Rico Soft Alpaca : 022 Wine

If your yarn stash is calling for something a little richer, 022 Wine should do the trick nicely. Deep, warm and wonderfully autumnal, this is a deliciously sophisticated shade that brings plenty of depth to cosy knits without being quite as serious as a classic dark neutral.

Rico Soft Alpaca is all about that lovely combination of softness and substance. Made from 60% acrylic, 20% alpaca and 20% mulesing-free wool, it has a beautifully plump feel with a soft, gently fuzzy surface and just the right amount of warmth for snuggly garments and accessories.

Wine is particularly lovely for those projects where you want the colour to do a little more of the talking. Think rich jumpers, cosy cardigans, oversized scarves, hats and mittens - or pair it with creams, taupes, pinks and soft greys for a gorgeous tonal palette. It would also make a cracking colour for colour-work when you fancy something a little more grown-up than brights.

This is a DK weight yarn, knitting beautifully on 4mm needles, but it can also be worked as an aran weight on 4.5mm needles when you want a chunkier fabric. We rather like a yarn that refuses to be pigeonholed.

Each 50g ball contains 125 metres, making it a practical choice for larger projects as well as smaller accessories. As a general guide, you'll need around 500g for a standard adult-sized jumper, although naturally this depends on the pattern, size and your individual tension.

Soft, warm and wonderfully wearable, Rico Soft Alpaca 022 Wine is the sort of shade that makes you want to put the kettle on, find a good pattern and get knitting.

Rico Soft Alpaca 022 Wine

• 60% Acrylic, 20% Alpaca, 20% Wool (mulesing-free)
• 50g ball
• 125 metres per ball
• DK weight
• Recommended needles: 4mm
• Tension: 20 stitches and 24 rows to 10 x 10cm
• Can also be knitted as aran weight on 4.5mm needles
• Approx. 500g for a standard adult-sized jumper