Gold Yarn

Two very different kinds of gold

Search for gold yarn and you get two things that behave nothing alike, and it is worth knowing which you want before you buy. The first is gold as a colour: mustard, ochre, honey, old-gold and antique brass shades in ordinary wool, cotton and acrylic. These knit and crochet exactly like any other yarn and are among the most wearable colours in the palette — warm, autumnal and flattering against most skin tones. The second is gold as a finish: yarns with a metallic filament, lurex thread or a plated coating that genuinely glitters. Those are decorative yarns, and they need a different approach.

What to make with each

• Mustard and ochre wools: jumpers, cardigans, hats and scarves, especially in cable and texture patterns where the shade reads as depth.
• Gold cotton: summer tops, market bags and homeware, where the colour stays crisp rather than warming.
• Gold acrylic: blankets, toys and children's knits that must survive the washing machine.
• Metallic and lurex gold: Christmas decorations, baubles, garlands, party accessories and edging.
• Fine gold thread: held alongside another yarn to add a subtle shimmer without changing the weight much.

Working with metallic yarns

Sparkle yarns are less forgiving than they look. The filament is often stiffer than the base fibre, so the yarn can feel scratchy on the hands and abrasive against the needles — smooth metal or well-polished wood needles help, and bamboo grabs. Work in shorter sessions than usual. Metallic yarns also snag on rough fingertips and on split ends, so keep the ball in a bag rather than loose on the floor. If a whole garment feels too much, hold a fine gold thread together with a plain yarn: you get the shimmer, the fabric keeps the base yarn's softness, and the metallic goes much further.

Choosing a stitch pattern

Gold reflects light, and that changes how stitches read. Simple textures — garter, moss, wide ribs — look richer in a gold shade than in a flat colour, because the ridges catch light at different angles. Fine lace in metallic yarn tends to look busy; large open motifs work better. For colourwork, gold is a superb accent against navy, charcoal, deep green and burgundy, but a poor partner for cream, where the contrast is too low to read the pattern. A single gold stripe or a gold picot edge often does more than a whole gold garment.

Quantities and mixing lots

Buy the full amount in one dye lot. Gold shades are notoriously variable batch to batch — a slightly greener or redder gold sits next to its neighbour very obviously. If you are held short, alternate two balls every other row rather than joining mid-project. For festive projects, remember that a bauble or a small decoration takes only a few metres, so one ball of metallic yarn can go a very long way.

Care and durability

Check the ball band before washing anything metallic: many sparkle yarns are cool hand-wash only, and hot water can dull or crimp the filament. Never tumble dry them, and keep an iron away entirely — a metallic filament will melt. Wool golds should be hand-washed and dried flat like any other wool. Store finished decorations flat in tissue rather than crushed in a box, so the filament does not kink.

Gold yarn questions

Is gold yarn sparkly or just gold coloured? Both exist here. Mustard and ochre shades are matte; metallic and lurex yarns genuinely glitter.

Is metallic yarn itchy to wear? It can be next to the skin. Use it for trims and decorations, or hold a fine strand with a soft yarn.

Can I machine-wash gold yarn? Acrylic and superwash golds usually yes; metallic yarns generally need a cool hand wash.

What is the best gold yarn for Christmas decorations? A fine metallic or lurex-shot yarn — a single ball makes a great many baubles and garlands.

Which colours go with gold? Navy, charcoal, deep green and burgundy give the strongest contrast; cream is too close to read clearly.