KNITTING WITH ALPACA WOOL – FINEST YARN

Knitting with alpaca wool

Alpacas are a subspecies of camels and formerly come from the South American Andes. There they have been kept for 5000 years because of their precious and fine wool. With the Incas, clothing made of alpaca wool was considered a sign of prosperity. Mostly the natural colors of the hair are white and brown, but there are also various shades of gray and black fibers of alpacas.

Why should I use alpaca wool for knitting?

Alpaca wool is easy to work with and is usually processed with needles in size 4 or 5. It is therefore ideal for beginners and people who want to try to knit something small. Also, advanced knitters will get their money’s worth, as alpaca wool is also suitable for knitting thicker garments such as cardigans or pullovers.

Other benefits of alpaca wool

Alpaca wool has some unique properties. Firstly, the fibers are very fine, which makes them very light. On the other hand, this also ensures that alpaca wool has very good heat-insulating properties. The fibers can also absorb a great deal of water, thus reducing sweat on the skin. In summer, the wool repels heat from the outside and also offers good protection against UV radiation. In winter it keeps you warm.

Furthermore, alpaca wool is very soft and prevents unpleasant odors and dirt. In contrast to cotton or sheep’s wool, alpaca wool is not scratchy and because of the high quality of the fibers, it is less likely to mat. This means that clothing made of alpaca wool will remain soft and fluffy for a very long time. For allergy sufferers who like knitting, the wool is also extremely recommended. This is because alpaca wool also shines in all its splendor when dyed naturally and completely without chemical dyeing, unlike cotton or sheep’s wool. Due to the very low content of lanolin (also called wool wax), the fibers of alpaca wool have an antibacterial effect and are highly recommended for allergy sufferers or children.

How should garments made of alpaca wool be washed?

We recommend hand washing, using lukewarm water and a mild detergent. However, today’s washing machines also have delicate wool-washing cycles, which can easily wash alpaca. Alpaca products are more durable than regular wool.