How to Spin Yarn from Alpaca - Washing the Fiber
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 16 พ.ค. 2019
- Let's learn how to spin yarn from alpaca! I'll show you how I wash Dalma the alpaca's fiber and get it ready to spin into yarn on my spinning wheel. This is the first video in a 5 part series that shows you every step of hand processing alpaca from raw fiber to yarn!
Watch the other videos in the series here-
#2 Carding the Alpaca • How to Spin Yarn from ...
#3 Spinning the Alpaca • How to Spin Yarn from ...
#4 Plying the Alpaca • How to Spin Yarn from ...
#5 Finishing the Alpaca • How to Spin Yarn from ...
If you would like a free PDF copy of my Spinning Project Planner which includes cute yarn labels, subscribe to my blog by entering your e-mail at www.jillianeve.com.
I am spinning this huacaya alpaca blanket from an alpaca named “Dalma” for her owner, Susan. Since so many people are curious about how to process an alpaca blanket (“fleece” is the term for sheep wool and “blanket” is the term for alpaca fiber) I am recording the whole process. I left out the part of the process where I split the blanket in half and weigh each portion, half for Susan and half for me. I cut it out of the video because it was pretty boring watching the scale move by half an ounce up and down for 10 minutes. I did want to mention it though because it is an important part of the process, especially when spinning for a contract. For this video series, I will only be working with Susan’s half. I haven’t decided what to do with my portion yet. Any ideas? Leave me a comment!
Check out these tools that save me tons of time when I process fiber-
Large Mesh Laundry Bags: amzn.to/2VIULdG
Salad Spinner: amzn.to/2Hom8B3
Hanging Mesh Drying Rack: amzn.to/30srkLJ
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Fiberfriend?! I feel so special.
I love this! I dream of getting a few alpacas with my partner and spinning it into yarn for my knitting projects.
I’m going to watch and re-watch these videos so often in the coming days and weeks!
When at the end of July I told my neighbour that I’d discovered spinning, she told me she would at times help with alpaca shearing. She had a lot of contacts that are alpaca owners and might be able to put me in touch with some of them if I was interested in fibre. You bet I was interested! Even though I’m still at baby steps in my spinning journey, the very thought of alpaca fibre made me drool. Affordable alpaca fibre made me drool even more.
Well, my neighbour came through. I got a call this evening. There’s an alpaca farm just fifteen minutes from my house, they’re willing to sell me a blanket or part of a blanket and I almost swooned at the price because it’s a fraction of what I’d pay for alpaca yarn. They offered to teach me how to skirt it. I’m welcome to forage among their entire crop of this past Spring’s blankets as they are just starting to skirt them before sending everything off to the commercial spinnery they use. They have one hand spinner who spins the fibre of their prize winning animal, but I’m even welcome to part of his blanket if I want to.
We’ve set a time and I can’t wait… so excited! I’ve been looking over their website, as they also offer alpaca events (alpaca walks, photo ops etc) and the animals are just gorgeous. Everything from creamy white to dark chocolate brown, almost black, through the warmest caramel browns. It’s goingto be hard to choose… but if I can’t really choose I only have to wait until April-May and there’ll be more blankets for me to choose from.
I wonder if I’m going to be able to sleep tonight. I’ve ordered combs and cards because I’m going to need them. It’s my birthday in a little over two weeks anyway. At least, that’s what I’m telling myself to justify the combs and cards. And if my daughter tells me she doesn’t know what to gift me I’ll tell her to call the farm. LOL.
Very informative, thank you!
I just began this spinning thing, and so far I luv this site. Can't wait to continue this!
I absolutely love this, thank you so much, I have been wanting to start an alpaca farm and learn how to spin it into yarn. My cousin does it and she’s so good at it and gave me a blanket she made. it’s so warm and beautiful. Alaska winters are tough.
I am so excited to find this video, I just got alpaca fiber gifted to me. I live your channel so this is perfect!
Oh great! Happy spinning!
I use my salad spinner all the time! I use it after hand washing small items, after setting the twist in hand spun yarn, now I have another purpose for it.
