One thing on my bucket list is to maybe help sheer these lovely animals, clean the fiber and spin the fiber and make something with it. One day… I did make a slouchy hat and wore it a bunch and hand washed it and lay it out to dry and now it does not fit the same. Now I know why. Thank you so much for sharing your time and talents with us 🥰.
I thoroughly enjoyed this episode as I just returned from my annual visit to the Southeastern Animal Fiber Fair in Asheville, NC. I purchased two bags of huacaya Alpaca. One is white and the other is a medium fawn. I will be spinning it with some wool and plan to knit some cowls, scarves and fingerless gloves.
When I lived in Florida I had 2 friends who raised alpaca, one suri and the other huacaya. At a local market in TN I bought some alpaca fiber from Princess. The color is a beautiful golden blonde. I have both spun and knitted with alpaca and love the fiber.
I LOVE working with alpaca blends. I'm currently working with DK weight knit picks tweed that has alpaca in it to make the looking back by Joji Locatelli. It is so light and soft and an absolute joy to work on. I can't wait to have it finished and wear it. I've also made a chemo hat and baby hat out of an alpaca blend as well. My friend said the chemo hat was the softest thing she had on her head and was so greatful for it. My son got to talk with an alpaca farmer at the children's science museum at one of their events. He was smitten with how gentle and soft the animal was and the process of cleaning the fibers was a lot of fun for him. They didn't make yarn but they wove blankets and rugs with their fleece.
Absolutely fascinating and informative. I enjoy watching your videos. They are always so well put together. I have learned so much from viewing them. Thank you!
Hi Kristine, I have found your videos and I have enjoyed all of them. I love learning more about the source of my yarn. I live in WA and know a few alpacas. I love knitting with alpaca. I have knitted two Blue Sky Fiber shrugs(one for me and the other my best friend). They came out wonderful. I have the Churchmouse poncho quantity of Blue Sky Silk Alpaca yarn. I plan to knit it up this year. My Shrug is durable and I accidently washed and dried it. It is smaller than I like so I use it as a bed sweater. Thanks for all of the great information. Kathy
Love your videos and learning so much about the topics you cover. I inherited my mom’s stash and there was a large quantity of pure alpaca bulky weight yarn. I knew it was expensive and special and have been trying to figure out what to make with it. Your tips were very helpful. Think it will become a shawl or wrap now. Thanks for your wonderful videos!!!
This was my favorite video so far. Thank you for sharing information about alpacas. I was under the impression that I would be allergic to alpaca because I am allergic to wool. I am going to try this yarn and look forward to it. Thank you again.
Fabulous informative video! I really appreciate your well researched, clearly articulated presentations. I have used Berroco 50/50 Alpaca/wool blend in a 4 weight for the Lana Grossa 14 poncho/pullover and am just finishing the Euler Cardigan in the same brand, blend and weight. It is lovely to work with - I am a novice knitter so this point is important to me. I love Berroco's heather mixes. The multiple colours add such dimension to the finished product. Thanks for the info!
Hi Beth -- I know, right?! I've been thinking about buying that little white baby alpaca named Kristyn. She was such a cutie, but I'm not sure I am ready to own a fiber animal right now. :) Thanks for watching! XO
Terrific podcast! Loved the field trip! I am sure having the farm is a lot of work but it was so peaceful! My husband bought me a llama from build a bear and I just love it! I made a simple baby alpaca shawl. It is so warm and soft I keep it on my chair for chilly mornings! It is truely one of my prized possessions. It turned cold here today but that just makes for great knitting weather. Be well!
Hi Gayle -- really glad you enjoyed the field trip. I always love visiting the alpaca farm. The alpaca shawl sounds divine -- perfect for wrapping up in. :) XO
Another GREAT Ewe University. Bonus is that it is one of my favorite fiber animals. Here in Northern Harford County we have quite a few alapaca farms/ranches---both in-county and within 40 miles. There is a good sized Suri herd in only 10 miles away, as well as a LARGE alpaca ranch in PA about 25 miles away. We actually have the Maryland Alpaca Festival coming up in two weekends that we are going to. One of our favorite Fall activities. I have some Cinnamon colored alpaca fleece to spin and I hope to get a bit of variety of fleece colors (black, white and grey) when we go to the Festival. LOVE me alpaca. The yarn spins up so warm and soft.
Hi Dr Kelly! I’m a new fan of knitting and your videos! I’ve learned so much of the ‘science’ of knitting and fibers from them. This one influenced me enough to visit a local alpaca farm and yarn shop-and I took 2 friends with me. We all bought some alpaca blend yarn! I’ve already started a new project with mine. Thanks so much for the time you take to research and make the videos-they are both fun and informative! I’m being smart and sparkly, 😉 kim
Hi Kim -- so nice to hear from you. I'm glad you are enjoying my videos and learning from them. It's great that you visited an alpaca farm and got some yarn there. I'm sure it's luscious! Can't wait to hear what you're making with it. Thank you for watching. XO
Great epi as usual & that was the best field trip ever!! Thanx Kristine. I would love to visit that farm & now I want to hunt around for some alpaca to knit up. Love your shows & looking fwd to next weeks epi for more unique gifts for crafters :)
Alpaca was one of the very first fleeces I bought after I learned how to spin. I LOVE spinning it. But yes it is way too warm for most things I wear so I save it for outside winter wear. I did make my dad a 100% alpaca sweater out of my homespun because he was complaining that he was always cold and I haven't heard anything negative about it loosing it's shape but at the time my knit gauge was a lot tighter than it is now. Huacaya alpaca is a great fleece for beginners to start on. Not only is it easy to spin but it's also easy to process as it doesn't need much cleaning. There's hardly anything you can do to "screw it up". The only thing is that it gets really staticy when you are carding it so I keep a spray bottle with a bit of water with either a small bit of oil or fabric softener mixed in next to me when I'm carding. If you try to diz it into roving while it's full of static the roving will just fly apart.
