# Spinning- My new fluff - have to show you all



## Cdambro (Dec 30, 2013)

I have a friend who has a friend who owns an alpaca farm and so generously gave us alpaca fleece. Here is mine. I am so excited.....it is white, soft, fluff. Of course, I haven't any experience at all so this is another wonderful adventure of learning for me. She said it doesn't have to be washed but just carded and I may try to spin from the fleece. I have seen that done on YouTube. I have watched so many videos trying to learn and I am open to any suggestions from this awesome group. Thank you.


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## crafterwantabe (Feb 26, 2013)

Wow how wonderful!!!!!! Have fun.


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## mama879 (Jan 27, 2011)

Look how soft. It looks like a cloud. I have no idea how it will spin never did it before. It looks like it will be wonderfully soft. Have fun I'm sure more will chime in.


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## Anne in Dunedin (Dec 27, 2012)

that looks lovely.
Alpaca is different from wool to spin so I would suggest looking on ytube or somewhere
for some hints. I didn't and it was a disaster. Look forward to seeing your finished yarn


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## Cdambro (Dec 30, 2013)

Thank you...I plan to look on YouTube for help. I am in not rush and don't want to mess it up, if that is possible. The name of the alpaca this came from is Forever Precious Austinite. Isn't that just so cute?


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## kaixixang (Jul 16, 2012)

Go to your local library (or Amazon) and look up ISBN: 978-0-312-59138-0
Author: Brenda Gibson (Consultant: Eling Chang)
The Complete Guide to spinning yarn - techniques, projects, and recipes

I lucked up and got this 22.99 USD book for 6.99 USD at a local discount bookstore. I have a drop spindle...and I didn't want to have to move my wireless portable and myself to a free wi-fi site every time I needed to view different YouTube entries. Listed in this book is more than just sheep wool to spin/clean/etc.


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## mama879 (Jan 27, 2011)

I have spun Alpaca. It was not hard to spin just have to be only spinning not watching the TV. It came out wonderful but that was roving.


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## wool spinner (Mar 7, 2016)

You are so lucky. It is alway nice when you can get a fleece given to you. Have fun!


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## Reba1 (Feb 5, 2012)

Ohhh, a cloud in a bag! Enjoy it.


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## run4fittness (May 22, 2011)

All I can say is have fun! And be sure to show us what you end up with!


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## nellig (May 10, 2016)

Ohh--how nice. Have fun.


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## Jennydan (Apr 6, 2016)

Oh lucky you. Looks lovely. Even though alpaca has no grease unlike sheeps wool, it collects lots of dust as they like to roll. Washing in warm water would make spinning a more enjoyable experience. Find a plastic tray with holes in the bottom fill with fleece and immerse in warm water with a little wool wash or similar.. Dunk the tray up and down a few times. Rinse, drain, roll in a towel and dry flat.


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## LindaH (Feb 1, 2011)

Very nice fluff! I look forward to seeing what you do with it!


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## ilmacheryl (Feb 3, 2013)

I was given a large trash bag full of fairly dirty sheep's wool last summer - don't know what breed of sheep. I threw away any that was soiled with fecal matter(actually, I put it in my garden) and then spent the better part of two days washing it, getting stung by a wasp in the process. After it dried, another couple of days on screens on my porch, I borrowed my friend's drum carder & carded for a couple of weeks, finally giving up until last spring when we went to visit another spinning friend & her husband carded the rest of it for me on his electric drum carder. I tried dying a little with Kool Aid, but it felted a little. I really think it all needs to be carded again - sigh. I haven't had the energy to try spinning it yet. And, my son told me that he has a bag full of hair from his golden doodle that he wants me to try spinning......... Your alpaca looks like heaven compared to my random wool. Have fun with it!


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## shelly0312 (Feb 10, 2015)

...so clarify / review for me (as a non-spinner): the next steps would be to "card" on combs or a drum and turn this beatuful fluff into roving--that makes all the individual hairs go into the same direction. And then you get to actually spin it into a long continuous thin strings. And then sometimes you bundle individual thin strings into twisted bundles that make a stronger, thicker bundle=yarn...?? Is that a simplified story line of what happens in the spinning world???? And finally: is alpaca fairly long fibered, and that is what makes it so desirable?


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## makeitsew2750 (Jan 23, 2011)

I would soak your fleece in warm water to get rid of the grit and dust so you aren't spinning it into your yarn. If you can't invest or don't want to at this point invest in some hand cards you can buy a couple of the slicker dog brushes so after it is dry you can make it into clouds to spin. I do production spinning for an Alpaca farm and I love how easy it is to spin and the yarn it produces. Have a great time with your fiber journey.


