# Alpaca Yarn Scarf Itches?



## Glory23 (Jan 17, 2011)

Hi,

I made a scarf using 100% alpaca wool yarn.
The problem is my husband says his neck itches when he puts the scarf on.

Is there anything I can do to soften the yarn or fix it somehow?
The scarf feels really soft as is, but it does feel itchy.

I washed it twice, but it doesn't seem to be helping.

Any advice?


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## SunsetKnitting (Apr 6, 2011)

Try to soak with hair conditioner for couple of hours... I never had itch problem with alpaca...


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## cydneyjo (Aug 5, 2011)

I knit a baby alpaca sweater for my grandson, complete with intarsia flames on the sleeves. He wore it once, said, "grandma, it itches" and never wore it again.


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## amudaus (Nov 8, 2011)

I am just spinning with alpaca fleece and find it lovely, you could try washing it in a specialist wool wash, Eucalan comes in four fragrances and does not need rinsing.
Visit viridianyarn.com


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## lovehomemade (Sep 11, 2011)

Pure sheep wool makes me itch...I prefer to wear cotton in all of my clothes,knitted,crocheted or sewn.


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## tintin63 (Apr 18, 2011)

I knit a scarf last week with alpaca especially(for me for a change) but it itches me so I can't wear it. :-(


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## tgrbts (Jul 26, 2011)

If all else fails, you could line the inside with a satin or flannel to match the yarn.


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## Mungie (Mar 12, 2011)

Glory23 said:


> Hi,
> 
> I made a scarf using 100% alpaca wool yarn.
> The problem is my husband says his neck itches when he puts the scarf on.
> ...


What a shame. It sounds like he is allergic to wool. I can't wear anything with pure wool or any lotions etc. with lanolin because I'm allergic to it.


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## smigdail (Apr 10, 2011)

Are you sure it is the yarn. I have been using alpaca for many years both in the US and in Latin America - never had a problem!
sherry


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## charity43 (Apr 1, 2011)

It might seem a bit daft but I have seen on the high street that some scarves are lined. Hope it helps.


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## Lil Kristie (Nov 25, 2011)

Unless your hubby has other articles of clothing made with alpaca yarn, he could very well have an allergy to it. And also an allergy can crop up at anytime, even after having been wearing anything made with the yarn before. 

I developed a latex allergy after being in the hospital for lung surgery back in 1996. Up to that point, I'd had no problems with it.


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## patocenizo (Jun 24, 2011)

Interesting! Which Aplaca did you use? By that I mean which yarn company? I've never had that problem and I have knit alot of alpaca scarves, hats, cowls etc.


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## themightywah (May 30, 2011)

Mungie said:


> Glory23 said:
> 
> 
> > Hi,
> ...


Alpaca wool doesn't contain any Lanolin, so it can't be that making him itch (i'm very allergic to lanolin so use alpaca a lot)


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## Dowager (Jun 7, 2011)

You might try placing it in a bowl of warm water with a glug or two oF fabric softener, and letting it soak, then drying it without rinsing out the fabric softener. It might help. Or try white vinegar in the rinse.


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## Elegants by Ellen (May 27, 2011)

Glad you asked about this. Made myself some fingerless mitts with alpaca .... love em,no problem, made keyhole scarf with the same ball of yarn, and it is itchy! Buy my alpaca yarn from a local farm. Even get to meet the animal it comes from. Think I will try the hair conditioner. Let me know what you try and results please.


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## patocenizo (Jun 24, 2011)

Opps! Mispelled Alpaca! Sorry.


patocenizo said:


> Interesting! Which Aplaca did you use? By that I mean which yarn company? I've never had that problem and I have knit alot of alpaca scarves, hats, cowls etc.


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## euvid (Apr 2, 2011)

I know that some Alpaca sellers mix their Alpaca with a small percent of wool from something else. Don' know what. My children complain about the itching as well.
I do have a mans scarf that is a silk pattern on one side so it can be revesable or to wear the silk next to the skin.
I just got 7 1/2 lbs from Peru and it feels wonderful. I asked the seller if it was pure ALpaca. It said 100%. He said they have blend in something else for a reason I can't remember and his vocabulary became awful at this point in his writing me so I have no idea as what he meant. PRobably deliberate. I have ALpaca to spin and that I know is 100%


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## La la patti (Apr 3, 2011)

I'm happy to read all of this today..not happy about the itching,lol. Happy for the info. My mom is allergic to wool,and has been told it's because of the lanolin. I told her not to worry ,that I would make her a nice set with alpaca because it's very soft and no lanolin. I guess that I should probably let her cuddle up to a skein of the yarn before I start my work to see if she reacts to it.


