These are both fantastic videos. I have just been given an alpaca fleece and had no idea where to start. I do have a couple of questions: 1. You say it is okay to use an ordinary detergent. Is it best to use Wool Wash? I normally use Omo sensitive but wondered if it was a bit strong. 2. Once it has had its final spin in the washing machine, do you just lay it out to dry outside on the net? Can it be dried in the sun? 3. To use in a doona, can I just lay the fleece out as per your felting video and just sew down the doona to hold the fleece in place. I have seen a video of it being sewn by hand, but wondered if I can use a sewing machine. Thanks in advance for your advice.
Thanks for your video. I've been given two large black bags of Alpaca with VM included 😅. I know zero about it. I am a seasoned knitter and would love to know the full processing including types of tools ect. I'm in Ireland where we don't have top loader machines😢 would love to hear from you. ❤
Hi Bernadette I am so sorry not to have seen your comment earlier! I will do my best to offer some suggestions about tools etc but you may have already solved some of your issues. I am not a knitter myself and very refined fibre is not a necessity for my work. Having said that to fully process your fibre once you have washed it can be all done by hand ... with a few glasses of wine to help and often an opportunity to invite handy friends over :) Once the fleece is washed the VM will be much easier to remove by hand. I use a tool called a picker to do this which is very useful but really only needed if you intend to clean a lot of fibre. Just sitting and pulling the locks apart by hand will do the trick. It just takes time! Once picked it can be put through a carder. This straightens the separate fibre into longitudinal direction ready for hand spinning. Once you have turned it into yarn, it is all ready to go. My only consideration for you is that not all alpaca fibre is made the same. The older the animal is the coarser the fibre becomes and the more guard hair the fleece has. If you don't know anything about your fleeces history, before you put a whole lot of effort into cleaning and preparing put a small lot of the fibre in your bra for several hours and see if it feels comfortable. I hope that I am not too late for you to take advantage of this information. Hugs Cheryl
Thank you for the useful tips. Can I still save my alpaca fleece - I found moth infestation there. I put it in a plastic bag and in the freezer over night. To kill the bugs. Do I just pick the yuck out of it and wash it the way you showed in the video? Thank you.
@@lolitajurevicajjgtyuimkkou9588 Hi Lolita Moth infestation is definitely a pain. You need to think about if it is worth the effort to continue to work with the fleece. The moths activity may have damaged the fibres so that they become very fragile and will break easily. However, if you want to work further with it I would suggest the following: before washing, use netting or tulle big enough to hold a portion of your fibre, then bounce the package against a table/wall to encourage the rubbish to drop out of the fleece. There will still be VM in it but this will help to get you started. You probably need to wear a dust mask as it is a very dusty job. Then wash as per the video… good luck.
wow, the difference is huge after washing! great video!
The effort is soooo worth it!
These are both fantastic videos. I have just been given an alpaca fleece and had no idea where to start.
I do have a couple of questions:
1. You say it is okay to use an ordinary detergent. Is it best to use Wool Wash? I normally use Omo sensitive but wondered if it was a bit strong.
2. Once it has had its final spin in the washing machine, do you just lay it out to dry outside on the net? Can it be dried in the sun?
3. To use in a doona, can I just lay the fleece out as per your felting video and just sew down the doona to hold the fleece in place. I have seen a video of it being sewn by hand, but wondered if I can use a sewing machine.
Thanks in advance for your advice.
It looks like a big fluffy cloud Cheryl 🥰❤️😍
Soft enough to dive into 😃
Thanks for your video. I've been given two large black bags of Alpaca with VM included 😅. I know zero about it. I am a seasoned knitter and would love to know the full processing including types of tools ect. I'm in Ireland where we don't have top loader machines😢 would love to hear from you. ❤
Hi Bernadette
I am so sorry not to have seen your comment earlier!
I will do my best to offer some suggestions about tools etc but you may have already solved some of your issues. I am not a knitter myself and very refined fibre is not a necessity for my work. Having said that to fully process your fibre once you have washed it can be all done by hand ... with a few glasses of wine to help and often an opportunity to invite handy friends over :)
Once the fleece is washed the VM will be much easier to remove by hand. I use a tool called a picker to do this which is very useful but really only needed if you intend to clean a lot of fibre. Just sitting and pulling the locks apart by hand will do the trick. It just takes time!
Once picked it can be put through a carder. This straightens the separate fibre into longitudinal direction ready for hand spinning. Once you have turned it into yarn, it is all ready to go.
My only consideration for you is that not all alpaca fibre is made the same. The older the animal is the coarser the fibre becomes and the more guard hair the fleece has. If you don't know anything about your fleeces history, before you put a whole lot of effort into cleaning and preparing put a small lot of the fibre in your bra for several hours and see if it feels comfortable.
I hope that I am not too late for you to take advantage of this information.
Hugs
Cheryl
Thank you for the useful tips. Can I still save my alpaca fleece - I found moth infestation there. I put it in a plastic bag and in the freezer over night. To kill the bugs. Do I just pick the yuck out of it and wash it the way you showed in the video? Thank you.
@@lolitajurevicajjgtyuimkkou9588
Hi Lolita
Moth infestation is definitely a pain. You need to think about if it is worth the effort to continue to work with the fleece. The moths activity may have damaged the fibres so that they become very fragile and will break easily.
However, if you want to work further with it I would suggest the following: before washing, use netting or tulle big enough to hold a portion of your fibre, then bounce the package against a table/wall to encourage the rubbish to drop out of the fleece. There will still be VM in it but this will help to get you started. You probably need to wear a dust mask as it is a very dusty job. Then wash as per the video… good luck.
@@ccook185 thanks a million for the advice!!! 🙏