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## Pam in LR (Feb 16, 2012)

It doesnt have to be combed or carded. I MHO, put it into mesh bags, trying not to disturb/tangle the fibers, and don't stuff them tight. Dunk these in warm water several times to rinse out the sand. I do this part outdoors so the plumbing pipes aren't gunked up. Let it dry, then spin it. You can start with a few bags and wash as you go.


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## IndigoSpinner (Jul 9, 2011)

shelly0312 said:


> ...so clarify / review for me (as a non-spinner): the next steps would be to "card" on combs or a drum and turn this beatuful fluff into roving--that makes all the individual hairs go into the same direction. And then you get to actually spin it into a long continuous thin strings. And then sometimes you bundle individual thin strings into twisted bundles that make a stronger, thicker bundle=yarn...?? Is that a simplified story line of what happens in the spinning world???? And finally: is alpaca fairly long fibered, and that is what makes it so desirable?


You card with carders and comb with combs. The "drum" is a drum carder. Combs turn it into roving. Carders or a drum carder turn it into batts or rolags.

Combs make the fibers go in the same direction to form a roving. Carders turn it into sort of, generally, fibers going in the same direction.

Otherwise, you're more-or-less generally right.

There are two different kinds of alpaca, and their coats are different. What makes it desirable is that the fibers are fine. The thinner the fiber, the softer and nicer it feels when spun and knit or woven. This is true for any fiber. It also seems to be a bit more hypoallergenic than wool.

To comment on an earlier comment: In my experience, people keep buying dog grooming things and are happy they're saving money, but price it out carefully before you go this route. In my experience, an individual one is a savings over a pair of carders, but you need to have two of them, and that brings the savings down considerably. The dog groomers are tiny compared to carders, so you'll do a lot more work to card the same amount of wool. Even in the short term, it may not be worth it.


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## BirchPoint (Feb 12, 2016)

Buy some of those 'delicates' mesh laundry bags at a variety store. Unroll and lay out the fleece on a big sheet. Sort out yucky areas, and areas there may be lots of dried vegetable matter (VM). That stuff is hard to get out, and generally not worth trying. Now break up the fleece and loosely put into mesh bags. Alpaca does not have a lot of grease, but the animals do love their dust baths, so there is alot of dust on the hairs. Soak several times in hand hot water, you can spin dry in the washer, or go outside and whoosh round and round like a salad spinner to get water out. When it looks like the dirt is gone, lay fleece out on a screen (screen bottom AND top so the wind does not blow it all over) to dry. Then, it can either just be fluffed or carded with hand carder or a machine. For a beginner, spinning with fluff is a bit tougher, as the continuity of batts or roving is not there, and you have to constantly watch your fiber pile. Looks like beautiful fiber though. Enjoy!!!!


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## desireeross (Jun 2, 2013)

I learned to spin using alpaca. It wasn't difficult and as I had nothing to compare it to I think that helped. Now I blend 80/20 alpaca / merino and find it works great. If I'm making a sweater I'll blend in a bit of nylon as well for extra strength, especially if the sweater is going to a man.


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## Cookie61868 (Sep 19, 2011)

Alpaca is one of my favorite fibers to spin, you'll have a ball with all of that fiber!!! Just remember alpaca isn't like wool, it tends to not stretch and return to the shape unless you blend it with wool. It's drapey, great for cowls and shawls!! Happy spinning.


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## Fluteplayer7 (Jul 29, 2011)

Lucky Duck! What are you going to make with it?


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## a fool for fiber (Nov 18, 2014)

Lucky you!! I have never been gifted with something like that! I always have bought my roving, locks, etc. Good luck and have fun with it.


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## Cdambro (Dec 30, 2013)

Fluteplayer7 said:


> Lucky Duck! What are you going to make with it?


I don't know. Just finding my way in the world of spinning right now. Trying new things and learning a lot with lots more to learn.


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## Cdambro (Dec 30, 2013)

crazychickenlady said:


> Lucky you!! I have never been gifted with something like that! I always have bought my roving, locks, etc. Good luck and have fun with it.


Thanks. I will post results down the road.


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## IndigoSpinner (Jul 9, 2011)

Spinning is like knitting in that it's so simple, but can become so complicated.

There's really only one stitch in knitting. When people say there's two, they are just the same stitch done from the front and back. But adding decreases and yarn overs make lace, and knitting stitches out of order makes cables, and _so_ much more!

Spinning is just twisting fibers around each other, but you can use the singles or ply it, and when plying, do so many different things that produce art yarn. It can be totally amazing.

So, go ahead and learn the basics so that you'll have the knowledge you need to go on to all the amazing things that are possible.


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## wordancer (May 4, 2011)

Lovely fluff!


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## JuneB (Oct 10, 2014)

Look look at that... I love spinning alpaca it is a bit silppery but makes a lovely yarn. Quite a number of years ago I spun some on my lollipop spindle knitted a hat with bobbles and bead entered it in a contest and won 85.00 spindle.. See all is possible.


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