I have probably watch 20 or 30 different videos on taking alpaca from place to yard whatever and as everybody does it differently so I’ve decided to follow your yours because I like your results. I have 10 alpaca fleece so I have lots to practice on!! Wish me luck.
Lovely but.... I am in UK and have a front loader machine and wouldn't put any fibre near it as you rightly say! So I have to wash it all by hand but I do have a free standing spinner which is invaluable. It spins very thoroughly and will spin out a whole fleece in mesh bags in no time atall. For small items I use a salad spinner as well. I haven't prepped a whole fleece for sometime and love seeing how you do it. Thanks.
Thank you, Jillian. I'm about to order some beautiful alpaca fleece and try this!
Barely a hundred subscribers, you've really come a long way since then. Congratulations
I took my salad spinner and drilled holes in the bottom which helped a lot to reduce water build up, thus getting a much dryer result.
I need to do that!!! Thanks for that tip!!! 💜🧶😄
I was just telling my partner I'd love to have my own sheep and alpacas to gather the wool and turn into yarn
We don't have top loader machines. But my machine has a hand wash and a wool program, as well as a freshening up, which is a cold cycle, spinning only at 600 and a short cycle which is only 30°!😊 During the summer I actually do wash quiet q few items the traditional way, i.e. properly by hand, in a bucket!😜 Love the been hanger!😂
You are so much braver than I. I know how my adhd works, I'd get distracted and forget to check to make sure it doesnt run a cycle 😂 I'd just do it the low tech way with water and a bucket. Maybe a bath tub for big loads.
Pretty cool that you only had 107 subs in the image you used in your video and now you’re at 15.5k. Nice work!
I have a Speed Queen top-load washer and it has a spin only cycle. So I fill up my washer, soak my fiber in mesh bags then re-set it to spin and it spins out the water.
I just skirted my first alpaca and I am sure I didn’t pull enough out. Do you have a reference on the fiber length to save/ discard? I’m so excited I almost hate to throw anything out. I was sent only the prime cuts and not the whole blanket. I appreciate any advice 💕
alpaca as a ton of dirt. I soak mine in tubs for several days, then take handfuls and wash in the sink before re-soaking with power scour and hot water.
とても参考になりました。
I'm very glad it was helpful for you!
Hello! This is so helpful, thank you! I can't wait to watch the others in the series. Do you have any tips for washing without a washing machine? Can this be done in the bathtub? Thanks!
Yes! The bathtub works just fine. I've also used a basket in my sink as well. The washing machine is useful to spin the water out but it's not required. Happy spinning!
Thank you for this series! It is the only one I could find for washing raw fibre: I am guessing it works also with sheep wool (I don't want to get rid of all the lanolin)
I am going to wash the fibre in a tub of hand-warm water. I have a spin dryer that spins only one way at a time, however, there is no way to control the speed. Would it be safe to use it? Also, will the bits or grass, etc come off easier after it is washed or should I pick them out first?
One thing that I never heard before is that I should get a tetanus booster before I start processing the wool, because the sheep has been living in a "wild" field. Everyone else who heard the advice strongly agrees.
Thank you JillianEve, this series is very thorough. For an alpaca fleece with lots of veg, would you comb before or after washing?
Personally, I would wash then comb. Test both ways and see what you like. 😊
Hi Evie. I want to thank you for your highly informative video. I just sheared my two alpacas for the first time and have three green garbage bags full of fibre. Now I need to learn what to do with it! Have you posted the other videos in this series? I can’t seem to find them.
I'm so glad this is helpful for you! Video number 2 just went up. I'm also editing the spinning video (#3) right now.
Video number 3, spinning the alpaca is now up on the channel!
I got some Alpacca that has some long straight fibre. Would that be the guard hair?
Do you use soap/scour?
I purchased 2 local blankets in hoping to process after the new year. Did you add any wool wash in the water before adding the bags of fleece?
Yes, you can add wool wash. I usually use Unicorn or Soak brands because they don't damage the fibers. ❤🧶
I was wondering if you use any soap or scour product to clean the alpaca fiber. I only saw the single soak in clear water and rinse on the video.