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## Mungie (Mar 12, 2011)

themightywah said:


> Mungie said:
> 
> 
> > Glory23 said:
> ...


I realize that. Lanolin comes from sheep, but I can't use alpaca wool either.


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## Mungie (Mar 12, 2011)

Elegants by Ellen said:


> Glad you asked about this. Made myself some fingerless mitts with alpaca .... love em,no problem, made keyhole scarf with the same ball of yarn, and it is itchy! Buy my alpaca yarn from a local farm. Even get to meet the animal it comes from. Think I will try the hair conditioner. Let me know what you try and results please.


You too may have an allergy to it., even tho' it doesn't itch on your hands. My husband has a bad allergy to most laundry soaps, there is only one I have found that he can use, and the only place that he breaks out in hives is on the left side of is neck from his ear to his collar, the rest of his body isn't bothered.Our son too has an allergy to a specific body soap that if he has a bath with it he gets open sores on the bottom of his left foot. He's okay with any other soap. Crazy !!


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## ruthe516 (Apr 22, 2011)

Alpaca is not wool. The usual reason for the itching is the quality of the fiber. Not all alpaca is the same. If it has not been prepared properly and guard hairs have been left behind it will itch. If it is poor quality (not all animals are the same) then the itch factor will be there. No matter what you do it will never be any better. This might be a lesson learned about buying better quality fiber. I can give you a good resource if you contact me privately.
Ruthe


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## EZ2 (Aug 11, 2011)

He may be allergic to animal fibers.


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## pridie (May 24, 2011)

I am allergic to some acrylics because it is a man made fiber and who knows what they put into it these days. Broke out in hives a couple of times before I realized it was what I was wearing. Now I wear something cotton next to may skin if I wear it. It doesn't bother me to knit with it though. Go figure! Our necks are the most sensitive part of our bodies. Yarn has to be neck worthy or you will itch no matter what kind it is. Baby Alpaca and Alpaca in general is suppose to be baby skin worthy but there is always an exception to everything. Everyone reacts differently to things. I would suggest to do the neck test when buying any yarn if making scarves, turtlenecks etc...By the way, I sell local Alpaca yarn and it is wonderful. Have had no problems so far. Customers love it!


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## dragondrummer (Jun 5, 2011)

SunsetKnitting said:


> Try to soak with hair conditioner for couple of hours... I never had itch problem with alpaca...


Will have to keep this in mind for when I knit up some alpaca I bought at a fiber fair. Just in case.


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## gdhavens (Jul 21, 2011)

Actually, there are several possibilities for the itching other than an allergy to the yarn itself. One thing is, the neck is very sensitive, and possibly it is the warmth making the neck sweat and making the yarn "stick" to the neck and uncomfortable. Another is the dye used to color the yarn. Even in acrylics, the different colors make the yarn feel different. Darker, deeper colors require more dye and can make the yarn "stiffer" and not as soft as the lighter colors. And who knows what the dye is made from!!! It is sad to work so hard on a project only to find the recipient can't use it. Good Luck!!!


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## tamarque (Jan 21, 2011)

I am very suspect of the allergy claim. Some people have sensitive skin; it not an allergy per se but a deficiency which leaves the skin sensitive. Nonetheless, it is unfortunate as alpaca is usually considered very soft and non-abrasive so skin. My daughter complained of a cotton scarf I gave her, saying she could not wear any natural fiber.
Personally I think my daughter's issue is more than skin deep.


