hat

Do you know about alpaca fleece? Yes, there’s an inside scoop here. If you know it, you’re likely to prefer it to merino wool and even cashmere. Be warned: asking an alpaca lover about it will launch a long list of qualities.

Oh, do ask! Alpaca fleece (and yarn spun from it) is warm as all get-out, squishy not stiff (unlike many wools), soft as cashmere (seriously), easy on allergies, and doesn’t pill up with wear. Plus, alpacas are enviable for their sense of style (above) and deliver adorable candid moments (see cats cuddling with baby alpaca below – wha???!).

This November I’ve teamed up with a family farmer in Alberta, Canada, A to Z Alpacas, to create your best winter hat.

You can buy it in my shop here or make it yourself from the pattern here and yarn here. Or, you can enter to win both in our giveaway here. Remember that all purchases in the shop plant one new rainforest tree.

Lucky you, swaddled in alpaca fur. I can’t be held responsible if this hat makes you run around your neighborhood with exuberant delight like the alpacas it comes from: