I recently was designing a blanket crochet pattern and was researching yarn to use. Some Sparkle yarn came across my screen and I kept scrolling, but something made me go back and look. Why did I hesitate? What brought me back? Hmm, both are great questions, and I am excited to share with you, what actually happened.

Why did I hesitate To Look at the Sparkle Yarn?

Every time I think about yarn that has a sparkle or shimmer in it, I think of the baby blanket my Great Grandmother made me. It was lovely, full of pretty color and handmade with so much love which is why I adore it. I kept it for many years because of the sentimental value to it and my relationship with my grandmother. But, in all honesty, the blanket is not soft, there is a definite scratchiness to it which is from yarn.

Quick Disclaimer: photographing the sparkle in yarn is extremely difficult. Trust me, if you look closely (see the arrow) it is there.

Note that this baby blanket is made with a very light weight, probably a fine #2 weight yarn. My personal thoughts are that the fiber/Tencel they weave into the yarn to make it sparkle is a big percentage of the makeup of the yarn which results in this scratchiness. Due to this one and only experience with sparkle yarn, I kept scrolling.

However, I do love sparkle! Haha, maybe it’s that “cheer coach” in me. So, I did scroll back and take another look. Plus, I was working on a Christmas blanket, and we all know that if there is a holiday that deserves sparkle, it is Christmas.

Mary Maxim yarns: Sparkly & Worsted

I was on the Mary Maxim website and there were three different lines of this sparkly yarn. They were all worsted weight and one of them was the Starlette line which I love using in my blankets, it is so soft and results in a very cozy feel. So this caught my eye and I began to think about giving it a try. Plus, one of the colors (blue ice) I was looking for was available with the sparkle.

I did have to use a couple different lines of yarn to get all the colors I wanted. They were all Mary Maxim but a couple colors were from the Starlette yarns and a couple were from the Glimmer line. But, when they arrived I was impressed. The weight was perfect for my blanket design and there was no scratchy feeling.

How was it to crochet with?

I was so excited to start my project. I was equally excited because I loved the design and because I really wanted to try out this sparkle yarn. I was very impressed as the yarn would glide through my fingers just like any other yarn, so scratching or irritation. Even after hours of crocheting, and yes, my blankets take many hours to crochet-LOL!

The main background of my blanket was made with regular yarn (Mary Maxim Starlette) but the majority of the other colors were made with the sparkle yarns. The blanket is still nice and soft and comfortable. I honestly would have no problem laying a baby’s tender skin on this blanket.

I am not sure what the main difference is between the softness of this yarn and the scratchy yarn from my baby blanket is. It may just be the 40+ years and the improvements that have been made with our yarn fibers. Or it may be the heavier worsted weight yarn verses the fine weight.

The main point is, I wouldn’t hesitate to make something with sparkly yarn.

What would you make with sparkle yarn?

Now that I am finished with my blanket, I have some of this fun yarn left over. So, now my thoughts are geared towards what project to use the extra yarn on. My daughter is determined to use some of it for holiday crafts, which is am totally fine with. But, I have a full skein and a half left of the lovely creamy gold color and am thinking I may have to make up one of my Winter Tracks Scarves (pattern can be found HERE) for a holiday party this year.

I’ll be sure to update this post with a photo of the scarf when I am done.

Fun Projects to consider making with sparkle yarn

Sparkle yarn, in my opinion, isn’t for every project (well, maybe it is for some people), but there are definitely some fun projects you can make with it. Below are a few suggestions:

• Holiday Projects
  • Adore Christmas Blanket – click HERE for pattern
  • Christmas Tree Garland – click HERE for pattern
  • Snowflake ornaments
  • Table Runners, placemats, napkin rings
  • Most Holiday themed patterns can easily use a touch of sparkle
• Home Decor
  • Blankets, pillows
  • Rugs, floor mat
• Wearable
  • Hats, scarves, gloves
  • Jewelry (lots of lovely patterns from Bliss This HERE)
• Handbags
• Amigurumi

A Few Misc Thoughts

Although I am a new fan of sparkle yarn, I haven’t worked with it enough to tell you how it washes up and the if the tencel unravels after washes. I will try to test this out over the next month or so and will update you on those findings.

However, I would encourage you to gift it a try! I really am impressed with the yarn and with how soft it is.