As much as I love knitting & spinning etc, I haev to admit that I am very very choosy as to what I actually wear woollen wise. I have to carefully touch my neck with any garment that might look vaguely itchy, and usually find that they make me hot & rashy and want to shed my own skin within minutes, the joys of being hypersensitive.

Sadly I have just found that I suffer the same with the soft and luxurious Alpaca :( I had a fleece as well as some combed tops, and have just spent the most unpleasant few days determinedly trying tp spin it, whilst my eyes have been itching me like crazy.

Does anyone else have this problem with Alpaca yarn?

How can something that feels so soft in the hand be so awful around the neck? Mohairs the same.

So today I treat myself and i've been spinning some nice gentle merino :lol:

I've never knit with alpaca, so I can't comment on the itchy/prickle factor. As your eyes have been itching, it does sound rather like you could be allergic to it. If you are, then it could be the softest fibre in the world, and you'd still have the itchiness.

Do you get itchy eyes with the other fibres that cause pricklyness? It sounds to me like you've got two things going on: a standard irritation that some people with sensitive skin get to, say, some 100% wools, then the possibility of an allergy to the alpaca, indicated by the itchy eyes.

Have you noticed any redness or localised weals on your hands or arms? You should only see that if you have any tiny cuts or scratches on your skin though.

Try taking some anti-histamine tablets (I use ceterizine dihydrochloride one a day generic brand from Tesco).