Wednesday 5 July 2017

Alpaca



I've just looked it up, and the plural of one alpaca can be either alpaca or alpacas. I wish there was a more interesting collective word for a group of them than herd. Perhaps you can suggest one. But for now, as I have no better word, I have been knitting a whole herd of alpaca. This new pattern has now been thoroughly tested, and I am really pleased with the result. My husband keeps telling me that I should have made the necks thinner, but these are meant to be alpaca who are just about ready to be sheared. Sorry about the huge number of photos - I just can't make my mind up.



The very first brown alpaca was made with Bearhouse Alpaca mocha double knit, and you can see some more photos here. I made the second one with the same weight of wool, but this time Bearhouse honeycomb double knit. The smaller cream one is made with Bearhouse vanilla ice 4ply, as I really wanted to knit one in this shade, and it doesn't seem to come in double knit. I just reduced the needle size, and he has turned out fine, although I recommend the double knit on the pattern. This is quite a tight knit, with a small needle size, as I wanted to make sure that the knitting is quite firm and the neck doesn't flop. I am sure that there are other alpaca wools, but I would recommend this one which knitted up really nicely, as is 100% pure alpaca.


I just love alpacas. I have sat and watched a TV show about some alpacas near Oxford, which shows them giving birth. I definitely want to go on visit the alpaca farm where this wool came from on our next visit to Devon. I have some oddments left of all the wool, so may have a go at a piebald alpaca.


The pattern is available on ravelry, Etsy, and LoveKnitting. This was just one of those projects that I felt compelled to do.


 

14 comments:

  1. Those are so very sweet! Their little faces are so dear and they look just like real alpacas.

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  2. Really cute! I love alpacas too and have cultivated friendships with alpaca owners...we may own some in the future...

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  3. You do such amazing work! You capture more than just their essence; you capture what Heidegger calls "dasein," their presence.

    https://readerbuzz.blogspot.com/2017/07/iconic-paris-that-tower.html

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  4. Amazing "herd." They are so adorable, and I love how they look standing in the grass. Thanks for sharing, and here are MY SATURDAY SNAPSHOTS

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  5. thye ate so cute.. and they all look different with different caracteres..great job!!!

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  6. so adorable Ginny, thanks for sharing on craft schooling Sunday!

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  7. I love that you've placed them in the grass- they look like babies!

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  8. So cute! I actually am not a fan of alpacas. I'm always afraid they'll kick me.

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  9. I'm loving seeing your Alpaca obsession develop, they are brilliant (perfect necks to support their heads imo)

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  10. They are SO cute! All the photos are great, but I love the one of them spread out in a line. It looks like they are running towards me. Alpacas running to greet me - best day ever! :)

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  11. That's one cute alpaca family! Thank you for sharing them at The Really Crafty Link Party. Pinned!

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