# Hand Carding Alpaca Fiber



## Linda6885

I have some beautiful top alpaca fiber. it has a long staple, 4-5 inches, with a slight wave to it. I have carders for a fine fiber, but because of it's length I am having problems carding. Would I be better off combing the fibers? I have watched videos but still feel I don't quite know what I am doing. I was at it for hours yesterday carding and spinning with different techniques. The best to spin was when the fibers were uniform, then it almost seemed to spin itself, with nice results. So Should I be combing this long fiber or carding?


----------



## BirchPoint

Combing may be easier, but it will produce a more dense yarn. Alpaca has little crimp to give you any poof in a combed roving. Carding will give you a bit more air in the yarn. Make sure when you card that you don't fold any of the fibers back on themselves with each stroke. If you make rolags, don't pack them too tight. You could also try rolling the fiber off the carders sideways - sort of a semi-worsted prep. Try not carding too much fiber at a time. Another option is to blend with some crimpy longer wool to give your yarn body.


----------



## mama879

I have read some where that combing longer fiber is better. Can't you make roving out of combing so when you pull or tug gently it alines the fiber better. Like birchpoint said maybe a blending board and blend with another fiber.


----------



## Linda6885

Thanks much for the tips. I have been rolling them sideways and then pre drafting it out some.,which seems to work the best. I did try blending about 50/50 merino wool with it, but I didn't like the way it would spin. The merino being half the staple length of the alpaca. The friend who gave me the alpaca said she would spin it just as it is without carding. I tried this too. First I picked it open and just started spinning. Actually it worked better than I thought, but completely to my liking. This is the first time working with alpaca, so my question was really know if I was preparing the fiber the best way. So thanks to all.


----------



## Cdambro

Linda6885 said:


> Thanks much for the tips. I have been rolling them sideways and then pre drafting it out some.,which seems to work the best. I did try blending about 50/50 merino wool with it, but I didn't like the way it would spin. The merino being half the staple length of the alpaca. The friend who gave me the alpaca said she would spin it just as it is without carding. I tried this too. First I picked it open and just started spinning. Actually it worked better than I thought, but completely to my liking. This is the first time working with alpaca, so my question was really know if I was preparing the fiber the best way. So thanks to all.


I am also spinning alpaca so am interested in the suggestions of others so thank you for posting your question. I tried core spinning it and am not real happy with the look of that. I think because it doesn't have any real crimp so it just looks like a mess. Funny how people on YouTube do the same technique and from my iPad, theirs looks great. Last night I tried blending and it didn't go well I think because of the different staple lengths of the other fiber. I also core spun the alpaca and plied it and it is much nicer but still not wonderful. So, tonight, I am going to just ply it straight from the bag and see how that looks.


----------



## BirchPoint

If you blend the alpaca, it needs to be with a similar length fiber. As horrible as it sounds (it really isn't ) , it is ok to cut your long alpaca staple in half to match the length of your blending fiber. Just make sure to pull both fibers to see what the length truly is. A highly crimped wool when pulled out can double it's length. Alpaca won't pull out much longer because it has very little crimp. 100% alpaca is fine, just be aware it will knit up with no body. Good for scarves, shawls, small items. Bigger, heavier items will 'grow'.


----------



## Linda6885

BirchPoint said:


> If you blend the alpaca, it needs to be with a similar length fiber. As horrible as it sounds (it really isn't ) , it is ok to cut your long alpaca staple in half to match the length of your blending fiber. Just make sure to pull both fibers to see what the length truly is. A highly crimped wool when pulled out can double it's length. Alpaca won't pull out much longer because it has very little crimp. 100% alpaca is fine, just be aware it will knit up with no body. Good for scarves, shawls, small items. Bigger, heavier items will 'grow'.


I definitely don't want to cut the staple length of the alpaca. I do have another fleece which has a staple length of only 2-3 inches which would be the same as the merino wool I have, so maybe I'll try blending that. I have knit with 100% alpaca quite a lot. I did sample knitting for Frog Tree which is mostly all alpaca and a few projects for myself. Just finished a little shawl actually. It is posted on my Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/theknittingewes/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel The hand dyed prime alpaca was from the last Wool and Sheep Festival in Jefferson, WI.
Thank you for your input. I am learning a lot experimenting with my alpaca fleece.


----------



## IndigoSpinner

You _can_ card it if you want a more woolen preparation. I had some Spelsau wool, which is a double-coated Viking breed of sheep. The undercoat was light grey and about three inches, and the outer coat was black and about six or seven inches long. I wanted to keep them together. I had to use very long, exaggerated strokes with the carders, but I did it. It worked out beautifully.

