Alpaca vs. Llama. Like Alien vs. Predator, but different.

If you're anything like me, you occasionally walk into petting zoo to look at a furry, four legged, long-necked animal only to wonder if it's a llama or an alpaca.  In order to combat my alpaca ignorance, my llama cluelessness; I present Alpaca vs. Llama:

ALPACA:

Scientific Name: Vicugna pacos

Continent of Origin: South America

Height: up to 3 feet from feet to shoulders

Weight: 100-175 lbs.

Life span: 20-25 years

Fiber production: 5-8 lbs. annually

LLAMA:

Scientific Name: Lama glama

Continent of Origin: South America

Height: up to 4 feet from feet to shoulders

Weight: 250-450 lbs.

Life span: 15-25 years

Fiber production: 5-10 lbs. annually, but guard hair must be removed for spinning.

That wasn't nearly as helpful as I was hoping it would be.  They look very similar.  They come from the same place.  They are both related to camels.  They are both raised for fiber or livestock.  The only real differences are size and fiber quality.  So.  If you walk into a petting zoo and see a very large, furry, four legged, long-necked animal, chances are it's a llama.  If you see a much smaller furry, four legged, long-necked animal, chances are it's an alpaca (or a baby llama).  Upon closer inspection, if you see guard hairs mixed in with the fleece, it's a llama.  But if there is only soft, fleecy goodness, it's an alpaca.

Clear as mud?  I thought so.

Seaweed

Sorry for the delay kids, I was crazy busy and then I got sick and it snowballed into my post being late.  No good, I know.  But without further ado, I present: SEAWEED!  I'll admit, the post is sans-project pictures, but they're coming.  Pinky promise.

Seaweed/Seacell®:
In 1997, a study was conducted to see what, if any, marine plant fiber might be suitable for spinning, weaving, dying and washing.  Seacell® was released on the market in 2001.  Seacell® is a variant of lyocell.  It's made by combining cellulose with seaweed.  But let's call it seaweed.  It's so much more fun!

Cool Seaweed Facts:

• It stimulates skin cell regeneration, supports skin blood flow and exhibits anti-inflammatory properties
• It's hypoallergenic
• Some claim it allows for an exchange of minerals and vitamins between fiber and skin and reduces stress

My Seaweed Yarn:
For my project, I used Fibra Natura Sea Song.  It's 80% cotton and 20% seacell®.  It has a similar texture to cotton, but drapes a lot more nicely.  Where I wouldn't necessarily use lightweight cotton for an openwork piece, I would absolutely use the cotton/seaweed combo.

• Texture: V. similar to cotton.  3 Yarngasms.
• Durability: It's very splitty, but the individual strands don't break too easily.  3.5 Yarngasms.
• Frogability: I frogged this yarn 4 times before I found a project I liked.  I would try not to do it more than that, but the yarn held up for my 4 attempts and 1 finished product.  4.5 Yarngasms.
• Drape: It has a great drape.  I love the way openwork looks with this yarn.  4 Yarngasms.

My Project:
After several failed attempts (bad yarn/project combo, not enough yarn, decided halfway through I didn't like the pattern, etc.), I used the seaweed yarn to knit the February Lady Sweater.  I love this sweater (psst!  It knits up real quick-like!).  I love this yarn.  I love them together. 

If you haven't knit with seaweed, you should.

EDIT: See!  I promised pictures and there they are.  Success!