GLAA provides this information as a resource to its members and alpaca friends in the Great Lake region.  They do not constitute any recommendations or endorsements.


About Alpaca Fiber

Fleece Evaluation
from Llamapaedia
The Alpaca (Fiber) Trade
by Derek Mitchell
The Kaleidoscope and Fiber Evaluation
by Eric Hoffman
Alpaca: Fiber of the Future; the Future of the Fiber
by Ian Davidson
Alpaca: The Fibre of the Gods
Geoff Lenehan
Alpaca Fibre
Ian Knox of the Australian Alpaca Association
Basic Measurement of Alpaca
Cameron Holt of the Australian Alpaca Association
The Wool Industry Faces A Prickly Question: Are People Allergic to Wool?
by Mike Safley of Northwest Alpacas (registration required)
Fiber as a Transitory Medium: Factors Affecting a Histogram
by Eric Hoffman
Don’t Let Micron Madness Crimp Your Style
by Mike Safley of Northwest Alpacas (registration required
The Role of Crimp in the Textile Process
by Mike Safley or Northwest Alpacas (registration required)
Achieving High Fleece Weights: The Key to Successful Fiber Production
by George H. Davis
Available from AOBA Library
Observations on Fleece Color Inheritance Patterns
by George Davis
Some Views on Evaluating Suri Fiber
by Mike Safley (registration required)
Suri Fiber Processing
Juan P. Pepper
Interview with Expert Bolivian Wool Sorter Miguel Azucena
by Andy Tillman
Understanding and Interpreting Micron Testing
by Angus McColl
Micron Testing Articles
from Yocom-McColl
Harvesting of Textile Animal Fibers
from UN Food and Agriculture Organization

About Spinning

What Makes It a Quality Alpaca Fleece?
Preparing Alpaca Fiber For Hand Spinning
Spinning Prepared Alpaca Fiber
all from LuxuryFiber.com
How-to instruction and products online
from The Joy of Handspinning

About Felting

We welcome any suggestions!

Books

Spinning Llama and Alpaca
Chris Switzer, Switzerland Enterprises, 1994
Turning Wool Into a College Industry
Paula Simmons, Storey Publishing, 1991
Hands on Spinning
Lee Raven, Interweave Press, 1987
Handspinning
Eliza Leadbeater, Select Books, 1983
The Whole Craft of Spinning: From the Raw Material to the Finished Yarn
Carol Kroll, Dover Publications, 1981

Shearing Resources

Online Alpaca Shearing Class
by John Merrell of Gateway Farms Alpacas
Complete Alpaca Shearing Guide to Better Fleeces & Show Success DVD set
by Ted Chepolis of Pine Lake Alpacas
AFCNA Clip Care Manual
Sheep Stuff
Romeo, MI
810-798-2568
Michigan Fiber Festival
Classes held each August in Allegan MI
Northern Michigan Lamb and Wool Festival
Classes held each September in West Branch MI

Regional Shearers

Dave Binkowski
Ionia, MI
616-527-1137
David Abel, Gentle Touch Alpaca Shearing
712.933.2637
712.260.0326 (cell)
Tom and Becky McMillan, Magic Willows Alpacas
414.217.5836 (cell)
Hartford, WI
Suzanna McFall, Rising Sun Exotics
Green Bay, WI
Brent Winslow
MN
507-437-7840
Roger Douglas
WI and Northern IL
608-879-2770
Dave Easter
Empire, MI
231-228-7933

Micron Testing

Yocom-McColl
Denver, CO

Fiber Co-ops and Pools

NEAFP – New England Alpaca Fiber Pool
NFP – Natural Fiber Producers
Rocky Mountain Llama Fiber Pool

Regional Fiber Processing Mills

We welcome any suggestions!

Other Resources

See the June 2002 GLAA Newsletter for an excellent and lengthy list of other fiber resources, including books, videos, stores, mills, and shearers.

The GLAA Fiber Committee has also produced an excellent Powerpoint presentation on alpaca fiber and processing which is free to members for use in seminars and at events.  Contact a fiber committee member for more information.