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## taylor-way (Jul 20, 2011)

Hi,
You did not mention if you bought roving or yarn or maybe even raw fiber.
the main reason that Alpaca will itch is the gaurd hairs. 
Just like sheep, different fleece yield different degrees of quality.
All alpacas are different.
I have some alpaca that is far too itchy to wear as garments and some that are as soft as baby yarn.
It is not likely that anything can be done to remove the itchy-ness at this point.
commercial fibers have a machine that has removed the guard hairs during cleaning.
Please tell me more and I would be glad to help you figure out your situation.
;-)


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## Mollie (Feb 23, 2011)

I think some of us just itch when we try to wear wool! I can sympathize because there's just no way I can get comfortable wearing anything wool.


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## christelw (Nov 14, 2011)

Glory23 said:


> Hi,
> 
> I made a scarf using 100% alpaca wool yarn.
> The problem is my husband says his neck itches when he puts the scarf on.
> ...


I can't wear wool because of the itch problem, so I wouldn't wear Alpaca either now that I know that a few people that have itch problems with it. I would line the scarf with an exact colour of may be fleece since it is a scarf for a male. It would make it even warmer. I would be very much surprised if rinsing or washing in what ever lotion would help. It's the fiber that itches and no special wash or rinse will stop that, but that is just my opinion and not my knowledge


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## Ingried (Sep 23, 2011)

Tell him that is not an itch, it is a tickle.


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## groovyboomer (Jul 28, 2011)

For me, alpaca is just plain itchy...much more so than other wools. It has to do with the person not the quality or type of alpaca. Because of that, I never knit anything out of alpaca as a gift.


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## christelw (Nov 14, 2011)

A tickle can be just as irritating though and I don't think blokes don't care much for tickles


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## Niki-knitter (Jan 28, 2011)

Ruthie, where do you buy your Alpaca yarn, if you would share, please?
I love Alpaca for it's softness & the fact that is not wooly...
I usually buy from Webs ... 100% Alpaca or a mix of silk or merino...never heard that it was itchy???
Joan


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## Karena (Jul 3, 2011)

It may be an alergy. I suggest weariing it with collar turned up. I can't put any yarn around my neck except the synthetic, and best I be skiing in the mountains where it is very cold. I have a gift scarf with some metalic and fun material woven into acrylic or some poly fibers, no wool of any kind, turns me red in a very short time. Some peole are just easily irritated. 
k


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## glacy1 (Sep 30, 2011)

groovyboomer said:


> For me, alpaca is just plain itchy...much more so than other wools. It has to do with the person not the quality or type of alpaca. Because of that, I never knit anything out of alpaca as a gift.


So strange. I have a friend who is so allergic to wool that she cannot even knit with it but has absolutely no problem with alpaca, so that's what she knits with primarily. She also uses bamboo, silk ,camel, and cotton.


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## pinktopaz (Nov 25, 2011)

Just knitting a jumper with Sirdar nomad it has about 40% wool in it I am hoping it does not itch.


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## druidsgirl (Sep 24, 2011)

i've heard that it depends on which part of the fleece is used. normally the belly and lgs are best for non-itchy wool. The other thing I have heard is that sometimes the alpaca is not purebred but mixed with llama. This happened when they were first imported to NZ in cases and they are now trying to breed the llama out as it makes the fleece hairy and itchy. You may not win I'm afraid.


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## pinktopaz (Nov 25, 2011)

thanks. It is for my daughter and she likes the feel and has a jumper similar. When I knit it it brings back memories of knitting mohair and the fluff off it makes my nose itch.


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## gwynmack (Jan 24, 2011)

Hair conditioner works great. I pick some up at the Dollar Store and have it always on hand to use when something itches too much.


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## MaryE. (Feb 16, 2011)

I agree with christelw that a tickle can be as bad an itch. I know from having done taste research that it's hard to appreciate someone gagging over something that is tasteless to someone else, particularly if you are the someone else. But, there is real reason for that difference and it's genetic. Allergies and sensitivities are a little different but they are just as real.
I think it's worth buying a quality alpaca yarn to see if that causes a similar problem. You'll know then whether the problem is alpaca in general or the presence of guard hairs in the yarn you used. 
For people that are allergic or sensitive to sheep, alpacas are not sheep or even closely related to sheep; they are actually a camel relative. An allergy to sheep doesn't mean the presence of an allergy to alpacas, because they aren't that closely related. However, some people are allergic or sensitive to a variety of different animals and need to avoid animal fibers in general. 
Because wool seldom causes me a problem, it's difficult to appreciate anyone being sensitive to it except that I know it is a problem for many people. It's very easy to dismis a wool sensitivity as "being all in their head/imagination," but that doesn't make it so. A wool scarf to someone with a wool sensitivity would be like my having to wear a wide, choker-style necklace made of nickel, to which I'm extremely sensitive, and would be in big trouble if I clasped it around my neck for more than a few minutes.