Hi Fern -- I enjoyed hearing about your spinning experiences with alpaca. I think it's good for people to know about these things. Thanks for commenting and for watching! XO
Really enjoyed this show! I did visit an Alpaca farm a few yeas ago; it was great to see the animals and see all the beautiful items they had on display. I just finished a shawl made from 99% alpaca and 1% Lurex in fingering weight. I purchased it at a Fiber Festival last fall. I love the yarn; it was easy to work with and super soft. I plan on going to the festival again this year...which is coming up this Saturday.
I know that I'm smarter for watching your videos! I am a Senior Citizen and I'm still floored by all the things I don't know! Thank you so much for your videos! Please do more shows on new products and gift ideas! I loved the field trip part of this video the most!
The Angel Hat is really niche...I’m going to look it up. For some reason, the US size six is my fav needle size...so far. I enjoy the fabric it makes. The six us the smallest needle I have used. I have yet to knit a sock, I’m not planning on doing so any time soon.. ❤️❤️😎
Just today found this video. Watched it while dropspinning some hucaya fiber I bought at national show intending to raw wet felt but decided to play with it and wound up washing it,carding with slicker combs from dollartree and using a hair brush as hackle with a fender washer diz. This will be either scarf or shawl. When the kids were little I wanted a llama for cart driving and to protect the dairy goats but decided had enough animals after the first hurricane evacuation. Now live in town where bees are allegedly an exotic species and lot is too small to push for truly exotic animals. I would encourage people to try alpaca by getting inner soles of felted alpaca to put in their slippers, I find this absolute luxury. While I do knit, a lot, I now want to try wet felting slippers with inside of alpaca and outside locally grown merino wool.
Update, did one felted slipper came out great except where resist slipped and messed up heel. spun the rest of the rose gray fleece because it felt so nice. Then bought 3 more fleeces... yeah my son said the same thing. Processed in a more streamline fashion, spun and plied and made Miss Grace shawl. Is a perfect comfort weight and so warm, still haven't blocked it but so can see what you mean about lack of elasticity. Perhaps will blend more with wool as you suggest, enjoying playing with natural colors.Thanks for the knowledge even if I didn't quite follow.
great video - wonderful tour of your friends farm and the information she shared. Alpaca are really adorable. My daughter had a small herd a little while ago and i know she misses them a lot. She keeps hinting at getting two for my place lol.
oh goodness, I knit the WHIPPET Cardigan for a lady who raises alpaca. The sweater is pure alpaca. Turned out gorgeous. In exchange she gave me a sweater quantity to knit myself one. All I have left to knit is the sleeves....I don't think I will finish it knowing it will stretch out.
Hi Carol -- oh that is so sad! You should check with her and see how her sweater is holding up. Maybe if it's not too heavy, it will be ok. And maybe you could make a vest (no sleeves) out of yours? I would hate for you to put all that work into those garments. I guess my goal would be to make the items as lightweight as possible so they will be less likely to sag. XO
Thank you for the field trip to Kathy’s alpaca’s farm I love the alpaca’s voice. Right now I am processing a Jacob fleece mixed with? It is not so soft so I am mixing it with an alpaca silk blend to soften up the fiber. I’ll let you know how it spins up. Love your podcast
Hi Pat -- what a great idea to soften up the feel of the fiber! Yes, please do update us on your spinning experience. Thanks for your comment. I love hearing about your experiences. XO
What a fascinating episode! I'm utterly entranced by the alpacas and their beautiful fleece! I knew nothing about alpacas half an hour ago. Now I have so many questions. I think I will have to find out more and try knitting with alpaca yarn - though I should really downsize my stash a little first! Thank you for another excellent and informative programme. A suggestion for future episode content would be to look at llama, yak and camel yarns in the same way. I really enjoy your broadcasts. X
Hi Claire -- thanks for your comment! I'm glad you enjoyed the alpaca video. :) I'm actually planning a show about this, and I already have some yak, camel, and llama yarns (along with others). Look for it in early 2018. XO
Loved this video. Learned so much about the animals & the yarn. I've only seen them at animal farms on visits with the children & school trips. Haven't tried any yarn as yet!!!! Many thanks xxJane
Love these faces! As I was watching, I was finishing the alpaca lining of a wool mitten. Perfect fiber for lining, so soft and warm and no worries about stretching. Thanks for the farm tour.
Hi Sharyn -- what a great use for the lovely alpaca yarn. I'm going to have to try that out for mitten linings. Thanks for the suggestion. And thank you for watching. XO
Loved seeing the alpaca farm! I have knit a Spindrift shawl with Misti Alpaca which is a blend of 50 Alpaca/ 30 Merino/ 10 silk/ 10 nylon and it turned out beautiful! So soft and light.
I really enjoyed this video. I'm new to spinning and knitting and i love it! My 20'yr old son has a circulation problem that causes his little toe to turn a purplish color. He back packs a lot so I knitted him two pairs of alpaca socks. His feet never got cold! I told the lady about him when i bought the yarn at the local alpaca farm. She took me into the barn and introduced me to all her beautiful alpaca. I have very sensitive skin so most wool is too picky on me. But the alpaca... so nice!
