Quilting & Alpacas: A Wonderful Combination

I became interested in talking with Nancy just because I saw her signature line included the name of her business, M&M Alpacas.  It’s not every quilter who also has alpacas in her backyard.  Although you are able to visit an alpaca farm in almost every state in the U.S.  I thought I would make a virtual visit to Nancy’s M&M Alpaca Farm in Ohio and find out more about this most luxurious of fibers in its most natural form.

Nancy has told me that she really enjoys working with many different fabrics & fibers, so the linkage between quilting and alpacas is only natural for her.  She and her husband Bob shear alpacas once a year to begin the ‘fiber to fabric’ transition.  This shearing comes in the mid spring in Ohio after watching the alpacas sprout their fleece from less than ¼ inch the previous year to 5+ inches by the time those shearing clippers come out again. 

The raw alpaca fiber can actually be spun into yarn at this point, but Nancy normally has it cleaned and carded by a small local fiber mill.  At this point the rovings (output of the carding process) can be spun into yarn by Nancy on her spinning wheel or she can ask the fiber mill to return pure alpaca yarn to her.  The yarn can now be put to good use on one of Nancy’s two weaving looms, or it can be knitted into garments, or Nancy may sell the alpaca yarn to local knitting shops.  Truly, M&M Alpacas has a fully integrated business of growing the raw alpaca fiber up to and including producing finished alpaca garments. 

Nancy and Bob moved to Ohio thirteen years ago with their two horses, Max and Mickey.  Hence the business name of M&M.  Originally it was M&M Stables, but when the alpacas started to arrive five years ago the business name was changed to M&M Alpacas.  They now have 36 alpacas on their 5 acre farm, with the girls in a new 100 foot barn and the boys in an existing 60 foot barn.  It’s really fun when going to alpaca shows, as Nancy puts up small bags of M&M candies with her M&M Alpacas logo on the bags.  Talk about instant advertising and name recognition!

The alpaca industry in the U.S.A. started about twenty years ago with the initial importation of alpacas from Peru, Chile and Bolivia.  Now all the alpacas are born in the U.S. as there is no longer any importation.  Nancy says that raising alpacas is one of her most enjoyable times.  The alpacas are very easy to take care of and are docile, and her grandson even helps to care for them.  Besides the luxury fiber from the alpacas, raising and caring for these lovable animals is a wonderful lifestyle. 

New alpaca owners are continually joining the ranks of established alpaca farms due to the financial gains from the managing of an alpaca herd.  New owners start small and the average farm in the U.S. owns only about 5 alpacas.  Nancy said that she and Bob also started very small with only two alpacas, and their current herd of 36 has come about by breeding at M&M as well as some selective acquisitions over the past few years.  Nancy’s advice to those considering the ‘alpaca lifestyle’ is to visit some local farms and then buy the best quality alpacas that you can afford.  That’s the model for success.

Quilting and alpacas really do fit together, especially at M&M Alpacas in Ohio.  Some of the highest luxury fiber and fabric come together from this combination and create exciting business opportunities.

This article was co-written by Valley Fiber Life contributor, Virginia Spiegel and Bob Danielson of M & M alpacas.  

Virginia's new book - "Wild at the Edges:  Inspiration from a Creative Life" 

Website: http://www.virginiaspiegel.com 

Blog:http://www.virginiaspiegel.com/blog 

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