The alpaca from this video was so clean, I didn't use any soap for this project. If I have a very dirty alpaca blanket to work with, I have never had a problem with Unicorn products. They are a little pricey, but I really think they are worth it! Here is a link to what I use. It doesn't take as much as a fleece because the alpaca doesn't have any lanolin. The Unicorn rinse is also great for less muddy projects. amzn.to/30yR8se
Can you spin first then wash or is that not advisable?
Hey Jillian, I'm looking for information on trying to turn cottonwood fluff into yarn. Can you point me in a given direction?
Loved this super informative video as l am currently spinning alpaca, with merino and mohair. Is there a link to see what you made please. Keep up the great videos. Debs from down under.
I don't have a project from this yarn because I spun it for the person who owns the alpacas. I'm planning an alpaca project for 2021 though so stay tuned! 🦙💕
@@JillianEve Oh l will be for sure.
Could I put the wool in a salad spinner and "spin wash"??? My washer is a top loader but does not have all the features yours does. So if the salad spinner trick wouldn't work, how would I set my washer?
You can spin in a salad spinner or in a top loading washer. Just make sure you don't agitate it in the water.
I received alpaca fiber that has vegetable matter, how do I go about skirting the fiber
The best way to remove the vegetable matter, besides picking it out with tweezers is to use combs to prepare the fibers.
How long did you actually soak the alpacas fiber in the water before you ran the spin cycle to drain the water?
Usually 30-40 minutes. 🦙💖
do you have suggestions on manual verses electric spinners?
What kinds of wheels work for you are going to depend on a lot of different factors. I have two e-wheels and I love them! I also love my treadle wheels and my spindles. Everything works well, but in different ways. I think my e-spinners have the biggest advantages when it comes to painful knees, not taking up a lot of space, and speed. I have a video about choosing a spinning wheel too, but it mainly covers treadle wheels not e-spinners. I hope that helps!
I'm just learning how to spin raw, and I've heard not to drain dirty water down your pipes because the grease will clog it up, does the grease not plug up the washing machine pipe? Is it safe to use the washing machine often for raw fleece?
That is the cool thing about alpaca... They don't have lanolin in their fiber like sheep do. Alpaca is dusty, but not greasy! 😄
@@JillianEve oh that's great! so the washing machine is safe for alpaca but not for sheep wool right?
is this hard, can I do this?
Do you suggest using a soap or multiple washing and rinse?
Depending on how dirty your fiber is, a mild, wool safe detergent is helpful but you won't need as much as you do for sheep because alpaca doesn't have any lanolin. 🧶😊
Hi. I'm watching your tutorial from Australia 🇦🇺 your fibre was cleanish after soaking. What if the water that runs out of laundry bags is very dirty, what do you do?
A bit of gentle detergent or dish soap will work, just be careful to rinse and not felt. 💜🧶😊
This is what I was looking for this fiber of mine is DIRTY
Do you use any detergent when washing the alpaca fibre
Sometimes, if it is really dirty I had just a little bit, but it doesn't need nearly what it takes to scour wool.
Should I use any soap? just water in the machine washing?
You can use dawn dish soap or unicorn power scour if it's very dirty. 😊🧶💕
@@JillianEve thank you!
Teach us about dyeing the fiber. Thanks
Great suggestion!
My dream one day is to have alpacas and do this!!
Do you use any detergent?
I might use Dawn Original or Unicorn Power Scour if it's really dirty.
Wait- you don't add any wool wash??
You can, and sometimes I do. Sometimes I just use a bit of dish soap and vinegar. If it is really clean, I just splash on some vinegar and add the wool wash when I set the yarn.
@@JillianEve Oh ok, I was just at Rhinebeck 2 weekends ago and bought a beautiful pale grey/rosey gray alpaca fleece, I've done so many different types of fleeces since 2008, and all this time I've always used lemon dish liquid, it works great for even the greasiest sheep fleeces, but if the lanolin is too over the top than I don't buy it. I'm still waiting to get a wheel, but till then I just use my hand spindles. 🤗🌼🌷