|
|
This page will continue to be updated as processing is finished, so please check back frequently! State Sales Tax and Shipping are additional. Each batch of yarn or roving is unique. Please purchase enough to complete your project! Yarn
Rovings Try our center pull bumps- very easy to spin from! Currently available: Fine- Suri in rich, dark cinnamon. Wonderfully soft and silky with a soft sheen. Suri has a nice drape- great for lace and fine yarns. 7 oz. center pull bumps- $24.50; 8 oz. center pull bumps- $28.00 Medium- 90% huacaya alpaca/10% Tussah silk. The pale honey silk blends beautifully with the light reddish beige of the alpaca. 7 oz. center pull bumps- $17.50; 8 oz. center pull bumps- $20.00 Coarse- suitable for outerwear, rugs, crafts. This fiber is taken from the coarser parts of the fleece such as the legs, apron, belly, and britch areas. While considered coarse, it is still surprisingly soft! White is now available in 7 and 8 oz. center pull bumps. Colors currently available: white, beige. 1 oz- $1.00; 8 oz- $6.00; 32 oz- $22.00 Coming very soon- baby fine huacaya in warm
black. Raw Fiber Prices for raw fiber range from $.50 oz. for coarse remainder fiber to $3.50 oz. for prime baby or high quality adult fiber. What is available is constantly changing as it is sold, processed, or after shearing. If you tell us the project you have in mind for your fiber or if you'd like a small amount of fiber to experiment with, we can let you know what we have available that would be suitable for your project. Contact us at: John and Beth Franklin Just let us know what you would like and the amounts with each and we will get back to you promptly with a total. Personal checks, money orders, or cashier's checks are accepted made out to John or Beth Franklin. PayPal for cash transfers is available, but we are not currently accepting credit cards. Have you considered using raw alpaca fiber to blend with your wool? Alpaca's fine, silky handle and soft luster can enhance nearly any wool and is easily blended at any stage of production. Send your wool to a mill? Many mills will happily do the blending for you.
Nervous about working with raw alpaca fiber? No need! If you've ever prepared raw sheep wool for spinning, you'll find alpaca fiber a breeze. This page may be printed for future reference. Washing- Alpacas do love their dust baths! Although some people don't mind not washing their fiber first, I have found washing first results in a more pleasing product to work with. Alpaca fiber does not contain lanolin, so hot water and strong detergents are unnecessary. For best results, wash small amounts of fiber at a time in a dishpan sized tub or a kitchen-sized sink. Use warm water and a mild detergent. I like 2-in-1 shampoo for fine hair. Remember- heat + moisture + agitation = felt! Gently squeeze soapy water through the fiber. Rinse well in cool water, again only squeezing water through fiber (two rinses are recommended). If plain shampoo or Ivory dish soap is used, add a few drops of fabric softener or hair conditioner to the final rinse water. This will help control static and make up for any natural oils lost in the washing process. Gently open and spread wet fiber on thick towels to dry. Change towels and turn fiber frequently while drying. The flat sweater dryers that are made from nylon netting are great for drying fiber. Dry fiber out of direct sunlight and away from high or blowing heat source.
Spinning from the lock- Alpaca may be spun using no other preparation. Individual locks are spun from the cut end. The tips of adult alpaca fiber seldom need flicking. Or, you can spin handfuls of fiber resulting in a loftier, more textured yarn. Simply tease open a large handful and hold it lightly in your drafting hand (this does take a little practice). Combing- Combing aligns the fibers parallel to each other resulting in a smooth, lustrous yarn. It removes short fibers giving a more uniform staple length. It also helps remove small pieces of vegetable matter. Wool combs for fine fibers may be used. I prefer 5 pitch. Use the same method you would use for combing wool. Individual locks may be combed using a simple, old-fashioned comb for human hair. Hold the lock at the cut end and comb out starting at the tip and working down the lock toward the holding hand. Carding- Alpaca fiber may be carded after combing or the combing step may be skipped if desired. If the fiber contains a large amount of vegetable matter, combing or using a picker first is recommended. For hand carding, I like to use cotton cards. I prefer using shorter fibers for carding and combing long fibers. For drum carding, a brush attachment is highly recommended. Spinning- Alpaca lends itself well to a variety of spinning methods, but the finished yarn is most dramatic when spun fine in a smooth, worsted-spun yarn. This shows off its wonderful drape and luster. If you are used to spinning wool into a thick, heavy yarn, it is recommended that you spin alpaca finer than you normally would if it were wool. Alpaca is 3 times warmer for its weight than wool! An alpaca sweater made from yarn spun in a thick, heavy wool style would be much too warm to wear. Use plenty of twist in your singles, but too much twist will result in a stiff, wiry yarn. Weaving, knitting, crocheting- Alpaca has very little elasticity and so is highly suitable for weaving. Knitted and crocheted garments will stretch with wear and because of the lack of elasticity, will not "bounce back" after washing. This should be taken into account when figuring your gauge. Many knitters prefer blending alpaca with fine wool. Blending can be done at any stage of the fiber preparation.
To rinse- gather all the fiber in the soapy water toward you. Holding it with one hand, open the drain or tip the tub to dump the water. As the water drains, you can squeeze the soapy water out of the fiber. Continue to hold the fiber against the side of the tub or sink with one hand. Fill the tub with your rinse water. The water should be cooler than the original wash water- about the same temperature as the wash water was when you dumped it. Do Not allow the water to run directly onto the fiber. After the tub is filled, gently spread the fiber out in the water. Allow to rest for a few minutes. Squeeze water through fiber, gather it against the side again, dump water, repeat. I've found that two rinsing are plenty and I usually omit the resting stage in the second rinse. If you have a double sink, while the fiber is soaking in the wash water, you can fill the other side of the sink with clear water the same temperature as your wash water. By the time the fiber is done washing and ready to be rinsed, the rinse water will be the correct temperature. Gather the fiber together, lift from the wash water and squeeze, then transfer to the rinse water. Spread the fiber out and gently push into the rinse water. If you use a dish soap such as Ivory liquid or a non 2-in-1 shampoo, the final rinse is when you add the fabric softener or hair conditioner. Just a couple of drops swished around in the water before you spread the fiber. I like to use L'Oreal Kids 2-in-1 shampoo. It's more expensive, but I love the fruity scents.
|
|
Home Why Alpacas Contact Us Products PCT Links This site last updated: 6-9-06 |
