This machine is performing the final step in making yarn: combining three strands of yarn into one. The full process from animal to yarn includes the following:
- growing the fleece on the animal (in this case alpaca),
- shearing the fleece with an electric razor
- washing
- picking the fleece to tease open the locks of fibre into individual strands
- carding the fleece to brush the fibres into the same direction
- pulling the blanket of fibres that come off the carding bed into a long strand called "roving"
- spinning the roving into a "single" strand of yarn
- plying the singles by spinning in the in the opposite direction to finally create yarn
This machine is carefully tended by Lorne and his wife Donna. They have a herd of 80 angora goats out back (which is where mohair comes from). Lorne is a retired farm equipment mechanic. They have a modest Web site at www.wellingtonfibres.on.ca.
