Baby Alpaca Fleece

I sat down today and picked some of the special fleece I've been saving.  Baby alpaca, Jacqueline.  My friend gave me her best baby fleece and I am so excited to finally be able to use it for a project.

I started a hat with some of my handspun yarn using a tabbed button brim.  I LOVE it but unfortunately didn't have enough yarn to finish the body of the hat.  I decided to use the baby alpaca fleece that I had gotten awhile back that coordinates with the button.

After picking 4 ounces, I washed the gorgeous fleece in the bathroom sink. I use a salad spinner to wring the water out of the fleece without it matting.  Then  I use a window screen over the bathtub to dry the fiber.  This enables the fleece to be dried on both sides without having to flip.  It is faster and the dust falls through the screen so it's even cleaner.

Next step will be to spin it and set it and then I can use the yarn for the rest of the hat. So fun and special as I know and love the cute little alpaca that this fiber is from.

This is Jacqueline, she is such a cutie.  Thank you Beacon Bend Alpacas for the beautiful fiber 

and for letting me post this photo of Jacqueline and her mom, Fedora.