Has anyone used gold filament in a project? I attended a weaving show years ago and saw some for sale. At the time I wasn't interested and so didn't pay attention on how to use it or where the vendor was from. 

If anyone has insight as to the best uses for gold filament and also where to find it, I'd appreciate it. Thanks.

Comments

Mon, 06/10/2013 - 12:29

Dena (not verified)

Are you talking about the very thin lurex?  If that's what you're looking for, I have some for sale.
Mon, 06/10/2013 - 14:26

Weavin Steven

Hi Dena,

I just went to the Lurex website and it doesn't appear that it's made with real precious metals. I could be wrong about that but judging by prices nothing leads me to believe it's true gold. What I'm looking for is most likely yarn that's actually silk, then gold dust is somehow glued onto the silk core. I seem to recall the vendors that sold it were from Japan or China. However I'm open to other vendors. 

Lurex would work to add the shiny bits to a project but it would be neat to have real gold. Not that I can probably afford much but enough to add highlights here and there.

Mon, 06/10/2013 - 15:05

Weavingholiday

I have used a thread sold for embroidery that is a foil wrapped around a thread core, something like this:

http://www.needlenthread.com/2012/03/japanese-real-gold-thread.html

This type of thread comes made with real gold foil, or there are synthetic versions that are less spendy.

I have used this in brocaded tablet weaving, it behaves a little differently from "regular" threads, takes a bit of care and patience to get going, you might want to play with the less expensive synthetics before going for the (real) gold?

If you are feeling very flush, this is a wonderful site:

http://www.thetoyeshop.com/benton-johnson-1/rough-purl.html

But none of this uses powdered gold, it is all using foil?

Not sure about the hand you would get from a powdered gold coating on a thread, but expect that uses might include things that are not going to get too much laundering, and perhaps as accents, inlays, or brocades where the gold elements won't rub tender spots like at the neck, and will not be exposed to things like sweat?

Tue, 06/11/2013 - 03:56

WKS84 (not verified)

You can check on Etsy. I've actually seen several vendors who sold antique gilded and lacquered kimono/obi threads.

Here's the link to one of them:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/111795083/24k-gold-silk-thread-hand-wrapped-gold?ref=sr_gallery_16&ga_search_query=silk+thread+gold&ga_order=most_relevant&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=US&ga_search_type=all

 

Thu, 06/13/2013 - 03:31

Weavin Steven

Hi all, thanks for the links. The last one from WKS84 sounds enticing, especially since they appear to be located just a few hours away from me. This is probably something I should look at in person before buying, for several reasons. One would be to make sure I like the yarn, and the other would be to make sure it doesn't get lost during shipping! Can you imagine losing gold yarn during delivery? (UPS lost and found: "Can you describe the package and it's contents?" Me: "Er, you know that story about spinning straw into gold...?")

Thu, 06/13/2013 - 17:05

tien (not verified)

I have not used the made-with-real-gold yarn that you're talking about, but I have some and it looks and behaves very similarly to the non-gold version that I have used, and which is sold by some Japanese antique textile dealers. It is not quite as springy or as stiff as metallic gold machine embroidery thread, though.

My main warning is that the gold yarn is quite springy and therefore difficult to handle. Put a piece of pantyhose over the cone and be careful. If you are using an end-feed shuttle, DO NOT USE the style with hooks (it will tangle), don't wind the pirn more than half full, and accept that even with careful winding you're still going to get some springy tangles.

Also, it's quite fine. I used it doubled for my wedding-coat fabric and it was about the size of 60/2 silk, doubled. So consider it to be about the weight of 120/2 silk.