Alpaca gives the finished fabric its cosy handle and elegant fall. It is a lovely choice for necklines, scarves and garments worn close to the body, subject to individual fibre sensitivity.
Mode at Rowan Alpaca Wool
Soft alpaca warmth, balanced with resilient wool
Mode Alpaca Wool brings two beautiful natural fibres together in a refined DK yarn. Alpaca contributes luxurious softness, warmth and drape, while wool adds resilience and shape. The result is an exceptionally comfortable yarn for polished winter layers, richly textured knitwear and accessories made to be worn often.
- 50% alpaca and 50% wool for a balanced blend of softness, warmth and structure.
- Versatile DK / 8 ply equivalent with a generous 116 metres in every 50g ball.
- Softly defined stitches show cables, ribs, colourwork and simple textures beautifully.
- Eleven considered shades make sophisticated single-colour and tonal projects easy to plan.
50% + 50%Alpaca and wool
116m / 50gRefined DK yarn
3.75mmRecommended knitting needles
23 x 30Reference gauge per 10cm
Each fibre brings something valuable
This is not alpaca for softness alone or wool for structure alone. Mode combines the character of both fibres to create fabric that feels luxurious while remaining useful for everyday garments.
Wool helps the stitches recover, supports ribs and shaping, and gives the blend more body than a pure alpaca yarn. That balance makes the fabric easier to use across a full winter wardrobe.
Made for modern cold-weather wardrobes
A sophisticated yarn for layers you will live in
The softly muted palette is designed to work together. Choose one rich shade for a timeless sweater, combine neighbouring neutrals for tonal colourwork, or add Powder, Olive or Currant as a carefully placed accent.
- Jumpers, cardigans, slipovers and knitted skirts
- Cables, ribs, moss stitch and softly defined texture
- Scarves, cowls, hats, mittens and winter accessories
- Tonal stripes, fair isle and colour-blocked designs
- Knitting or crochet patterns with compatible DK gauge and metreage
Warmth you can feel.
Structure you can trust.
Colour you can wear.
Structure you can trust.
Colour you can wear.
A refined alpaca and wool blend for contemporary pieces with lasting wardrobe appeal.
Where Mode Alpaca Wool works beautifully
Everyday sweaters
Soft warmth and wool resilience create comfortable crew necks, v-necks and relaxed winter jumpers.
Textured cardigans
Cables, moss stitch and ribbing gain softly defined depth without losing the yarn's elegant drape.
Tonal colourwork
The coordinated palette makes modern stripes, restrained fair isle and subtle colour blocking easy to plan.
Cosy accessories
Use the blend's warmth for scarves, hats, cowls and mittens that feel special every time they are worn.
Choose from all eleven Mode Alpaca Wool colours
Deep Carbon, Thunder and Slate sit beside warm Fawn and Walnut, with French, Olive, Powder and Currant providing elegant colour. Every tile below uses the exact image assigned to that live Shopify variant.
010Carbon
011Thunder
012Slate
013French
014Dove
015Fawn
016Walnut
017Quartz
018Olive
019Powder
020Currant
Choose by both shade number and name. Screens and lighting reproduce colours differently, and separate dye lots can show small variations.
Start with a Rowan pattern made for this yarn
These verified Rowan designs use Mode Alpaca Wool's warmth, drape and coordinated palette. Open a pattern to check the size, construction and exact yarn quantity before choosing your colours.
Pentney
A timeless men's cable sweater with crew-neck and v-neck options.
Holme & Sandringham
A sophisticated cabled raglan jumper and ribbed skirt set.
Holt
A clean, timeless men's stocking-stitch crew-neck sweater.
Heacham
A loose-fitting wide v-neck sweater worked from the shoulders down.
Rhodes
A slim high-neck sweater with tonal fair isle worked top down.
Salthouse
A seamless slipover using Alpaca Wool with Alpaca Haze held together.
Mini Pinstripe
A cosy children's raglan sweater with wide contrasting stripes.
More Rowan inspiration
Browse Rowan yarn and patterns, then match the specified gauge and metreage.
A washed swatch protects the fit
Give the blend time to settle before measuring
Rowan's reference tension is 23 stitches and 30 rows per 10cm using 3.75mm needles. Alpaca brings drape and can relax after washing, while wool provides recovery. Make a generous swatch, wash it as directed, dry it flat and measure only when completely dry.
