Posted: July 1, 2025 | Last updated: July 1, 2025 A practical guide on how to set the twist, wash, and finish hand spun alpaca yarn to make it stable, soft, and ready for crafting projects.

Some prefer to spin from the locks, to flick or drum card, or to comb their fibers, while others have their fibers prepared commercially. It’s easy to see why many spinners aren’t hand carders.

In hand-woven baskets next to two of McHugh’s spinning wheels, she pulled out raw, dirty-looking wool freshly shorn, likely from locally raised sheep. Students are taught how to clean it in ...

“She taught me how to hand sheer and wash the fleece, card the fleece and get it prepared for spinning,” said Mrs. St. Jane. “She also taught me how to spin with unwashed wool which keeps ...

The festival has been running for 15 years and started when a local group was teaching the indigenous community how to spin wool and make beanies.