My good friend, Su Lenk, of AzSu Alpacas in England is not only a knowledgeable alpaca livestock breeder, but also uses the fiber from her large herd to handknit and felt beautiful wearables. Su has just launched a new site to showcase her artistic handwork available in her on-farm shop, called The Alpaca Barn. Visit this online shop and see Su Lenk’s handmade alpaca hats, gloves, handbags, scarves, fingerless glove (very handy) and much more….the holidays are coming!

Some time ago I wrote a post, “Giving Fiber a Grade,” in which I spoke of the extreme importance of grading and sorting raw fiber before processing to achieve the best possible end product. Some readers will remember that I feel quite strongly that if one is going to raise fiber bearing livestock, then one should educate oneself about fiber. Makes for a more successful business.

I thus offer congratulations to my good friend, Jeanette Campbell, owner with her husband of Alpacas at Willowbrook Farm. Jeanette has been diligently studying over the past three years or so with one of the alpaca industry’s finest and most knowledgeable fiber technicians, Ruth Elvestad.  She had completed her studies, internship and passed the finals with flying colors indeed. Jeanette Campbell is now officially a “Camelid Fibre Certified Sorter.”

I add that application of this knowledge extends to herd management as it relates to breeding selection, nutrition, and care of the alpacas to ensure the best fiber production possible. It certainly shows in Jeanette and Jim Campbell’s alpaca herd at Alpacas of Willowbrook Farm.

Here’s what Jeanette has to say about her experience:

“The first rung on the ladder to achieving certification as a Camelid Fiber Sorter was the Basic Farm Sorter course taught by fiber guru Ruth Elvestad. A two day intensive, hands on course learning about camelid fiber, this course is designed to teach about on-farm fiber preparation prior to sending fiber to a co-op, to mills or to hand spinners for processing.

In addition to this basic course, the prerequisite for taking the 4 day sorter course at Olds College in Canada, is a working knowledge of fiber such as knitting, spinning, weaving or shearing.

This intense, structured workshop, again taught by Ruth Elvestad, consisted of theory and hands-on components as well as visits to working mills. A written and practical test completed the weekend. Course participants then had a 24 month period in which to farm sort and grade 200 Huacaya fleeces and 25 Suri fleeces, before submitting a further 25 Huacaya and 10 Suri individually assessed and recorded fleeces for final examination and grading. The course and certification is accredited by Olds College School of Innovation in Alberta, Canada.

This has been a wonderful experience working with a huge variety of fleeces and helping other alpaca breeders get the best end product from their yearly clip. Learning the benefits of sorting behind the shearer rather than ‘out of the bag’ has also been invaluable.”

alpaca fiber

As some of my readers know, I raised and bred alpacas for over 10 years– a great and rewarding business for a fiber artisan! Each spring, the alpacas were shorn, their fiber graded and sorted and readied for the mill. Shearing day was my favorite aspect (other than cria births!) of my alpaca livestock business….but also very important. The “clip” as the shorn fiber is termed, tells you much about your breeding program’s strength and the quality of your fiber production.

Data is kept on each alpaca year to year, such as weight of that alpaca’s fleece, staple length and strength. Then the fiber is graded as to micron or degree of fineness, and sorted by grade and length. (For full explanation of this process, see post “Giving Fiber a Grade“)

The data collected -weights, length, micron, etc- is compared to this particular alpaca’s data from previous years. It is also compared and analysed with sire and dam and siblings. Why? Genetics. Fiber quality and characteristics are genetically based and passed on to offspring. If you want to produce good fiber and improve your production year to year, then a “selective breeding” program is essential.

I no longer have my farm, but I’m off next week to help at an alpaca farm nearby with their shearing. I will be helping with the grading and sorting as about 150 alpacas are expertly shorn. It will take at least 2 days and I can wait to get my hands in that gorgeous fiber again!

Well, I just have to brag a little too. One of my alpaca herdsires was a dark brown fellow named Calvin Klein–good breeding male based on his fiber stats. Calvin is now owned by Alpacas at Willowbrook Farm in Kansas and produced a beautiful young male, Duncan Brown. Congratulations to Jeanette & Jim Campbell, Alpacas at Willowbrook Farm, and to Calvin too, as Duncan took a blue ribbon at the big alpaca show in Kansas City last month.

Jeanette and Jim Campbell of Willowbrook and owners now of both Calvin Klein and Duncan will be doing their shearing soon too. Jeanette is an expert at grading and sorting and the Campbells have a strong breeding program with great results in terms of excellent fiber production and healthy breeding stock too.

