There are two types of alpacas, Huacaya and Suri. While both types of alpacas produce lovely hand spinning fleeces, Huacaya fleeces are the type most readily available and these fleeces spin up into soft, lovely yarns.

While processed Huacaya fibers are available for spinning, we all know that buying processed fibers is more expensive and that we can save a bit of money by doing our own processing. A Huacaya fleece is very easy to process for spinning so it becomes simple matter of knowing what to look for to select a good hand spinning fleece.

The first step in selecting a Huacaya fleece is simply to look at the fleece and feel it. Is it attractive? Does it feel soft to the touch? Or is there something about it that just gives a negative first impression? If it just doesn’t look right, pass that fleece by.

Next, look at the staple length. Alpaca fibers are slipperier than wool fibers so should be at least 3” long for ease in processing and spinning. The maximum length for ease in carding is about 8 inches but if you plan to comb the fleece then a longer staple length could be considered provided that the locks are structurally sound and there is no fleece break.

Check the fleece for cleanliness. Large bits of vegetable matter (VM) are easy to pick up but small bits are very difficult to remove. Pick up a good chunk of the fleece and give it a light shaking, preferable over a sheet of white paper or cloth and see if tiny bits of VM or dirt fall out. Also check the bag (if any) that the fleece is in – if there is an accumulation of dirt in the bag, it’s a good indication that there is an accumulation of dirt in the fleece. Also look for stains and other foreign matter in the fleece.

Carefully check the cut side of the fleece for second cuts and check the tip side for sun burned or otherwise damaged tips. Both of these things can cause neps when the fleece is processed.

Alpacas have guard hairs. These are coarse fibers that look like hair in the fleece. Look for them at the tips of the locks of fleece. If they will affect the quality of the yarn they will be very evident and you can grasp them and pull them from the fleece. Since there are many fine alpaca fleeces available that do not contain coarse guard hairs, it’s best to pass up a fleece that has them. Guard hairs will cause a garment made from that yarn to feel “picky”.

Huacaya fibers have crimp or crinkle so check for this. The crimp will be very similar to that in wool but with a looser crimping pattern. It should be well defined and uniform through out the fleece. Crinkle is the term used to describe a fleece with less well-defined, more disorganized crimping pattern. While both are acceptable, my personal preference is towards the better defined crimping pattern.

Also, look at the staple structure. Huacaya fleeces should have consistent well-defined bundles of staples. The more well defined the staple structure, the easier the fleece is to process.

Check that all the characteristics of the fleece are uniform through out the entire fleece. Does the whole fleece look healthy and lively? Is it strong or weathered? Is the staple length the same through out? What about the color? Does the fleece appear bright, does it reflect light or is it dull and drab?

How does it handle? Does it feel nice and soft or harsh and rough? Is it matted or cotted? Does it have weak tips or a fleece break or is it strong and healthy?

Note that alpacas just love to roll in the dirt. This means that all alpaca fleeces will have some degree of dirt. Check your hands after examining a fleece: Do you have black fingertips? If so, that is an indication that there is a lot of dirt in the fleece. Many alpaca breeders go to great lengths to remove this dirt before shearing their fleeces. As alpaca is normally processed and spun without prior washing, pass by a fleece that leaves your fingers looking foul in favor of a cleaner fleece.

To process your Huacaya fleece, simply flick card the locks and spin.