Understanding how to select the right fleece for the right project is a skill best learned by handling the fibre, whilst having different attributes explained in detail. That was exactly what this session achieved, providing a depth of knowledge on different types, grades and uses.
Our committee and helpers had sourced a variety of alpaca fleeces, from the very good to the best put in the bin category. This was a real boon to our newbies, as the more inexperienced often don't know how to tell what is good, average or poor other than price.
Our volunteer tutors went through how to select a good fleece, how to prepare it and then onto some spinning to see what we could make. A 5ft table covered in alpaca fleece is not to be sneezed at, unless of course, you're inclined that way.
To finish off, we were all allowed to take some samples home to play with at our leisure. Hopefully, we'll get to see what all the fluff turns into in the near future.