Rebecca Burgess founded Ecologicalarts in 2004, “an organization dedicated to creating, reviving, and teaching, art forms that utilize resources in such a manner as to promote the health of the eco-system.” Rebecca combines many outreach tools and her beautiful, skilled weaving with naturally produced fibers to demonstrate sustainability. She is doing an excellent, admirable job of it too. Meet Rebecca…

Rebecca Burgess graduated from UC Davis in Art History, and while in the central valley spent time studying at DQ Native American University. Searching for art outside the academic canon, she found a Native American basket weaver.  The artistry, ecology, and function of the native baskets became her inspiration.  While traveling throughout the United States, and Asia she found remnants of ecologically focused textile art traditions. Through each investigation she became increasingly inspired to begin a local tradition within her own bio-region.  Ecologicalarts was born in 2004, an organization dedicated to creating, reviving, and teaching, art forms that utilize resources in such a manner as to promote the health of the eco-system.

Rebecca: Walking on trails that dip through foggy coastlines, and into perennial grass laden meadows- I am constantly inspired by the soothing, rich, and subtle colors that compose my homeland. Looking to bring these colors into my weaving and fiber work, I began to investigate the process of natural dying. I started, by teaching myself how to use the old natural dyes of indigo, madder, and cochineal. I felt compelled to bring the principles of my environmental ethic into my weaving practice, yet these imported natural dyes did not fully provide the color spectrum reflective of my home in Northern California.
As climate change, and the energy realities sunk deeper into my conscience, I realized ordering natural dyes, and fibers from far away lands, left something to be desired.

How could I bring the art even closer to home? This is when I began honing the concept of a fibershed- a region within 100 to 200 miles of ones home, where all fiber and dyes could be collected. I began experimenting with our local corriedale cross wool (19 miles from home), and applying to it, a myriad of local native plant dyes- all collected within five miles of my home. These native plant dye recipes took time to develop, yet I was surprised at the range and beauty of the colors I was able to achieve. My investigations into my own fibershed have led me to an angora farm, 60 miles from home, an organic cotton farm 100 miles from home, and into the hills to appreciate and gather dye plants.

My appreciation has grown increasingly for these local fibers and plants species. The native plants have an integral function within the local ecosystem, and within my art. To help spread the word about their beauty, value, and necessity within our wild lands- I created an organization, Ecologicalarts, whose focus is to implement educational curricula for elementary-age school children, in How to Create a Native Garden.

Traditionally, fiber arts did not stray far from the farm, garden, or the gathering grounds.Returning these art forms to their roots, means -staying in relationship with the animals and plants that give us fiber, and to the plants that yield non-toxic colors. Re-weaving this cultural and ecological tapestry not only enriches our lives, but also improves, and brings something greatly unique and irreplaceable to our art.

Visit Rebecca’s blog at http://www.ecologicalartist.wordpress.com

Ecological Arts website is http://www.ecologicalarts.org/

How fiber is processed will determine whether it is worsted or woolen weight. How you use them in weaving or knitting and what the outcome will be, is quite different.

The process starts really with proper sorting as longer fibers are commonly used for worsted processing. In the carding process, before spinning, the fibers are combed to remove any short fibers and to produce a roving of compact, parallel fibers. In the woolen process, fibers of varying lengths are more lightly carded, fibers are not combed until parallel and thus the resulting roving is loftier.

Woolen yarn is characteristically softer and warmer, exhibits more fuzziness than worsted, and is more elastic. Worsted yarns are more compact, smoother and resulting fabric is strong, more lustrous, will hold a crease and drape well. Worsted yarns are used in fine textiles, whereas woolen yarns are more likely to be used for sweaters, just to give a couple of examples of end use.

When used in weaving, determining the right sett for either woolen or worsted yarn is very important. Remember too, because the density is different take-up allowances will differ. Worsted yarns work well for more detailed, smaller scale patterns as opposed to woolen yarns whose fuzzier nature may obscure the pattern.

Of course, there is also fingering weight, semi-worsted, lace weight …. this site has a good explanation that will help those of you who want to delve deeper into yarn differences, click yarnforward.com

Here’s a challenge—as you shop at your local grocer, diy store or discounter, look for American made products. Be prepared for some frustration. It is indeed hard to find a product of any kind made in the US, packaged in the US with a label made in the US. I am NOT opposed to the products, services and businesses of other countries, however buying locally helps environmentally, channels money through the local economy, supports and sustains area entrepreneurs and creates jobs.

I’ve been in the fiber biz many years and have seen many talented artisans, breeders and American mills go bust. So here’s another challenge – search out and give your business to local artisans and purveyors for the fiber products you need for your artwork, knitting, weaving, crocheting, any endeavor with fiber. Of course, you want to be sure the product is good quality (see post on “Giving Fiber a Grade“), and is itself locally or regionally produced.

