A Warm Farm Welcome & This Month’s Yarn Story

Hello friends, and greetings from our little corner of the countryside—where the mornings start with alpaca hums, the air carries the soft scent of hay, and the work of our hands meets the beauty of nature. This month, we’re delighted to share the journey of our alpaca fiber: from the backs of our gentle, long-lashed friends to the refined, hand-touched yarns resting gracefully on our shop shelves.

Settle in with something cozy; here’s what it takes to turn your favorite alpacas fiber to yarn!.

Why Alpaca Fiber? 

• Hypoallergenic
• No Lanolin
• Wicks Moisture
• Anti Fungal, Anti Bacterial (which needs moisture to thrive, alpaca fiber wicks moisture)
• Fire Retardent (doesn't support combustion (fire)
• Non Itchy - Flatter and smoother scales (when compared to sheeps wool)
• Requires less care/washing, no harsh chemicals to wash the fleece
• Stays naturally soft and gentle on the skin
• Doesn't carry airborn irritants which helps patients with allergies and asthma
• Superior Thermal regulation; Hollow core creates better temperature regulation, Lightweight, warmer than wool, helps keep you warm in cold weather and release heat in hot weather to keep you cooler.
• It lasts a long time!

A Closer look at the Fleece: Rustic Care Meets Elegant Craft

After Shearing day - our lively celebration of fresh starts and fluffy makeovers-we gently lay out each fleece for grading. It's a blend of down-home practicality and artisan attention to detail.

We consider:

• Micron Count: How exquisitly soft the fiber is-some fleeces truly feel like gathering armfuls of morning clouds.
  • The actual micron measurement is simply the diameter of one single fiber, measured in microns (µm).
  • 1 micron = 1/1,000,000 of a meter or 1/1,000 of a milimeter. 

When we say an alpaca has 20-micron fiber, it means;

• Each hair on that alpaca is about 20 microns thick.
  • Example: Human hair is usually 60-100 microns. Fine Alpaca can be 12-22 microns. Coarser alpaca fiber might be 28-35 microns.
  • The lab literally measures how many microns wide each fiber is, then averages them. Sample size is about 2-4" square sample of the 1sts or best fiber from the back.
• Staple Length: The length of each lock, perfect for creating smooth, durable, silky yarn.

Why Staple length matters;

• Mills need overlapping fibers long enough to grip, twist, and spin into yarn. 
• Too short = hard to spin
• Nice and Long = smooth, strong yarn

Staple length and Yarn Type

• Longer staples -->strong yearn, often smooth
• Shorter staples --> softer loft, but weaker structure

What are typical staple lengths in alpaca?

• Huacaya: 2.5-5.5 inches (6-14 cm)
• Suri: 4-10 inches (10-25 cm)

What does staple length look like?

• A staple length is what you hold up after shearing - a little lock of organized, wavy fiber (Huacaya) or a silky rope like strand (Suri).
• Crimp and Uniformity: The natural wave and consistency that gives alpaca yarn its graceful drape.

What is Crimp and why is it so important?

• Crimp is the natural wave or zig-zag pattern you see in Huacaya alpaca fiber when you hold up a staple (bundle). 
• Suri fiber usually does not have crimp-it has luser and lock structure instead.

How does Crimp help in processing alpaca fiber?

• Crimp acts like natural velcro between fibers: The waves help fibers grab and twist together while spinning.
• More crimp = springy, stretchy, lofty yarn
• Less crimp = smoother, drapey yarn.

Crimp Signals Fiber Quality

• Even, consistent crimp means the yarn will be more uniform.
• High-frequency crimp often means soft, fine fiber.
• Irregular crimp can create uneven yarn. 

Now we look at Uniformity (The Secret to Beautiful Yarn)

• Uniformity means the fleece fibers are similar all the way through in:
  • Microns
  • Staple Length
  • Crimp Style
  • Color and Brightness
• Think of uniformity being the same size noodled, not a mix of Spaghetti noodles and Angel Hair.

Why does Uniformity matter to Mills?

• Makes processing: Smoother, More consistent, Less wasteful, and faster
• Producing yarn that is: Even in thickness, stronger, and more luxurious

**Poor uniformity forces the mill to: Remove more fiber, Deal with breakage, Slow down spinning, and End up with inconsistent yarn.

