The Fleece Factory Of The Rockies

07/22/2026

🧶 Every Skein Has a Story… Meet Our Alpaca Blend Millends! 🦙✨

Looking for a yarn that’s as unique as your next project?

Our Alpaca Blend Millends are made from the remaining yarn at the end of a mill production run. That means you’re getting the same soft, warm, high-quality alpaca blend yarn—just in one-of-a-kind color combinations that can’t always be recreated!

🤎 Why you’ll love Millends:
✨ Luxuriously soft alpaca blend
🧶 Perfect for hats, scarves, mittens, cowls, and cozy accessories
🎨 Beautiful natural color variations—no two skeins are exactly alike
♻️ Helps reduce waste by giving every last bit of yarn a purpose
❤️ A budget-friendly way to enjoy premium fiber

Fun Fact: Because millends are created from the end of different production batches, each skein has its own unique character. Once they’re gone, they’re often gone for good—making every project truly one of a kind! Also many fiber mills save mill ends instead of discarding them, giving fiber artists the chance to create beautiful projects while helping reduce waste. It’s a win for your craft—and for the environment!

Stop by The Fleece Factory of the Rockies to browse our ever-changing selection of Alpaca Blend Millends and find the perfect skein for your next handmade creation.

🦙 Have you used millends? What have you created?! Tell us in the comments!

07/21/2026

🦙 Fiber Processing 101: Meet the Picker! 🦙

After alpaca fiber has been washed and dried, it’s time for one of the most satisfying steps in the milling process—the picker! It may not look glamorous, but this machine is where the magic starts! 🦙✨ Watching fluffy alpaca fleece transform from compact locks into soft, cloud-like fiber never gets old.

This powerful machine gently opens and fluffs the fiber, separating clumps while removing any remaining bits of hay, grass, or vegetable matter that may have survived washing. The result? Soft, airy fiber that’s ready for the next stage of processing.

✨ Fun Fact: Before mechanical pickers existed, every handful of fleece had to be picked apart by hand! Early mechanical wool pickers began appearing in the mid-1800s, dramatically reducing the time and labor needed to prepare fiber. While today’s machines are much safer and more efficient, they still perform the same important job—opening the fiber without damaging it.

💚 Why is picking so important?
• Opens up compacted fleece
• Removes leftover debris
• Creates a light, fluffy fiber batt
• Helps the carding machine work more efficiently
• Produces a more consistent, high-quality finished yarn

It’s amazing how a seemingly simple step makes such a big difference in the final product. Every beautiful skein of yarn starts with properly prepared fiber!

Stay tuned as we continue following this fleece through the mill. Next stop: Carding!

07/15/2026

✨ Fiber Feature: White Angelina Fiber ✨

Have you ever wondered what gives some yarns and fiber creations that magical shimmer? Meet White Angelina Fiber!

Unlike natural fibers, Angelina is a lightweight synthetic fiber that’s added in small amounts to create a beautiful sparkle without overpowering your project. The white variety has an iridescent finish, catching the light with subtle flashes of color that make it perfect for all kinds of fiber arts.

We love blending White Angelina Fiber with alpaca because it:
🤍 Adds a soft, elegant shimmer
🦙 Blends beautifully with natural fibers
🧶 Creates eye-catching handspun yarn
✨ Makes needle felting and wet felting projects truly stand out
❄️ Is perfect for winter-themed, bridal, fairy, and fantasy-inspired creations

A little goes a long way, making each blend feel extra special while still letting the luxurious softness of alpaca shine through.

Would you add a touch of sparkle to your next project? We’d love to hear what you’d create! 💫

07/14/2026

The Journey Begins! 🦙🧺

Ever wonder what happens to an alpaca fleece after it’s shorn? Or any product for that matter like wool Kashmir , Mo hair, yak, buffalo, angora, rabbit… you name it! The very first step in turning that fluffy fleece into beautiful yarn, roving, felt, and other fiber products is washing and drying!

Freshly shorn alpaca fiber may look soft, but it’s often full of dust, dirt, hay, and other bits picked up while the alpacas enjoy life in the pasture. During the washing process, we carefully clean the fiber to remove all of those impurities while protecting the delicate fibers. Even with product that our customers bring to us, the first step is getting it washed! Any dirt or even laundry detergent could ruin the process of the fiber or all of our other machines.

Once it’s clean, the fiber is gently dried until it’s completely moisture-free and ready for the next exciting step—picking and carding!

✨ Fun Alpaca Facts:
• Alpaca fiber contains very little lanolin compared to sheep’s wool, making it much easier to wash.
• Each fleece is washed separately to preserve its natural color and quality.
• Every blanket, skein of yarn, or felted creation starts with this important first step!

It’s amazing to think that every soft, cozy product begins with a freshly shorn fleece and a good bath. Stay tuned as we continue following the fiber’s journey through the mill!

07/05/2026

🇺🇸 We hope everyone had a wonderful, fun, and safe 4th of July spent with family, friends, and plenty of great memories! ❤️🤍💙

As we celebrate the holiday weekend, we also want to take a moment to thank everyone who helped make our alpaca shearing on Friday such a success! ✂️🦙 It was a busy day filled with teamwork, laughter, and lots of fluffy fiber. Our alpacas are now feeling cool and comfortable, and we’re excited about all the beautiful fleece that will soon be transformed into future projects and creations.

A huge thank you to our shearers, helpers, and everyone who continues to support Fleece Factory of the Rockies. We appreciate you all and are grateful to be part of such an amazing community!

Here’s to a safe, happy holiday weekend and another successful season with our wonderful alpacas! 🦙✨

Community MadeWithAlpacaLove

07/02/2026

🦙✂️ It’s Shearing Time! ✂️🦙

One of the busiest—and fluffiest—days of the year is here! TOMORROW our alpacas are going to get a FRESH look!

Once each year, our alpacas get a fresh haircut to keep them cool, comfortable, and healthy through the warmer months. Shearing is an essential part of their annual care, helping prevent overheating while allowing us to harvest their incredibly soft fleece.

Ever wonder where alpaca yarn comes from? It all starts here! After shearing, each fleece is carefully sorted, cleaned, and prepared to be transformed into beautiful yarn, felt, and other handcrafted creations.

It’s always amazing to see just how much fiber one alpaca grows in a year—and even more amazing to see how happy and comfortable they are after their annual trim!

Have you ever seen an alpaca before and after shearing? We’d love to know which look you prefer: fluffy and fuzzy or fresh and fabulous! 🦙💛✂️

06/22/2026

06/04/2026

Shearing notice!
We are working on a date! We are NOT shearing Father’s Day.

05/23/2026