Dumb Question About Fiber

[SkyWarrior]

Come spring, I'm going to be trimming and combing out both my adopted llamas!

Now, I suspect that the coats, being in the rough condition probably wouldn't work for fiber for spinning -- would that be true? Or could I send a raw sheared coat to a fiber spinning place for yarn?

Second question: Once their coats grow back, what is the best way to clip them for fiber for yarn?

Honestly, I'm not super serious about fiber, but I do knit and it would be cool to use their fiber in my knitting.

Also, if you wash your llamas, what shampoos do you use? What about Mane and Tail?

 

[ksalvagno]

People who want to spin the fiber usually use electric shears.

You could use this fiber for felting but I'm sure it is no good for making into yarn for knitting.

If you send the fiber into a mill, then you would definitely want them shorn by electric clippers and you will want to pull the guard hairs out.

They do have a special shampoo for llamas that you could buy at Quality Llama Products or Steven's Llamatique but I think most people don't wash their llamas unless they show them. I have never bathed a llama or alpaca so I don't know what other products could be used. You have to be careful because you could ruin the fiber for product use.

 

[SkyWarrior]

People who want to spin the fiber usually use electric shears.

You could use this fiber for felting but I'm sure it is no good for making into yarn for knitting.

If you send the fiber into a mill, then you would definitely want them shorn by electric clippers and you will want to pull the guard hairs out.

What kind of electric shears do you use? (Are these different from electric clippers?) Secondly, how close do your shear them? I want to have the hair grow out in our short summer so they're protected during winter.

Lastly, how do you keep their coats from picking up every little thing? I swear Sid's coat is here to floss the hillsides!

 

[ksalvagno]

I have the big clippers made by Andis. The cutter and comb are two separate pieces that you put on the unit. I buy the Camelid comb to leave a little more on them. We always shear the end of April. Even if it is a little cold, you may want to shear in the March/April timeframe. How much fiber you leave on is up to you but it sounds like he really needs to be shorn down good. Here we leave probably about 1/4" but that is with the professional shearer and my shears probably leave about 1/2". Shears and clippers are kind of interchangeable words around here.

You can buy coats for them or make them yourself if they need a little protection when shorn. Quality Llama Products make coats and you give them your llama's measurements.

It may be that once the new fiber grows in, there won't be a problem with stuff sticking to it. I have no problems with a lot of stuff getting into my llama and alpaca fiber. There is always a little vegetation but usually not much.

 

[elevan]

I swear Sid's coat is here to floss the hillsides!

I know what you mean!! I got my llama 3 months ago. He's about 4 years old and has never been shorn. He seems to collect everything...though he does put the pine tree to use as a llama brush! Now if I could get my 10 week old doeling to stop jumping onto his back and poo'ing there he would probably be in better shape!