Fingering Yarn Fans, your input requested

[rollinge]

Hi all...I have a herd of 33 alpacas and produce yarns which I hand dye and sell on Etsy (shameless plug ). I currently have DK and Sport weight but am now thinking of having fingering weight made either instead of or as well as.
I am trying to decide whether to do a straight alpaca yarn, or some type of a blend.
Any input you have would be greatly appreciated.
Happy trails,
Diana

[Amore]

One of my knitting students raises alpacas and has their fleece milled into yarn. She showed me a skein of an alpaca/bamboo blend that was stunning. Bamboo's drape echoes that of alpaca, so for her product I feel it was a good choice. I would definitely buy such a yarn in a fingering weight.

[BonBon]

I would be most likely to purchase a blend. Softness of alpaca, plus a little 'structural' boost from some wool, best of both worlds!

[FreedomLover]

I also would like the option of a blend. For a shawl alpaca would be fine.

[rollinge]

Thank all! Bamboo is a great blending fiber, provides the sheen of silk without the expense and the added drape as well. I have also knit with an alpaca/tencel blend and it is also very nice!

[Char]

Isn’t this a wonderful group?

[dekpass]

I’m throwing in my .02. I would prefer a blend. I love alpaca blends. They are so soft and warm!!

[rollinge]

@dekpass...any thoughts on what you would like for a blend

[Kathy7661]

rollinge How about cotton/alpaca blend? I saw a Pima cotton and alpaca yarn that was beautiful.

[love2knit]

If the project is small, like a cowl, I love pure alpaca. But I have found that pure alpaca drapes well but stretches out for shawls and needs to be re-blocked.

Now because alpaca is warmer than wool, a fingering weight would be nice for a more open fabric. I personally love just a touch of silk or wool (that has a close micron count and fiber legnth to avoid pilling and shedding), but just a touch.

[rollinge]

love2knit I have not knit a shawl with 100% alpaca, so really appreciate your experience with it. I do love the silk blend as it provides wonderful sheen and drape. I recently used a fingering yarn that was a 50/50 blend of alpaca and tencel which I loved working with. The tencel provided the sheen of silk but without the cost. It was quite slippery and I think if I used it again, I would have worked it with wooden needles.

[rollinge]

Thanks all for the input!!

[Callielw]

I think a fingering alpaca would be great for shawls. But for socks, I'd blend it with wool or bamboo.

[rollinge]

Thanks Callie...I am thinking that no matter the blend, alpaca probably wont work for socks, but definately shawls !!

[Callielw]

I think alpaca is great for sweaters too but I'm not a big fan of trying to knit a sweater from fingering yarns. I hope your venture turns out really well for you!

[rollinge]

Thanks Callie. I agree it is great for sweaters, but since it tends to "grow" in something like a sweater, blending it with something like wool would help. If you are interested, you can take a look at my Etsy shop to see the DK yarns I have been selling. I really prefer the fingering myself but we will see how things go. Thanks so much for your input!