Yarn tastings.

The delights of exploring new fibers...

Mar 01, 2024

INSIDE: the delights of experimenting with different yarns, alpaca adventures, great uses for recycled silks + fiber as creation and consolation.

I’ve been doing more “yarn tasting” and have recently knitted up a swatch of Andean Treasure (DK weight yarn.)

The 100% baby alpaca is so soft! It has very fine hairs which alpaca yarn always seems to have. The colorway, Prairie Heather, is what I’d call gray-brown.

I did the bottom half of my swatch on US 4 (3.5mm) needles. The label says the gauge is 6 sts to 1” with needles ranging from US 3-5. On these needles, I reached 6.5 stitches in an inch.

So, I knitted the top half on US 5 (3.75mm) needles, and I got the suggested gauge.

This yarn line has been going since 2005 which is a “good innings” for a yarn! Clearly, it’s loved by many and is one of the more luxurious Knit Picks offerings.

I’m thinking of making a twisted rib headband with this yarn. With 110 yards, I’ll have enough for a small project. I welcome any other ideas! 😊

The last time I knitted with 100% baby alpaca was with my first lace pattern, the Stormy Lace Cowl, in 2018. (Wool & The Gang’s Sugar Baby Alpaca, Curacao Blue.)

That lovely scarf felted after I accidentally put it in the washing machine! It took all my resolve not to cry when I discovered it.

It was a gorgeous felted fabric, sure, but that wasn’t my intention!

Other times I’ve used an Alpaca blend:

My Caramel Cardigan has a beautiful drape and lots of fine hairs.
My crocheted Intermission shawl turned out beautifully but I do notice the fine hairs on my bare neck!

I’ve been doing the rounds of double crochet stitches and the floor mat I’m creating is increasing in size.

The photo below is where I was up to a few days ago.

This photo is where I’m up to now! I’ve used up one ball of yarn so far, and there’s still a little of the second one left. You might notice the slight color change between them. Each skein has such a generous yardage.

There’s one more ball to use up. I’ll be interested to see the final size!

It’s a riot of color and all those fine threads of silk make it difficult to see the crocheted stitches. But as you can see, the multiple colors are so cheerful. 😊

I loved hearing about your uses of recycled silk yarn.

Kavitha
used it to crochet a bag.
Jo
also suggested this.
Heike Gittins
has used it as accents in crochet (baskets, for example) and also instead of ribbon for gift wrapping.

All excellent ideas!

Recently, I was reading Clara Parkes’ newsletter, called the Wool Wire, from her website, the Wool Channel.

I was reminded how much Merino wool is produced around the world.

As Clara said:

“Merino may be luscious but we cannot live by fine wools alone. Around the world, countless breeds of sheep are producing vast quantities of wool that also deserve our attention and support.”

So, another question for you: Do you have a favorite sheep breed’s wool?

I’d love to hear about the fibers from different sheep breeds you’ve loved making with. I enjoyed knitting with a Blue Faced Leister blend in the past.

Press reply or leave a comment!

Mystery Quote Of The Week

“All knitterly creation stems from one simple element: yarn. It is the baker’s flour, the jeweler’s gold, the gardener’s soil. Yarn is creation, consolation, and chaos all spun together into one perfect ball.”

Who said this? Comment or press reply! No cheating! 😊

(You’ll find out if you were correct next week.)

Last week’s answer was… Vincent Van Gogh!

Comment below if you got it right.