Garment tip: if the finished piece will be long or loose, let the dry swatch hang for a day and measure again. This gives you a better idea of how the fabric may behave under its own weight.
23 x 30Reference stitches and rows per 10cm using 3.75mm needles. The chosen pattern's gauge always takes priority.
Calculate the quantity from your pattern
Use the total metreage for the exact size and version you are making. Add an allowance for swatching, joins, shaping, pattern matching and any extra length you plan to add.
Find the required metres
Read the total for your size rather than relying on a general ball estimate.
Divide by 116
A project requiring 900m uses 7.76 balls before any allowance.
Round up and add margin
For that example, buy at least 8 balls and consider 9 if you need extra for swatching or adjustments.
Dye-lot tip: order enough of one shade at the same time and check the labels before starting. If different lots must be combined, alternate them for several rows to soften any transition.
Choose the fabric your project needs
Choose Alpaca Wool for warmth
This 50% alpaca and 50% wool blend creates cosy, softly structured fabric for winter garments and accessories. It is the natural choice when warmth, softness and wool resilience matter.
Choose Cotton DK for breathability
For smooth, cooler fabric with crisp stitch definition and no wool, explore Mode at Rowan Cotton DK. It suits warm-weather pieces and trans-seasonal layers.
Verified yarn details
Mode at Rowan Alpaca Wool specifications
| Brand and range | Mode at Rowan Alpaca Wool |
|---|---|
| Fibre content | 50% alpaca, 50% wool |
| Yarn weight | DK / 8 ply equivalent |
| Ball weight | 50g |
| Ball length | Approximately 116m / 128yd |
| Recommended knitting needles | 3.75mm / UK 9 / US 5 |
| Reference tension | 23 stitches x 30 rows per 10cm |
| Handle and fabric | Soft and warm with elegant drape, wool resilience and softly defined stitches |
| Care | Hand wash in lukewarm water; dry flat in shade; do not bleach or tumble dry; low heat iron; consult a cleaner for suitable dry-cleaning solvents |
| Live Direct Sewing shades | Eleven |
Keep your finished knit looking its best
Use lukewarm water and a suitable gentle cleanser. Avoid rubbing, twisting or sudden temperature changes.
Lift the wet item carefully, press out moisture without wringing, reshape it and dry flat in the shade.
Do not tumble dry or bleach. If needed, use only a low-heat iron and consult a professional cleaner about suitable solvents.
Before you cast on with Mode Alpaca Wool
Is Mode Alpaca Wool the same as 8 ply in New Zealand?
It is a DK yarn and is commonly matched with NZ 8 ply patterns. Always compare the pattern gauge with Rowan's 23 stitches per 10cm reference and make a washed tension square.
Is this a pure alpaca yarn?
No. It contains 50% alpaca and 50% wool. The blend combines alpaca softness and warmth with the resilience and structure of wool.
Is Mode Alpaca Wool soft enough for next-to-skin projects?
Rowan describes the blend as incredibly soft and comfortable, making it attractive for scarves, cowls and necklines. Fibre sensitivity is personal, so very sensitive makers may prefer to test a ball or swatch first.
Can I crochet with Mode Alpaca Wool?
Yes. It can be used for crochet garments and accessories when the pattern gauge, fabric and metreage are suitable. Follow the hook size recommended by your chosen pattern.
Can I substitute it in another DK or 8 ply pattern?
Often, but fibre content matters as much as yarn weight. Compare gauge and metreage, then wash the swatch to judge drape, recovery and finished dimensions before committing to a garment.
Will the finished fabric relax?
Alpaca can add drape and may relax after washing, while the wool helps with recovery. A generous washed swatch is the best way to understand the fabric before choosing a size.
How many balls should I order?
Divide the pattern's total metres for your size by 116, round up and add an allowance for swatching, shaping, colour matching and any planned adjustments.
Are online colours exact?
The colour card uses the exact live variant images, but screens and lighting vary. Use the shade number as the most dependable reference and allow for dye-lot variation.
Bring balanced natural-fibre luxury to your next project
Pick a colour above, choose a compatible DK pattern, check the required metreage and create a warm, polished piece made for years of cold-weather wear.
Return to the Colour Card