Alpaca fleece

Today I sorted out some small amounts of fleece into their colours,. washed / dried and carded them. Apparently these processes are optional, but it was a personal choice to do them. Apart from getting rid of traces of undesirable debris !...it gave me a chance to feel the different textures. The white feels course, and the brown feels the softest. The black and grey are inbetween. All are l o v e l y though.
These 'tops', are literally just tops;. each measuring 2ins max. 'Seconds' really, but ideal for what I'm doing with them. 
Carrie showed me her spinning wheels on my visit., and demonstrated how to spin with the best quality prepared fleece. Alpaca knits beautifully. Very soft, and not itchy. I imagine that incorporating it into a piece of knitting  would give another dimension to texture. (You know where I am Tammy).

   I was comparing the beautiful natural colours of the fleece to those of Cookie and Max.
Umm..? ! Similarities !

I think the caption here could read ...'Do yer reckon we're next for 'the chop ? !! '  



Ah bless 'em...however at the next grooming session, I may be tempted to recycle the contents of the slicker brush.!  Max is 10yrs old now (rescued at 6wks old) and Cookie is a collie /shepherd about 3yrs old (rescued at 18months) Luv 'em both to bits.

Does anyone else remember the time when there used to be a funny phrase or saying on the backs of matchboxes?
I remembered the following whilst carding the fleece earlier...

Naughty little Willie Frazer,
Stole his dad's electric razor.
Rugs and mats that once were hairy..
Now are bald... and so's the canary !