Fleece Train

The past few days I have been washing alpaca fleeces to prepare them to send to the mill. After the fiber returns from the mill it will be "roving" which is wonderful for spinning. Last year I wash all the fleece by hand, but this year I did a trail wash in the washing machine. The fiber came out perfect (not felted!), so I am washing the rest of the fleeces in the maching.

After the fleeces are washed I lay them on large screens in my back porch to dry. It takes between 24-48 hours for the fiber to dry. My dog is always suspicious when there is alpaca fiber laying around the house!

How Does Your Garden Grow?

Now that the warm weather is really here, everything is popping in the garden. I planted my beans and carrots late, but they seem to be doing fine.


I am participating in the tour de fleece, which means I am supposed to be spinning everyday. My progress hasn't been too great so far, but I am having fun attempting. Today I brought my spinning wheel to the pool and hid in the shade in between dips in the pool.