What’s That Lurex Stuff, and How Do I Use It?

If you’ve never worked with lurex before, this super-shiny yarn might seem like it would be gaudy, or way too flashy for a delicate, sophisticated project.

But the wonder of lurex is that, as garish as it looks on its starter cone, it is so thin that it can add the most subtle, beautiful shimmer to your yarn.  Here’s what adding a single strand can do to a cone of DK weight black-and-blue yarn:

This translates into fantastic shimmer when knit into a lacey, openwork pattern, which gives enough space between the stitches to allow the fabric to catch some light.  And the best part is, though lurex may seem expensive at $50/lb., it is in fact so lightweight that it usually will barely affect the price of the yarn at all.

For example, 1,000 yards of a fingering weight merino yarn will cost you $23.75.  Adding a strand of lurex to that will bring the price of 1,000 yards up by less than a dollar, to $24.52, but will give your yarn an elegant little twist!