Wool and Spice

but not a drop spindle to buy.

As I alluded to in my earlier post, I’m in the grip of a new obsession. At Knitting in the Neighborhood Tuesday night Deb gave me a lesson in spinning with a drop spindle and I’ve been practicing with my Louet spindle ever since. I got this as part of a “Learn to Spin” package at least 5 or 6 years ago and never grasped the concept so it had been in time out. An hour with Deb and I began to understand the basics. Even though I’m just learning, I can tell the Louet isn’t a great spindle. It doesn’t hold the spin for very long and it doesn’t produce a nice even yarn. Shut up. It is too the spindle’s fault.

By chance, the Midwest Alpaca Association held their Invitational Show at Hale Arena in Kansas City this weekend. So I decided to indulge my new obsession and go buy a new drop spindle and maybe a little fiber to practice on. I mean, if there are 500 alpaca under one roof, there should be fiber and tools right?

Not really. There was fiber on and off the hoof, there was yarn and finished apparel, but no spindles or spinning wheels. Bummer. I ran into Candy and Lora from Knitting who were doing a little stash building themselves. I think they were the only other Neighborhood Knitters who ventured out on such a miserable weather day (cold rain turning to ice turning to snow). Despite my disappointment over the spindle scarcity, I managed to enjoy myself. Did you know alpacas weigh like 70 pounds?  I was taking a photo of these guys and the owner/manager brought me in the pen to pet the cutie on the left.

She showed me how long his coat was (so soft), explained alpacas don’t have any top teeth and,  like deer, protect themselves by running from predators since they don’t have any defenses. Except spitting.

I’m used to seeing sheep and cows being groomed at festivals and fairs, so it was surprising how much vegetative matter was in their coats.

She explained that the Huacaya alpacas (like the guys above) don’t get gussied up before going in the show ring, no bathing or brushing, just a little tidying up of the dirty bits.

Suri alpacas, like this one, can be groomed before going in the ring.  The difference has something to do with judging the loft and luster of the fleece (I think).

This girl was not pleased to be on a halter and gave her handler fits the whole time she was in the ring. They still came away with a third place finish. Good behavior isn’t on the judging criteria apparently.

Oh and their poop looks like rabbit poop, only bigger.  No I didn’t take a picture, use your imagination.

I wonder if it would be good in a garden.

Never mind buying a dog, I think I’ll get an alpaca. There wouldn’t be any concerns over it biting the neighbors and maybe I could teach it to herd cats.  I suppose it might chase cars which could be a problem. And it would probably need a playmate so it doesn’t get lonely. Yeah, I can work with all that. Just as soon as I move out of this patio home.

In the end I came away with some treasures including gorgeous and soft natural colored fiber and a new basket to hold it. I’ve been spinning less than a week and I have a fiber stash already.

Then I stopped at the library and picked up this and this.

And ended the afternoon by ordering one of these.  Even though I really wanted one of these.

Next time.

Tags: alpacas, Spinning