National Alpaca Farm Days

Getting ready for National Alpaca Farm Days next weekend and working on which alpaca items to have available. For more information about the herd, go to alpacanation.com/sugarcreekalps.asp

January 28, 2011 Washing Alpaca Fiber

Winter evenings are spent cleaning alpaca fiber and watching TV while the snow gently falls outside. I have been cleaning firsts and seconds to prepare them for processing. I've been saving thirds in a small bag to wash and dye.

The white fiber that was washed yesterday is now drying and waiting to be dyed. It's an exciting process to think about the colors you want to use and the products to be made. Hopefully, I will be able to dye some of the fiber a deep red color in time for Valentine's Day!

January 26, 2011 Alpaca Goes With Everything

Alpaca is so wonderfully warm and lightweight to wear in addition to being ideal for cold weather. It does go with everything and can be the perfect solution for working in a warm environment. The good news is that it goes well with all types of fabrics!

Think of this the next time you are wondering how to dress for various temperatures during cold weather!

January 23, 2011 Alpaca Industry Initiative

Yesterday we had a telephone conference call with the two key players in the Build A Tent Initiative which is working together to form a national alpaca fiber industry. This is an exciting time as we work together in this much needed initiative and also frustrating because of the time it takes to get it done.

At this time we are working to help others be aware of this movement and to become initial investors as we would like to have as many as possible on board before "the train pulls out of the station"!

January 22, 2011 Asian Market Buying Up Alpaca Fiber From Peru

An interesting news story from Fibre2fashion News Desk in India that talks about Asian markets such as China surpassing other countries such as UK, Japan, and Italy. China imported 63.1 percent of Peru's total exports. Taiwan emerged to be the biggest importer of alpacas from Peru.

Increasing demands for alpaca fiber from other countries suggest that as the word is getting out about this remarkable fiber that prices will increase with the demand. We alpaca owners and breeders should heed this information as good news for the fiber industry as well as a warning that we need to be actively involved in our own alpaca fiber industry.

We expect the value of alpaca fiber to continue increasing around the world and let's share the great news of about the incredible fiber that we work with.

January 21, 2011 Carding, Spinning, Dyeing, and Weaving Alpaca

One of the joys of working with alpaca is the opportunity to see the fiber go through the entire process of cleaning, carding, spinning, dyeing, and weaving the product. Some fiber artists may choose to knit or crochet the fiber and may even felt it as well. Whichever process one chooses, it is immensely rewarding! Perhaps especially so when it is fiber produced by your own alpacas.

This is a picture of fiber that was spun by a friend learning to spin, Mimi from Melody Lane Alpacas, dyed, and then woven into scarves. Each piece made has special meaning and memories and it is a value-added product that is "green"!

January 20, 2011 The Joy of Spinning Alpaca

Part of the joy of spinning alpaca is the joy of plying what you have spun. There is a sense of gratification to be in the final stages of your project. This time I am plying alpaca fiber that was handspun to make a few skeins of yarn to dye. White and fawn fiber are the best colors to dye which is also a delightful next step.

Part of the challenge of dyeing alpaca fiber which dyes very well is to decide on the colors to be used for the product to be made. Out of all of the beautiful colors available, which ones will be the best to use to complement each other. Of course, each batch of dyed alpaca fiber can be different from the last which means you want to dye sufficient fiber for your product as you may not be able to perfectly replicate the colors.

What an amazing opportunity to be creative!

January 19, 2011 Water Repellant Alpaca

Among the many "virtues" of alpaca is the fact that it can be water repellant which is important in wicking away moisture for individuals who are out in the elements, such as hunters. It also means that if we are out in the cold and are wearing alpaca coats and hats, the rain and moisture don't reach us because it is water repellant.
This is one more amazing "virtue" of this incredible fiber!

January 18, 2011 How to Make an Alpaca Mug Rug

A delightfully simple project is to weave an alpaca mug rug (coaster) with alpaca yarn. Almost any color will do although I prefer darker ones and you can blend the yarn with other yarns or fibers so there is an unlimited variety of mug rugs that can be made.

