About Pia Al-Ubaidi

Pia is a passionate Suri Alpaca breeder and is the owner of Fiori del Campo Suri Alpacas in Cincinnati, Ohio.  She is a Certified Sorted^TM Apprentice through the Coarse Broads, Inc. and works as a professional fiber sorter and grader. As well, Pia teaches fiber arts classes including spinning, dyeing, felting, knitting, ply splitting and fleece skirting as well as other fiber arts and crafts, as well as group classes at the University of Cincinnati’s Communiversity, the Weaver’s Guild of Greater Cincinnati and the Clifton Cultural Arts Center. Pia won several blue ribbons on the national level in hand spinning and fiber arts competitions, and won “Best in Show” for her beaded Suri alpaca skein at the 2007 Alpaca Owners and Breeders Association National Conference.

She is also an exhibitor and demonstrator at various fiber festivals and artists showcases across the Midwest, and present lectures on Alpaca fleece and spinning at area schools, libraries and community centers. Pia’s Suri alpaca hand made yarn and fashions are also featured at The Brush Factory designer collective in Brighton.

Pia’s spent 1 month in Peru visiting the world’s largest alpaca ranch (Malkini Alpaca Ranch), as well as some of the leading industrial producers of alpaca fashion researching the alpaca breeding and fiber industry. This in preparation for her current master project to establish an exclusive fiber mill that will produce luxury fabrics woven with 100% American grown Huacaya and Suri alpaca, which will be the first of its kind in the USA.

She has been honored by being chosen to the Fiber Committee of the Alpaca Owner and Breeders Association for a 2009-2011 term. Pia has been a protégé of Mary Lou Clingan of The Suri Network and is currently being mentored by Robyn Kuhl of Coarse Broads, Inc., who is currently managing her apprenticeship the art of sorting and grading fiber for commercial use. Pia is also a protégé of Mary Lou Clingan, who is currently training her in the art of sorting and grading fiber for commercial use. She is also a member of the Weavers Guild of Greater Cincinnati, The Alpaca Owners and Breeders’ Association, The Suri Network, The Ohio Alpaca Breeders Association and the Alpaca Registry International. Pia has studied under Pat Maley, Master Spinner, as well as nationally known experts Deb Menz, Judith McKenzie McCuin and Jane Fournier.