Yarn Specifications and Gauges
If you are new to Alpaca yarns I would recommend following one of our patterns that has been designed for this type of wool. However if you are an experienced knitter I would recommend that you complete a test section and check your tension before embarking on your project.
I have a range of wooden knitting needles available in single sets or used in the kits on this site, as I believe these give a better finish with natural fibres. However if you are used to steel needles and prefer them, there is no reason why you should not use them - after checking the tension.
I try to give a recommended tension for each yarn and suggest that you do complete a swatch before embarking on a project. However this can be subjective as everyone knits in a slightly different way and so this is for your extra guidance. Click here to go straight to our yarn page.
| Yarn type | Approximate yardage per 50g | Suggested needle size | Tension ( assuming stocking stitch on a 10cm/4"sguare | Approximate WPI |
| 2ply | 222metres (240 yards) | 2.25mm, US1, UK13 | 34 sts, 42 rows | 20 woollen, 24 worsted |
| 4ply | 175 metres ( 190 yards) | 3.00mm, US 3. UK 11 | 28sts, 34 rows | 14 woollen, 18 worsted |
| Double Knitting | 110metres ( 119 yards) | 4.00mm, US6, UK 8 | 20sts, 28 rows | 11 woollen, 15 worsted |
| Aran | 70 metres (76 yards) | 5.00mm, US8 UK 6 | 18 sts, 22 row | 9 woollen, 11 worsted |
| Chunky | 55 metes (60 yards) | 6.00mm, US10, UK 4 | 14sts, 18 rows | 8 woollen, 12 worsted |
Differences in terminology between UK and US
| UK | US |
| 4ply | Sport |
| DK (Double knitting) | Light worsted |
| Aran | Fisherman / worsted |
| Chunky | Bulky |
| Super Chunky | Extra Bulky |
