Fiber Arts Friday - 4 Star Alpaca Review

This weeks Fiber Art Friday post has been inspired by an amazing Michigan Fiber Artist and fellow Alpaca breeder, Tracey Koehler.  I have known Tracey basically through the internet but in the last year we've finally been able to meet face to face at shows.  Most recently, Tracey and I were stalled next to each other and I asked if she would answer some questions so I could share with you.

 Tell me about yourself How long have you been in the Alpaca business?

Wow, my first interview!
Well I am a wife and Mother to two. My Husband Bob and I run a concrete step company. I actually do the decorative line in concrete steps. I do overlays and give the steps a unique look, Stone, brick,flowers. I have always enjoyed anything creative and love to try different things. So we went from being cement farmers to Alpaca farmers.  We have had Alpacas for three years now. We were looking for a supplemental income as the construction field is very seasonal.  Currently we have a herd of 19 with 6 Cria due this year.

How did you get started? What kind of projects do you make and sell with your fiber?

I read books and watched videos on wet felting scarves and finally perfected the amounts to use. Guess what everyone got for Christmas this year?  Now that I was enjoying making scarves and they were actually turning out I was on a mission to get my bags and bags of fleece carded and ready for felting. So I would take a bag or two and spend the whole day carding fleece.  Great way to build up your arms!

I wanted to try different things so my next project was a hat.  Looked easy on the video, followed the directions step by step and never in a million years thought that it would actually end up being a hat. ( Well kind of a hat, discovered again that you need a lot more fleece than you think you do) I learned to really use a lot of thin layers and criss cross them. If it lay the fleece too thick it is hard to felt or you end up with bare spots. It is really kind of trail and error. From hats I have done a few purses, then I went on to bigger things

 I hear your creations have been published.  How did this happen? Any sales result from it?

I wanted to try nuno felting so I went and bought a yard of chiffon cut it in half and took over the kitchen.  I was nervous about trying this as it was going to be a lot of fleece and I had never done this before. Again make sure you use very thin layers and cool water as you really need to work it through the material before it actually starts to felt.  From this came my wrap that was featured in Camelid Quarterly.

That was just by chance, as I received a email asking if I had an item to submit I thought why not and sent a few pics of my wrap and it ended up in the magazine. I next moved on to the spinning wheel. A friend had given me some pencil roving to try. I got the hang of that pretty easy, but when it came time to use my carded batts I found out it was a bit tougher. Batts have to be separated and they do not stay together like rovings do so I was getting very frustrated. I am by no means any kind of an expert but I am really enjoying what I am doing and I love to learn new things.

Did you learn on your own or did you have help/classes?

Honestly I have just started getting creative with my fleece. I have had it in bags sitting and this Winter said to myself I have to learn to do something with this fleece. I purchased a drum carder and a spinning wheel.  Both of which I had no idea how to use!  I have learned by practicing, all of my work is self taught.  I learn better that, I have to just do it.  My first felting attempts were not too good as you do not really realize just how much fleece you really need. Several attempts with lots of holes and thin spots as I kept breaking the fleece as I was  drawing it out. Again more practice, practice, practice. I had to learn to go slower when feeding the fleece as it comes apart very easily.
Took a while but I finally got the hang of that and was so proud of my first skein that actually looked like yarn. I have done a bit of dying, so far I have only used kool aid but have done some really cool blends. I would love to try different dyes, get more earthy colors maybe even flowers and herbs for coloring. I have done some needle felting, started making small Alpacas the kids just love them. Needle felting is time consuming and let me tell those needles hurt!!!!
I have also done a bit of knitting, my knitting work has all been done on looms. I have to get the hang of those needles to do something besides a basic knit or purl stitch.

What words of advice would you give to someone just starting out?

If you are new and just learning do not give up, you will get the hang of it. And the feeling you get when you see that you have just taken a bunch of fleece out of a bag and turned it into a unique felted or knitted item is amazing.
Be proud and wear what you have made. I have had so many great comments on my hats and scarves, people really like them and there is no better way to advertise.

Do you have any tips or an easy project you would like to share?

Wet felting is really fun to do. All you need to get started is a roll of bubble wrap, some fleece and a vision of what you want to create. Lay out different colors in several thin layers on top of your bubble wrap, use more than you think you need I would say a good 2 in thick. Then get your hot soapy water and gently sprinkle it over the fleece evenly, put another layer of bubble wrap on top and roll it up.
Now this is where you get the work out, either on the counter or on the floor start rolling it back and forth gently at first you want the fibers to start to bind together. A the process starts to turn into felt you can remove the bubblewrap and really work the felt. Take out your frustrations, throw it down in the tub until it is fabric, the more you work it the stiffer it will get so you can keep feeling it as you go.
Rinse well with cool water and hang to dry.

Did I miss anything? 

I just opened a Esty shop this year and have had a few sales. I hope as more people give Alpaca a try they will be back for more.

Thank you, Tracey, for answering my questions.  Best wishes for the success of your farm and your fiber arts business. This week I've been sorting fiber for other farms and spinning some new Wonder Yarn. What have you been up to?
Fiber Arts Friday Blog Carnival!

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1. Submit your blog article to the next edition of fiber arts friday using our carnival submission form. Remember to submit your current blog address NOT your complete blog  i.e. you would submit 

http://wonderwhyalpacafarm.blogspot.com/2010/02/e-i-e-i-doh.html  

NOT 

http://wonderwhyalpacafarm.blogspot.com

1. Link back to Fiber Arts Friday from your post so that your readers can come and see everyone else’s projects! Text link to  WISDOM BEGINS IN WONDER!   
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