Talking to my mom last night, she mentioned a lady she met (at a fancy dinner party for donors to the university where she used to teach) who not only knits, but who spins her own yarn. She worked mostly in alpaca, as she had a "local" alpaca source, but she also blended it with silk.

alpaca + silk. Wow. I wonder if she'd consider either selling or bartering some of the yarn she's spun....and I wonder if I can meet her next time I am visiting up there.

I am very impressed by anyone who can spin. I tried to teach myself (on a drop spindle) and had little success. Maybe it's easier on a wheel, but I don't want to invest in a wheel, and I don't know anyone local to me who spins that I could call up and say "Hey, can I get some lessons from you?"

I would knit them socks, or bake them bread, or do manual labor in the garden....