In my opinion, there is something really special about using local fleeces and I have been really fortunate to have been given a number of beautiful fleeces over the last year. Sadly, a number of people with small numbers of animals seem not to know what to do with their fleeces and I have been told that were I not to have taken their fleeces they would have been burnt!
Processing a fleece to get to a point where the fibre can be woven into a piece of gorgeous fabric is however very labour intensive. The fleece needs to be washed/scoured, woolpicked to remove vegetable matter, carded to align the fibres, spun and plied and possibly dyed. Then the weaving or knitting can begin. This indigo dyed alpaca scarf from the fleece of an alpaca called ‘Alfie’ was posted off to its new owner last week. I do hope they appreciate the love that has gone into making their scarf and if Alfie were to have a view I hope he would be pleased.
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