Usually, they recommend that longer fibers like that should be combed. I think you'll find that combing it will work if you spin from the fold. That style of spinning will introduce a bit of air into the mix and fluff it up a bit.


----------



## Linda6885

IndigoSpinner said:


> You _can_ card it if you want a more woolen preparation. I had some Spelsau wool, which is a double-coated Viking breed of sheep. The undercoat was light grey and about three inches, and the outer coat was black and about six or seven inches long. I wanted to keep them together. I had to use very long, exaggerated strokes with the carders, but I did it. It worked out beautifully.
> 
> Usually, they recommend that longer fibers like that should be combed. I think you'll find that combing it will work if you spin from the fold. That style of spinning will introduce a bit of air into the mix and fluff it up a bit.


Thanks, I will review pinning from the fold again and see how it works. :sm24:


----------



## Linda6885

Here are a couple of pictures of the alpaca fleece I have been talking about. Just picked through this pile on the table, and you can see that the staple length is nearly the length of my hand. it is unwashed, but very clean. I'm sure carding will go easier now with your advice. Thanks again.


----------



## mama879

Wow that is long. Hope you figure it all out, it is very clean looks soooo soft.


----------



## Spinningmary

I don't do any preparation other than a cool water soak if dirty. I just spin direct from the fleece, quite high ratio, which suits my spinning style and results in a fine yarn.
If there are short bits from second cuts, they get lightly blended with wool for art yarn. I'll post a picture when I find the last example.


----------



## BirchPoint

That's a beautiful, white alpaca fleece. Hope you are enjoying your experiments


----------



## Linda6885

BirchPoint said:


> That's a beautiful, white alpaca fleece. Hope you are enjoying your experiments


I am enjoying it. I just watched a bunch of videos, spinning from the fleece without carding, and spinning on the fold and long draw. I think I will try spinning right from the fleece, and use long draw as much as I can. I love using long draw. :sm24:


----------



## Cdambro

Linda6885 said:


> Here are a couple of pictures of the alpaca fleece I have been talking about. Just picked through this pile on the table, and you can see that the staple length is nearly the length of my hand. it is unwashed, but very clean. I'm sure carding will go easier now with your advice. Thanks again.


Wow....that is just beautiful! Happy spinning.


----------



## Woodstockgranny

I use Valkyrie mini wool combs for my alpaca fiber. I really love them - http://store.valkyriesupply.com/double-row-mini-combs.html I have seen a video on YouTube using the combs.


----------



## Spooly

Beautiful fleece.


----------



## RobynMay

I am combing my alpaca using Forsyth 4 pitch superfine Combs. They are horrible lethal sharp nasty .... things but are getting the vm out of the fleece and combining it well. I am combining grey huacya with loooonnnggg brown suri. I have to do 500g and have 110g so far- after a week's work! Many pricks and scratches later I am happy with the results. I found a you tube; www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSaiOTjeF-0
It is doing a better job than the hand carders or drum carder or blending board.

Your staple is magnificent! Can you not spin straight from the fleece and pick as you go?


----------



## Linda6885

RobynMay said:


> I am combing my alpaca using Forsyth 4 pitch superfine Combs. They are horrible lethal sharp nasty .... things but are getting the vm out of the fleece and combining it well. I am combining grey huacya with loooonnnggg brown suri. I have to do 500g and have 110g so far- after a week's work! Many pricks and scratches later I am happy with the results. I found a you tube; www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSaiOTjeF-0
> It is doing a better job than the hand carders or drum carder or blending board.
> 
> Your staple is magnificent! Can you not spin straight from the fleece and pick as you go?


I did try to spin straight from the fleece a couple of times, but each time I didn't like the results. Too many nubs, and it makes for a fuzzier result. Since my post and much practice and just experimenting, I found carding works best for me. I roll from the side, I get a smoother single that I think will be a nice DK weight when plied with itself. I did read an article this morning (Spinning Daily) where a simple dog comb was used on a finer fleece with good results. I'm going to try this only because I am curious about it, and I have numerous dog combs. thanks for your input.


----------



## RobynMay

Linda6885 said:


> I did try to spin straight from the fleece a couple of times, but each time I didn't like the results. Too many nubs, and it makes for a fuzzier result. Since my post and much practice and just experimenting, I found carding works best for me. I roll from the side, I get a smoother single that I think will be a nice DK weight when plied with itself. I did read an article this morning (Spinning Daily) where a simple dog comb was used on a finer fleece with good results. I'm going to try this only because I am curious about it, and I have numerous dog combs. thanks for your input.


I met an elderly lady in Tasmania when on holidays and she said she has never used anything except a dog comb! She had been spinning for a very long time and her work was exquisite! So you are in good company! I can't spin straight from the fleece either. Just doesn't work for me with the vm!


----------

