# Question about Alpacas and Spinning



## cookikeks (Feb 17, 2018)

Hello everyone :sm01: 
So, this might be weird questions, but I didn't really find any actually reliable information about this on Google, so I was wondering if someone around here could tell.

Well, I'm dreaming of having a cute little alpaca farm some day in the future (because alpacas are just soooooo adorable and fluffy and I love animals) and I was thinking about spinning alpaca yarn then and making cozy sweaters and socks and all that. I actually got two questions about this; First of all, is it possible to knit handspun alpaca yarn with a knitting machine (given that the machine works and the yarn isn't too thick; I've heard that alpaca yarn has a fuzzy texture to it, might that be a problem?)? And second, how much wool does one actually get from an alpaca per year? I've heard things like "enough for 6 sweaters" and "about 3 kilograms of fleece". That..sounds like a whole lot of fluff to me..! 
And I'd really like to hear what you guys do with the alpaca fluff :sm02:
Thanks for any answers in advance ^^


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## mama879 (Jan 27, 2011)

Oh my there are a few ladies here that have had or have Alpacas I am sure they will chime in. Keep those dreams alive. As for Alpaca and spinning it is a dream to spin but it should be mixed in with another wool if you are going to knit sweaters, it is a very warm fiber. Have you tried spinning yet?


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## cookikeks (Feb 17, 2018)

I haven't tried spinning yet, but it doesn't look too complicated in the videos I've seen  I got a 100% alpaca sweater for my graduation (well, haven't officially graduated yet but the grades I had in the written exams were sufficient to pass the graduation, so yeah, I've basically already graduated :sm04: ) and it's super fluffy and I went outside with it yesterday (without wearing a jacket while it's about -10 degrees (Celsius)) and I didn't even freeze ^-^ I love this sweater :sm02: It's so awesome, I'm not even overheating inside or something, it's just...comfy, all the time :sm01:


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## mama879 (Jan 27, 2011)

Some Alpaca people only shear/ cut there alpaca's once or two times a year. A blanket can be a couple of pounds it is super dirty and I wash mine first before spinning. As you know it can be super soft. I know you are in Germany you should put away a few $ you would not have to put to much away each week So you can purchase some of the yarn. Trying it helps then you would know for sure what you can make with it. You already have sweater and it sounds amazing. There was a post not long ago here is the link she spun so many pretty colors. Maybe you can talk to her I do not know if she raises Alpacas but maybe can ask some questions http://www.knittingparadise.com/t-527502-1.html You can also PM Alpaca Farmer It is her user name she has some wonderful fiber for sale I do not think they have the Alpaca's any more I could be wrong but she would give an idea of your questions. Not to sway you either there are sheep with oh so soft fiber and goats to.


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## Kristine W (Feb 25, 2011)

I am interested in advice on spinning alpaca. I was given a huge bag of raw alpaca fiber - not washed or carded. I don’t want to go into major production on this, but I do have some hand carders. Can I spin alpaca by itself?


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## cookikeks (Feb 17, 2018)

@ Kristine: well, I'm pretty sure you can. There's a bunch of videos on YouTube explaining how to wash and spin alpaca fiber and they also show it being carded. Here's a video I personally liked because she explains everything while showing how she spins it 



 (I think she says that she doesn't card it... but there are other videos as well that cover this, too). 
This girl has a pretty neat tutorial on washing the fibers


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## JoeA (Jun 24, 2016)

Alpaca can be spun by itself, but it will grow and will not have the memory as in per se wool, that is why most people advise blending. It is wonderful to spin, with a soft halo; and soft to the touch, and so wonderfully warm!!????


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## cookikeks (Feb 17, 2018)

It will grow? What does that mean in yarn..? '^^


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## sockyarn (Jan 26, 2011)

Stretch and not shrink back.


cookikeks said:


> It will grow? What does that mean in yarn..? '^^


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## cookikeks (Feb 17, 2018)

Aaaah, okay


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## mousepotato (May 30, 2011)

cookikeks said:


> It will grow? What does that mean in yarn..? '^^


Unlike sheep's wool, alpaca, llama, and most other animal fibers, have no crimp to them, so they do not spring back when stretched. This is why alpaca is usually blended with a crimpy fiber for knitting things like sweaters. Can you spin it on its own? Sure you can, but you may not want to make a sweater from that yarn for this reason. Mittens, hats, scarves, afghans, yes, but anything that needs to maintain a shape, it's not the best fiber for it. Alpacas are sweet little creatures, and they are shorn usually once a year, producing a couple of pounds of raw fiber (NB, this does not mean you'll have two pounds of actual fiber, raw fiber is just that, unwashed and contains dirt, etc. in the weight). You really should wash it before you spin it, because the dirt in the fiber can be unfriendly to your wheel, and washing the dirt out of the yarn doesn't always get all of it out. That said, you can wash a handful at a time as you need it to spin, or you can send it to a mill for washing and carding (make sure the mill you choose does alpaca). A mill may not take a small amount (small being the minimum poundage that they will process) either.

