Comparing Yarn Fibers: Merino-Silk vs. Merino-Polyamide

Merino wool is the undoubted favorite of knitters and crocheters. The yarn fiber is soft, all-season friendly, does well with hand-dyeing, and is amazing for all kinds of projects. Also, they are available in yarn weight such as fingering, DK and worsted weight yarn, so you can go all lace to cuddly chunky. Besides the natural yarn, merino yarn blends are enjoying the spotlight too. Choosing the right yarn for your project makes all the difference in your comfort and in making the project a beloved finished piece or something that doesn’t meet your expectations. Merino-silk and merino-polyamide are two yarn blends that are beautiful and practical for various projects. In this blog, we’ll explore the two yarn ranges and help you to choose each fiber blend for your next creation.

Symfonie Yarns’ experts will cover the topics:

1. Understanding the Base- Extrafine Merino Wool
2. Everything you need to know about Merino Silk Yarn
3. Everything you need to know about Merino-Polyamide Yarn
4. Making your Choice- Yarn Considerations

Understanding Merino Wool

Before diving into comparisons, it's worth understanding what makes merino wool so special. Sourced from merino sheep, the fibers are incredibly fine, measuring less than 19.5 microns in diameter. This exceptional fineness is what gives merino its signature softness against the skin.Plus, the fiber beautifully works with colors and is perfect for hand-dyed yarns. Also, you can enjoy its beauty all season and for all projects.

Also read- Merino Wool: Everything You Need to Know

All About Merino-Silk DK Yarn

The merino-silk blend typically contains 75% extrafine merino wool and 25% silk. The most immediately noticeable quality is its gorgeous sheen. Silk naturally reflects light, giving projects a subtle glow that wool alone cannot achieve. The silk ingredient adds exceptional drape, allowing the fabric to flow and hang beautifully. The yarn blend provides excellent warmth due to silk's natural insulating properties. Silk absorbs dye magnificently, resulting in rich colors which makes our hand-dyed yarns particularly stunning.

Symfonie’s Luna Yarn range offers merino-silk in DK weight yarn in 16 hand-dyed shades. Choose from rich shades as well as pastels that are extraordinary and pair well with all projects.

Best Uses for Merino-Silk

Merino-silk blend excels in projects where you want sheen

1. Luxury Shawls and Wraps looks beautiful with merino-silk
2. Special baby garments that will become keepsakes, merino-silk offers a luxurious option that's still gentle on sensitive skin.
3. Lace knitting patterns enhance with the drape and sheen  of the yarn blend.
4. Cardigans, Sweaters and Dresses look wardrobe special when knit with merino-silk yarn.

Also read - The Ultimate Guide to Merino Silk Yarn: Softness, Warmth & More

All  About Merino-Polyamide Yarn

A merino-polyamide blend typically contains 75% extrafine merino wool and 25% polyamide. Polyamide adds exceptional wear resistance, creating a yarn that can withstand friction and tension. This blend also boats of memory and elasticity with excellent "bounce-back" quality, helping knitting projects maintain their shape over time. Washability and care are added points as the merino-polyamide blends tend to be more forgiving in the wash.

Best Uses for Merino-Polyamide

The yarn blend shines in various projects. You can refer to ideas of what to knit or crochet with Terra, our merino-polyamide yarn in fingering weight.

1. Socks durability is reinforced with polyamide to prevent holes in heels and toes.
2. Children's Garments as the yarn blend stands up to active play while still offering the comfort of merino.
3. Everyday Sweaters and Cardigans while retaining shape and color wash after wash.
4. Accessories like hats, gloves, and bags benefit from the added memory and structure polyamide provides.

Making Your Choice: Practical Considerations

Both yarn blends make the most of merino wool and silk or polyamide.

1. Project Longevity

If you're creating an heirloom piece or something for special occasions, merino-silk offers timeless luxury. For everyday items that will see frequent use, merino-polyamide provides practical durability.

Also read- Getting Familiar with Yarn

2. Care Requirements

While both blends require gentle care, merino-polyamide tends to be more forgiving and can often be machine-washed on gentle cycles. Silk requires delicate care and is recommended for hand-washing.

3. Budget Considerations

Merino-silk generally commands a higher price point due to the premium nature of silk fiber. Merino-polyamide offers excellent value while still providing the softness of extrafine merino.

Exploring the Yarns

Symfonie Yarns offers both hand-dyed yarns in merino-silk and merino-polyamide options. Whether you're drawn to the luxurious sheen of our merino-silk blend or the practical durability of our merino-polyamide option, both offer the exceptional softness of extrafine merino wool with OEKO Tex 100 certification. Merino-silk Luna yarns are available in DK weight in soothing pastels and shades. The merino-polyamide blend Terra is available in fingering weight in 60+ color options in semisolid and variegated shades from bold neons, earthy shades, pastels, classic colors and more.

The perfect yarn choice of merino-silk vs merino-polyamide depends on how and where you'll use your finished creation. By understanding the unique properties of each blend, you can make informed decisions for your projects.