Why Choose Silk?

Silk is nature's most luxurious fiber. Its incomparable luster catches light beautifully, while its strength and drape create garments that flow and move elegantly. While pure silk can be expensive and finicky, silk blends offer the sheen and drape at more accessible prices—and with easier care.

Advantages

  • Incomparable luster and sheen
  • Incredible drape
  • Surprisingly strong
  • Temperature regulating
  • Takes dye beautifully
  • Lightweight and elegant

Considerations

  • Expensive (pure silk)
  • Requires careful washing
  • Slippery to work with
  • Can grow with wear
  • Shows stitch irregularities

Types of Silk Yarn

Mulberry Silk

The finest silk from cultivated silkworms fed only mulberry leaves. Produces long, uniform fibers with the highest luster. Most commercial silk yarn is mulberry.

Tussah (Wild) Silk

From wild silkworms. Shorter, more irregular fibers create a nubby, textured yarn with a more matte finish. Less expensive than mulberry. Often honey-colored naturally.

Silk-Wool Blends

Combining silk with wool adds elasticity and memory while keeping the sheen. Easier to work with than pure silk. Popular choices include merino-silk and alpaca-silk.

Silk-Cotton Blends

Cooler than wool blends, perfect for warm-weather garments. Cotton adds structure while silk adds drape and sheen. Beautiful for summer shawls and tanks.

Our Top Silk Yarn Picks

From accessible blends to pure luxury, we've selected silk yarns for every budget and project.

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Accessible Silk Blends

Knit Picks

Gloss

Fingering Wool/Silk Blend

70% merino, 30% silk. Beautiful sheen at a budget-friendly price. Excellent stitch definition for lace and colorwork shawls.

Malabrigo

Silkpaca

Fingering Alpaca/Silk Blend

70% baby alpaca, 30% silk. Hand-dyed colorways with gorgeous halo. Creates stunning shawls with incredible drape.

Cascade

Heritage Silk

Fingering Wool/Silk/Nylon

Superwash merino, silk, and nylon blend. Perfect for socks with a luxurious touch. Machine washable.

Premium Silk Blends

Rowan

Felted Tweed

DK Wool/Alpaca/Viscose

Viscose adds silk-like sheen to this tweedy yarn. Beautiful depth of color. The iconic choice for colorwork.

Blue Sky Fibers

Alpaca Silk

Sport Alpaca/Silk Blend

50% alpaca, 50% silk. Hand-dyed in stunning semi-solid colors. Incredible drape for shawls and special garments.

Lorna's Laces

Honor

Sport Silk/Wool Blend

70% merino, 30% silk. Hand-dyed in the USA with beautiful tonal colorways. Excellent for delicate shawls.

Pure Silk Luxury

Tosh

Pure Silk Lace

Lace 100% Silk

Pure mulberry silk with stunning luster. Creates breathtaking lace shawls and scarves. A true luxury experience.

Artyarns

Silk Essence

Fingering 100% Silk

Hand-dyed mulberry silk with incredible depth of color. Each skein is unique. For your most special projects.

Madelinetosh

Prairie

Fingering Silk/Linen Blend

85% silk, 15% linen. Crisp and lustrous for warm-weather garments. Beautiful for summer shawls and tops.

Working with Silk

Knitting Tips

Silk is slippery—wooden or bamboo needles provide more grip. Work a gauge swatch and wash it, as silk can grow. Blends with wool are easier to manage for beginners.

Care Instructions

Hand wash in cool water with gentle detergent or silk wash. Never wring—press out water between towels. Lay flat or hang to dry away from direct sunlight. Some silk blends can be machine washed on delicate.

Best Projects for Silk

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Shawls

The perfect drape

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Scarves

Elegant and lustrous

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Summer Tops

Cool and breathable

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Special Occasions

Wedding shawls, gifts