Hello -- yes, the alpaca socks will definitely keep his feet toasty during a hike! I'm so glad to hear that you have enjoyed wearing or working with alpaca. It is definitely a luxurious alternative to wool for people who might have allergies or sensitivities. XO
My first experience with camelids (other than camels at the zoo) was hiking with llamas as pack animals. That was so much fun. The llamas were really cute and so helpful because we didn’t have to carry all our backpacking gear. I love spinning and knitting with alpaca fiber. I have several friends who own and raise alpaca. Great episode. I learned some new things about alpacas and what it takes to raise them. Thanks Kris!
Hi Cayenne! That would be really neat to be able to hike with llamas carrying all the gear. I love hearing about your experiences, so thank you for commenting. And thanks for your support! XO
Hi Kristine! I was wondering if you would consider doing a tutorial/classroom on the different types of wool. In addition to Merino, I’m seeing a lot of other breeds - cormo, Shetland, Blue Faced Leister, Ramboillet, and others. I’d love it if you could talk about the quality/characteristics of the yarn that each produces (positive and negative), what types of things to knit with each, which are native or popular in the US and which are native or found mostly in Europe or other countries. If you could recommend a couple different companies/brands for each, that would be so interesting. It would be cool if you highlighted some small farm to needle companies in the US! Or, maybe you’ve already done this and I missed it! If so, could you tell me which episode? Thank you! I love your podcast. Jillena
Hi Jilena -- thanks for your comment. I love your suggestion and will add this to my list of upcoming topics. You know, back in 2015 I did something like this for the Year of the Sheep (Chinese calendar) where I focused on one sheep breed per month for the whole year. There are so many breeds of sheep that I'm sure I could talk about them for several different videos. :)
Hi. I just watched the Alpaca video and loved it. Living in Colorado we can practically throw a rock and not an alpaca farm - not that I Ever would. A few years ago I was gifted 3 trash bags full of alpaca fleece and was lucky enough to find a spinner willing to spin it. Oh my, the result is stunning and the stuff is waiting to become something real. Here's my question, can I knit it with a wool/nylon sock yarn for a poncho/ruana type garment? Thanks, Sherry
Loved this episode! My nephew talked me into knitting alpaca socks for him. I need to check in to see how they are holding up. He thinks he wants an alpaca farm, and I’m hoping he’s serious so I can be a farmhand.
Hi Julie -- yes, I'd be interested to see how the alpaca socks are doing, especially if they were made out of 100% alpaca. A lot of alpaca sock yarn does have nylon or wool in it, though, so if that's the case, they are probably fine. It would be awesome if you could help your nephew with his alpaca farm! XO
Kristine Kelly so, update on the alpaca socks. They fit, but don’t hold their shape, and slide down his leg. But he loves them and says they make comfy house socks. Lesson learned. Still hopeful about the alpaca farm. (Alpaca emoji) 😜
Merci beaucoup,j adore tellement vos vidéos qui sont toujours très intéressants .merci pour toute l attention apportée,et la recherche faite pour nous présenter ces bijoux d information. J aime vraiment tricoter avec la laine Baby Alpaca,elle est tellement belle et douce, c est comme tricoter un nuage. J habite au Canada ,dans le nord- Ouest du Québec ,et nous avons une ferme d Alpaca ! , qu s appelle la ferme Chapados. Une question : pourquoi l importation d ‘Alpaca est-elle interdite en Amérique du Nord ? Merci ,merci encore. Et j espère que vous continuerez à faire vos magnifiques vidéos instructifs ,encore longtemps ! Joanne.
I have used the Paca Peds yarn and really enjoyed it. However I did find it's a little more sensitive when washing than my other hand knit socks. So, the pair I knit will go to my daughter and I will treat the next pair I knit with more caution. Thanks!
Kris, this was such a fun and informative video. I have a few skeins of straight up alpaca. Do you think it would work to mix a fingering superwash with it? I made a hat out of one of them for my gd and she said it made her forehead itch! I can remedy that but wonder about mixing the two fibers for structure. It is the Araucania brand. Thanks, Cheryl
Hi Cheryl! You could carry a fingering weight yarn along with it, but be aware that will increase the bulk of the yarn and change your gauge. Another option might be to knit with the alpaca yarn on smaller needles in a tighter gauge. Others have commented here and said that worked for keeping sweaters from sagging. XO
I knit a scarf for my brother out of an Estelle Yarns Worsted Weight 60% alpaca, 40% merino blend and my brother said it is SO HOT. We live in Canada, so it's a good thing, really. But I admit I thought he was exagerating until I saw this episode. :-)
Hi Kristine! Loved the episode, such great information! I do have a question for you, that may be stupid, but I really wanted to know. You said you modified the "Angel Hat" by knitting the all-purl rows. Wouldn't that be EXACTLY the same thing, if you just turned it inside-out? I haven't tried it yet, so the decreases might make that not work, so I would appreciate your feedback. Thanks again for a great, informative, INTERESTING episode! --Gail
Hi Gail -- oh my gosh, that's not a stupid question at all! In fact, you are a goddess. I am laughing at myself because I didn't even think of that. I do think the decreases would need to be worked differently, but overall (for me), the hat would be so much easier to make inside out! In fact, I'm going to try it, and for the decreases I'm going to just do stockinette stitch, so the reverse side will be all purls, and I think I will like that better. I'll show how it turns out on an upcoming video. :) Thanks for that insight! ♥♥♥
Just looked the hat up... I thunk I like the way it looks with the knitted rounds...and I like the Rib turned, up. There was, however, one hat that was Slouchy...no turned up brim.. and no pom Pom.. It looked great.. I definitely want to knit this hat. Could you tell me how many stitches you casted on. And did you use two different sized needles. Thanks.. 💕
Hi Sandy -- I forgot to mention that I knit the whole thing on one size needle -- I think it was the US 6. For the cast-on, I followed the pattern. I think it was 100 stitches if I remember right. And I used the Old Norwegian/Twisted German cast-on, as it is more stretchy than the long-tail cast-on. XO
Hi again Kristine, Before I forget, is there a way to buy any of the farms products? I really know nothing about Alpacas so this was really interesting and I enjoyed it so much! I want to show my granddaughter this episode. She is 8 and LOVES animals. She's asleep right now lol. I would love to work with some of their yarn. Maybe try a lace scarf. I can't wear anything too warm because I'm in Northern California and it just never gets that cold, even wool can sometimes be too much to wear. I have always gotten Alpaca and Llamas mixed up lol. Now I know the difference. I remember when my daughter was 2 we went to an amusement park and there was a Llama laying down and she sat down next to it and told me she wanted to take it home to live in her room haha! Have a wonderful week and try not to work too hard. :) Sharon xx One more thing? What weight was the yarn you used in the hat you made from Kay's pattern??
