned, obviously.