SEQUIM — Nora Brodie saw her first live alpaca in 2002 while taking a bus tour in Friday Harbor.
She was entranced. She made the driver stop the bus.
She knew immediately that she had to have some alpacas of her own.
So she cleared off part of her 1.5-acre plot on Schoolhouse Point Lane, set up a barn and brought home two of the South American animals.
She now has four — each one a different color — and has immersed herself in the fast-growing world of alpaca enthusiasts.
Brodie, a retiree who moved to the North Olympic Peninsula five years ago, has found a niche working with the fiber produced from the animals.
Her creations, including blankets, sweaters, hats, purses and stuffed animals, have won awards two years running at the annual AlpacaPalooza, sponsored by the Alpaca Association of Western Washington.
“They are the gentlest, sweetest, most wonderful animals,” she said of her affection for the animals.
“It’s hard to explain. You either have it — a bond with them — or you don’t . . . it’s just a really gentle way to live.”
Cousins to the llama
Alpacas are cousins to the llama and are native to the Andes range in South America.
They were first imported to the United States in 1984, and are prized for the luxurious, cashmere-like fiber produced from their fur, which is warmer than wool, stronger and much lighter.
It’s also very valuable, which is why the raising and breeding of alpacas has become a multimillion-dollar industry in Washington, according to the Western Washington Alpaca Association.
The association lists eight member farms in Sequim, Joyce, Gig Harbor, Poulsbo and Shelton.