Hi Sharon -- oh I think your granddaughter would love seeing the alpaca! They are really the most adorable animals and so docile. I'm sure she would love to visit an alpaca farm and see them in person. I just put a link to the farm shop in the description box, but here is the link for you: goo.gl/4cs1fQ I'm glad you know the difference between llama and alpaca now. :) You have a good week, too! XO P.S. The yarn was worsted weight that I made the hat out of.
If I were to use two yarns together, one that was pure alpaca and the other being a wool blend, would the garment hold its shape? I often knit with 2 yarns together.
The raw fiber is combed or carded (brushed) together thoroughly until it is all blended. You can do it by hand or with machines (commercial yarn producers).
![Wolfram Physics Project: Working Session Wednesday, Apr. 29, 2020 [Finding Black Hole Structures]](/img/n.gif)
Wow ! You are a natural presenter. You didn't falter once. I loved this video, so informative thank you
One thing on my bucket list is to maybe help sheer these lovely animals, clean the fiber and spin the fiber and make something with it. One day…
I did make a slouchy hat and wore it a bunch and hand washed it and lay it out to dry and now it does not fit the same. Now I know why. Thank you so much for sharing your time and talents with us 🥰.
I thoroughly enjoyed this episode as I just returned from my annual visit to the Southeastern Animal Fiber Fair in Asheville, NC. I purchased two bags of huacaya Alpaca. One is white and the other is a medium fawn. I will be spinning it with some wool and plan to knit some cowls, scarves and fingerless gloves.
Hi Marcey -- oh what a great weekend that must've been! You are going to have so much fun bathed in alpaca softness and warmth! XO
Enjoyed? Oh. Yes! I always learn something new! Thank you. 🐏 May winter be a looong way off ...
Hello -- glad to hear this. :) And oh, yes, I hope that we are just having a temporary cold spell. I've heard we are in for a snowy winter, though. XO
Great show,! Loved the field trip... Thsnks for all the very interesting..and useful.... information.. As always, It was worth the watch,❤️❤️😎
Hi Sandy -- glad you enjoyed the field trip! XO
When I lived in Florida I had 2 friends who raised alpaca, one suri and the other huacaya. At a local market in TN I bought some alpaca fiber from Princess. The color is a beautiful golden blonde. I have both spun and knitted with alpaca and love the fiber.
Hi Dawn -- oh wow, I'm sure that is luscious. :)
Binge-listening to your vids, while knitting. Goes together well. :)))
I LOVE working with alpaca blends. I'm currently working with DK weight knit picks tweed that has alpaca in it to make the looking back by Joji Locatelli. It is so light and soft and an absolute joy to work on. I can't wait to have it finished and wear it. I've also made a chemo hat and baby hat out of an alpaca blend as well. My friend said the chemo hat was the softest thing she had on her head and was so greatful for it. My son got to talk with an alpaca farmer at the children's science museum at one of their events. He was smitten with how gentle and soft the animal was and the process of cleaning the fibers was a lot of fun for him. They didn't make yarn but they wove blankets and rugs with their fleece.
Hi Fallyn -- so nice to hear from you! That sweater is going to be luscious. It's great to hear about your (and your son's) alpaca experiences. XO
Love alpacas!!!
They are so darn cute.. I now want some yarn. Thank you.
Absolutely fascinating and informative. I enjoy watching your videos. They are always so well put together. I have learned so much from viewing them. Thank you!
Hi Mary Ellen -- thanks so much for your nice comment! XO
Thanks for this episode - I had no idea about Alpaca's - the trip to the farm was fun and informative....
Thanks Colleen -- glad you enjoyed it! XO
Gosh! I enjoyed this field trip so much! Thank you!!
So glad to hear it! :)
Hi Kristine, I have found your videos and I have enjoyed all of them. I love learning more about the source of my yarn. I live in WA and know a few alpacas. I love knitting with alpaca. I have knitted two Blue Sky Fiber shrugs(one for me and the other my best friend). They came out wonderful. I have the Churchmouse poncho quantity of Blue Sky Silk Alpaca yarn. I plan to knit it up this year.