I have the possibility of rehoming a couple of them, and I have the space and pasture, I am just not sure that I want the expense of replacing my fencing for them--I've got about a half mile of barbed wire and need to go to woven web for them, but if hubby is really serious about getting sheep again, it would make more sense to get both. He can shear the sheep, and could probably shear the alpaca as well, but shearing alpaca is quite different than shearing sheep. Alpaca are literally stretched out with come-alongs so they are either suspended in the air, or flat on the ground (I've seen it done both ways by professional shearers) when they are shorn. Again, before you do this, check out the price of having the animals shorn, or find another alpaca farm that will let you bring them in when they shear for the cost of the shearing. That's an expense, along with veterinary costs, shots, toe clipping and teeth grinding (yes, they use a grinding attachment on a drill for this) that needs to be taken into consideration. You also need proximity to a large animal vet. The vet clinic for your dog or cat may not have someone who deals with alpacas, sheep, cows, etc. You also need to look at the cost of feed and supplements, and whether or not you need to buy hay.


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## Alpaca Farmer (Jan 19, 2011)

Alpaca is easy to spin. I learned to spin using my suri alpaca fleece. Yes, by itself it will stretch out. I usually blend with merino, romney etc to give it some structure.
Yield depends on the density of the animal. We had a male who was extremely dense, got 10+ pounds total shear, blanket was about 6#. There is no average alpaca, so it is hard to determine what the yield will be until it is shorn.
If the animal has fine fleece, the weight will be less but the fiber may be more. The lowest micron may not be the best for handspinning. We sell more of our grade 2 fleece to handspinners. The micron is + 20 to 25 and it spins beautifully.
Alpaca contains no lanolin, so it is easy to wash. Skirt the fleece, throwing out all the stained fleece, chest and belly fleece. (actually don't throw it out, make dryer balls or use it for compost). After skirting, pick the fleece clean of hay/grass etc. Shake it well to get rid of dirt and sand. Soak it in warm water with a good amount of Dawn dish soap. Agitation is the cause of felting, so just squeeze it out, rinse well a couple of time.
Spread it out to dry. Alpaca can be spun from the locks, combed or carded. I use a drum carder, but also have some batts made at a local mill. There is just too much to do the whole process by myself.
Please ask if you have more questions. I am always happy to speak about my alpacas and how I love the fiber.
Mousepotato has lots of good information for you.


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## Kristine W (Feb 25, 2011)

Thanks so much. I am at our lake cottage for a couple of weeks, so I have no area to spread out and dry the fiber. I guess I will wait till I can be back home. To blend it with wool, do you suggest carding it together or how?


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## mama879 (Jan 27, 2011)

Kristine W said:


> Thanks so much. I am at our lake cottage for a couple of weeks, so I have no area to spread out and dry the fiber. I guess I will wait till I can be back home. To blend it with wool, do you suggest carding it together or how?


Just use your hand carders and mix it in with other wool. I do it when I am sitting watching TV. I wash my Alpaca first it has no lanolin but they can be very dirty as they love dust and dirt like big kids. lol


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## Alpaca Farmer (Jan 19, 2011)

Kristine W said:


> Thanks so much. I am at our lake cottage for a couple of weeks, so I have no area to spread out and dry the fiber. I guess I will wait till I can be back home. To blend it with wool, do you suggest carding it together or how?


It can be blended on a carder, or sometimes I spin one single of alpaca and one single of another fiber and ply together.


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## Linda6885 (Feb 13, 2011)

First get yourself some alpaca, to card, and spin. Also get some 100% alpaca to knit with. Get to know the fiber. It is fuzzy, and although I have never used a knitting machine with alpaca it could present some problems. Alpaca does not stretch like wool or have the memory of wool, which is why alpaca is often spun with another fiber that helps the alpaca behave. Since alpaca doesn't have that spring, it may cause a problem on the machine. I remember I tried to use cotton chenille once it pulled on the bias and the knitted piece was impossible. It just wouldn't work on a machine. I did experiment with alpaca fleece not too long ago. I tried different spinning techniques and after a bit got some really nice yarn. I also had a good deal of trouble carding because of static. Which I found no real good solution for. The best was misting the air around me with water mixed with softener. That may be a seasonal or geographical problem. http://www.knittingparadise.com/t-457504-1.html Also there are alpaca fairs, just like the wool and sheep fests. Go, and get first hand knowledge. I did that too, You can even visit an alpaca farm if there is one near you. So have fun experimenting with all this and I hope you can get some of these beautiful creatures.


