Ashford Silk, Baby Alpaca & 19 Micron Merino Combed Top
Ashford Silk, Baby Alpaca & 19 Micron Merino Combed Top combines three exceptional natural fibres: 50% fine 19 micron Merino, 30% Baby Alpaca, and 20% Silk. This luxurious blend offers an outstanding balance of softness, warmth, elasticity and natural sheen.
Prepared as a smooth, consistent combed top, it is ideal for spinning on a spinning wheel or spindle, felting, hand carding, dyeing and creating premium handspun yarns for knitting, crochet and weaving.
The Merino provides elasticity and cohesion, the Baby Alpaca contributes exceptional warmth and softness, while the silk adds beautiful lustre and increased strength to the finished yarn.
Quick overview:
✔ 50% Fine Merino (19 micron)
✔ 30% Baby Alpaca
✔ 20% Silk
✔ Soft, warm and naturally lustrous
✔ Ideal for spinning, felting, hand carding and dyeing
✔ Available in 100 g and 500 g packages
✔ Genuine Ashford fibre
Why choose this blend?
Each fibre contributes unique characteristics that create an exceptionally enjoyable spinning experience.
- Merino provides elasticity and makes drafting easier.
- Baby Alpaca adds warmth, softness and beautiful drape.
- Silk contributes strength, fluidity and exceptional natural lustre.
- Together they produce an elegant, well-balanced yarn suitable for a wide variety of projects.
Perfect for
This luxurious blend is suitable for both experienced spinners and anyone looking to discover premium natural fibres.
- Spinning on a spinning wheel
- Spindle spinning
- Hand carding and fibre blending
- Hand dyeing
- Wet felting
- Needle felting
- Shawls
- Scarves
- Hats
- Mittens
- Garments worn next to the skin
Three fibres working together
This blend perfectly illustrates the advantages of combining several premium natural fibres.
The 19 micron Merino provides softness and excellent drafting characteristics. Baby Alpaca contributes outstanding warmth while remaining lightweight, and the silk adds subtle lustre together with additional strength.
The result is a beautifully balanced combed top that drafts smoothly and produces elegant handspun yarns suitable for a wide range of textile projects.
Technical Specifications
- Brand: Ashford
- Composition: 50% Fine Merino (19 micron), 30% Baby Alpaca, 20% Silk
- Fibre diameter: Merino approximately 19 micron • Silk approximately 15 micron • Baby Alpaca approximately 21 micron
- Staple length: Approximately 5–7.5 cm (2–3")
- Available sizes: 100 g and 500 g
Why spinners love this blend
| Characteristic | Rating |
|---|---|
| Softness | ★★★★★ |
| Warmth | ★★★★★ |
| Lustre | ★★★★★ |
| Elasticity | ★★★★☆ |
| Ease of spinning | ★★★★☆ |
| Dyeability | ★★★★★ |
Because Merino makes up half of the blend, this fibre is noticeably easier to spin than pure silk or pure alpaca. It offers an excellent introduction to luxury fibres while remaining approachable for most hand spinners.
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Our Opinion
If you're looking for a premium spinning fibre that combines exceptional softness, warmth and natural lustre, this blend is one of our favourites. The Merino makes spinning smooth and enjoyable, while the Baby Alpaca and Silk add the luxurious qualities that make every finished yarn feel truly special.
Whether you are spinning your first luxury yarn or creating fibres for heirloom-quality garments, this blend offers an outstanding balance between ease of spinning and an elegant finished result.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this fibre suitable for beginners?
Yes. Because Merino represents half of the blend, it drafts more easily than pure silk or pure alpaca while still introducing you to luxury fibres.
Can I dye this fibre?
Yes. All three fibres are protein fibres and dye beautifully with Ashford protein dyes, producing rich, vibrant colours.
Is it suitable for felting?
Yes. The Merino content allows the blend to felt while the alpaca and silk contribute softness, warmth and subtle lustre to the finished project.
What types of yarn can I spin?
This blend is ideal for spinning fine to medium-weight yarns suitable for shawls, scarves, sweaters, hats, mittens and other garments worn next to the skin.
Can I blend it with other fibres?
Absolutely. Although it performs beautifully on its own, it can also be blended with other natural fibres to create unique textures, colours and spinning experiences.
Why does this blend spin more easily than pure silk?
The Merino fibres provide elasticity and cohesion during drafting, making the blend more forgiving while the silk contributes strength and beautiful sheen.