My Shrug is durable and I accidently washed and dried it. It is smaller than I like so I use it as a bed sweater.
Thanks for all of the great information.
Kathy
Love your videos and learning so much about the topics you cover. I inherited my mom’s stash and there was a large quantity of pure alpaca bulky weight yarn. I knew it was expensive and special and have been trying to figure out what to make with it. Your tips were very helpful. Think it will become a shawl or wrap now. Thanks for your wonderful videos!!!
Hi Cheryl -- that is such a special story. I'm glad you have some ideas of lovely options to make with that yarn. XO
This was my favorite video so far. Thank you for sharing information about alpacas. I was under the impression that I would be allergic to alpaca because I am allergic to wool. I am going to try this yarn and look forward to it. Thank you again.
Hello, and thank you so much! I hope you enjoy the alpaca yarn. :)
Fabulous informative video! I really appreciate your well researched, clearly articulated presentations. I have used Berroco 50/50 Alpaca/wool blend in a 4 weight for the Lana Grossa 14 poncho/pullover and am just finishing the Euler Cardigan in the same brand, blend and weight. It is lovely to work with - I am a novice knitter so this point is important to me. I love Berroco's heather mixes. The multiple colours add such dimension to the finished product. Thanks for the info!
I totally enjoyed this episode. The alpacas are SO cute. We have an alpaca farm near us and I bought some of the fleece for spinning.
Hi Katrina -- that's awesome! Hope you enjoy spinning the alpaca fiber. :)
I love all of your podcasts everything you talk about is so interesting
Hi Gail -- thank you so much. XO
Great show. Wish I had the farmers foresight and had an alpaca farm. Loved it. Thank you
Hi Beth -- I know, right?! I've been thinking about buying that little white baby alpaca named Kristyn. She was such a cutie, but I'm not sure I am ready to own a fiber animal right now. :) Thanks for watching! XO
Terrific podcast! Loved the field trip! I am sure having the farm is a lot of work but it was so peaceful! My husband bought me a llama from build a bear and I just love it! I made a simple baby alpaca shawl. It is so warm and soft I keep it on my chair for chilly mornings! It is truely one of my prized possessions. It turned cold here today but that just makes for great knitting weather. Be well!
Hi Gayle -- really glad you enjoyed the field trip. I always love visiting the alpaca farm. The alpaca shawl sounds divine -- perfect for wrapping up in. :) XO
Another GREAT Ewe University. Bonus is that it is one of my favorite fiber animals. Here in Northern Harford County we have quite a few alapaca farms/ranches---both in-county and within 40 miles. There is a good sized Suri herd in only 10 miles away, as well as a LARGE alpaca ranch in PA about 25 miles away. We actually have the Maryland Alpaca Festival coming up in two weekends that we are going to. One of our favorite Fall activities. I have some Cinnamon colored alpaca fleece to spin and I hope to get a bit of variety of fleece colors (black, white and grey) when we go to the Festival. LOVE me alpaca. The yarn spins up so warm and soft.
Hi Kathie -- oh you are so right. Alpaca makes such a cuddly yarn. Enjoy your local alpaca! Thanks so much for watching. XO
Wonderful video. I loved seeing the alpaca farm!
Thanks, Claire! XO
Very good and informative podcast. I really enjoy all of the great information in all of podcasts.
Thanks, Brenda! XO
Hi Dr Kelly!
I’m a new fan of knitting and your videos! I’ve learned so much of the ‘science’ of knitting and fibers from them. This one influenced me enough to visit a local alpaca farm and yarn shop-and I took 2 friends with me. We all bought some alpaca blend yarn! I’ve already started a new project with mine.
Thanks so much for the time you take to research and make the videos-they are both fun and informative!
I’m being smart and sparkly,
😉 kim
Hi Kim -- so nice to hear from you. I'm glad you are enjoying my videos and learning from them. It's great that you visited an alpaca farm and got some yarn there. I'm sure it's luscious! Can't wait to hear what you're making with it. Thank you for watching. XO
I'm so glad to find your podcast. You have a really interesting way of putting across such useful information. Thank you!
Thanks so much for watching! ♥
i am blown away! thanks so much!
Thank you so much for this video - it’s fabulous information.
Great epi as usual & that was the best field trip ever!! Thanx Kristine. I would love to visit that farm & now I want to hunt around for some alpaca to knit up. Love your shows & looking fwd to next weeks epi for more unique gifts for crafters :)
Thanks, Kathy! XO
Alpaca was one of the very first fleeces I bought after I learned how to spin. I LOVE spinning it. But yes it is way too warm for most things I wear so I save it for outside winter wear. I did make my dad a 100% alpaca sweater out of my homespun because he was complaining that he was always cold and I haven't heard anything negative about it loosing it's shape but at the time my knit gauge was a lot tighter than it is now. Huacaya alpaca is a great fleece for beginners to start on. Not only is it easy to spin but it's also easy to process as it doesn't need much cleaning. There's hardly anything you can do to "screw it up". The only thing is that it gets really staticy when you are carding it so I keep a spray bottle with a bit of water with either a small bit of oil or fabric softener mixed in next to me when I'm carding. If you try to diz it into roving while it's full of static the roving will just fly apart.