Benefits of the alpaca mug rug are that the fiber absorbs any moisture from the glass or cup, and it does not pass through the fiber to stain the table! They do not stick to the beverage container and they can be shaken clean so they are ready to use the next time.

Just another wonderful item that can be made from alpaca. We use ours every day. They make great gifts or household items to sell. The incredible, versatile alpaca fiber!!

January 17, 2011 Weaving an Alpaca Rug

Weaving can be such a joy as you can start weaving and then set the project aside for another time. I learned rug weaving on an Ashford Rigid Heddle loom and I now have two sizes of Ashford looms.

The first step was to decide which color of rug to make to send to Morning Star Fiber to have it made into rug yarn. Since one of my favorite colors is rosegray, it was not a difficult decision. You could dye white or fawn fiber before sending it to the mill to be made into rug yarn which would add to choices of the 22 natural colors of alpaca.

The rug yarn was woven into a rug and a few different sizes were made. The small one pictured could also be used as a wall hanging. Additional felted items such as felted small alpacas could easily be added. Alpaca rugs feel soft and warm and would be the perfect items to step on as you get out of bed in the morning!

January 16, 2011 How to Make Alpaca Slipper Socks

There is nothing better than alpaca slipper socks on these cold winter days, especially when the floors are cold and you are trying to not turn up the furnace or you have just returned home from time out in frigid weather.

Some knitters use bulky alpaca yarn to knit the slipper socks and then sew them to slippers that can be found at various yarn companies or yarn stores with additional directions for putting them together. You can choose the color of bulky yarn that you would like to use and the color of the slipper which can be quite an advantage.

Those of us who are not knitters have to be a bit more inventive. I decided to use Extreme Alpaca Boot Socks for the sock part although you could use the Extreme Alpaca Socks just as well. I prefer the height of the boot socks. I sewed the Extreme Alpaca Boot Socks to a padded slipper that I found online and used a tapestry needle because of the thickness of the socks and before long I was toasty warm in alpaca slipper socks!

What a great "gift" for any freeze babies and for yourself!

January 15, 2011 How to Make a Felted Purse

Needlefelting is an interesting art form and much can be made with alpaca and llama fiber. For this project we used llama fiber which is a strong fiber to work with and spin as it has many of the same properties of alpaca.

First, we needlefelted the llama fiber around a thick piece of felting foam until it was thick and strong. Then we wet felted it and tried to determine how to make it in to a workable purse. Fortunately, Bagsmith carries leather purse straps to be attached and a purse lining that has various compartments and that can be removed to use with other similar purses. We then used the Knifty Knitter to make a large leather strip mesh bag to cover and decorate the purse. An interesting challenge that hopefully will last a long time!

Here is what we came up with.

January 14, 2011 An Alpaca Named Maximus

Maximus is one of my herdsires who produces phenomenal amounts of fawn fiber. I fell in love with him when I first saw him as I had never seen such dense fiber and so much fiber on the legs of an alpaca.

He is handsome all over and he has produced phenomenal cria. My favorite of all is my black girl, Libby.

Both have gentle temperaments, great conformation, and excellent fiber. Because of their sweet temperaments, both Maximus and Libby have special places in my heart. Alpacas are easy to enjoy and a positive addition to one's life!

January 13, 2011 Farm Blend Alpaca Fiber

One of the fun things to do with alpaca fiber is to clean and then blend colors of fiber to come up with your own original color. I love rosegrey and a kind alpaca farmer suggested that I make my own rosegrey fiber with the various colors of fiber from my herd. The recipe includes: some black from Libby, some white from Alexandria, some brown from Carmelita or Lucy, and add them together in

proportion to the fiber weight. Voila! Rosegrey fiber! So, I've been cleaning seconds (coarser fiber) in order to send this unique blend to the mill. Can't wait to see how it turns out!

January 12, 2011 Alpaca Dreaming

There are a myriad of uses for alpaca fiber so almost none goes to waste. A few years ago I decided to make alpaca bed pillows because the fiber tends to return to its shape after being squeezed.

