Processing alpaca fleece for spinning. TourDeFleece 2024 prep

Join Me as I take you through the process of me preparing alpaca fleece to be spun on my spinning wheels
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[@Melmaz32]

This is my 1st time watching you, Thanks to KZbin algorithm!! This is great timing ~ I am about to clean my alpaca fiber! I have 5 alpacas & You have made it look so much easier than I was anticipating! Thank you so much!! I am now a new Subscriber!! I’ll catch up on all your past videos and I’m looking forward to your future videos.

[@FibrePunk]

@Melmaz32 oh wow having alpacas is a total dream of mine. Processing alpaca is easy, it's just time consuming. Best of luck and thanks for subscribing ❤️❤️

[@Freespiritarts]

Great video! Alpaca is such an easy fiber to clean. Your fiber turned out wonderful!

[@FibrePunk]

@@Freespiritarts it is such a dream compared to sheep!

[@Freespiritarts]

@@FibrePunk right!

[@nancygould9478]

When you take it off the drum carder try a dowel, large knitting needle or a wooden drum stick (this is what I use) to roll the fleece off. I like how you opened and spread the fleece before sending it on its way into the drum carder, I’ll be trying that, thanks!

[@FibrePunk]

Oh I've used allsorts to take the battery off the carder. I have a very long and thin screwdriver that I typically use that I have no idea where it came from, but similarly I have no idea where it has gone haha

[@eddavanleemputten9232]

For both wool and alpaca, of you don’t want felting, the most important thing to remember is to avoid temperature shock. Yes, rubbing does contribute to felting but not nearly as much as variations in temperature. This phenomenon can be harnessed as well. If you have spun a really fine yarn and want to stabilise its twist but are afraid of breaking it, or if you want to keep your yarn very smooth when you’ve done a worsted prep and spin, instead of thwacking it you can dunk it in warm water until the twist relaxes and redistributes, then shock it in significantly cooler water, before squeezing out the excess water and gently snapping it. This is also useful for stabilising singles. Don’t overdo it though. Don’t go dunking it in piping hot water and ice cold water ten times over. Because that WILL cause the threads to felt together eventually. I spin lace weight yarns, with singles as fine as I can. Thwacking would do a number on them. 2-3 dunks in warm, then cold water and a gentle snap stabilises them wonderfully without too much bloom.

[@FibrePunk]

Thanks for the great info. I tend to use temperature shock when I'm spinning singles just to strengthen it a bit.

[@pioneercynthia1]

Oooh! Thank you. It's nice to hear info from someone who actually knows what they're talking about.

[@eddavanleemputten9232]

@@pioneercynthia1 - It never hurts to be careful. But there is such a thing as abstaining out of fear, or not bothering because it seems like too much hassle or work. When I’ve spent over 24 hours spinning lace weight worsted style yarn, lovingly plying it to have what I need to knit a lace shawl, I wouldn’t want it to end up in a tangled, felted mess. I wouldn’t want too much bloom either. And I wouldn’t want it unstable either. So I keep my eyes peeled and use temperature shock rather than thwacking, and if needed I give it a few snaps. And once I’ve knitted that shawl, it needs another wash and blocking. I wouldn’t want felting then either. That’s when I avoid temperature shocks, but seeing people get out a thermometer always gives me a chuckle. So does the “cold wash only” warning I see on a lot of wool clothing: protein fibres like wool are often dyed in piping hot baths. They don’t come out as felt. My first ever job was working for someone who sold fabric to clothing manufacturers. The first thing he did was send me to a textile mill to learn how different fibres were processed into fabric, and how each fibre should be treated and cared for. And those industrial processes are … violent. It made me relax a whole lot more when caring for my beloved knits and now, years later, for the fibres I spin and knit or crochet with. Sure, I have mishaps. Everyone does. But you don’t need to tiptoe around in fear. It keeps you from having fun. 😊

[@celestegarcia486]

Thanks! Your alpaca will spin up beautifully! It was helpful to see your process of cleaning the alpaca fleeces as I get ready to clean some of my own.

[@FibrePunk]

@celestegarcia486 thank you for watching. I'm glad you found it useful, good luck with your fleeces 😁

[@ardentlyjeca9491]

Very good information. I was trying to be delicate with mine. I will definitely do the pre-shredding/pulling locks apart next time. In fact I am doing that now after the washing to get more grass out of my fibers before I comb them.

[@TheMidnightDyery]

So much floof! Surprised the hot water doesn't felt it. I'm finding the whole process fascinating thank you for sharing. Some people buy dust for their alpacas. I got such a kick out of seeing cleaning guru Mrs Hinch, whose home is spotlessly clean (cleaning is her therapy) buying big bags of dust for her alpacas! Oh the irony but such joy too.

[@FibrePunk]

Oh I didn't know Mrs Hinch had alpacas! Felting really needs to combination of temperature change and agitation together to happen. I do sometimes get little bits that felt slightly but not bad enough that they can't be loosened up again with picking and carding.

[@kristiebarnes8573]

Just discovered your channel! Love your content and your decor 🏳️‍🌈

[@FibrePunk]

Thank you so much! I promise I will only get gayer as time goes on ❤️❤️

[@oboesmith]

The small drum is called the “licker.”

[@FibrePunk]

Thank you! It was really annoying me at the time. The word just left my brain 🧠

[@elizabethsielaff3414]

This is, indeed, informative and entertaining!

[@FibrePunk]

Thank you!

[@StetStitches]

This whole process has been fascinating. I’ve been processing woad plants with a friend to make dye, and while it’s a different type of goal and process, they still seem similar somehow.

[@FibrePunk]

@StetStitches oh that's amazing. That something I've been wanting to try for a while. Maybe next year?

[@kachinaneon]

you reminded me of a fleece i need to finish processing.

[@Freespiritarts]

New subby here!

[@FibrePunk]

@@Freespiritarts thank you so much ❤️ ❤️ ❤️

[@linr8260]

So fluffy!

[@naomikatepp]

The small drum is the licker in.

[@FibrePunk]

Thanks!

[@margareteast9273]

Yes, entertaining.

[@FibrePunk]

@margareteast9273 thank you ❤️❤️

[@ColorsofHopeCraftsASMR]

This was very helpful! Do you like spinning wool or alpaca better?

[@FibrePunk]

That's a really good question. Processing alpaca I find a lot easier. But actual spinning?? I MAYBE prefer wool? I've been thinking about this all day but still don't have a concrete answer.

[@sonjanordahl3158]

Voice overs are great if you know what you are doing will make a lot of noise. Also, if you record something and when you review it the audio is bad record a voice over and get rid of the original audio. That fleece looks lovely.

[@FibrePunk]

Thank you, I'm picking up all these new techniques as a go along and I'm starting tonquite enjoy it 😁

[@pioneercynthia1]

In the past, all the alpaca yarn I've knit and worn has made me itch _unbearably_ Now, my stockist is thinking it's either the dye or a really crappy grade. She may be right, but I'm loathe to spend the money! Fun fact: we have a used car part lot, and the owner uses an alpaca to guard it. He says it freaks thieves off because it's both unusual and huge! 😂

[@FibrePunk]

@pioneercynthia1 OMG a guard alpaca sounds amazing! This is some of the nicest alpaca fibre that I've ever worked with. But it is a fibre that sheds which I think can cause itchiness for some folk. I can't really do mohair at all I've never touched it long enough for it to itch, but there's something about the fibre that makes my skin crawl 😬