Glow-in-the-dark yarn

Dear users, dear authors,
over in the other thread
July Projects 2022 and June Projects 2022, Part 2: the Crazypatterns craft group
there was a discussion about glow-in-the-dark yarn, and so that it doesn’t get lost, I’m starting a separate thread about it.

So would this be suitable for Halloween ghosts?
Is the yarn / are the ingredients used harmless?
What is it like to work with?

Would you like to share your thoughts on this?

Yes, I’d like to know that, too. It would be cool to make things for kids out of it. But what are the fibers made of, and could they be harmful?

I’m looking forward to hearing from those of you who are familiar with glow-in-the-dark yarn. Thanks, Josefa, for bringing this topic up.

Best regards, Ina

I had no idea such a thing even existed until now. How exciting!

I came across this yarn once when I had a skein of thick glow-in-the-dark yarn from myboshi. It was supposed to be for a hat. I remember looking at it closely, but the yarn looked just like any other. It was too thick for a child’s hat, though, so I gave it away.

Is “glow-in-the-dark yarn” also available in a thinner weight, so you could knit or crochet “high-visibility hats” to make kids more visible in the winter?

Best regards, Ina

First, we need to clarify what we mean by “glow-in-the-dark yarn.”
First, there’s light-reflective yarn (that’s probably the kind Ina had). This is regular yarn with a reflective thread woven in that reflects light when it’s shone on, similar to the reflectors on bicycles. So for this yarn to glow, it has to be shone on.
Then there’s fluorescent wool, which glows when exposed to UV light (from a black light lamp). You’re probably familiar with this effect from discos.
And then there’s phosphorescent yarn, which also needs to be charged by a light source but then continues to glow in the dark for some time. It’s usually available as sewing or embroidery thread, but there are now also thicker versions for knitting or crocheting. That’s what we’ll be discussing here.
 At first glance, this yarn looks unremarkable in daylight. It’s white (or comes in pastel colors) and feels rather firm, like cotton yarn. According to the manufacturer, it’s spun in such a way that the skin doesn’t come into contact with the phosphorescent fiber. Depending on how much it’s “charged,” the glow lasts several minutes or hours before fading.
I actually see this yarn as more suitable for amigurumi than for clothing, since it’s not really “cozy.” It’s also not exactly cheap. However, it works up just like any other yarn and is definitely a fun gimmick for Halloween. I think I’ll design something appropriate for that, too. 🤔

Oh wow.
How come you know so much about this, Ruth?

I happened to “stumble upon” this kind of yarn by chance and spent quite a while looking into it, because I’ve always wanted to crochet something out of glow-in-the-dark yarn for my grandchildren, who are big Halloween fans.
But of course, it has to be safe.

OK :-)
Are you currently working on projects for your grandchildren?

I myself only use this “glow-in-the-dark yarn” to design amigurumi. As I’ve already mentioned, it’s not exactly cheap. I order this yarn in skeins (in Germany).  There, the “glow-in-the-dark thread” is simply wound together with the cotton. It’s great for crocheting and can be easily charged under a UV lamp or in sunlight (about 30 minutes), and then the figures glow in the dark. Of course, it’s perfect for Halloween decorations 😉

I have some reflective yarn in my stash that
has a thin reflective thread woven through it.

The material is 90% polyacrylic, 10% polyester—so it’s just a standard synthetic fiber.

It reflects light when illuminated in the dark, for example by a car.
It’s similar to the reflectors on school backpacks or clothing.

I don’t think it’s really suitable for Halloween.

But I can definitely see it being useful for walking to school in the dark.
I’m planning to use it to make a hat, a scarf, and gloves.

Many thanks to everyone who shared their experiences on this topic. We’ve all learned something, and maybe one or two of you will make something with this glow yarn.

I think glowing figures in the dark would be great ... children would surely love little dinos with huge wings. But for a hat, this material wouldn’t be suitable enough for me, since I don’t want to use synthetic fibres for children’s clothing. For me, clothes still have to be made mostly of wool or natural fibres. No amount of glowing helps there either.

Best, Ina

You could make a hat out of natural fibers and add a glow-in-the-dark pom-pom on top.