[AlpacaTalk] Re: Micron Testing clarified and EPD
Hello Sue...I think you hit the nail on the head. As a hand spinner / knitter micron is of little value, it is the feel. Because there is emphasis to move toward a commercial market, and still support the cottage industries with fleece confusion abounds when we talk knowingly without defining our specifics.
Let's talk commercial for a moment. If I were to develop a very fine high end garment, say a dress, I would seek micron in the range of anything under 20 micron. If I were to create something to be worn against the skin I would be looking at 20-25 micron. Socks, lets move that a little further out say 20-28 micron. Now we are getting into lined coats, bats, quilts, felting, then we may wish to utilize the greater than 28 micron.
As a hand spinner my wife likes the results from our 28 micron old gal over the 23 micron young gal. Might be age prejudice, but the feel of the old gals fleece is much better. We start getting down into the under 23 micron for hand knitting and it is difficult to get a tight enough stitch that does not look like fishnet. Of course you can spin multiple threads together to make a heavier yarn, but now you need a lot more for the same garment.
I know that everyone can come up with exceptions to what I have posted and I am trying to keep it somewhat general, but the concepts support why we get so intrigued with the micron and sample testing. As another post pointed out it provides us with a measurable characteristic when comparing one fleece to another and one year to the next.
Regarding IWTO sanction, we are not certain we see the assurance having gotten identical results from Yocum's OFDA100 and Watt's OFDA2000 when using the OFDA2000 butt result. Then we have all this other great information over and above the OFDA100 to use in our assessment. And what is more representative of the fleece, a sample measure of 2 to 3 days growth over 365 days, or a measure of 365 days growth? Both methods are recognized by the industry and resulted from differing measuring needs.
Regards, Michael
Greenbriar Farm, Waukesha, WI
262.970.9633
--- In AlpacaTalk@yahoogro
>
> Is anyone else besides me frustrated at all the information provided in
> these micron tests? It is really off-putting to a new breeder and honestly,
> the confusion makes me just want to ignore them completely. Just curious
> as to whether anyone else feels the same way.
>
> As a spinner and knitter, I'm starting to think why bother with testing, I
> go more by the feel of the yarn than anything else nowadays. One of our
> mediocre micron count females produces our very best yarn on the ranch. Can
> someone please explain to me why we need lower microns if the yarn
> produced by higher micron animals is better quality? Isn't that what we are
> raising these animals for, better yarn quality or lower micron counts?
>
> SUSAN OLSON
> Alpaca Loco
> Riverside, CA
>
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posted by Chaddo at 11:27 AM
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