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Home > Alpaca Roving - How To Make Fabulous Yarn
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Alpaca Roving - How to Make Fabulous Yarn by Debby McCandless
You can make fabulous yarn with alpaca roving. Whether you purchase your roving or you make your own, the trick to making stunning yarn with roving is in the preparation.
First, you must decide what your project is going to be. Alpaca roving is usually used for worsted projects. Don't be afraid to try it in some other project or make up samples so you know what that roving can do for you. If people didn't break the rules sometimes, wonderful things wouldn't be discovered.
Alpaca roving is different from batts. Fibers in batts that are run through a drum carder are not aligned. The fibers in rovings that you run through a drum carder are aligned. Roving staples are put through a drum carder in a way to make the fibers parallel. This is the important difference between the two.
I had a major "ahha!" moment when I learned how to prep my roving. Instead of fighting the fiber, it was working for me. My spinning was easier and faster, the yarn was more even, and those nasty lumps disappeared. I made beautiful yarn, finally. You can, too. Be patient with your alpaca roving. The extra time spent will reward you in the end product.
The secret to the prep is drafting before you spin. You want to stretch the fiber thinner and thinner. Why is this so important?
If you have an alpaca roving and don't do any drafting prior to spinning, you will have a lot more work to do while spinning. More fibers can pull out when drafting while spinning causing thicker and thinner areas in your yarn. Those lumps are ok if you mean to make that type of yarn for a special project, but normally you don't want them in there. Your customers, if you are selling, will most likely want a smooth yarn.
So, now it makes sense why your spinning goes faster, right? If you have less drafting to do while spinning, it won't take you as much time. The sooner your alpaca roving is spun up, the sooner you can start your project.
Spinners are tempted to just jump in and start spinning with their alpaca roving. This is a mistake. You will be unhappy with your final results. If you take time with the preparation, you can make fabulous yarn from this luxurious fleece. So, prep your roving and happy spinning!
About the Author
Read more about prepping and making your own alpaca roving (http://www.owning-alpaca.com/alpaca-roving.html). Debby McCandless has raised alpacas for seven years.
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