Diamond metallic lurex yarn: 20 colorways of shine
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When the shimmer actually has to hold up
Every knitter has been burned by a metallic yarn that looked spectacular on the cone and fell apart after one wash — threads drifting loose, shimmer dulling to a tired grey haze. Diamond's 40% Polyamide content fixes that problem at the fiber level. The polyamide gives the lurex thread a real structure to grip, and the sparkle stays sharp instead of slowly migrating into your washing machine filter.
At SuperFine weight, each stitch sits cleanly on the needle. That sharpness is exactly what you want for shawl edgings, evening bags, and hair accessories where the detail actually has to read across a room. Held alongside Silk — our 50% Silk / 10% Kid Mohair / 40% Merino Superfine blend, also SuperFine — the two together make a fabric that photographs beautifully; the mohair halo softens the metallic flash without swallowing it. If you'd rather skip held-together and want sparkle on a heavier, faster knit, Magic Glitz runs a lurex thread through a DK-weight acrylic base — same general idea, just a chunkier result.
Shedding comes up every single time someone asks about lurex. Diamond sheds far less than the loosely constructed metallic blends we've had in the shop, and the polyamide core is the reason. One practical note: if you knit tight, go up half a needle size. A seized metallic fabric is miserable to frog, and a slightly relaxed tension keeps stitches moving freely without wrecking your gauge swatch numbers.
The sparkle makes individual stitches genuinely harder to see — this is the honest truth about any lurex at fine weight, especially on darker colorways. Bamboo or wooden needles give you far better stitch grip than slippery metal tips. If SuperFine is new to you, a few rows with Etamin (our 100% acrylic SuperFine) is a low-stakes way to settle into the tension before you commit to metallic yarn. Once your hands know the weight, Diamond is completely manageable from your first ball.
The 20 colorways cover warm metallics (Light Gold, Gold, Dark Gold, Light Copper, Copper, Dark Copper), cool jewel tones (Turquoise, Fuchsia, Purple, Saxe Blue), botanical shades (Green, Pistachio Green), and year-round neutrals (Silver, Grey, Black, Red, and more). The golds and silvers move fastest — if one of those is calling your name, sooner is the smarter move.
Specifications
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Fiber Composition | 60% Metallic Lurex, 40% Polyamide The lurex delivers the shine; the polyamide gives it a solid structure to grip so the metallic thread stays anchored through wearing and washing. |
| Yarn Weight | Type 1 SuperFine: Sock, Fingering, Baby A very fine yarn that produces a lightweight, detailed fabric — well suited to accessories, shawl edgings, and decorative accent work. |
| Yardage per Ball | 160m / 174.98yds Generous for a 25g ball. The 4-ball pack gives you 640m total — enough for most shawl projects or several smaller accessories. |
| Weight per Ball | 25g / 0.88oz Compact and lightweight — all 4 balls together come to 100g, easy to tuck into any project bag. |
| Package Contents | 4 balls per package One purchase gets you 4 balls in the same colorway — enough for a lightweight shawl or a batch of matching accessories. |
| Recommended Needle Size | 2.5mm knitting needles Smaller needles keep stitch definition tight and sparkle even across the fabric — particularly important with metallic yarn. |
| Recommended Hook Size | Not specified No hook size is listed by the manufacturer. A 2.5mm or 3.0mm hook is a sensible starting point for a gauge swatch. |
| Gauge | 17 stitches × 25 rows per 10cm × 10cm (4" × 4") on 2.5mm needles A firm gauge that reflects the metallic fiber structure. Always knit a gauge swatch before starting any fitted project. |
| Care Instructions | Not specified The manufacturer has not listed care instructions. For lurex blends generally, a cool hand wash and flat drying is the safest approach. |
| Available Colorways | 20 colorways: Light Gold, Gold, Dark Gold, Light Copper, Copper, Dark Copper, Green, Pistachio Green, Light Blue, Saxe Blue, Turquoise, Fuchsia, Dark Orchid, Orchid, Purple, Red, Silver Grey, Grey, Silver, Black A broad range covering warm metallics, cool jewel tones, and go-with-everything neutrals. |
| Country of Origin | Not specified |
Frequently Asked Questions
How many balls of Diamond do I need for a shawl, and does it work held with another yarn?
A single 4-ball pack gives you 640m — 4 balls at 160m each. Most medium triangular shawls at SuperFine weight land somewhere between 500m and 700m depending on your finished dimensions, so one pack fits comfortably and still leaves room for a proper gauge swatch without cutting into your project yardage. Held alongside a base like Silk the math shifts: you might use one or two balls of Diamond as the metallic layer and save the rest for a cowl or cuffed mitts. Your actual tension affects yardage more than most people expect, so knitting that swatch before casting on is worth the 20 minutes — the 4-ball format gives you the headroom to do it without stress.
Does Diamond pill or shed, and can a newer knitter handle it?
The polyamide in Diamond holds the lurex thread far more securely than yarns where the metallic strand is loosely twisted around a core, so shedding is minimal in our experience. Pilling isn't really a concern with a synthetic blend like this — there's no protein fiber to break down. On beginner-suitability: anyone already comfortable with fingering weight should be fine from the start. The trickiest part is visibility — the sparkle catches light in a way that makes individual stitches genuinely hard to see, especially on dark colorways. Strong task lighting and wooden or bamboo needles help a lot. Keep your stitch pattern simple and let the metallic do the decorative work; if SuperFine is new to you, a few practice rows with Etamin first takes most of the uncertainty out of it.
