The alpaca, a member of the camelid family, originated as a high altitude, cold climate animal which developed a coat with microscopic air pockets to protect it from the Andean winter extremes. These tiny air pockets create an extraordinary amount of insulation for the alpaca, an insulation which is retained in the yarns and make it perfect for warm winter clothing. Alpaca has 7 times the warmth of wool and 12 times the strength, so clothing made from it is protective, easy to care for and can last for generations.

Alpaca

Alpaca yarn is strong and resilient while still being soft and comfortable for wearing next to the skin. Superfine and Baby Alpaca yarns rival cashmere for their luxurious softness but are far more durable which makes them an ideal choice for Pussy Caps.

Alpaca is one of my favorite yarns to work with - it fairly glides through the hook and my hands as if it were liquid.

In the world of fibers and yarns, when we talk about how a yarn feels we refer to its "hand." And there is nothing that has a hand quite like Peruvian Alpaca.

The two words that always come to mind when I think of alpaca are soft and smooth.

In ancient Peru it was not unusual for alpaca garments to be itemized in wills. Will your alpaca Pussy Cap be left to someone special or will you take it with you when you go?

There are 22 different natural colors of alpaca fiber ranging from black on up to a snowy white with the greys and tans being especially rich and beautiful. Some of the shades of alpaca are so unique that they aren't found in any other natural animal fiber.

Interesting Alpaca Fleece Facts:

• Alpaca contains no lanolin. This means it is hypoallergenic to most people. High-grade alpaca such as "Baby Alpaca" has a low prickle factor, meaning it does not feel itchy and most people can comfortably wear pure alpaca next to their skin.
  

• Alpaca fiber is naturally water resistant. The absorption of environmental humidity is low.
  

• The structure of the alpaca fiber makes it behave as an insulator. Alpaca contains microscopic air pockets, which creates lightweight clothing with good insulating values.
  

• Softness (hand): Alpaca fiber is silky, soft, supple and smooth to the touch. It is prized for its unique silky feel and luxurious handle.
  

• Alpaca fabric has an excellent drape, appearance and touch.
  

• Alpaca is the only animal that produces up to 22 natural colors, which can be blended into over 200 natural shades. It is easily dyed any color and always retains its natural luster.
  

• Alpaca fiber is resilient and has very good elasticity or memory, making it a favorable choice for blending with other fibers.
  

• Alpaca fiber is stronger than sheeps wool. "In respect to strength the Huacaya variety stretches a longer distance before reaching the breaking point than the Suri fiber and both the Huacaya and Suri have greater strength than sheep fiber." [Animal Breeding and Production of American Camelids - by Rigoberto Calle Escobar.]
  

Pictured above is a Pussy cap made with handspun natural brown baby alpaca from Lisa Souza that's been accented with a thin strand of natural black Peruvian alpaca.

To the left is Risa, the cria from whose fleece this yarn was spun. She is owned by Steve & Lin Murray and lives on their Lassen View Ranch in Cottonwood, California.

This picture was taken right after she was shorn.

Here's a Pussy Cap made from natural black, silver grey & white alpaca fibers that came from animals similiar to those above.

This is the superfine grade of Peruvian alpaca, an ideal choice for next to the skin comfort.

This custom scarf that matches the cap above is one of my new offerings and I call them Pussy Tails. Crocheted in the round they're extra thick and sensuously soft for wrapping around the neck on cold winter days. Available by custom order only. E-mail me for details.

All of the yarns in the pictures above and below are spun from Peruvian alpaca fibers in their natural colors. The range is absolutely dazzling.

If you're like most people you can't wear wool next to your skin. Alpaca is so soft however you probably won't want anything between it and your skin.

There are approximately five different grades of alpaca fibers depending on who's doing the grading. Criteria varies slightly from country to country and from mill to mill. The only two grades of alpaca yarns I use are baby and superfine. Standard and coarse grades aren't soft enough for wearing next to the skin whereas royal baby alpaca, which has a softness comparable to that of cashmere, is usually not available on the open market because most of it is sold to European couture houses.

ROYAL BABY ALPACA  20 microns or less 

*BABY ALPACA   20 - 23 microns

*SUPERFINE ALPACA  23 - 25 microns

STANDARD ALPACA   25 - 28 microns

COARSE ALPACA  29 - 35 microns

Microns are a standard of measurement that refer to the diameter of an individual fiber. The smaller the micron the softer the fiber is considered to be. That said however, the smoothness of a fiber's outer layer also has a lot to do with its softness. Alpaca is an unusually smooth fiber and therefore ideal for next to the skin comfort.