Silk yarn

Silk yarn gives your knitting a subtle sheen, a flowing drape and a lightness that wool alone cannot provide. Here you’ll find yarns containing silk for knitting and crochet from Drops, Malabrigo, Austermann, Urth Yarns and Katia. Almost all the ranges are blends, combining silk with mohair, alpaca, merino or cashmere. Use fine lace-weight yarns to knit airy scarves and shawls, and smoother blends for jumpers and cardigans.

Silk yarn with mohair, alpaca or merino – what’s the difference?

Silk gives yarn its sheen and strength, while the other fibre determines how warm your knitting will be and how it will look. If you’re looking for yarn without silk, take a look at mohair yarn, alpaca yarn or merino yarn.

• Silk with mohair – Austermann Kid Silk (75 % mohair, 25 % silk), Urth Yarns Bonmoher (60 % kid mohair, 40 % silk) and Malabrigo Mohair: a silk core wrapped in fine, fluffy fibres creates an airy, sheer knitted fabric.
• Silk with alpaca – Drops Brushed Alpaca Silk and Malabrigo Silkpaca (70 % baby alpaca, 30 % mulberry silk): light, warm yarn with a delicate halo.
• Silk with merino – Malabrigo Silky Merino (51 % silk, 49 % merino), Katia Silky Lace and Austermann Maxin (80 % merino, 20 % tussah silk): smooth yarn with a lovely drape.
• Silk with cashmere – Austermann Cashmere Lace: 200 m per 20 g, for delicate lace patterns.

What can you knit with silk yarn?

Scarves, shawls and lightweight jumpers are common choices. Knit fine yarns such as Malabrigo Silkpaca (384 m per 50 g) or Austermann Kid Silk (225 m per 25 g) on 3 to 5 mm needles to create airy patterns. Fluffy mohair and alpaca blends are often held together with another yarn as you knit, giving the fabric a soft halo and sheen without adding much weight. Smooth merino blends, such as Malabrigo Silky Merino worked on 3.5 to 4 mm needles, are suitable for jumpers and cardigans.

How do you care for knitting that contains silk?

Follow the yarn label, as washing instructions differ between ranges. Katia Silky Lace is superwash and can be machine washed at up to 30 °C on a wool cycle. Hand wash your Urth Yarns Bonmoher knitting in cold water and lay it flat to dry. The hand-dyed ranges from Malabrigo and Urth Yarns are dyed in small batches, so buy all the balls of yarn for your project at the same time.