What Would You Do When 3 Alpacas Randomly Showed Up at Your House?!
My husband and I lived on a 4-acre property 20 km northeast of Rocky Mountain House, Alberta, where we first got into alpacas in March 2000. After attending an auction, he came home with three pregnant females—no hay, shelter, or fencing. My daughter, a high school animal enthusiast, was thrilled. We were in scramble mode, but thankfully, a neighbour provided hay, and we built a shelter from scrap lumber. From the start, we were captivated by these unique animals, and our small herd quickly became family.
By the summer of 2001, we began showing our alpacas, including our standout herd sire, Cinnamon. Over the years, we earned many ribbons, and I ran Zelda's Studio on our property, where I showcased my fiber fashions by appointment year-round.
After 32 years, we retired in February 2022, sold the acreage, and moved to Calgary. Now, I focus on working with our alpaca fiber and attending shows.
Over the years, I’ve accumulated a decade’s worth of fiber from our alpacas, which I use to create my fashions. Each piece includes a tag with the name and photo of the alpaca it came from. Some items are 100% alpaca, while others are blended with natural fibers. I work with a small Alberta mill to ensure our fiber is returned to us, and I clean, card, and spin some by hand.
Though I’m still setting up my studio in our new home, I work independently with occasional help from my sister for hand-knitting. My tools include a loom, knitting machines, a 1920s sock machine, and a spinning wheel. I spent many years running Ravenscrag Alpacas, pouring my heart into sharing my creations—but change was on the horizon.
As my daughter grew up, we always shared a love for crafting. However, my attempts to teach her to knit didn’t go as planned—me being right-handed and her left-handed, combined with her lack of patience (and the occasional frustration, her words, not mine! 😂), led to some hilarious moments. Fast forward a couple of decades, and she decided to try again a couple of years ago. This time, she dove into crocheting and quickly fell in love with it. Recently, she’s also picked up knitting, and now we’re back to crafting side by side, enjoying every moment.
At one point, she considered starting her own business, but it made more sense for us to join forces. Together, we experiment with everything from needle felting and bargello to weaving, spinning, and other creative projects. We love working with luxurious, exotic fibers—alpaca, bamboo, wool, nettle, and more—and occasionally mix in some fun acrylics for variety. Sharing this creative journey together has been an absolute joy!\
