A is for Alpaca

Big Horn Mountain Alpacas is where I purchased my favorite swap thing ever. The recipient really wanted a drop spindle and alpaca is one of her favorite fibers. I was delighted to find this company's inexpensive spindle and fiber kits. They even come with a picture of the alpaca that the fiber came from.

Here are a few fun alpaca facts from the Georgia Alpaca Association:

• Alpacas have no teeth on top, instead they have a dental pad and do not bite.


• Alpacas were first imported to the United States in 1984, but are no longer legally imported.


• There is no need to groom or bathe alpacas but they do need to have their toenails trimmed.


• Alpacas are shorn once a year. You can expect to get any where from four to ten pounds of fleece from a single animal.