Working With Linen

Linen Yarns

I’ve recently knit a few sleeveless summer tees with linen yarn. Working with linen is nice during the warmer months and you end up with a beautiful garment with lots of drape! Some shy away from working with linen due to it’s coarse texture and tendency to skew. I do the following before using the yarn.

1. Add extra ties to the skeins. Tie the skeins tightly every 5 or 6 inches to prevent tangling.

2. Wash skeins in warm soapy water. I’m not afraid to work the yarn as linen gets stronger when wet. Let it sit for half an hour or so.

3. Rinse well. If you are using a dark colour, you may see some bleeding. Using warm water, rinse until soap is gone and water runs clear. Finish with a cold water rinse. Wring and hang up each skein. Allow to dry.

4. Wind each skein twice. I use a swift and ball winder. Wind normally the first time. For the second time, start with the opposite end of the yarn.

I find that taking these steps softens the yarn a bit, making it nicer to work with. Also, there is almost no skewing even when working in the round!

I like to use the yarn from the outside in. I’ve tried knitting from the centre, but towards the end of the ball, it collapsed and tangled.

Yarns shown above: Louet Euroflax in Teal. Espace Tricot Petit Lin in Clock Tower, Madame Outremont, Cinq a Sept, Rougemont.

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