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Alpaca Silk

bigwhitesofadog
 

I am using Blue Sky Alpaca/silk as warp and weft for a set of scarves.  I had wanted a slightly warp dominated fabric, set at 24 epi.  Suggested sett is 18-20.  I am getting a very loose fabric, which will not full.  Anyone else work with this?  What sett will work best?  I will resley, but am deciding between 28 and 30.
Sandra

Kati Meek
 

No surprise: neither silk nor alpaca full as I understand the fibers. 

Treadle with Joy, Kati

 

Kati Meek

Creekside Studio

Marshall, Michigan

Greyfur.kt@...

 

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Treadle with Joy
Kati Reeder Meek
Creek-Side Studio
Marshall, MI USA
greyfur.kt@gmail.com

Isabelle Fusey
 

On Wed, Mar 8, 2023 at 04:54 PM, bigwhitesofadog wrote:
Blue Sky Alpaca/silk
Interesting. I was sampling a different alpaca/silk blend on the weekend and I found the recommended sett of 18-20 epi was too stiff for the scarves I had in mind!  My yarn has a yardage of  3,472 yds/lb.
https://www.yarn.com/products/valley-yarns-2-14-alpaca-silk
Sett recommendations are just that... and nothing beats sampling.
Isabelle

bigwhitesofadog
 

That is the yarn that I am using.  I found that if the weft is not placed against the fell (as opposed to beating it), I got a stiff, weft faced fabric.
Sandra 

bigwhitesofadog
 

Alpaca, being a scaled fiber, felts readily.  There is too much silk to allow it to.  Unfortunately, the silk doesn't seem to give it the strength I expected.
Sandra

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