And for readers of this blog from Europe and other countries, the same challenge applies. Whenever possible, buy your raw materials and biz supplies from local producers. This is not to say, that any of us won’t buy from our fellow artisans in other countries, we do and will. But if we all search out and support the producers in our own backyards who create the kind of products that exemplify good workmanship, quality, are mindful of the environment, then do support that business person.

The benefits are many. For one thing, you will build a relationship with your supplier who in turn will most likely support your work. Your purchase feeds the area economy, perhaps even creates another job for someone living there. It’s also green to buy local. That which is produced locally requires far less energy to get the product to you than if that product is shipped in to the mega store in bulk from overseas and is made with a petroleum derivative. Remember too, that the fiber products you are using for your work will impact the quality and appeal of your creations too.

Being “green” is quite the mantra these days. It goes well with supporting the hard working, creative people who produce good fiber products in your region. Doing so will reflect on you too. What’s on your label?

I am running a special on alpaca yarn in my Etsy shop. What a great deal! Buy 3 or more skeins of my beautiful yarn and get one skein (of equal value) FREE. This offer is good till December 30th. See my Etsy shop for details and to pick out your alpaca yarn.

Visit Bonnie Samuel Design’s Natural Yarns at Etsy. Our yarn is made from the fleeces of our own alpacas raised in Kansas. After we clean, sort, grade the annual clip we send to a speciality mill also in Kansas and the resulting yarn is fabulous. So stock up, buy some skeins for holiday gifts or for your own projects. Visit now.

In 1988, at an age when most women plan for retirement, Rosemary Heideman went into business for herself.  On Dec. 7, 1988 she opened The Rose Tree Fiber Shop in a tiny Main Street storefront in Ames, Iowa (later moving to present location), where she featured supplies, books and inspiration for weavers and spinners as well as knitters, basket makers and other fiber arts. In 2008 Rosemary is celebrating her 80th birthday and Rose Tree’s 20th anniversary.

If you live in the Ames, Iowa area, come celebrate the 20th anniversary of Rose Tree Fiber Shop at 2814 West St., Ames on Saturday, December 8th, 10 am to 3 pm. It will be a festive occassion and a tribute to an accomplished woman who has helped so many fiber artisans over the years with her expertise….and wit.

Visit the shop’s website too….here.

When animals are shorn, or combed in some cases, the harvested fiber must then be sorted as to micron range, hand, color, and length. Why? Imagine your hair as very coarse on top of your head and fine on the left, but fine and broken on the right. Just what would do with hair like that!!! So if you combined all these variances together, the resulting end product would be frightful to say the least.

Let me give you some definitions:

Micron is the measurement of the diameter of a single strand of hair. The fiber is ‘graded’ for micron range, ie fine, medium, coarse.
Hand refers to the feel of the fiber on the hand. Good sorters assess the fineness and uniformity of the fiber by feel as well as eye.
Color is the hue of the fiber.
Length is the measurement of a strand or bundle of fiber. Fiber is sorted by length, usually about a 1 inch variance. Fiber which has wide variances in length would make for very itchy fiber indeed as the shorter lengths would stick out.

Another factor to consider is “tensile strength” which is simply the actual strength of the fiber. Animals who have been ill, had poor diets or suffered stress will likely have weakened and broken fiber. Even if it could withstand the processing, it would be weak yarn and frustrating to work with.

The objective in sorting and grading shorn fiber is to combine like fibers to then be processed into a particular type of yarn for an appropriate end use. Will the yarn be used for fine textiles or lingerie, knitting sweaters with bulk or drape, will it be suitable for weaving rugs or scarves? As noted in a recent post here, “What Makes Good Fiber,” transforming fiber from the alpaca, sheep, goat or rabbit into sensational, beautiful yarn takes knowledge and skill. You as the consumer, can feel and see the difference.

Coming up: What are micron ranges for sorting?, Characteristics of Alpaca Fiber, Fiber Weights and Best Uses and much more!

Thanks to Valerie for the following comment left in response to my “What Makes Good Yarn” post. She makes an excellent point. Visit Valerie’s blog too.

Valerie’s comment: Wait! don’t forget the handspinners who are taking that fleece to produce yarn.

When I purchase part of an alpaca blanket (say 4-6 oz of raw fiber), I’m hoping there will be uniformity in the part that I purchased.

I don’t mind so much doing the sorting myself when I purchase the whole blanket to process and spin myself.

But I do get annoyed if I purchase that small amount and at per oz price and it ends up being a bunch of odds and ends. (it has happened to me!).

In response to:  What Makes Good Yarn? Artist Beware!, 2008/11/09 at 7:57 AM