What the Fuzz!

I’ve got that warm and fuzzy feeling. Yes the love affair continues… with fluffy yarn of course! Knitters and crocheters alike have fallen head over heels for fluff and for good reasons. Texture, warmth, softness, strength, the list goes on. These furry little wonders have a lot to offer our projects. So read on to find out a little more about the fibre that makes up some of our favourite floof.

Fine fluffy yarns have become incredibly popular in the knitting world, to either knit on their own for a light airy fabric or held together with another yarn. But before I delve into some of the different fuzzy fibres let’s look at why you might choose a fluffy yarn. I think it breaks down to these factors: texture, warmth, softness, strength and colour.

  • Texture: Of course this is probably the most obvious of reasons to use a fluffy yarn. The long fibre lengths of both a brushed alpaca and a mohair create a ‘halo’ of fibre that stands away from the knitted fabric. It looks pleasingly fuzzy and softens the definition. This makes textured stitches look a little less defined so it depends if you want really crisp edges or prefer a hazy look. Knit on its own a fluffy yarn can be worked on a wide range of needle sizes this is because the fluffy fibres fill out between the stitches. Although this still creates a sheer fabric the finished results are even. For example a fluffy yarn that might technically be classed as a lace weight can be knit on a 4 or 5mm needle and create a beautiful flowing fabric that feels intentional. A fluffy yarn can also be used as a following thread held with another yarn and knit together. This adds the fluffy textural qualities but gives a fabric with more structure to it.
  • Warmth: The key to warmth in our knitted garments is how much air we can trap between the fibres. This air acts as a cocoon holding in warmth. The more that fibres criss-cross and overlap each other the more room there is for air between them and this in turn helps to keep us warm. So with a brushed mohair or alpaca the fibres are usually held in place with a core like silk or wool. The long fuzzy fibres then splay out from this core. The splayed fibres are great for trapping air and make for warm cosy garments especially when held with another yarn where the fluff can fill the gaps.
  • Softness: Fine Alpaca and Mohair have a similar micron count (thickness of individual hairs) to Merino. This finest of fibre is part of what makes the fibre soft. You can use this softness to add in to your projects. For example if you have a yarn that is a bit too rustic for your taste try holding one of these softer yarns with it to temper its rustic qualities. That being said due to the fine brushed nature of the yarns even though they are super soft some people can find them prickly or tickly.
  • Strength: Alpaca and especially Mohair have long staple lengths meaning each individual hair is quite long. This length gives the yarn strength because the longer the individual fibres the less joins you get between fibres when it is spun. Mohair especially can add strength when held together with weaker yarns. For example the delicate unspun Forgarn can be given strength while knitting it by holding a mohair alongside.
  • Colour: This is probably the most fun way of using a fluff especially when holding two yarns together. As mentioned earlier the fluffy yarns create a halo but not only for texture, you can get a halo of colour. This is particularly striking when using two different colours together. Choose two contrasting colours for a tv static kind of look. Colours that have the biggest difference in shade, either dark or light will give the most impact. Why not even try holding two different fluffs together like the swatch above on the right knitted with two strands of Cumulus of different colours.

The two most common fluffy yarns are the brushed mohair and brushed alpaca. This is because of their long fibre length is ideal for creating the much loved halo. They also don’t contain lanolin so great for those who have a lanolin allergy and they also both take dye beautifully creating deep saturated colours.

Mohair comes from the Angora Goat which originate from Turkey but are now kept all over the world. They have a long lustrous coat that hangs in ringlets. The finest Mohair yarn comes the younger kid goats whose coat has a smaller micron count. Wonderfully soft but the fine fibres can feel prickly to some people.

Alpaca originate from South America and there are two different breeds Suri and Huacaya which both produce prized fibres. Suri Alpaca is long and lustrous much like Mohair and is also lanolin free. Those who find mohair prickly might be better off with a brushed alpaca fibre instead.

I came across a great blog post on Mondern Daily Knitting where they have swatched and compared both Mohair and Alpaca it’s definitely worth a read and you can find it here: Battle of the Fuzz.

If you want to try some fluffy fibres yourself we stock a range in different weights, perfect for knitting on their own or holding with another strand. Check them out below:

Fyberspates Cumulus – Cumulus is Fyberspates’ most luxurious creation, deliciously soft, heavy lace weight with a wonderful halo. Yes, this yarn really pays tribute to its name – it is as light weight as the clouds! Cumulus’ soft touch really is amazing, it has to be felt to be believed. 
As all the gorgeous Fyberspates yarns, Cumulus is presented in a beautiful palette of their jewel like signature colours.

Looking for some inspiration browse our Cumulus Kits.

Pickles Soft Fuzz – Pickles Soft Fuzz is as yummy as they get, in a wonderful Alpaca / Wool blend you get all the fluff with less of the usual shredding of fibres onto you lap and into your nose. In a plump 4ply weight this yarn has enough body to stand beautifully alone, and can also easily be held together with another yarn to create a thicker weight. Soft Fuzz truly yields a comfortable knitting experience.

Soft Fuzz is light weight with a generous meterage making it go a long way into your next favourite project. The fibres are spun into a single thread which is then brushed, resulting in a matt soft halo which is lovely and gentle onto the skin.

Looking for some inspiration browse our Soft Fuzz Yarn Kits.

Pickles Big Fuzz – A chunky fluff!!! Pickles Big Fuzz will have you finishing those woolly hugs in exquisite Mohair in no time!

Big Fuzz is lightweight, incredibly soft, doesn’t pill nor sheds and will work up to a garment that keeps its shape without sagging, even if you knit it loosely on gigantic needles. 

Looking for some inspiration browse our Big Fuzz Kits.


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