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## Karena (Jul 3, 2011)

Lanolin products, used in face creams ages ago, was my first experience with raising a welt. Same thing happens around my neck. I guess if you are sensitive to lanolin, although I don't see how it could stay in processed yarn, the wool will also carriy the same alergins, soft or not. I have some marino, love the testure and look, to make vests. I will become extra hot in a wool sweater, but a open knit vest works. Nothing looks quite the same as wool. Here in Califnornia you have to make the best of "winter" since it is gone so fast. Shorts and tee shirt on Christmas just doesn't seem right.
Karen


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## spiritwalker (Jun 15, 2011)

Many people have allergies and are not aware until someone gives them a gift of "natural" fibers. If after wearing a garment
made with natural fibers one is itchy skin reddened areas appear
or at worst they have a rash. Its time to see an allergist or
stop wearing or using as item.


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## MaryE. (Feb 16, 2011)

Karena said:


> Here in Califnornia you have to make the best of "winter" since it is gone so fast. Shorts and tee shirt on Christmas just doesn't seem right.
> Karen


 As a former Floridian (south Florida), I know exactly what you mean. We always wondered if we'd be about to wear our new sweaters. One year, we had an exchange student from Germany who made it a point to take a photo of our 84-degree Christmas Eve thermometer reading alongside a newspaper showing the date. This was pre-everything digital; no cell phones, internet, email or other instant means of communication. Film all had to be developed, so it was a while before he could brag to the folks "back home."
I'm in north-eastern Kansas now, so no 84-degree Christmas Eves. Still, we haven't yet had any days where the temperature remained in the 30s during the day and more than a few have been into the mid to high 60s. There's been quite a few that haven't gotten out of the 40s though, so we know it's winter and there have been plenty of sweater opportunities.


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## AJP (Sep 12, 2011)

Sensitivity to natural and manmade fibers is an individual thing. 
Some people have overcome sensitivities of all kinds with nutrition.
This being said, the quality of the fiber makes all the difference in the world. 
As a spinner when you have a fleece, you have to sort the fiber according to where it grew on the body of the animal. Different parts of the body grow different types of fiber. Some fibers are coarse and under a magnifying glass you can see the roughness of the surface of the fiber, while others are smooth.
The weather conditions and health of an animal affects the quality of the fiber.
Usually if a yarn says alpaca wool it is because it is not a true 100% alpaca, because alpaca is not a wool. 
I like to do the neck test on yarn before I buy it, because I am sensitive to some fibers, natural and manmade. I bought an angora mix yarn that passed the neck test, but when I knit it up it was a little itchy, only after it was knit. I studied it under a magnifying glass and I coult see the coarser fibers, among the smooth, when knit were stiff (like fine wire) and I believe that it was these coarse fibers that were causing the irritation. 
A good quality baby alpaca does not give me any problems. I am grateful for that.
I wish it was not a problem for you, because it is so soft.



groovyboomer said:


> For me, alpaca is just plain itchy...much more so than other wools. It has to do with the person not the quality or type of alpaca. Because of that, I never knit anything out of alpaca as a gift.


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## MaryE. (Feb 16, 2011)

I wouldn't count on nutrition to relieve a sensitivity to a fiber or other materials that cause skin reactions. If a material causes a contact sensitivity it's easier and a lot cheaper to avoid it. My only caveat is determining whether the sensitivity is to the animal in question or to rough fibers. If it's rough fibers, avoiding them instead of the animal is still a simple fix. If it's the animal then that animal has to be crossed off the list of fibers no matter the quality. It's nice to know that a good quality alpaca or wool can be used rather than arbitrarily not using alpaca at all. If it's a gift, don't take a chance but I'd hate not to get a Fair Isle beret made out of mini-Mochi if it's only a few stiff fibers of wool that causes me a problem. I'm not an anti-acrylic person so I'd happily take an acrylic gift but mini Mochi is delicious and I'm pretty fond of baby alpaca!


