Aunt Geri here – I just finished spinning this black yarn.  The fiber is from Gazellie, a little black alpaca that lives in Iowa at C&M Acres.

Our goal was to test the fiber processing done by C&M Fiber Mill, which is one of the few mills that adds an extra step (pin drafting) to their process.  I found that a gentle, thorough pre-draft produces a smooth, fast spin, partially due to the lack of any foreign debris.  The yarn did leave black streaks on my fingers and required 2 washings.  Then I remembered – Gazellie lives in Iowa where the soil is black, rich, and loamy.  We are just used to decomposed granite dirt in Colorado and Wyoming!

As I was winding the yarn into a ball, I stopped.  Looking at the yarn, I thought ” I can’t believe that I actually MADE this yarn!  OMG!”  Then I compared it to some mill spun yarn that I had bought from C&M – mine was actually smoother and more consistent.  These moments make it all worthwhile!