Alpaca Fun
Edit: I have been corrected by Mrs. Reidlinger that this is not alpaca fleece and is actually Rambouillet sheep's fleece. The brown fleece is also sheep but it was obtained a long time ago so its breed is unknown. I don't feel like editing the whole thing, so please accept this disclaimer! Since it is absolutely beautiful outside, I figured I would use up what free time I have and come back to my neglected blog. Earlier this winter, I was given a huge box of super dirty alpaca fleece from a family friend of David's. It was shorn two years ago and had been sitting ever since, so it was sent to me for practice. It's some crazy practice. This is what I'm starting with: I've pulled out straw, styrofoam, plants, hundreds of burrs, a piece of wire, plastic strips, and two-year-old poop balls. This fleece is dirty as hell and starting to matt up in some spots. But underneath is a beautiful buttery-soft layer of heaven. And after washing, it's actually ...