This past week was all about experimenting with a new type of wool: alpaca. Specifically a chunky 100% non-superwash baby alpaca yarn. I knew it would be different from my usual merino-nylon blend, but the result completely surprised me.
It all started with the smell. My husband came in and immediately remarked that it " smelled very different in here. " And he was right - alpaca has its own subtle smell that is just a little different than sheep's wool. It's still taking some getting used to, but it's part of it.
I had read up on it beforehand and expected the dye to stick less well on alpaca. The theory is that alpaca has fewer scales than sheep's wool, which would make the color look softer and more matte. But in practice the exact opposite happened! The colors are brighter than anything I have ever seen on wool before. Each skein came out of the dye bath with a deep, intense hue that almost seemed to glow.
That was a huge surprise and a nice confirmation that this baby alpaca yarn will be a keeper in my shop. The softness, the structure and now also the color intensity make it a fantastic base to work with.
I can't wait to try more colors on this and introduce this new base to you guys. More on that soon!