This spring I was able to meet one more goal of our farm. I have aimed to have a low waste farm where we use every part of all of our products. One example is our Baby Blossom Milk Bath in a Bag. We use all of our soap shavings in a wonderful product that makes for a luxurious bath soak. It's hard to keep in stock!
When my alpaca herd is sheared every spring, I send off the best part of the fleece (called "the blanket") to have woven into fine alpaca yarn. There is always part of the fleece (fiber from the alpaca's neck, legs and belly) that is not suited for yarn. I use some of that for our felted goat milk soaps... a washcloth and soap all in one!
However, even after felting hundreds of goat milk soap bars, I still had extra fiber and I refused to have stored alpaca fiber hanging out on spare shelves. I've heard stories of other alpaca owners with rooms and attics full of bags of unprocessed fiber! And I don't want to have that happen to me so when I read about Soundview Fiber, located in western Washington, weaving rugs from alpaca seconds, I was intrigued. Very intrigued...
This fiber mill spins rug yarns and weaves rugs using alpaca fiber, all of the seconds that could not be used for yarn. Perfect! After contacting them and discussing back and forth what I had, I sent off all of the leftover alpaca fiber to be made into rugs. For a few weeks before our annual shearing date, I had NO extra fiber at all at the farm! Goal met. At present, do not ask me about extra fleeces hanging around since our shearing was just last week. But plans are in the works.
I was like a child anticipating Christmas morning, waiting for the rugs to be shipped back. Last Saturday, the coveted box had arrived So scrumptious! They turned out better than I ever imagined. Simply gorgeous and all natural colors from my alpacas: Luna, Darby, and Nutmeg. And each alpaca fiber rug is unique, one of a kind … no duplicates.
Our rugs have an extraordinary softness and
natural luster. Even our youngest, Little Farmer, approved. After testing it out with his bare toesies, he requested to take his nap stretched out on a rug.
Did you know that in spite of their toe-tapping softness, alpaca fiber rugs are also exceptionally durable? They will last 15-20 years as their fiber is resilient, naturally strong. Because of that, the rugs are resistant to tearing and normal wear. Our natural colors will blend with so many styles that its truly great that they can last so long!
These days more people are wanting sustainable products. These rugs are sustainable. Alpaca fiber is a natural fiber that is biodegradable if you left it on the ground outside. In addition, alpacas are a low impact animal. How so? Well, they graze without pulling up roots so the grasses regenerate quickly. And their padded feet are gentle on the ground, unlike large hooved animals. They are considered to be a sustainable alternative to other livestock. Besides, who can resist a cute alpaca out in a field? I sure can't.
Where do you put an alpaca rug? Well, perhaps beside your bed or maybe by your favorite arm chair, or maybe in the bathroom in front of your sink. Another option is to put it over your ottoman.
It feels so satisfying to have a rug handcrafted with the fiber of my animals grazing right outside my kitchen window. My next goal? To weave my own alpaca rug on my Gilmore loom with rug yarn spun from Darby, Crimson, Iona, Nutmeg, Luna, Phantom, Lolly, Catalina, and Apple.
Yep, you guessed it, the herd is expanding.
Can't wait.
The herd might be expanding, but the selection of my alpaca rugs is limited as two have already sold. Order here.
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