Hi Fern -- I enjoyed hearing about your spinning experiences with alpaca. I think it's good for people to know about these things. Thanks for commenting and for watching! XO
Really enjoyed this show! I did visit an Alpaca farm a few yeas ago; it was great to see the animals and see all the beautiful items they had on display. I just finished a shawl made from 99% alpaca and 1% Lurex in fingering weight. I purchased it at a Fiber Festival last fall. I love the yarn; it was easy to work with and super soft. I plan on going to the festival again this year...which is coming up this Saturday.
Hi Pat -- oooooh, I hope you had a great time at the festival! That shawl you made sounds so luxurious. Thanks for commenting. XO
Suri=Soft. I always go the alpca breeds mixed up. Love the farm tour ad all the detail and research you have done.
Hi Karen -- glad you enjoyed the field trip. XO
Excellent !!!
Thank you, this video was very informative. I love everything you bring to teach us!
Thanks, Sherry! XO
Wonderful podcast! Very informative and I enjoyed watching it!
Thanks, Elizabeth! XO
Great episode,, I want to have an Alpaca/Llama farm they are so cute.
Thanks, Kendra -- I'm with you. I am on the verge of buying one of those cute little cria! But what am I thinking; I live in town! LOL! XO
Great video, thanks!
I know that I'm smarter for watching your videos! I am a Senior Citizen and I'm still floored by all the things I don't know! Thank you so much for your videos! Please do more shows on new products and gift ideas! I loved the field trip part of this video the most!
Hello Sonia -- nice to hear from you. My next video will feature some more gift ideas and new products. :) Glad you enjoyed our alpaca farm tour. XO
The Angel Hat is really niche...I’m going to look it up. For some reason, the US size six is my fav needle size...so far. I enjoy the fabric it makes. The six us the smallest needle I have used. I have yet to knit a sock, I’m not planning on doing so any time soon.. ❤️❤️😎
Hi Sandy -- thanks! I liked knitting that hat. I linked the pattern in the description box below the video. XO
Just today found this video. Watched it while dropspinning some hucaya fiber I bought at national show intending to raw wet felt but decided to play with it and wound up washing it,carding with slicker combs from dollartree and using a hair brush as hackle with a fender washer diz. This will be either scarf or shawl. When the kids were little I wanted a llama for cart driving and to protect the dairy goats but decided had enough animals after the first hurricane evacuation. Now live in town where bees are allegedly an exotic species and lot is too small to push for truly exotic animals. I would encourage people to try alpaca by getting inner soles of felted alpaca to put in their slippers, I find this absolute luxury. While I do knit, a lot, I now want to try wet felting slippers with inside of alpaca and outside locally grown merino wool.
Update, did one felted slipper came out great except where resist slipped and messed up heel. spun the rest of the rose gray fleece because it felt so nice. Then bought 3 more fleeces... yeah my son said the same thing. Processed in a more streamline fashion, spun and plied and made Miss Grace shawl. Is a perfect comfort weight and so warm, still haven't blocked it but so can see what you mean about lack of elasticity. Perhaps will blend more with wool as you suggest, enjoying playing with natural colors.Thanks for the knowledge even if I didn't quite follow.
great video - wonderful tour of your friends farm and the information she shared. Alpaca are really adorable. My daughter had a small herd a little while ago and i know she misses them a lot. She keeps hinting at getting two for my place lol.
Thanks, Lynne -- maybe you'll have some alpaca soon? :)
oh goodness, I knit the WHIPPET Cardigan for a lady who raises alpaca. The sweater is pure alpaca. Turned out gorgeous. In exchange she gave me a sweater quantity to knit myself one. All I have left to knit is the sleeves....I don't think I will finish it knowing it will stretch out.
Hi Carol -- oh that is so sad! You should check with her and see how her sweater is holding up. Maybe if it's not too heavy, it will be ok. And maybe you could make a vest (no sleeves) out of yours? I would hate for you to put all that work into those garments. I guess my goal would be to make the items as lightweight as possible so they will be less likely to sag. XO
Very informative video. Thank you
Thanks, Anne. ♥
Loved the field trip to the alpaca farm. Very informative and enjoyable!!!!
Thanks, Susan! XO
Thank you for the field trip to Kathy’s alpaca’s farm I love the alpaca’s voice. Right now I am processing a Jacob fleece mixed with? It is not so soft so I am mixing it with an alpaca silk blend to soften up the fiber. I’ll let you know how it spins up. Love your podcast
Hi Pat -- what a great idea to soften up the feel of the fiber! Yes, please do update us on your spinning experience. Thanks for your comment. I love hearing about your experiences. XO
Really enjoyed this. Thank you! I have not yet knit with alpaca!
Hi Melissa -- so nice to hear from you! Thanks for watching. XO
Very informative podcast. Loved the trip. Thanks to Kathy for sharing her time and knowledge. Thanks to you as well for providing this information.
Thanks, Pat -- I'm so glad to hear that. Thank you for watching! XO
Great show... I once had a friend from church, who had a couple of those adorable little alpacas..and she would spin her own yarn... Very cool..
What a fascinating episode! I'm utterly entranced by the alpacas and their beautiful fleece! I knew nothing about alpacas half an hour ago. Now I have so many questions. I think I will have to find out more and try knitting with alpaca yarn - though I should really downsize my stash a little first! Thank you for another excellent and informative programme. A suggestion for future episode content would be to look at llama, yak and camel yarns in the same way. I really enjoy your broadcasts. X
Hi Claire -- thanks for your comment! I'm glad you enjoyed the alpaca video. :) I'm actually planning a show about this, and I already have some yak, camel, and llama yarns (along with others). Look for it in early 2018. XO
Kristine Kelly thank you for your reply. So glad to hear of your plans - I look forward to seeing the broadcast in 2018! 😀
Loved this video. Learned so much about the animals & the yarn. I've only seen them at animal farms on visits with the children & school trips. Haven't tried any yarn as yet!!!! Many thanks xxJane
Love these faces! As I was watching, I was finishing the alpaca lining of a wool mitten. Perfect fiber for lining, so soft and warm and no worries about stretching. Thanks for the farm tour.
