Yarn Notes

 These are some yarns Dena sent me to test knit.  She needs help deciding where to send the fleeces from her own alpaca to have them spun and what blends to use.  

Creekside Spun Umpqua Alpaca Blend

70% Alpaca 30% Silk 

Sport 2 ply - 200 yards - 65 grams

Dena, did you notice that this label says that the fiber was from Snow Peak Alpacas?

 Creekside Spun Umpqua Alpaca Blend

70% Alpaca 20% Merino 10% Silk 

Fingering 2 ply - 200 yards - 76 grams

Interestingly, the darker 70/30 blend felt softer in the hank, but the lighter 70/20/10 blend feels softer in the ball.  I will let you know which feels softer when knit - or feel it for yourself.

I have cast on with this now and it is loosely spun which makes long tail cast on a little more difficult as the tail unspins as you go.  Also, this is not as consistent as some mill spun yarns are - it is just a little thick and thin, not nearly as much as the Royal Fiber Spinnery crap that I used for that big shawl I never got paid for knitting.  It is delightfully soft to knit with but it looks like the lace will show fine when blocked - pics later.

Fantasy Fibers Inc.

80% Alpaca 20% Merino

Says Sport Weight, but definitely Fingering - 300 Yards - 105 grams

 Snow Peak Alpacas

85% Alpaca 15% Merino

Fingering - 200 yards - 55 grams

This yarn was noticeably less soft when I was winding it into a ball.  I didn't feel the difference in the hank.

  Snow Peak Alpacas

70% Alpaca 30% Merino

DK - 200 yards - 77 grams

 This is the two browns together - they are actually the same color.

  Snow Peak Alpacas

80% Alpaca 20% Merino

Probably DK (not on label) - 200 yards - 77 grams

 This is the unknown 'bulky' yarn.  I will just knit it into a small square.

I am going to knit the two Creekside yarns into this Arroyo.  I first thought to put the softer one near the neck, but I can no longer decide which is softer, so I don't know which to start using first for the lace.

Update:  When I started knitting, I realized that the lighter is fingering and the darker is sport.  So, given that the lace should be more open, I used the lighter for the lace.  I also cut out three lace repeats (7 1/2" out of 60" but I think it will be larger than the pattern says it will be) so that I would be sure to have enough yarn.

The original plan was to knit this with the two brown and the black.  I think I have changed my mind.  I  suggest that I use the black that is a DK, the brown that is a DK and the white that is supposed to be sport.  I am thinking that I will knit all black for two thirds of the ball and then alternate black and brown to sort of blend them then switch to all brown.  Then I will do the lace in the white. 

Here is one someone knit that is similar to what I'm thinking.  Of course my blending will be much more stark and obvious because this person's yarn is a gradience yarn. 

What do you think?

Zuzu wants someone to sit in this chair so they can play with her and cuddle her!  See that suitcase behind her?  That's where some (not all) of the dog toys live.  Both my girls really love their toys!

Teresa