Welcome! The alpacas and farm life have become my constant teachers, and I have begun shifting my blog focus to reflect the lessons I am learning. I plan to share more thoughts and stories related to farm life in Grays Harbor County and carve out a space in the ethernet where one can stop, breathe, and think.

Monday, May 24, 2010

New to the Alpaca Yarn Shop: 100% Suri Alpaca Lace-Weight Yarn

As summer approaches, thoughts of being wrapped in an elegant hand made shawl while sipping wine at an outdoor bistro seem to rise with the warm air. Interestingly, I took an informal poll at my last Fiber Arts Guild meeting and discovered that most people are either either hot or cold when it comes to lace knitting. They do, or they don't. 

I will admit that I have not ever made a shawl with lace-weight yarn, so apparently my time has come. Always up for a new challenge, I am actively seeking out a shawl pattern to make for myself with the Suri alpaca lace-weight yarn that has just arrived for sale at The Alpaca Yarn Shop.












If you have never seen a Suri alpaca before (photo from Wikipedia), they are rather unique looking with their fiber hanging off their bodies in long dreadlocks. They differ from Huacaya alpacas, which have fluffy coats similar to sheep.

Suri fiber, when compared to other natural fibers, very closely resembles silk with respect to the smoothness of the fiber shaft. True Suri fiber should be free of crimp, making it well suited for worsted fabrics. Suri yarn also has a lovely luster and beautiful drape when used for knit and crochet projects, such as lace shawls and scarves.                                       

If you have never worked with lace-weight yarn before, I hope you will join me in opening the door to a world of lovely lace projects. Let's jump in together and create something beautiful.

Ciao for now,
Lynn