What Lamana is for
Lamana is a small range rather than a supermarket wall of yarn, and it is put together with a particular kind of knitter in mind: someone making a considered garment in a colour they will still like in five years. The fibre list leans on baby alpaca and merino, spun in Italy and Peru, with an emphasis on sustainably sourced natural materials. The shades are muted and modern rather than primary, which is precisely why they layer so well; picking three Lamana colours at random rarely produces a clash.
Fibre character and what it means for your project
- Baby alpaca: warmer than wool for its weight, with heavy drape and a soft halo. Superb in loose jumpers, scarves and wraps; it will grow if you knit it into a fitted shape.
- Merino: springy and elastic, holds ribbing and cables, and blocks predictably. The safer choice for a structured garment.
- Blends of the two: the middle ground, giving alpaca's softness with enough memory to keep a neckline in place.
Choosing a weight
Finer weights suit shawls, lace and lightweight tops, and reward the smooth, evenly spun quality of these yarns with very clean stitch definition. DK and aran weights are the natural home for jumpers and cardigans, giving you a garment in a realistic timeframe. Heavier weights make quick accessories and are the fastest way to test a shade before committing to a sweater quantity. Whatever you pick, check the tension printed on the ball band against your pattern's tension before you buy the full amount.
Swatching alpaca properly
Alpaca-rich yarns are the classic swatch trap. Knitted fabric measures one way straight off the needles and another after washing, because the fibre relaxes and lengthens. Knit at least 15cm square, wash it exactly as you plan to wash the garment, dry it flat, and then hang it with a light weight for a day before measuring. If the swatch grows in length, size down or choose a shorter body, and be conservative with sleeve length. Working a slightly firmer tension than you would in pure wool helps enormously.
Colourwork and stripes
Because the palette is coordinated, Lamana suits colourblock jumpers, wide stripes and simple two-colour yokes. For stranded work choose the merino-heavy options rather than the softest alpacas, as the halo blurs the pattern outline. Carry the unused colour loosely up the side for narrow stripes rather than cutting each time, and change colour at the start of the round on the same side of the work so the jog stays in one place.
Quantities, dye lots and care
Buy to the metres, not the ball count, and buy the whole garment quantity at once in a single dye lot; a small range means a shade may not be reprinted in the same lot. For care, hand wash in lukewarm water with a wool wash, do not agitate, press water out in a towel and dry flat. Alpaca in particular must never be hung wet, as the weight of the water will pull a jumper several centimetres longer. Store folded, and give a garment a day's rest between wears so the fibre recovers.
Lamana yarn questions
Where is Lamana yarn made? The range is spun in Italy and Peru using natural fibres including baby alpaca and merino.
Is it machine washable? Treat it as hand wash unless the ball band on a specific shade says otherwise.
Which Lamana yarn suits a first jumper? A merino or merino-blend DK, which is more forgiving on tension and holds its shape better than pure alpaca.
Can I substitute it into another designer's pattern? Yes, provided you match the pattern's tension and buy by yardage rather than by ball.
Will an alpaca jumper stretch? Lengthwise, yes, a little. Plan for it by knitting a firmer tension and a shorter body than you think you need.