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## Karena (Jul 3, 2011)

My relatives and visitors from Pennsylvania and New York loved to come to Calif in Dec., Jan, Feb. They also took pictures and wrote home that they were sitting out in sun in the back yard, snipping the last of the roses. We have that Rose Parade and Bowl game on Jan 1, or 2 if it falls on Sunday as this year. 
I can tell you it gets up to 80-90 degress down on the Rose Bowl field in the afternoon. Bring a hat and sunscreen! 
karen


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## nittergma (Jan 27, 2011)

I've spun Suri alpaca and it's so soft I don't think it could itch. I think alot of it is the huacai(sp) which seems sort of scratchy sometimes. Hopefully the hair conditioner will work>


amudaus said:


> I am just spinning with alpaca fleece and find it lovely, you could try washing it in a specialist wool wash, Eucalan comes in four fragrances and does not need rinsing.
> Visit viridianyarn.com


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## debbijl (Jun 17, 2011)

Karena said:


> My relatives and visitors from Pennsylvania and New York loved to come to Calif in Dec., Jan, Feb. They also took pictures and wrote home that they were sitting out in sun in the back yard, snipping the last of the roses. We have that Rose Parade and Bowl game on Jan 1, or 2 if it falls on Sunday as this year.
> I can tell you it gets up to 80-90 degress down on the Rose Bowl field in the afternoon. Bring a hat and sunscreen!
> karen


Karena, when I moved from NY to CA in January, some 35 years ago (ouch!), I got on a plane on a snowy morning and in the afternoon was on the beach with 75 degrees. 
But on to the topic at hand, if someone is allergic to the lanolin in the wool, or is irritated by the fiber in the alpaca, best is to go to either a cotton or a synthetic for that person. My daughter turned out to be allergic to lanolin & now cannot wear any wool, but we learned about it from lip balms & other stuff, not from her wearing woolens! I'd wait a good 10 years before testing to see if the allergy is gone... people's sensitivities do change but it will happen over a long time not overnight!
Good luck finding something which works!


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## Karena (Jul 3, 2011)

Yes, I moved from PA to CA on Christmas eve, 1958, culture shock. I went back once in the summer before my senior year. Loved it, except reintroduced to summer humidity, but returned without a feeling of homesickness. My father was briefly stationed in 29 Palms during WWII, he loved the climate--golf all year. 
Really can't beat the weather. 
Karen


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## knittykitty (Mar 22, 2011)

Maybe he is allergic to alpaca?


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## swright58 (Jun 9, 2011)

he could be allergic to wool


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## troi (Sep 1, 2011)

I wonder it if is your water, assuming you washed it before he wore it. I have very very hard water and just looking at it make me itch.


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## BobnDejasMom (Jun 2, 2011)

When I was young wool itched so much I couldn't wear it, even over cotton or with lining. Try it again in a few years. I'm 61 now and have been able to wear wool right next to my skin for about the last 30 years.
A friend who knits and crochets says the dyes in acrylic yarn make her break out.


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## Yarngrandma (Jul 19, 2011)

tamarque said:


> I am very suspect of the allergy claim. Some people have sensitive skin; it not an allergy per se but a deficiency which leaves the skin sensitive. Nonetheless, it is unfortunate as alpaca is usually considered very soft and non-abrasive so skin. My daughter complained of a cotton scarf I gave her, saying she could not wear any natural fiber.
> Personally I think my daughter's issue is more than skin deep.


LOL Awww mom! shame on you


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## nittergma (Jan 27, 2011)

Your cat picture is so adorable!


BobnDejasMom said:


> When I was young wool itched so much I couldn't wear it, even over cotton or with lining. Try it again in a few years. I'm 61 now and have been able to wear wool right next to my skin for about the last 30 years.
> A friend who knits and crochets says the dyes in acrylic yarn make her break out.


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## Sewbizgirl (May 11, 2011)

Glory23 said:


> Hi,
> 
> I made a scarf using 100% alpaca wool yarn.
> The problem is my husband says his neck itches when he puts the scarf on.
> ...


