What is alpaca yarn?

Alpaca yarn has many of the same properties that we know from sheep wool yarn, and there are a number of similarities between the two. Alpaca wool comes from the alpaca, which is similar to the llama, but alpaca fur is both thicker and softer.

Alpaca yarn is insulating and great for knitting jumpers, cardigans and tops, as it is both soft and durable. If you think that plain wool feels scratchy and is uncomfortable to wear directly on the skin, alpaca could be a really good solution for you. It has a softer surface and feels warmer than wool, so you can knit thinner sweaters and achieve the same warm effect. The yarn is also lighter than wool.

You can knit with pure alpaca wool, but you can also find a large number of lovely yarn blends that make the yarn easier to work with and ensure that it does not lose its shape over time.

Some of the most popular blends are:

• Alpaca/silk gives you an even softer surface and a slightly shiny look. The yarn is extra durable and great to knit with.
• Alpaca/wool gives you a lovely, warm yarn that is both soft and easy to maintain.

You can also get alpaca in a brushed version that is reminiscent of mohair but only thicker and even hairier. Alpaca is also available as what is referred to as a ‘blow yarn’, which is even lighter and therefore ideal for thicker or chunkier jumpers that you do not want to become too heavy.

A blow yarn is a thin nylon tube that is filled with fine alpaca fibres so that it keeps its shape and is light as a feather but still has all the properties of alpaca wool.

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