Some clumsy plying attempts and luscious alpaca

I have been practising my spinning which I definately need to do. I spun some black fleece that I was given, it was supposed to be merino but isn't as greasy as the merino fleeces I have and is so much easier to clean. Merino is a pain in the bum! I have tried every which way to get my merino fleece clean and I think I just got a particularly grotty one. The fibre is gorgeous but it has so much vegetable matter in it that i just can't get rid of.

The black fleece however is a pleasure to use, so I spun some of that and had a go at plying. My yarn is very lumpy bumpy and I have trouble getting it to grab onto the leader but once I'm on I'm ok.

I haven't got a swift so I rigged up my own out of coat hangers, curtain rod, electrical tape and a bottle. Works great and didn't cost a cent!

I have been busy sorting and washing Pearl's fleece. Pearl is my bottle reared crossbred ewe, my first baby. Being a crossbred her fleece is not as fine as merino but is easy to use so it's good for a beginner like me. I am spoilt for fleeces at the moment, I have 3 wool fleeces and my aunt gave me 3 alpaca fleeces. A fellow she knows was going to chuck them out!

I have a few small bags of coloured alpaca as well, and of course Billie the angora goat's mohair fleece. I washed some alpaca yesterday and it is divine, so soft and gorgeous. I love the variations in colour, so pretty.....There's a bit of vegetable matter in it but it comes out easily. I have to touch it every time I go past it, it's so yummy. I haven't a hope of buying an alpaca while I still have all this fleece so I think I'd better go spin some!