The first year I made alpaca bed pillows and gave them to family and friends for Christmas. They were thrilled and they were also my "research group". Everyone loved them and didn't find them too warm in the summer. Now I sleep on alpaca bed pillows every night.

The fiber is cleaned and processed into clouds or batting before being put in the zippered bed pillow covers and I usually use approximately two pounds of fiber. An additional cover is used to sleep on, such as a silky lavendar pillow slip. Keep some lavendar nearby and sweet dreams!

Wouldn't you love to sleep on an alpaca bed pillow?

January 11, 2011 From Alpaca to Product

Triomphe is a rosegrey herdsire on one of the farms where my alpacas are boarded. He is a strikingly handsome male with beautiful rosegrey fiber. I used some of his coarsest fiber (2nds and 3rds) to make this hat which proves that you can use all alpaca fiber for some product. It is amazing with what can be done with the fiber after shearing.

January 10, 2011 Felted Alpaca Hats

Here are some recent pics of felted alpaca hats that were made with alpaca fiber, a Ryobi power sander with a special "shoe", and Hatshapers. These are hats for women although occasionally I make hats for men.

January 9, 2011 Having Fun with Alpacas!

I've never heard anyone talk about having fun with livestock...nor have I ever read anything about having fun with cows or pigs or chickens...so I can tell you I know nothing about having fun with other livestock. I do know that you can have fun and breathtaking moments with alpacas!

Alpacas are curious creatures and, at times, they are timid when investigating something. They can be much like cats in being inquisitive and timid at the same time. They never like to go any place without other alpacas and want the rest of the herd to go with them in exploration.

Since I board my alpacas, I usually take beet pulp with molasses in a used coffee can out to the pastures with me. Alpacas have very good memories and as soon as they hear my voice, they know to coming running to the fences. One quiet winter morning,

they heard my voice and several pastures of alpacas started running towards the fences. What a sight and thrill at the same time!

We've done obstacle work with some of the alpacas and were working on learning the limbo which they adjusted to quite well. They have learned to walk up stairs and have allowed us to "dress" them up in sun glasses and bandanas, especially since one boy had John Lennon-type bangs and was willing to pose for pictures!

Maximus was playing hide and seek with me in the picture as I brought the camera with me. What an absolute joy to be with your own alpacas, see them pronking (jumping straight up in the air), and chase each other around in the pastures as crias! Talk about stress relief and genuine laughter with alpacas!

January 8, 2011 Alpaca-Best Kept Secret

The voice on the Today Show said that they will feature tips for surviving the cold winter. Alpaca, the best kept secret, was not mentioned as one of the tips because it is, indeed, a best kept secret.

Would anyone have bought a Snuggie if there had been no advertising? Don't think so and I believe it would have sat on store shelves. Instead, because of the marketing blitz, the company made over $43 million their first year as everyone rushed to buy a flammable, synthetic product that they thought would keep them warm.

Thankfully, the alpaca industry is beginning to move forward in a manner much like Cotton, Inc in 1998. That is the good news; the "bad" news is that it will take time. Regardless, we are optimistic and excited about this movement.

In the meantime, spread the word that alpaca is better, warmer, softer, and the natural fiber to watch for and wear in the future!

January 4, 2011 Felting Fibers

Did you know that felt is the oldest textile known to man and that it dates to approximately 7,000 BC? It was the first textile known to man and came before spinning, knitting, and weaving. It is nonwoven fiber that can be produced in a variety of ways, such as: needlefelting, wet felting, machine needlefelting, and now felting with the Ryobi portable sander! An ancient textile with a modern day adaption of woodworking machinery.

Check out some of the items made by felting with the Ryobi portable sander and hatshapers. More pictures will be coming of felted alpaca hats in addition to those shown here. Also shown is a purse of felted llama covered with leather trim that was knitted on the knifty knitter!

Almost anything can be made with felting and recent independent

research revealed that alpaca is one of the best fibers to use for felting!

January 7, 2011 World's Warmest Socks

Extreme alpaca socks are among the world's warmest socks, in my opinion. I used to freeze every winter and searched for warm socks, but to no avail until I discovered the AFCNA and Extreme Alpaca Socks!

