Alpaca Direct: Local destination for luxury yarn, apparel, gifts

Alpaca Direct is a direct merchant of high quality yarn, apparel and jewelry. We carry a variety of fibers including alpaca, merino wool, pima cotton, bamboo and lots of quality blends for all purposes. We also stock a full line of fiber art accessories, from handcrafted needles and hooks to spindles and spinning wheels along with more than 2,000 varieties of yarn. Crafters of all skill levels, from beginners to experts, are invited to join the Alpaca Direct family through our weekly crafting groups, knitting and crocheting classes, and exciting sale events. Our carefully curated boutique selection also includes Peruvian Alpaca sweaters, hand-knit lace scarves, warm alpaca socks, pima cotton pajamas, cuddly alpaca teddy bears and unique international jewelry.

Alpacas produce more than 20 natural shades of fiber, from white, beige and fawn to brown, rose gray and black. The fiber dyes beautifully and can be treated with natural or synthetic dyes, creating a color spectrum as vast as your imagination. It is soft, like cashmere, but due to the lack of lanolin in the fiber, it is hypoallergenic and stronger than wool. This unique hollow core fiber is extremely light, yet retains the ability to warm its wearer against even the harshest winter chills.

New at Alpaca Direct, Laurel Hill Square Knitting Needles. These needles are hand crafted from carefully selected exotic woods, sized, sanded and polished to a satin smooth finish. They are light weight, well balanced, very comfortable to knit with, and produce a very even gauge.

Simply put, these needles are divine.

Featured this month is our knit and felted jack-o-lantern tote pattern. This quick knit project is sure to delight kids and adults alike. Decorated, it's the perfect tote for treats, or undecorated it will serve you well into the autumn season as a possible centerpiece, or filled with whatever your heart desires. This pattern features Cascade Pastaza, it can be made in two sizes depending on the needles size and is complimentary at Alpaca Direct with yarn purchase.

Our fiber experts are on call 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.

Visit us at 1016 W. Hayden Ave. or online at AlpacaDirect.com - your local destination for luxury yarn, apparel and gifts.