Nah Nuh, Nah Nuh, Boo Boo

Big Baby
Alpaca With A Twist
100% baby alpaca
100 gr = 82 yds
Gauge: 3 stitches per inch on #11 needles
My Color: 5004 Summer Squash
My Source: The Knit Stop, Indianapolis, IN
Retail price: $13.00

Well, I'm not a fan of Squash, summer or otherwise, but I'm a huge fan of alpaca, and this one is no exception. It is SO soft and SO squishy, that I quickly fell even more deeply in love with this fiber. I can see a nice winter cardigan or blanket out of this, as it would be so nice to snuggle up with.

Temptation You Can Give In To

Temptation
Knit One Crochet Too
"The Gourmet Collection"
50% baby alpaca/50% Merino wool
50 g = 55 yards
Gauge: 13 sts per 4" on needles size US 10.5 (6.5mm)
My Color: Sea Green 538
My Source: The Knit Stop, Indianapolis, IN
Retail Price: $7.88

Don't try to resist this tempation. It's a nice, lofty, woolen spun yarn, that's as soft as it is pretty. It reminds me of Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk, only without the sheen of the silk, and with a bit more body. It would make a lovely, warm, soft sweater.

Terra Firma

Here is an unblocked swatch of Terra by the Fibre Company in the Lichens colorway.
The yarn is 60% Merino, 20% Baby Alpaca, & 20% Silk.
100 yards per 50 grams
Gauge: 15 sts/4 inches
My source: Knit Stop, Indianapolis, IN
Retail Price: $16.80

The pattern is Harris Tweed from Barbara Walker's 1st Treasury of Knitting patterns. The yarn has little flecks of what appears to be the silk portion of the fibers, which have absorbed the dye in richer tones than the other two, and this makes it very lovely and nicely varied. The differences in colors give the yarn a nice depth, and the silk and merino give the alpaca some body. That said, it is certainly not as soft as a 100% alpaca yarn, but it is still quite nice. The added body might make it nicer for some sweaters than would a limper full alpaca yarn.

Now here is the blocked swatch. It's nice and soft with good drape. I think it would be really pretty in a modular project as well, to take advantage of the beautiful color variations.