Alpaca Wool Kilt?

[Riverkilt]

No Clue :confused: ...maybe some of the guys on the board that sew kilts could give an answer.

Or buy Barb's book and have at it!

[Shay]

I can tell you I've been knitting with alpaca wool and it's heavenly on the hands, if that's any help- but without the lanolin/sheepy smell I get from sheep wool. I imagine it would felt the same, though, so be careful in the rain and all.

[Miah]

I sent off an E-mail to Kathy, will see what she says I'm not sure if she is the "e-mail type" do you know Ron?
some people just don't care for sure high fangled things as e-mail and the like =)

[KhensU]

An alpaca kilt is something I had in mind to do in the future. I'm definitely going to make alpaca kilt hose when we shear our alpacas next spring. Yes we have alpacas. My wife and I just got into the business.

[Southern Breeze]

I got a plaid alpaca wool blanket for christmas last year.Last week I ordered The Art of Kiltmaking.Now this thread pops up.Things are looking very interesting on the kilt front. :-D

[Miah]

I got a reply from Katy.

Dear Jerimiah,

When a kilt isn't made from proper worsted Scottish wool problems arise. The pleats don't hold a crease and various other problems can occur. I don't make kilts out of alternative wools. The reason is that I am a member of the Traditional Kiltmaker's Guild in Scotland and that limits me with my training and membership to the Guild to sewing with proper Scottish wool.

I regret I can't help you with this project.
Thanks for the inquiry.

Kathy Lare

I can totaly understand why she would not be able to help out and that is perfectly cool. I am mostly interested in finding out if and how it would work. I have never seen up close a Alpaca blanket that has a very tight weave.

[chasem]

Seeing this thread raises some interest for me. I went to Alaska this summer, and saw an animal known as the Musk Ox, which is native to Alaska, as well as Europe (I think). Anyway, these animals grow a sort of wool also. I'd like to see a kilt made out of this, especially for the colder climates, as it's 8x warmer than traditional wool (however that is measured).

However, I think that it's much lighter than wool, though I can't remember for sure.

Biggest downside would be the price... roughly $200 for a simple head covering (toboggan, whatever you want to call it).

[AlaskaRoy]

Quite true: the wool of musk oxen (long extinct in Eurasia, though re-introduced recently) is EXTREMELY fine, putting most alpaca, marino and cashmere to shame. It's very pricey, primarily because the animals are very rare, both in captivity and in the wild. But qiviut is fantastic!
Roy

Seeing this thread raises some interest for me. I went to Alaska this summer, and saw an animal known as the Musk Ox, which is native to Alaska, as well as Europe (I think). Anyway, these animals grow a sort of wool also. I'd like to see a kilt made out of this, especially for the colder climates, as it's 8x warmer than traditional wool (however that is measured).

However, I think that it's much lighter than wool, though I can't remember for sure.

Biggest downside would be the price... roughly $200 for a simple head covering (toboggan, whatever you want to call it).

[auld argonian]

Oh, hell...I was frightened by an alpaca in the kiddie's zoo when I was a wee nipper...turns out that I had a snickers bar in my back pocket and the dear thing fancied it.

I have overcome my traumatic experience, however, and recently announced to my wife that I intend to retire to the bluff country of Southeastern Minnesota to raise alpacas and become a gentleman farmer.

Like that's gonna happen!

best

auld argonian

[chasem]

It's very pricey, primarily because the animals are very rare, both in captivity and in the wild.
Roy

That and, if I understood correctly, the natives are the only, or largely the only, ones who work with it, all hand-woven and such.