Sirdar Embers DK: a new colour-effect yarn worth knowing about
Sirdar has been making yarn in Wakefield, West Yorkshire since 1880 — and when a company with that much experience and history develops something new, it tends to be worth paying attention to. Sirdar Embers DK is their latest yarn, and it does something specific and distinctive: it creates depth and complexity of colour not through dyeing but through the construction of the yarn itself.
Embers is a lightly brushed DK weight yarn in an 80% acrylic, 20% wool blend. Its eight colourways — all named for light and fire — are named for what they look like in the finished fabric: rich, warm, multi-tonal depths of colour that shift and catch the light in a way that flat, single-tone yarn simply does not. The colour effect is achieved not by variegating the dye but by spinning coloured fibres directly into the solid main shade of the yarn during construction. The result is a subtle, continuously present complexity — not self-striping, not heavily variegated, but never flat or static.
We stock Sirdar Embers DK at Craft and Canvas at £6.00 per 100g ball in all eight colourways, alongside a full range of dedicated Embers patterns at £3.50 each.
How the colour effect works
Understanding how Embers achieves its distinctive look requires understanding a little about how the yarn is constructed. Most commercial DK yarns are spun from fibres of a consistent colour and then dyed after spinning — the colour sits on the surface of the finished yarn and produces an even, uniform tone throughout. Some yarns are variegated or self-striping through selective dyeing of sections of the skein. Both approaches are well established and produce their own attractive results.
Embers takes a different route. During spinning, coloured fibres — fibres that are a different shade from the solid main colour of the yarn — are incorporated throughout the strand. These coloured fibres are distributed through the body of the yarn itself rather than sitting on its surface. As the yarn is twisted and plied, these fibres emerge, recede, and interact with the main colour in an irregular, organic way. The finished yarn, when held to the light, has a depth and movement to its colour that changes subtly depending on angle and light conditions.
In knitted or crocheted fabric, this effect reads as a rich, slightly textured quality to the colour — a depth of tone that is present in every stitch without being dramatic or demanding. It is the kind of colour quality that makes a simple stocking stitch jumper look interesting and considered rather than flat and plain. And because the effect is achieved through construction rather than dyeing, it is consistent throughout every ball and consistent between balls — an important practical advantage for garment knitting where multiple balls need to match.
The lightly brushed finish
The second distinctive feature of Embers is its lightly brushed surface. A brushed finish means the surface fibres of the yarn have been teased outward during finishing to create a soft halo around the strand. In Embers this brushing is deliberately restrained — light enough to give the finished fabric a soft, tactile warmth without obscuring the stitch definition beneath.
This balance is one of the most technically demanding aspects of a brushed yarn to get right. Too much brushing and stitches disappear into a haze — cables and textured patterns become invisible, and the knitter loses the visual reward of their stitch work. Too little and the yarn is simply a standard DK without the characteristic softness. Embers strikes the balance well: the brushed surface adds warmth and a slight softening to the fabric's appearance while allowing cables, ribs, seed stitch, and other textured patterns to remain clearly readable.
The practical consequence is that Embers is more versatile than many brushed yarns. It works for simple, plain knitting where the yarn does the visual work. It works equally well for structured, textured patterns where stitch definition matters. The dedicated pattern collection Sirdar has developed for it reflects this — a range that runs from simple garments in stocking stitch to more structured pieces with textured surfaces and cable details.
The colourways
All eight Embers colourways take their names from light and fire — and the names are well chosen. Each is a multi-tonal interpretation of a specific quality of light rather than a simple colour label.
Sparkler is a warm, bright gold-toned yellow with flecks of orange and amber — the colour of light caught on moving water, or a sparkler burning at night.
Bonfire is a rich warm orange-red with deeper tones running through it — the colour at the heart of a fire when the flames are at their most intense.
Comet is a cool, silvery teal with movement between blue and grey-green — the cold light of a comet trail across a dark sky.
Firework is a deep, warm burgundy-red with complex tonal variation — the colour of fireworks at close range, rich and vivid.
Aurora is a soft, cool blue-green with a luminous quality — the shifting light of the aurora borealis caught in wool.
Afterglow is a warm dusty pink and rose tone — the colour of the sky after the sun has set and the light is softening toward dusk.
Lightning is a cool, electric blue-grey — the colour of a sky lit by lightning, pale and charged.
Starlight is a soft, warm off-white with subtle warm tones running through it — the colour of light from a clear night sky, gentle and diffuse.
Together the eight colourways cover a wide tonal range — from the warm, vivid Bonfire and Sparkler at one end through the cooler, more atmospheric Aurora, Comet, and Lightning, to the quieter, more neutral Afterglow and Starlight. They are colourways that can be worn as striking statement pieces or as understated, wearable autumn and winter garments depending on which you choose and how you use them.
