Any yarn recommendations to substitute for Paton's Rumor?

[strawberryjody]

I loved Paton's Rumor yarn and I'm bummed that it got discontinued.
Does anyone have recommendations for a good bulky substitution suggestion that also has a similar alpaca (or similar) softness and texture?
I used it for mittens, so it really has to be soft AND sturdy.

 

[hairbender]

Rumor is 84% Acrylic - 15% Alpaca - 1% Polyester. See if you can find something with similar content. They suggest Patons Divine http://www.patonsyarns.com/product.php?LGC=divine

What you are looking for when using a substitute yarn is the size. You want the same thickness of yarn so that it would knit up the same. The best measure of a yarn is "wraps per inch" -- this means how many times can you wrap the yarn in a one inch space. A thick yarn takes up more room, and you will get few wraps. A fine yarn, taking very little space, will have many wraps in that same space.

The second consideration is the fibre content so that you get the same felling and warmth of the yarn. Not all yarns are the same! You know this... there are reasons we have fibre from so many different kinds of animals, and each has a different purpose and effect. Although these yarns you used are mostly plastic, some people like them... or really don't know there is a difference.

It's unfortunate that your favourite yarn is discontinued, but that gives you a chance now to discover other yarns that may be as good, or even better. Don't be afraid to try things you haven't used before. You can change the size of your needles with a finer yarn, and add a few stitches and rows. You can even use two or three yarns together to make a bulky, and have more variety with colours that way. Explore!