4-Ply Alpaca Knitting Yarns

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Frequently Asked Questions – 4-Ply Alpaca Yarns

What is 4-Ply Yarn?
4-Ply Yarn is a more complex yarn to work with and is more commonly used for shawls, lacework, fine knits and crochet and is sometimes referred to as Fingering Weight. Our 4-Ply yarn has a thread count of 2/9Nm giving 450m per 100g or 225m per 50g weight.

What is the difference between standard and Suri Yarn?
There are two alpaca fleece types, huacaya and suri. Huacaya, a crimpy fleece, is the most common. The suri has a long fleece with non crimped locks and is known for its lustre and drape and accounts for only 5% of the world’s alpaca population. It is more difficult to spin because of its very low scale height but that gives it its lustre. UK Alpaca’s suri yarns have been mixed with a small percentage of baby huacaya and silk to give the finished yarn more loft and cohesion.

Are alpaca yarn and alpaca wool different?
The short answer to this is: yes! In a broader sense you will often hear people mistakenly refer to alpaca yarns as alpaca wool, and indeed ‘wool’ is what a lot of beginners will search for when learning how to knit – In technical terms, wool refers to the actual product derived from the fleece of an animal, usually sheep. Fibre is the alpaca equivalent and Yarn is the term we use for the finished thread.

Can I buy your 4-Ply Yarns locally?
Online purchase is probably easier, however there are a number of outlets across the UK that stock some of our yarns. Please see our Stockists page for more information. If you are local you may also visit our farm to purchase directly. Prior appointment is necessary.