ALPACA YARN

Handspin your own alpaca yarn with a spinning wheel or drop spindle or employ someone else to create your yarn if you don't have the time or inclination.

However your yarn is made, you will have a soft, lustrous yarn to use for fabulous projects. Read about using and making alpaca roving to make your yarn.

Need supplies to make your yarn? How 'bout a spinning wheel or drop spindle? Need Fiber? Get them here.

Try coloring your yarn with kool aid and make kool aid yarn.

Here's a secret to handspinning more uniform yarn... pre-drafting!

There are two different techniques to use when spinning alpaca yarn. You can make a woollen yarn or a worsted yarn. Each has a different purpose. Learn the two different techniques for handspinning wool and give yourself great options with your alpaca fiber.

When puttin the final finishing touches to your handspun yarn, be sure and set the yarn twist! Alpaca is strong, warmer than wool, pilling is usually not a problem, and it dyes very well.

There is nothing better than luxuriously warm alpaca socks. It's easier to make your own than you think. We put together a Knitting Socks Tutorial page to help you see how to use double pointed needles to knit up some wonderful alpaca socks.

If you are allergic to wool, you can very likely wear alpaca because it contains no lanolin.

Alpaca is smoother than wool so your yarn will have less "itch" factor.

Alpaca does not have as much elasticity as wool. Therefore, if a garment is stretched, it won't go back to its original shape unless it is blocked damp and air dried. But alpaca has a beautiful drape, so don't let this scare you.

You can avoid this problem several ways:

• Blend your alpaca with wool at a 70% alpaca to 30% wool ratio. This will give it elasticity without loosing the softness, strength, and warmth of alpaca.
• Choose small projects where loosing its shape is not important.
• Knit and crochet "tight".
• Twist stitches to keep the "memory" in your project.
• Knit or crochet pieces of a pattern and sew it together. Seams help hold shape.

Use wooden knitting needles for knitting with alpaca. It is very slippery to work with.

Now that you know how alpaca handles, what can you make?

• Sweaters/Dresses/Vests
• Afghans/Blankets/Rugs
• Hats/Scarfs
• Gloves/Mittens
• Capes/Shawls
• Table runners/Placemats/Potholders
• Hair accessories
• Baby booties/Slippers
• Purses
• Socks
• Toys

Are you beginning to see the possibilities?

You can use your alpaca yarn for weaving. Try a simple cardboard loom to learn weaving or as a great project for kids.

If you own alpaca, we strongly advise trying a couple of different ways to show off your yarn. You can't beat letting people touch something made from your alpacas for promoting your alpaca business.

Don't be shy about bringing your projects made with alpaca yarn with you wherever you go. If you don't sell an alpaca, you might sell some of your yarn or a handmade project.

Return from alpaca yarn to owning alpaca home page.