Hi Sharyn -- what a great use for the lovely alpaca yarn. I'm going to have to try that out for mitten linings. Thanks for the suggestion. And thank you for watching. XO
Love this show. My favorite hat was knit in alpaca and I wondered why it stretched out to fit a giant! Thank you for this.
Loved seeing the alpaca farm! I have knit a Spindrift shawl with Misti Alpaca which is a blend of 50 Alpaca/ 30 Merino/ 10 silk/ 10 nylon and it turned out beautiful! So soft and light.
Hi Rhonda -- I'm sure that shawl is amazing, with that alpaca blend. Thanks for watching! XO
Thanks! Enjoyed the farm tour, & how the qualities of a fiber can affect projects I make with it is really helpful info. :)
Hello -- glad you liked the field trip and found the alpaca info useful! XO
I really enjoyed this video. I'm new to spinning and knitting and i love it! My 20'yr old son has a circulation problem that causes his little toe to turn a purplish color. He back packs a lot so I knitted him two pairs of alpaca socks. His feet never got cold! I told the lady about him when i bought the yarn at the local alpaca farm. She took me into the barn and introduced me to all her beautiful alpaca. I have very sensitive skin so most wool is too picky on me. But the alpaca... so nice!
Hello -- yes, the alpaca socks will definitely keep his feet toasty during a hike! I'm so glad to hear that you have enjoyed wearing or working with alpaca. It is definitely a luxurious alternative to wool for people who might have allergies or sensitivities. XO
Beautiful farm! love the alpacas and their cozy fibers. 😉
My first experience with camelids (other than camels at the zoo) was hiking with llamas as pack animals. That was so much fun. The llamas were really cute and so helpful because we didn’t have to carry all our backpacking gear. I love spinning and knitting with alpaca fiber. I have several friends who own and raise alpaca. Great episode. I learned some new things about alpacas and what it takes to raise them. Thanks Kris!
Hi Cayenne! That would be really neat to be able to hike with llamas carrying all the gear. I love hearing about your experiences, so thank you for commenting. And thanks for your support! XO
Love your podcasts. I am learning so much. Thank you
Hi Kristine!
I was wondering if you would consider doing a tutorial/classroom on the different types of wool. In addition to Merino, I’m seeing a lot of other breeds - cormo, Shetland, Blue Faced Leister, Ramboillet, and others. I’d love it if you could talk about the quality/characteristics of the yarn that each produces (positive and negative), what types of things to knit with each, which are native or popular in the US and which are native or found mostly in Europe or other countries. If you could recommend a couple different companies/brands for each, that would be so interesting. It would be cool if you highlighted some small farm to needle companies in the US! Or, maybe you’ve already done this and I missed it! If so, could you tell me which episode?
Thank you! I love your podcast.
Jillena
Hi Jilena -- thanks for your comment. I love your suggestion and will add this to my list of upcoming topics. You know, back in 2015 I did something like this for the Year of the Sheep (Chinese calendar) where I focused on one sheep breed per month for the whole year. There are so many breeds of sheep that I'm sure I could talk about them for several different videos. :)
Oh, this was fantastic! I love a good farm tour. What a gorgeous property, and how fun was that little farm store? Thanks for sharing this!
Thanks so much for watching! ♥
Hi. I just watched the Alpaca video and loved it. Living in Colorado we can practically throw a rock and not an alpaca farm - not that I Ever would. A few years ago I was gifted 3 trash bags full of alpaca fleece and was lucky enough to find a spinner willing to spin it. Oh my, the result is stunning and the stuff is waiting to become something real. Here's my question, can I knit it with a wool/nylon sock yarn for a poncho/ruana type garment? Thanks, Sherry
Good to see you lady, Please thank your friend for allowing us to have the field trip. Burr winter is really here... what happened to fall??
Hi Kat! I will do that. :) I know, what is up with this weather??? XO
Loved this episode! My nephew talked me into knitting alpaca socks for him. I need to check in to see how they are holding up. He thinks he wants an alpaca farm, and I’m hoping he’s serious so I can be a farmhand.
Hi Julie -- yes, I'd be interested to see how the alpaca socks are doing, especially if they were made out of 100% alpaca. A lot of alpaca sock yarn does have nylon or wool in it, though, so if that's the case, they are probably fine. It would be awesome if you could help your nephew with his alpaca farm! XO
Kristine Kelly so, update on the alpaca socks. They fit, but don’t hold their shape, and slide down his leg. But he loves them and says they make comfy house socks. Lesson learned. Still hopeful about the alpaca farm. (Alpaca emoji) 😜
Merci beaucoup,j adore tellement vos vidéos qui sont toujours très intéressants .merci pour toute l attention apportée,et la recherche faite pour nous présenter ces bijoux d information.
J aime vraiment tricoter avec la laine Baby Alpaca,elle est tellement belle et douce, c est comme tricoter un nuage.
J habite au Canada ,dans le nord- Ouest du Québec ,et nous avons une ferme d Alpaca ! , qu s appelle la ferme Chapados.
