There really is no getting away from the fibre business...

The hotel we are staying in in Burgstadt whilst Shirley judges the Alpaka Show Ost is a converted textile spinning  mill. The fibre business chases you everywhere...The machines are no longer running but the place is packed tonight  with German Alpaca breeders, celebrating their annual show, all of whom wish they knew just a smidgeon of what has been forgotten here.

Ladies of TOFT looking fab at Ally Pally

Told you the ladies of TOFT could do it. Kerry the Wonder Lord has done it again. The stand looks fabulous ladies enjoy!

Alpaca fleece sorting

Well there you go another day another dollar.
Harriet and I spent all day yesterday in a cold shed sorting through alpaca fleece for the Toft Alpaca Shop. We buy in tons of fleece a year from alpaca breeders all over the UK which we sort and spin into yarns to supply the shop. We sell many different grades of yarn in a multitude of colours and it's all made in the UK.
The beginning of this process begins on days like yesterday when the fleeces have to be sorted and graded into the batches for the mill. It's a mucky old job and you certainly feel as if you've done a days work at the end of it. Huge gratitude to the man/woman who invented the power shower!
This is the view from the shed and as you can see the alpacas are outside enjoying the sun. Somedays it can feel like they have the best deal... but there again the sleeping outside bit with only a woolly jumper to keep off the frost would definitely not suit. I think I'll stick with the shed!