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## cookikeks (Feb 17, 2018)

Thanks for the advice  I'd like to kind of test alpaca yarn once I've gotten used to my knitting machine, but I still can't figure out why it doesn't work in the first place, so yeah, it might take a while until I can try this out.
There actually is an alpaca farm somewhat nearish. They only have three alpacas and are just getting started themselves though ^^ So many of the people at my school already told me about this place because everyone seems to know that I'm completely obsessed with those cute, fluffy and somewhat teddy bear-like creatures ^^


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## Alpaca Farmer (Jan 19, 2011)

Speaking of alpaca fairs, remember the Wisconsin Alpaca and Fiber Fest which occurs the last weekend in April, at the fairgrounds in West Bend WI. Free admission, free parking - lots of fiber related vendors and 300+ alpacas to meet.


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## mama879 (Jan 27, 2011)

cookikeks is in Germany She will have to look up fiber fairs where she is. They usually have all kinds of breeds there and most really like to talk about there fiber animals. Some of the fiber fairs are free to get into some are not.


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## shepherd (Feb 25, 2012)

I don't have alpacas but I know several people who do. cookikeks is so thrilled with those cute fluffy animals, but she should be sure to visit alpaca farmers and find out how much work they are! I always get folks who come to buy my cute little fluffy sheep but have no concept of what kind of a commitment you must make to these living creatures. They have to be cared for not matter the weather (my friends, like me, were out in heavy snow and 50mph winds Friday). Be sure you get a true picture and you may end up visiting a farm to pet them and buying the fleeces! :sm09: :sm09: :sm09:


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## Nanamel14 (Aug 4, 2016)

Oh thank you for all the information about Alpacas, I fell in love with them several years ago at a rural show....my children's school had a couple of big show bulls, I went with my daughter's to see if they had won any ribbons.... on the way we stopped at the cutest ever baby Alpacas, the owner was trying to feed 3 babies when one got scared and ran off into the danger area of the big bulls, between the owner my 3 girls and myself we managed to catch this beautiful baby....after fixing their pen , we sat and helped feed these adorable animals. I've wanted to keep a few ever since, I do own acerage but sadly it's not suitable for Alpacas. Maybe one-day ☺


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## Linda6885 (Feb 13, 2011)

Alpaca Farmer said:


> Speaking of alpaca fairs, remember the Wisconsin Alpaca and Fiber Fest which occurs the last weekend in April, at the fairgrounds in West Bend WI. Free admission, free parking - lots of fiber related vendors and 300+ alpacas to meet.


I went there last year, and I will go again! Now I can't wait. :sm24: https://www.wisconsinalpacafiberfest.com/


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## cookikeks (Feb 17, 2018)

I do know that animals are quite some work. I have a few bunnies and guinea pigs in our garden and I know that this is not the same amount of work, yet I have to feed and clean them no matter how hot or cold or nasty it is outside. I haven't completely finished school yet, but I'm planning on only working full time for a few years, maybe ten or so, and then switching to part time (once I have saved enough money) in order to have enough time to manage an alpaca farm.


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## Linda6885 (Feb 13, 2011)

cookikeks said:


> I do know that animals are quite some work. I have a few bunnies and guinea pigs in our garden and I know that this is not the same amount of work, yet I have to feed and clean them no matter how hot or cold or nasty it is outside. I haven't completely finished school yet, but I'm planning on only working full time for a few years, maybe ten or so, and then switching to part time (once I have saved enough money) in order to have enough time to manage an alpaca farm.


This sounds like you have really thought it through. It is a wonderful plan. So few of us actually do what we love to do.


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## desireeross (Jun 2, 2013)

I learned to spin with alpaca. It was great to spin. Once I got the hang of it I blended it with 15% merino


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## cookikeks (Feb 17, 2018)

desireeross said:


> I learned to spin with alpaca. It was great to spin. Once I got the hang of it I blended it with 15% merino


Awesome ^^ Thanks for telling me that you learned it with alpaca and didn't have too much trouble :sm01:


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