# Camel Down .......



## Miz Mary (Feb 15, 2003)

I am learning supported spindling ... I ordered a kit that has a spindle, and camel down ...... 

https://www.etsy.com/listing/58288621/takli-combo-spinning-kit?ref=shop_home_active_6

GOODNESS !! Camel down is my ultimate favorite to spin !!! SO soft , and easy to spin in a lace weight !!! Who would have thunk it was from a CAMEL ?!

WIHH, didnt you have a thread about this last year ?? I tried to search for it but came up with nothing ! 

Now I want to try a braid of camel and silk ....... :spinsmiley:


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## raccoon breath (Aug 5, 2010)

http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/co...s/496678-north-country-fiber-fair-2013-a.html


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## rabbitgeek (Mar 22, 2008)

Haha! I saw "Camel Down" and I thought we had a livestock problem!

Have a good day!


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## Taylor R. (Apr 3, 2013)

My thought as well, rabbitgeek. I was sitting here thinking, "I had no idea Miz Mary had a camel."


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## Wind in Her Hair (Jul 18, 2002)

I know! The fiber is fabulous!

I am spinning some yak right now and after that, I am spinning my camel!

I think a camel vest would be awesome.


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## hotzcatz (Oct 16, 2007)

Hmm, good thing this is the fiber forum, can you imagine how the livestock forum would deal with "camel down" and "spinning some yak" and "spinning my camel"? They would be concerned about us if we were to post on their forum.

Does camel down have a long staple length? I don't think I've ever seen any.


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## Miz Mary (Feb 15, 2003)

THANK YOU Raccoonbreath !!! I couldnt find it !!!

hotzcatz, its short staple.....

Hahaaaaaa !! Camel Down DOES sound funny !!!


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## Kasota (Nov 25, 2013)

Now I want to find some camel fiber. Is it really that soft?


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## Miz Mary (Feb 15, 2003)

YES .....it's REALLY that soft !!! It's softer than Merino ! I'm trying so keep myself from ordering more, but if I DO .......

https://www.etsy.com/listing/158552...type=gallery&ga_ship_to=ZZ&ga_search_type=all


or 


https://www.etsy.com/listing/178510282/handpainted-baby-camelsilk-roving-4-oz


Am I being a good enabler ?!?


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## Kasota (Nov 25, 2013)

Oh, Miz Mary! You are just the BEST enabler ever! LOL!! 

I wonder if that person sells stuff on Ebay as well as Etsy? I have a 10.00 coupon from PayPal for any Ebay purchase that is 25.00 or more.


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## Miz Mary (Feb 15, 2003)

Crystalcreekfibers has some on eBay ! Good shipping price too !!


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## raccoon breath (Aug 5, 2010)

Your welcome. I'm always reading and came across it a couple day ago.


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## Wind in Her Hair (Jul 18, 2002)

good sleuthing, raccoon breath! Thanks for finding that. :goodjob:



hotzcatz said:


> Does camel down have a long staple length? I don't think I've ever seen any.


As a general rule- (others correct me if I am wrong) DOWN refers to the soft, SHORT, undercoat of an animal.

Looking at this bactrain camel, you can see he has several lengths of fiber- from the long shaggy mane and "ruff" (on his neck and throat), to the shorter fiber on his ribcage, etc. 

The down would likely reside UNDERNEATH the longer fiber on the ruff and neck. If you were to comb through the long coat with a fine tooth comb, the comb would catch the finest fibers and pull them loose and THAT would be the "down".

So, to answer your question, the DOWN is soft and short - but camels, llamas, bison, and musk ox also have some long haired fiber as well.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

It is usually very short, similar in length to, cashmere, qiviut, vicuÃ±a, bison...... They are all the soft undercoat of their respective animals.


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## raccoon breath (Aug 5, 2010)

Many years ago, I went to a wildlife park and saw camels up close. There was just fencing between us and they came right up to say hello. The water tank was also right there, and that's when I learned that camels can drink and pee at the same time. :shrug: A woman who lives here has a camel. I haven't figured out who she is but when I do, maybe she'll let me collect some down next year if her camel is socialized enough to let me.


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## Wind in Her Hair (Jul 18, 2002)

raccoon breath said:


> A woman who lives here has a camel. I haven't figured out who she is but when I do, maybe she'll let me collect some down next year if her camel is socialized enough to let me.


 only the two-humpers (Batrain) have the longer, down fiber. Dromerdaries are the "desert" type of camel and they don't grow downy coats.


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## raccoon breath (Aug 5, 2010)

Thank you WIHH. Yes, I know what Bactrian camels are. I live in northern Az where the elevation is high, winters are typically very snowy and E.F. Beale used both one humped and 2 for his trip down the Beale Wagon Trail, a road that is still there today and runs right in front of my house. It has little signs marking the road with little camels on them. Lol He used both kinds of camel because one is better for passengers and the other is better for hauling supplies. For those history buffs, the actual trip happened in 1858 and 33 of both Bactrian and Arabian (aka dromedary) camels were purchased, then there was a return trip to Egypt for 40 more. The camels were trained for the trip across the trail. Very cool bit of history.


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## raccoon breath (Aug 5, 2010)

So, I talk fiber animals and I start getting excited! I was trying to locate the woman who has one that lives around here and ended up finding a website with camel classifieds. lol Who can we count on to raise camel fiber for us?? 

http://www.camelphotos.com/cgi-bin/ads.cgi?ct=baby_bactrian


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