The pattern collection
Sirdar has developed a dedicated pattern collection for Embers, and the range is broader than the typical accompaniment to a new yarn launch. We stock nine Embers patterns at Craft and Canvas at £3.50 each, covering garments for adults across a range of construction styles and difficulty levels.
V-neck Sweater (10956) — a classic V-neck silhouette in straightforward stocking stitch, letting the yarn do the work. An excellent first Embers garment.
Cardigan (10957) — a comfortable, wearable cardigan in a relaxed fit.
Jumper (10958 and 10959) — two variations on a classic jumper construction, giving options for slightly different silhouettes and sleeve treatments.
Sleeveless Jumper (10960) — a versatile vest construction that works as a layering piece or a standalone summer garment.
Half-zip Sweater (10962) — a contemporary, relaxed half-zip construction that is one of the most popular knitwear silhouettes currently.
Crew-neck Sweater (10963) — a clean, classic crew-neck in a comfortable modern fit.
Roll-neck Sweater (10964) — a warm, cosy roll-neck suited to the deeper, warmer colourways in the range.
Hat and Scarf (10965) — a coordinating accessory set, perfect as a first Embers project or a gift.
The breadth of the pattern range — from the straightforward hat and scarf through to the more structured half-zip and roll-neck sweaters — means there is an appropriate starting point for knitters at every level. For a beginner wanting to try Embers, the hat and scarf pattern is the natural entry point. For an experienced knitter wanting a substantial project that shows the yarn at its best, the roll-neck or half-zip sweater are strong choices.
Practical details
Fibre content: 80% acrylic, 20% wool
Weight: DK (double knitting)
Ball weight: 100g
Meterage: approximately 335 metres / 366 yards per ball
Recommended needle size: 4mm
Care: machine washable at 30°C on a delicate cycle, dry flat, do not tumble dry, cool iron
The 100g ball at 335 metres is generous by DK standards — considerably more yardage per ball than most 100g DK yarns, which typically run to around 200 to 250 metres. This is partly a function of the acrylic content, which is lighter than wool at equivalent volume. The practical effect is that a sweater in Embers requires fewer balls than a comparable project in a pure wool DK, which helps offset the price per ball.
Machine washability is a genuine practical advantage for autumn and winter garments that will be worn and washed regularly throughout the season.
Frequently asked questions about Sirdar Embers DK
What makes the colour effect in Embers different from a variegated yarn?
Variegated yarns achieve their colour change through selective dyeing — different sections of the yarn are dyed different colours, producing visible stripes or colour progressions in the knitted fabric. Embers achieves its colour depth through construction — coloured fibres are spun into the solid main shade during manufacture. The result is not stripes or colour changes but a continuous, subtle tonal depth that is present in every stitch throughout the fabric. It is a more understated effect than variegation but produces a richer, more complex result in the finished piece.
Is Embers suitable for beginners?
Yes — the DK weight is the most widely used and accessible weight for knitting, the construction is smooth enough to work with easily, and the pattern range includes accessible projects from the hat and scarf upward. The lightly brushed surface means stitches are slightly harder to see than on a completely smooth yarn, so it is marginally less forgiving for very new beginners than a plain, smooth DK — but well within the range of anyone who has completed a few projects.
Can I use Embers for crochet?
Yes — as a DK weight with consistent structure, Embers works well for crochet. A 4mm hook is a good starting point. The lightly brushed surface produces a slightly softer-edged crochet fabric than a smooth yarn, which suits projects where a tactile, cosy quality is wanted.
How many balls do I need for a sweater?
A standard adult sweater in DK weight typically requires 8 to 14 balls depending on size and style. Check the specific Embers pattern you are working from for the exact quantities — each pattern lists ball requirements by size.
Are all the colourways the same tonal depth?
The colourways vary in their character — Sparkler and Bonfire are warmer and more vivid, while Starlight and Afterglow are quieter and more neutral. The colour-effect construction produces slightly different results in each colourway depending on the relationship between the main shade and the spun-in coloured fibres. All eight work with the full pattern range.
Can I mix colourways in the same project?
The colour-effect construction means that mixing colourways in the same project — stripes, colourwork, or simply using different balls for body and sleeves — produces an interesting result as the different tonal depths interact. Because the effect is in the construction rather than the dyeing, balls within the same colourway are very consistent, and mixing colourways is a deliberate and rewarding design choice rather than a practical problem.
Shop Sirdar Embers at Craft and Canvas
We stock Sirdar Embers DK at £6.00 per 100g ball in all eight colourways — Sparkler, Bonfire, Comet, Firework, Aurora, Afterglow, Lightning, and Starlight — alongside nine dedicated Embers knitting patterns at £3.50 each at Craft and Canvas in Hebden Bridge and online at craftandcanvas.co.uk.
Craft and Canvas | 3 Carlton Street, Hebden Bridge, HX7 8ER | craftandcanvas.co.uk