Around five thousand years ago, the people of the Andean highlands of South America (in what are now Peru, Ecuador, Chile, Bolivia, and Argentina) domesticated the vicuña—a wild camelid native to those craggy, alpine areas. Over time, these animals were bred specifically for the precious fiber that they produce (as opposed to their relative, the llama, which was domesticated as a working animal) and became what we know today as alpacas. The Incas called the lovely, soft stuff shorn from these animals the ‘fiber of the gods’ and reserved it to clothe royalty. Now, herds of alpacas are kept all over the world. We even have friends who care for a trio of alpacas (Mo, Willie, and Sable) here on Bainbridge Island!

The two varieties of alpaca: the huacaya (on the left, with the poofy, sheep-like fleece) and the suri (on the right, with the long, drapey locks).

The present day alpaca comes in two varieties, the huacaya (hue-kai-yah) and the suri. Huacaya are the most common type, familiar and cuddly with a fluffy, fleece-like coat. Huacaya fleece grows and looks similar to sheep’s wool—crimpy and curly and a little elastic—and yet is considered warmer, lighter, and softer! This comes from the fiber having a smoother ‘scale’ surface than sheep’s wool. (Picture those shampoo commercials where a hair with rough edges suddenly becomes smooth and shiny.) The naturally smooth surface of alpaca fiber leads to a softer touch and more lustrous look.

The rare suri produces even silkier fiber. This type of alpaca is thought to make up less than 10% of the world’s alpaca population and, unshorn, has a distinct, shaggy look. Their fleece drapes down the sides of their bodies in long, silky locks. This fiber is not as crimpy as the fiber of a huacaya—less fluffy and more flowy—and therefore not as elastic, but it has a beautiful, gentle sheen and a smooth, drapey hand!

Churchmouse Classics Studio Beret using Blue Sky Fibers Brushed Suri.

Alpacas, whether huacaya or suri, sport a range of differently colored coats—22 different shades! From the inkiest black, to the creamiest ivory, to the warmest chestnut, to the softest grey—the natural shades are so gorgeous, it’s almost a shame to dye them. But then, alpaca fiber takes dye so beautifully!

Alpaca yarns are usually spun more slowly than sheep’s wool, and in a way that adds lots of air to the strand. This creates a poofier yarn, often with a gentle halo. With all that captured air, alpaca yarns have great insulation, though they may not show off textured stitches in sharp, crisp relief. Because alpaca fiber has a nice staple length, it can also allow yarns with a higher twist for more durability and resilience.

While alpaca is amazing as a solo act, it also shines in concert with other fibers! Of course, alpaca and wool are a match made in heaven—wool’s memory and springy-ness is a great way to balance alpaca’s drape and weight. Add silk to that mix and you get something truly luscious. Alpaca also plays well with cotton, the plant fiber adding strength and a cooler touch (nice if you tend to run hot, but still love some coziness).

Churchmouse Classics Ribbed Lace Scarf using Rowan Alpaca Classic.

Churchmouse Classics Pressed Rib Cap & Muffler using Berroco Ultra Alpaca.

Alpaca and alpaca blend yarns are a lot of fun to work with—we love the feel of it in our hands and on our needles. We turn to these yarns for anything from handwarmers to big, cuddly blankets. It’s a fiber we love to wear and have around our homes!

From top: Graphic Striped Pillow Cover (a Churchmouse free pattern), Diagonal Garter Stitch Pillow Cover (a free adaptation to the Picot-Edge Mohair Throw pattern), and the Churchmouse Classics Garter Blocks Blanket, all using Berroco Ultra Alpaca Chunky.

Alpaca yarns often have a lovely, lightweight silkiness. The lower elasticity of the fiber offers lots of drape, and can tend to stretch out. You may find alpaca blends (like the Ultra Alpaca siblings, Isager’s Alpaca 1 or Alpaca 2, or Rowan Felted Tweed) the better choice for larger pieces (like wraps) or more fitted garments (like shaped sweaters). Alpaca fiber on its own doesn’t quite have the same memory that wool or other fibers have. This means your larger, weightier pieces, especially those knit at a more open gauge, may stretch out and lose their shape over time. As with any yarn that’s new to you, we recommend that you knit a swatch to learn how the yarn behaves and feels. Be sure to wet-block your swatch, too! You may want to knit a larger swatch than usual and hang it up after it’s dried. That way you can see how your fabric may change.

Churchmouse Classics Better-Than-Basic Pullover using Berroco Ultra Alpaca.

With a 100% alpaca or baby alpaca yarn, you may notice that your swatch develops a bit of a halo after blocking. It’ll be nice and soft to the touch, and we love that soft, blurry effect. However, for pieces where you’d like to see your stitches more crisply defined, perhaps pick an alpaca/wool blend. Or maybe an alpaca/wool/silk blend, like Blue Sky Fibers Skyland!

Of course, one of the best-loved things about alpaca yarn is its softness. If you find wool or mohair a little too ticklish, but would still like some warmth and fuzz, an alpaca or alpaca blend yarn might be a good choice for you. For a super fluffy alternative to mohair, try Lang Alpaca Superlight or Blue Sky Fibers Brushed Suri.

We always, always recommend that you read your yarn’s label for care instructions. They’ll steer you in the right direction to keep your alpaca pieces as nice as possible for as long as possible! Depending on the stitch, gauge, or weight of your finished project, you may notice that your finished piece can stretch over time. To mitigate this, it’s best not to hang handknit alpaca fiber garments to store—instead fold or roll them up. And take special care when you wet-block. When it comes time to pull your piece out of its soak, support the full weight so it doesn’t overstretch and lose its shape. Remember that alpaca doesn’t quite have the memory that wool does, so it won’t bounce back into its shape as readily. (Again, be sure to swatch, then block your swatch, and then give it a chance to rest so you know how the finished fabric will behave!)

As we mentioned above, pieces knit in alpaca fiber can grow a bit of a fuzzy halo after washing and wearing a few times. A bit of shedding and some pilling can also pop up. Not to worry, shedding will stop over time! And as for those pesky pills, a little touch-up with a Gleener can help your piece look like new.

Churchmouse Classics Garter Blocks Blanket using Berroco Ultra Alpaca Chunky.

In reviewing our yarn collection (using our handy-dandy Yarn Finder) for this post, we were surprised to see just how many of our favorite yarns have a little alpaca in them—from lace-weight to chunky-weight and everything in between, from super luxurious to basic, from tweedy to fluffy. We have an abundance! Here are a few of our favorite alpaca and alpaca blend yarns.