You are standing in your local favorite yarn store, and you’re admiring the lightest, softest, fluffiest skein of yarn. You are surprised that it seems to weigh not much more than a feather, while at the same time wondering: what in the world would I even knit with this weird ball of fluff?
Does this sound familiar? Most crafters have been there at one point or another: coming across a skein of Mohar or Suri yarn and, while loving it, not entirely sure what we could use it for.
In this blog post, I’ll explain what Suri and Mohair yarns are and the kinds of things you can knit / crochet / weave with them.
The bAsics
Often you’ll hear Mohair and Suri being used together (or even interchangeably), and while they have similar properties, they are not the same thing.
Mohair is fiber from the Angora goat, a breed of goats with soft, curly hair. Suri is fiber from the Suri alpaca, a specific breed of alpaca that looks like it has dreadlocks. Both yarns have a fluffy halo and are quite light. When spun into yarn intended for knitting, the fiber is usually mixed with silk to give it more strength and durability.
While the yarns look very similar, they feel different: mohair feels lighter and finer, whereas Suri has a more buttery feel to it. (I know, buttery is an odd word to describe yarn, but really, that sums it up the best).
Another major difference is how the fiber takes the dye: Suri does not take dye well; colors seem more muted, and certain speckle effects are just not doable with Suri. Mohair takes the dye much better, although still a bit less than superwash Merino.
Despite some differences, there are a lot of similarities in terms of look and feel, and in most knitting projects you can use either interchangeably. Just make sure that the weight and length of the yarn are similar to what the pattern calls for. In the end, the choice often comes down to personal preference and availability. Many indie dyers offer both Mohair and Suri, whereas with commercial brands Mohair is more common.
Good To Know when working with Mohair or Suri
Here are a few tips to make working with and caring for Mohair / Suri more enjoyable:
- Both fibers are quite sticky, which makes unraveling harder. Try not to make mistakes (ha ha). But in all seriousness, placing the occasional lifeline when knitting makes ripping back a bit easier.
- Also because of the stickiness: when weaving, choose a loose texture with enough space between wefts and warps. When knitting or crocheting, use larger needles/hook than you would for yarn of similar weight. If not sure, make a small sample to see how you like the resulting fabric
- Mohair / Suri is never superwash and felts easily, so be careful and handwash in lukewarm water only
Inspiration
A lot of knitting patterns using Mohair or Suri hold it together with another strand of yarn, usually Merino. This gives the whole item a bit more durability and also makes it more economical as Suri and Mohair are pricier fibers.
Love Note by Tin Can Knits
Love Note by Tin Can Knits is knit with Merino and Mohair held together, and the large needle size makes it a very light and airy fabric, perfect for chilly summer nights. It has a short lace section in the yoke, just enough to make it interesting but not so much that it feels never-ending.
Sunday Morning Socks
The ultra cozy Sundy Mornig Socks by Carlie Perrins combine DK Merino and Mohair and a waffle texture to make a thick, plush sock that keeps your feet toastie. The pattern is available in both toe-up and cuff-down versions.
Yarn: Puffksein on Merino DK and Kid Silk Lace
Illuminate by Drea Rene Knits
The Illuminate sweater by Drea Renee Knits is a striped sweater with a gorgeous colorwork section in the yoke. Each color is either Merino or Mohair, and so you don’t only stripe colors but also textures.
Yarns: Sphinx on Kid Silk Lace and Niffler on Merino Fingering
Snuggle Cowl
The Snuggle cowl features a two-colored texture on the outside knit with Merino and an inside lining knit with Mohair or Suri, making it extra cozy.
Yarn: Thestral on Kid Silk Lace; Haunted Mansion and Pumpkin Spice on Merino DK
Weaving
My Dad created this amazing lightweight scarf using only Kid Silk Lace on a simple rigid heddle loom. He used Sphinx for the warp and Puffskein for the weft, with a loose texture of 7.5 DPI for the warp density and 6 DPI for the weft. In my Dad’s own words:
Important when weaving with mohair is not to strike the weft, but to only gently approach the previous weft. Gently handle the material because it can interlock quickly. But when weaving carefully – which is not more demanding – weaving is fun. And always leave a small space between the individual weft threads. This makes the scarf very airy and fluffy, and it drapes beautifully.
I hope I could give you some ideas and inspiration for what to make with Suri and Mohair yarns. What is your favorite project you’ve made with these fibers? Let us know in the comments!