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Post by MTRuth on Apr 8, 2016 16:11:57 GMT
Love the deep red!
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Alpaca
Jun 11, 2017 11:31:46 GMT
Post by halay on Jun 11, 2017 11:31:46 GMT
I got some alpaca fleece from a friend who got it from Switzerland. Do not ask me which alpaca it is, I don't know. It looks nice and soft. I got smaller amounts of dark brown, coffee brown and white fleece. Today I cleaned it from grass and discarded the parts which seemed a bit coarser. I am planning to wash wash it. I have two questions and need your advice: 1. does washing this fleece require any special procedure (hot or cold water, detergent yes or no?) 2. Do I need to card it, or can I use it as it is (just pulling out tufts)?
From what I've read above it seems it needs to be used in combination with merino. Thank you for your suggestions in advance.
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Alpaca
Jun 11, 2017 22:30:49 GMT
Post by Shepherdess on Jun 11, 2017 22:30:49 GMT
Quit often you do not was alpaca before using it. It doesn't have lanolin to get rid of so you can use it as is. If you felt it, it will get washed as you go and if you spin it you wash the yarn.
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Post by halay on Jun 12, 2017 11:14:35 GMT
Thank you Ann. I followd your advice and did not wash my alpaca at all. I made two samples. I simply spread locks between my fingers and laid the wool down in different directions. Afterwards i rubbed it, rolled it and did more rolling and rubbing between hands for fulling. Here are two samples I made: The brown and white one has only alpaca, the dark brown one has very thin layer of merino at the bottom. If I hold the piece against light it whos a very beautiful lacey structure which does not change with merino wool added. What I don't like is that fibers are still coming out so I think this could not be worn as a shawl or a jacket but would look very nice as a vase cover or lamp shade. What is your experience with fibers coming out using alpaca?
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Alpaca
Jun 13, 2017 14:54:50 GMT
Post by Shepherdess on Jun 13, 2017 14:54:50 GMT
They look lovely. In my experience it never stops shedding. It's one of reason I don't like it.
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Alpaca
Jun 13, 2017 15:57:46 GMT
Post by halay on Jun 13, 2017 15:57:46 GMT
I agree, Ann. I don't like it at all.
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Alpaca
Jun 13, 2017 16:08:51 GMT
Post by Pandagirl on Jun 13, 2017 16:08:51 GMT
I'm not a fan either.
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Post by zed on Jun 18, 2017 11:05:53 GMT
I like it, but for the reasons mentioned, it doesn't seem to have many practical uses. Though people seem to make hats out of it, and scarves, so probably just needs more experience.
Your pieces look similar (though better) to samples I made with Suri alpaca, Nada, it has more curly/lock type fleece than Huacaya, which is more crimpy. But I have limited experience.
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Alpaca
Jun 18, 2017 11:51:29 GMT
Post by halay on Jun 18, 2017 11:51:29 GMT
Maybe you are right Zed, perhaps I need more experience. I still have some left so I'll experiment further, perhaps make a thicker felt.
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Alpaca
Jun 20, 2017 9:36:07 GMT
Post by zed on Jun 20, 2017 9:36:07 GMT
Yeah, it'd be good to see if that's possible, I only just got mine to hold together. And like you said it'd look good as a lamp shade. I've used some between vessel layers, and for lacey looking felt and embellishments.
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Alpaca
Jul 21, 2017 18:37:49 GMT
Post by josiebrat on Jul 21, 2017 18:37:49 GMT
I have been reading through this point about Alpaca, and from the different things I have read here and on facebook it seems like a lot of people prefer to use merino over alpaca for felting, for various reasons. I will be doing a class shortly and one of the women who wants to take it says she is allergic to wool. It's a nuno felt scarf class so naturally she asked if she would be handling the merino a lot. Yes, of course! Does anyone have any suggestions of other fibers that can be felted with silk that's workable? Has anyone ever tried felting with the plastic gloves on? would this work even if you were allergic to merino? I have some alpaca here and will try it using a chiffon/gauze type silk but wanted others opinion. What about felting an alpaca/silk blend? thanks for your feedback as usual.
Josie
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Alpaca
Jul 21, 2017 20:31:24 GMT
Post by Pandagirl on Jul 21, 2017 20:31:24 GMT
I have felted using thin plastic gloves. It's not quite the same, but I have to do it sometimes because of chemical allergies. I've used alpaca/silk roving for Nuno felting. It depends on the alpaca. Perhaps you could make a sample first.
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Post by MTRuth on Jul 21, 2017 22:21:05 GMT
I would suggest using gloves. That seems to be the best solution.
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Alpaca
Jul 22, 2017 10:37:12 GMT
Post by josiebrat on Jul 22, 2017 10:37:12 GMT
Thanks Ruth and Marilyn, I will try the gloves and see how that works. Will also test option as I'm curious myself. From what I read alpaca also peels a lot so I'm not sure I will like this. Any suggestion on alpaca suppliers?
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Alpaca
Jul 22, 2017 14:39:20 GMT
Post by MTRuth on Jul 22, 2017 14:39:20 GMT
I don't particularly care for using alpaca so I don't know any suppliers. I think most wool suppliers carry "specialty" fibers so I would just check with where you get your wool.
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