# llama fiber, spinning and felting



## InHisName (Jan 26, 2006)

Slick! that's what this llama fiber is- and could not get it on the wheel. Mixed it with 25% wool, still couldn't. Is there a trick? 
If I can't, will felt it- http://www.touchtheearthranch.com/fiber.htm
here are some felted projects from someone's llama farm- 
Does anyone have any pointers for spinning? What if I carded more wool with it? 
Teri


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Loosen the take up on the wheel. Slow down. Do you have a leader on the bobbin? I usually have one that is maybe a foot long, one end is tied to the bobbin the other is out the orifice and has a loop in the end. I'll predraft some of the fibers and loop those through the loop on the end of the leader. Get the tension so it is't grabbing the fibers out of your hands. Slowly increase the tension a fraction at a time until it feels right to you. You will want more twist in the fibers with alpaca, llama, mohair and angora. Depending how thick you want your singles you will need more or less twist.

How that helps you


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## InHisName (Jan 26, 2006)

Will try it! did get it going a bit, but on occassion, it would break off... 
took a bit and felted some of the light pink with plum and rose roses (with green at base)- this is for a hair scarf- looks beautiful. It does not shrink like wool, so will have some adjusting to do. The edges are rough, not sure what to do about that, perhaps will just needle felt them to get a hard edge.


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## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

Yes, llama and alpaca are quite different to spin than wool. It wants to be thin - and it's easy to get it too thin and then -snap-! I found that if I kept a dimension of the predrafted fibre in mind, it helped: just in front of my 'fibre holding hand', I needed to see the not-yet-twisted-fibre about 3 mm thick. If I let it get thinner than that, it got too fine and broke on me. I'm sure it'll be different for everyone, but maybe keeping an eye on that spot - in addition to Marchie's excellent suggestions - will help.


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

I have failed in my few attempts at spinning so far. But I keep trying. I LOVE the link! Thanks for posting it!


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Keeping your eye on the "drafting triangle" rather than the spun fibers is key to most spinning. As Frazzle suggests, the "drafting triangle" is the space between the spun fibers and the rest of the fibers ( the bump you are spinning from). That space between your hands rather than what is coming out of the twist.

Keep practicing, you'll get it. Slow treadle, slow spin, slow draft. light take up on the tension.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Keeping your eye on the "drafting triangle" rather than the spun fibers is key to most spinning. As Frazzle suggests, the "drafting triangle" is the space between the spun fibers and the rest of the fibers ( the bump you are spinning from). That space between your hands rather than what is coming out of the twist.

Keep practicing, you'll get it. Slow treadle, slow spin, slow draft. light take up on the tension.


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