Une question : pourquoi l importation d ‘Alpaca est-elle interdite en Amérique du Nord ?
Merci ,merci encore. Et j espère que vous continuerez à faire vos magnifiques vidéos instructifs ,encore longtemps !
Joanne.
I have used the Paca Peds yarn and really enjoyed it. However I did find it's a little more sensitive when washing than my other hand knit socks. So, the pair I knit will go to my daughter and I will treat the next pair I knit with more caution. Thanks!
Hi Amy -- that's good to know for when I knit my Paca Peds yarn. Thank you for sharing. XO
I hope everything is all right with you! I miss seeing your videos! It’s been three weeks since your last video!
Hi Sonia -- yes, it's been 2 weeks only because I've been so busy at school. But look for a new video tomorrow! XOXO
I'm glad everything is ok and I look forward to seeing your next video. I wasn't trying to criticize you for anything. I was just concerned!
Oh I didn't take it that way at all -- no worries. ♥
Kris, this was such a fun and informative video. I have a few skeins of straight up alpaca. Do you think it would work to mix a fingering superwash with it? I made a hat out of one of them for my gd and she said it made her forehead itch! I can remedy that but wonder about mixing the two fibers for structure. It is the Araucania brand. Thanks, Cheryl
Hi Cheryl! You could carry a fingering weight yarn along with it, but be aware that will increase the bulk of the yarn and change your gauge. Another option might be to knit with the alpaca yarn on smaller needles in a tighter gauge. Others have commented here and said that worked for keeping sweaters from sagging. XO
I knit a scarf for my brother out of an Estelle Yarns Worsted Weight 60% alpaca, 40% merino blend and my brother said it is SO HOT. We live in Canada, so it's a good thing, really. But I admit I thought he was exagerating until I saw this episode. :-)
If I don't get a Llama and Alpaca, I will cease to exist.
Hi Kristine! Loved the episode, such great information!
I do have a question for you, that may be stupid, but I really wanted to know. You said you modified the "Angel Hat" by knitting the all-purl rows. Wouldn't that be EXACTLY the same thing, if you just turned it inside-out? I haven't tried it yet, so the decreases might make that not work, so I would appreciate your feedback.
Thanks again for a great, informative, INTERESTING episode!
--Gail
Hi Gail -- oh my gosh, that's not a stupid question at all! In fact, you are a goddess. I am laughing at myself because I didn't even think of that. I do think the decreases would need to be worked differently, but overall (for me), the hat would be so much easier to make inside out! In fact, I'm going to try it, and for the decreases I'm going to just do stockinette stitch, so the reverse side will be all purls, and I think I will like that better. I'll show how it turns out on an upcoming video. :) Thanks for that insight! ♥♥♥
Just looked the hat up... I thunk I like the way it looks with the knitted rounds...and I like the Rib turned, up. There was, however, one hat that was Slouchy...no turned up brim.. and no pom Pom.. It looked great.. I definitely want to knit this hat. Could you tell me how many stitches you casted on. And did you use two different sized needles. Thanks..
💕
Hi Sandy -- I forgot to mention that I knit the whole thing on one size needle -- I think it was the US 6. For the cast-on, I followed the pattern. I think it was 100 stitches if I remember right. And I used the Old Norwegian/Twisted German cast-on, as it is more stretchy than the long-tail cast-on. XO
Kristine Kelly Thanks..💕
Hi again Kristine,
Before I forget, is there a way to buy any of the farms products? I really know nothing about Alpacas so this was really interesting and I enjoyed it so much! I want to show my granddaughter this episode. She is 8 and LOVES animals. She's asleep right now lol. I would love to work with some of their yarn. Maybe try a lace scarf. I can't wear anything too warm because I'm in Northern California and it just never gets that cold, even wool can sometimes be too much to wear. I have always gotten Alpaca and Llamas mixed up lol. Now I know the difference. I remember when my daughter was 2 we went to an amusement park and there was a Llama laying down and she sat down next to it and told me she wanted to take it home to live in her room haha! Have a wonderful week and try not to work too hard. :)
Sharon xx
One more thing? What weight was the yarn you used in the hat you made from Kay's pattern??
Hi Sharon -- oh I think your granddaughter would love seeing the alpaca! They are really the most adorable animals and so docile. I'm sure she would love to visit an alpaca farm and see them in person. I just put a link to the farm shop in the description box, but here is the link for you: goo.gl/4cs1fQ
I'm glad you know the difference between llama and alpaca now. :) You have a good week, too! XO
P.S. The yarn was worsted weight that I made the hat out of.
Thank you so much Kristine!! :D
If I were to use two yarns together, one that was pure alpaca and the other being a wool blend, would the garment hold its shape? I often knit with 2 yarns together.
Yes, that should work just fine. The wool will have elasticity (and if it's blended with nylon, that will give it strength, too).
Oh shoot I'm just finishing a sweater in 100% ,alpaca from Plassard
Let's wait and see how iit aging
Hi Anne -- awww, well hopefully it will be ok. If your knitting gauge is tighter, the sweater may not sag out of shape. Best wishes to you! XO
Is it easy to home dye alpaga?
How do they make it so the fiber blends are evenly made so there isn't a big chunk of 1 kind of fiber in a spot of the yarn?
The raw fiber is combed or carded (brushed) together thoroughly until it is all blended. You can do it by hand or with machines (commercial yarn producers).
@@EweUniversity sounds like a long and tedious process to do by hand. Good thing we have machines to do it.😁
Would you be able to use it for socks.
Never mind