Now you have learned about fiber and what makes good yarn or other products. What does it take to get the fleece ready for processing

Why Mills Care:

• Clean Fiber is faster and cheaper to process. Lets back up right here, when you send fiber off to the mill you can choose to have them do all the work to skirt the fiber (Get rid of all the debris), however, it will cost you! 
  • Fiber received that has not been skirted, cleaned free from debris and non usable fiber will cost you more! Fiber is weighed upon receipt and therefore it will cost you more for less fiber used. It means your paying for the waist, Vegetable matter and everything else found in the fiber!
• Machines don't clog
• Less fiber gets thrown away
• Fewer hours is spent picking out debris
• Extra washes are avoided
• yarn ultimately comes out smoother and more professional.

Bottom Line Clean Yarn equals 

• Brighter Color
• Softer texture
• Less pilling
• No pokey bits in the final yarn

What else can impact the outcome of the yarn?

• Strength of the fiber, it should hold together when placed under stress.

Factors affecting strength

• Nutrition is one of the top factors! Good nutrition = strength, length, crimp, smoother more uniform fiber.
• Illness, poor nutrition, pregnancy, all impact what is needed to make good yarn.
• Bottom line strong fibers will handle washing, carding, spinning of the yarn. This is what makes smoother uniform yarn.
• Clean fiber takes less toll on the machines, it keeps them running longer without jams or snarls. 

When people visit I hear the words; "I want something natural, more sustainable, healthier..........

Sustainability, Woven Into Every Strand

Our alpacas tread softly—literally—with padded feet that protect the earth, modest grazing habits, and a gentle environmental footprint. Paired with small-mill processing and biodegradable fiber, alpaca yarn is a beautiful choice for both you and the planet.

Choosing our yarn supports ethical stewardship, sustainable practices, and a farm that pours heart into every skein.

Fiber with long life and little processing
Alpaca fiber often needs minimal chemical processing—no harsh scouring to remove lanolin (because alpacas produce almost none).
Less water + fewer chemicals = a cleaner production process.

Durable fiber that lasts
Alpaca yarn and garments are long-lasting and don’t pill easily, reducing the need for frequent replacement. Longevity = sustainability.

Biodegradable
Alpaca fiber is a natural, biodegradable material, meaning it eventually returns to the earth without contributing to microplastic pollution.

One slight problem, we don't have factories who can process the alpaca fiber and thus we rely on cottage mills. The wait time is 6-18 months with a 2-6 month turn around to have yarn made. Some companies in the USA use South American factories to turn fiber into yarn just to make, socks, gloves etc. in the US. Many here have to rely on South American made products to meet the demand for such a beautiful, soft, sustainable fiber. Let's share this information so we can have more of what we desire! NATURAL!

Now on Our Shelves

Each skein holds a piece of our farm’s story—of the alpaca who grew it, the hands that sorted it, the mill that spun it, and the love that brought it into your home.

Thank you for supporting our flock, our work, and our dream.

Love and Blessings,

Mrs. YaYa (Kathy)

Fiber Classes Available

Led by Mrs. YaYa  

Introductory Needle Felting Classes (ages 5+). Enjoy a 3-hour creative adventure with alpaca fiber. Ideal for families, friends, groups, and those cherished girls’ days together.                       $35.00/person

Wet Felting Classes (Age 8+). Spend 3 hours, playing with Warm soapy water and alpaca fiber to create your own, bowl, purse, flat piece…. With a kiddy hard plastic pool, bare feet on a warm day, imagine a small rug created under your feet!                                                                                                                     $35.00 +/person

For the avid sewer: Come needle felt a decorative piece of fabric you can turn into a pillow stuffed with the fluffy Fleece from and alpaca!                                                                                       $35.00+/per person

Ideal for families, friends, groups, and those cherished girls’ days together.

Hands on Fiber processing class offered once a month on Monday Afternoons. Please call to schedule your visit.                       $10.00 per person (Adult class only 16+) 

Call Mrs. YaYa (Kathy) for more details: 816-255-8146 or email: [email protected]