Alpacas

While in Ohio, I was able to see my sister-in-law and her husband's alpacas they bought this past year. I was surprised at how small they are! I knew they were smaller than llamas, but didn't realize how much smaller. They are so cute, but very skittish.

The 3 boys. They are so cute. The chocolate one is 

the largest at approximately 80 lbs, while the ecru one 

is about 65 lbs, and the white one is only about 50 lbs. 

They bought 3 alpacas this past spring for fun. Initially they were loaded with wool, but they were shaved in the late spring for the summer and still haven't grown all their wool back in. Their wool is all different. The ivory one has soft, curly hair. The tan one's hair is a bit softer, but kinky, while the chocolate one has the softest, most luxurious hair!! (I don't know if it's called hair, fiber, or wool, or if the terms are used interchangeably.)

Chocolate boy. The wool on his head reminds me of a mop - I think

it makes him look adorable! (My sister-in-law in the background is 

holding him still, so I can pet him and get his mug shot.) 

Littlest boy. He was the cutest and the most curious. 

He let me pet him and wasn't as skittish as the other two. 

Middle boy. He had to be held, too, so I could get a 

photo of his sweet face. 

My sister-in-law said they found that they couldn't sell the fiber for much, so I'm going to get some of the fiber, wash it up and card it. I'll dye some of it and keep some in its natural color to use for roving for fiber art. I'm very tempted to learn how to spin. Alpaca yarn is just wonderful for knitting or crocheting. There is a local yarn store that teaches spinning and allows the wheels to be rented while you are learning, so you don't have to invest in them while deciding if you like it or not. It's definitely a thought!!