SORTING NOTES:
As of Friday, June 17 2011, we've sorted a total of 150 lbs within 6 days of project start. There are groups forming throughout CA with producers sorting to specs and we'll be able to add their totals by the end of next week. Next, we need to get fiber from various points in the state to Paso Robles, to reach our 2,000 lb goal for baling at SLO Cal Poly mid July.
Thanks to those in local Fiber Friday group who helped us on our shearing day! I was able to speed up Alpacazonia fiber collection project, because entire tumbled short blankets are usable without any waste and I was able to sort a total of 40 lbs quickly the past two days! Pre skirting and recording stats on shearing day is well worth the effort!
We received a piece of sample yarn from manufacturer to illustrate what they use in their product. When the ends are unplyed, you can see what "grade 6" looks like. 8 ply - worsted.
The project's mill told me that Suri fiber is OK to include in bales, as long as it fits length/grade criteria! So, if you have robust Suri leg/neck/blanket that's short, we can add it to the 2,000 lb goal.
I found a missing brush, hidden in the middle of a leg bag, after I'd turned the tumbler on. What a racket! One more reason to skirt and sort soon after shearing day. Not a good thing to ship bags unexamined prior to sending out for processing....mills charge on incoming weight for washing, even if you're charged outgoing weight on resultant yarn/roving/felt or batts and goodbye object de arte forever!
Sorting isn't so bad, once you get started. Actually, getting intimate with one's fleeces tells you everything you need to know about your herd and future business decisions.
For example, it's silly to do stove pipe show cuts on legs, especially since we stopped dragging alpacas to shows, because fibers are then too short for production. It was also noted by local shearer that it’s not good for alpacas either, to leave leg fiber on during the heat of summer. From now on, shear those legs and harvest the fiber for maximum profit and less sorting labor! Your alpacas will benefit too!
Tip: Use hay bale string cut into short pieces to tie up noodled blankets. Easy to tie and great recycling! Tie with half hitch in order to untie easily. Once graded, these bags are ready to go into production.
1st 20 lb bag – Grade 6 short, clean, sorted and ready to bale! Now, if I could only lose 20 lbs myself, I’d be that much smaller!
Sandra Wallace
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