My advice? Don't use alpaca! Lots of people are alergic to it and it makes their skin itch. I can wear most any wool (except the roughest ones with the guard hairs still in the fiber) but my skin cannot tolerate even the softest alpaca. Love wool-- hate alpaca. Aside from the itch factor, I can't stand the way it behaves-- limp and lifeless.

There is a huge misconception that alpaca is the answer for people who have wool allergies... alpaca causes allergies of it's own.

Alpaca is also a really hot fiber. Even if you can tolerate wearing it without itching, it will make you sweat. Somehow it doesn't seem to breathe comfortably like wool.

I am not a fan of alpaca. I avoid it. Even in blends.


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## Jilze (Oct 29, 2011)

I brought a beautiful alpaca yarn home from Vermont to make into a scarf when I got home. It looks beautiful on my coworker/friend! I cannot wear it either! Mohair is the same, lovely, but not on me!


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## jltrask (Feb 18, 2011)

I can wear some wool and alpaca. It doesn't bother my hands, but a lot of things bother my neck. The same skein of alpaca worked well for mittens - very warm - but I can't wear it as a scarf. Even a hat bothers my skin. Wool is the same. I can knit with it but after awhile it makes my face itch - anything I touch with my hands while knitting. I also have to cut all the labels out of my shirts. Why do they use such scratchy thread for them? Thankfully, many t-shirts have the label printed right on the fabric. (My husband calls me the princess as in "The Princess and the Pea" because my skin is sensitive to stuff. I can't sleep if my t-shirt is wrinkled under me... 
But if I were actually a princess, wouldn't I have servants to do my housework so I could knit all the time?


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## colourbug (Jul 6, 2011)

Shorts and tee shirt on Christmas just doesn't seem right.
Karen[/quote]

We pray it will be hot enough to strip down to these!


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## mzclickityclick (Nov 1, 2011)

The important part to remeber is htat you need to let it soak for at least a couple hours, it takes that long for it to soak in. the other tip is not to rub it too much. It will felt, and there is nothing to do to get it back. swish it in the sink a couple times and let sit. I have not had problems with any of the alpaca or llama that I have used, and I have made several things with it including a baptisamal gown and there has not been any issues with it. Good luck


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## nittergma (Jan 27, 2011)

I found my nose itching when combing Alpaca didn't think about mild allergy to it. I with you I like the tees with the "tag" printed on the back too feels like they put wires in those tags sometimes!


jltrask said:


> I can wear some wool and alpaca. It doesn't bother my hands, but a lot of things bother my neck. The same skein of alpaca worked well for mittens - very warm - but I can't wear it as a scarf. Even a hat bothers my skin. Wool is the same. I can knit with it but after awhile it makes my face itch - anything I touch with my hands while knitting. I also have to cut all the labels out of my shirts. Why do they use such scratchy thread for them? Thankfully, many t-shirts have the label printed right on the fabric. (My husband calls me the princess as in "The Princess and the Pea" because my skin is sensitive to stuff. I can't sleep if my t-shirt is wrinkled under me...
> But if I were actually a princess, wouldn't I have servants to do my housework so I could knit all the time?


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## christelw (Nov 14, 2011)

colourbug said:


> Shorts and tee shirt on Christmas just doesn't seem right.
> Karen


We pray it will be hot enough to strip down to these![/quote]

For the people who were born in countries where Christmas is in summer cold weather wouldn't seem right to them. We are used to a fairytale Christmas, with snow laden pine trees, but in 10 years many times did we wear shorts and t-shirts at Christmas and there is always a bbq. In New Zealand Christmas is in spring/summer.


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## mavisb (Apr 18, 2011)

I just bought some alpaca from the farm. The owner brought up alpaca yarn to sell at our Knitters Guild and I have never knitted with it before. Do you have Knitters Guild in America.


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## libellule (May 3, 2011)

itches = allergy (skin problem), i have that problem , sniff sniff


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## mavisb (Apr 18, 2011)

Ifr you sniff and sniff and sneeze, All I can suggest is that you take some antihistamines a good hour before you start knitting alapaca. I work in the Allergy Department at a hospital


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