The AFCNA is one of our alpaca fiber coops that uses American alpaca fiber from members to process items such as their most popular Extreme Alpaca Socks. They come in two styles-Extreme Alpaca Socks and Extreme Alpaca Boot

Socks which are almost knee high.

Today's recommendation is to try Extreme Alpaca Socks and give them as gifts to anyone who complains about cold weather and cold feet. They will thank your for it!

January 6, 2011 Alpaca Longjohns!

LONGJOHNS? Have you ever worn longjohns? We laughed about them as visions of old, country men in itchy longjohns come to mind. Who wears longjohns now?

We do and they are alpaca longjohns that are lightweight, warm, and soft next to the skin. We no longer have to freeze in the cold with alpaca longjohns and Extreme Alpaca socks! They can be worn under regular clothing to go out in the cold or under other wear, such as warmup suits, while at home on those cold winter days and nights!

My 81 year old mother wears her alpaca longjohns every day from fall to spring and loves them. Her 85 year old friend, Emma, wears hers too, although some times she thinks they are leotards and wears them around the house with her house slippers!

Regardless of whether you are young or just young at heart, consider alpaca longjohns if you hate freezing in the winter cold. You will absolutely love them and they are a Godsend when going out to the barn!

January 5, 2011 Felting Alpaca

More hat pictures of handfelted alpaca hats that have been made with needlefelting or felting with the Ryobi power sander! More pictures soon!

Vote for your favorite hat!

January 3, 2011 Spinning

Spinning is one of the things that most people ask about when talking about alpaca fiber and it can be a positive experience, especially when spinning fiber from your own alpacas. The spinner comes to understand the fiber more completely after spinning each alpaca's fiber and knows the strengths and weaknesses of the fiber.

Although there are various types of spinning wheels, I chose an Ashford portable electric spinner after watching a friend spin with one. My friend told me than you can use an adapter for the spinner in order to spin while traveling in the car. Since I haven't figured out how to spin and drive at the same time, it is not something I have tried. However, it does travel well since it is portable and I occasionally take it on trips with me when I want to do additional spinning.

Alpaca is different from wool and I believe it is easier to spin although other spinners may have a different option. I prefer spinning alpaca to wool and enjoy blending it, at times, with other fibers such as tencel which can add sheen to the fiber and help the alpaca retain its shape.

If you are just beginning to work with natural fibers, I'd recommend that you learn to spin and would love to hear from other spinners.

January 2, 2011 Alpaca named Alejandro!

Alejandro was proudly standing on the mound today and enjoying his view this cold morning! He is one of my herdsires and he is the herdsire of Juan Carlos who is now nine months old, growing more handsome by the day.

Alejandro's grandsire was Legacy and we are proud of his heritage. His dam is Alexandria who is Alianza which is known for the long lasting fine fiber. She is our oldest female and she usually greets me first at the farm.

Alejandro's fiber is light to medium fawn and it makes beautiful, soft yarn. Ask for a sample if you would like one!

January 1, 2011 Cocooning in Alpaca

Brrr! The weather is chilly and I'm thinking about alpaca clothing! Hoping to share the passion about alpacas and their fiber with you in addition to the passion for alpaca clothing.

Living in northeast Ohio during our cold winters has been a challenge and I had tried many different ways to stay warm which never worked. I decided that I was a "freeze baby" and just needed to turn up the heat in the winter. The last coat I bought in that experiment was a long leather coat that weighed 10 lbs. Although I was warm, I could hardly move and was exhausted from walking around with such a heavy coat!

When I purchased my first alpacas, I began searching for alpaca clothing and soon discovered Extreme alpaca socks which are among the warmest I have ever worn. As I added my alpaca clothing to the wardrobe, I finally understood the importance of layering in alpaca which I call "cocooning" in alpaca. Alpaca socks, sweaters, gloves, hat, coat, longjohns, and Extreme alpaca socks soon became the norm for the coldest of winter days. No more freezing during the winter and I wanted to tell the world about the "miracle" of alpaca cocooning!

Have you ever cocooned in alpaca?