Alpaca Product

Clifden Alpacas is the home of a boutique herd of black alpacas, including Archie the Black Alpaca.

Archie is the popular star of our two delightful children’s stories, Archie’s Haircut and Archie’s Big Win

As well as the Archie books and associated merchandise, our spectacular collections showcases gorgeous black yarn, knitting kits, and all things alpaca home grown and created on farm near Yarragon in West Gippsland. We also proudly offer a selection of quality commercially produced alpaca items such as throws, rugs, toys and fabulous Australian made Humphrey Law socks. You are sure to find something to treat your self or a loved one at a price to suit any budget.

Email: enquiries@clifden.com.au

Mobile: 0408 827 896

Website:  www.clifden.com.au

Our products are 100% Alpaca and are handspun and handknitted using the undyed fleece from our Alpaca Herd.

We also stock some commercially made Alpaca product from time to time.

Email: perocollett@gmail.com

Mobile: 0422 699 122

Website: www.peroalpacas.com.au

Zephyr Halters and soft toys fully imported, Humphrey Law socks Australian made from Australian and imported products.

Email: info@maylandsalpacas.com.au

Mobile:- 0408 533 705

Website: www.maylandsalpacas.com.au

Rug up this winter in alpaca comfort and warmth.
Our on-farm shop is stocked with super soft Suri wraps and scarves, hand loomed in Melbourne by Lorena Laing; the softest throws, ponchos, scarves, duffles and lots of needle-felted alpacas. Postage FOC.

Email: pitchingga@ozemail.com.au

Mobile: 0436 022 440

Website: www.pitchinggaridge.com.au

If you are starting to feel the chill of winter approaching, maybe these warm alpaca hats will be just what you need. Also available is the gorgeous baby’s rattle. All products are hand knitted, 100% alpaca, grown and produced in Australia. Various sizes and designs available.

Email: brigitte@alpacawalks.net

Mobile: 0428 130 844

Website: www.alternativeview.net.au

Our knitted and felted products are created locally with 100% local fibre.
Winter is here now and our on-farm shop is stocked with Beanies, Fingerless Mittens, Scarves and shawls, to keep you warm.
We have a selection of knitting yarns, natural colours and dyed available. Knitted and felted alpaca toys, felted soaps and baby wear.
If you are unable to visit our farm shop, we welcome your message for photos of anything you are looking for.

Email : stevleypark@bigpond.com

Mobile : 0417 506 855

Website : www.stevleypark.com.au

Auravale Alpacas presents The Divine Fleece – luxurious, pure Australian alpaca, reversible throw. Our pure alpaca throws are lovingly grown in Australia and manufactured in Italy. The finest Italian craftsmen spin the yarn that is knitted into this sumptuous throw. Grey and Cream on one side and Midnight and Grey on the reverse side. Available in two sizes 90 x 125cm OR 120 x 220cm.

Email: queries@auravalealpacas.com.au

Mobile: 0419 334 276

Website: www.auravalealpacas.com.au

Nickelby Designs, my own label, rules my world, day and night interspersed with working with my alpaca herd of 60 plus. I have breed alpacas now for 16 years. I live a blessed life.

After running a farm gate shop & licenced café on my farm in Darnum for 12 years I decided to move my retail business to nearby Yarragon.
I had been involved in a shop in Yarragon with three other artists however they all left and we still had a lease so I decided to take the plunge and move the business to the busy tourism hub in October 2019. This has proven to be a very good decision. “Nickelbys – the Little Shop Around the Corner” is travelling well and the public’s love for all things alpaca never dissipates however answering the question “what’s the difference between an alpaca and a llama” with more customers is doing my head in and often I wish I was just wholesale!
I no longer stock commercial alpaca garments, I only stock my own label; Nickelby Designs and other clothing and lifestyle products from other designers, all based around sustainability.

Nickelby Designs has grown considerably over the last four years. I studied SAORI weaving in Japan and bought back with me a weaving loom. 12 months ago I was given a state government grant to purchase a larger SAORI loom. The smaller one comes with me to the shop so I have “open studio” every day and the larger one stays in my studio which was my shop.

Over the years I have participated in International Fashion Shows and got to know some great designers from around the world as well as shows closer to home such as the parade at the National Alpaca Show last year.

I decided long ago with my work, whether it was felted, knitted, crocheted and now weaving, that I was going to do more than just scarves and hats even though I studied millinery at Melbourne School of Fashion. Coming from a fashion retail background I wanted to be a designer for womenswear where I was dressing every aspect of a woman’s life. Therefore I love it when people fall in love with my jackets, pants, skirts and dresses I have woven and designed and sat at my sewing machine and make. I am totally paddock to rack. Of course I do sell many scarves and hats, they are my bread and butter.

I use my own yarn, yarn I purchase here in Australia and I also spin art yarns to use in my weaving. So I spin to weave rather than to knit. Spinning is another passion again not following the rules and testing all the boundaries. I only work in natural fibres. Of course 80% of any garment is alpaca but I add wool, calico, banana fibre, silks or any other natural fibres I come across. That is part of the fun.

As I tell all my customers, the nature of SAORI means that each piece is unique. I can make the style again but I can never repeat the weave as to me it is like a painter and their canvas. The weave and the colours come to me in my mind’s eye and then I have make them come to life on my loom.
There is not a great deal of structure to my work as I often free draw my patterns and depending on how the weave reacts in the wash prior to sewing can often determine what the end garment will look like or indeed if it still says to me that it wants to be the pants. The pants might become a dress, it just all depends on what I lay out on my table and what it says to me.

The type of weaving that is SAORI is not for everyone. If you like structure, like rules, like “next steps” then I believe you would find it totally frustrating. It is an art and I don’t believe it can be taught. Techniques you can use can be taught but what ends up coming off my loom comes from within me, it represents where I am at that day and some days I just can’t weave as I am not “feeling” the story. I love working with colours and putting together a colour palette that is unique for each garment.

I am waiting to hear about another exciting opportunity for Winter 2021 which will help in the next step of opening another “Nickelby’s” in another tourist town as this is where my work sells the best. When people have time to ponder and explore.
So if you are ever in Yarragon pop in and say hi, would love to see you.
Nickelby Designs by Angela Betheras – Made in Gippsland, Sold to the world

Mobile: 0419 550 301

Facebook: www.facebook.com/nickelbyslifeandstyle.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/nickelbydesigns

Website: www.nickelbys.com.au