Hollyhock Alpaca Creations
I am Teresa of Hollyhock Alpaca Creations LLC located near Grasston (20 miles north of Cambridge). My husband and I brought our first alpacas home in 2002 and raised alpacas for 13 years. In 2006, I left the corporate world to work full time in the alpaca business. In 2015, we sold our alpacas before we moved to our new home. My husband is retired and helps with the business by making triangle looms, peg looms and other projects I have in mind!
I have raw alpaca fiber plus dyed and un-dyed roving for spinners available at Anoka Fiber Works. I purchase raw fiber from other alpaca farms. Some of this fiber I have spun at a local mini-mill and I dye the yarn for sale at AFW. I started dyeing with Kool-Aid, progressed to natural dyes and now use mostly commercial dyes. The art and science of dyeing is very fascinating and satisfying to me. I use this yarn for knitting hats, mittens, scarves and more, which you can find at AFW. I have 5% nylon added to some of my alpaca fiber to make sock yarn. This yarn is at AFW - both in skeins and as sock blanks. I also have royal baby, super soft fingering weight yarn and lace weight yarn which are 100% alpaca that I dye myself. Using my yarns, you can make items that are very warm, beautiful, itch resistant, and will last many years.
For the felters, I have dyed fiber, felting needles, foam blocks, and pre-felts in various sizes and shapes. Needle felters can use the pre-felts as the 'canvas for painting' with fiber. There are also dryer balls, felted soap, felted insoles, and felted scarves to purchase. In my space at Anoka Fiber Works, I also have a full line of USA-made alpaca socks.
During the winter and spring, I teach a few classes at AFW. I have a series of Needle Felted flowers that I have taught a couple times. I also teach weaving on the triangle loom and the peg loom. I have plans to put together some new needle felting classes soon. (Watch for new classes in upcoming newsletters!)
I have had my space at Anoka Fiber Works since its inception as a cooperative. I'm looking forward to AFW growing and becoming the go-to place for crafts-people who want to support their local farmers and artisans. You can usually find at AFW at least one Saturday each month so stop in and say hi!