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We're here to help you stitch sustainability into every aspect of your making.
With our carefully curated selection of non-superwash, plastic-free yarns and notions, we have everything you need to get started on your next project - and the one after that.
Here's to a wardrobe of knits we love and want to wear for years to come!
We're here to help you stitch sustainability into every aspect of your making.
With our carefully curated selection of non-superwash, plastic-free yarns and notions, we have everything you need to get started on your next project - and the one after that.
Here's to a wardrobe of knits we love and want to wear for years to come!
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The Making Stories Collective
April 19, 2023 3 min read 3 Comments
Hello, lovelies! Today, we are talking about one of our favorite warm-weather fibers; Linen.
Linen is such a unique fiber, and working with it is extremely rewarding, but it can have its challenge as it doesn't have the elasticity and bounce of wool or other fibers. Due to this, linen yarns sometimes get a bad name, leading knitters to cast on with negative expectations from the start, or even shy away from them altogether!
If you are new to linen yarns they can feel unfamiliar and even a little uncomfortable at first, but with an open mind and all the handy tips and tricks we’re sharing with you in this post, you’ll be binding off your new favorite linen top in no time and wearing it for years to come.
Before we dive in, let's take a look at why we love linen yarns:
So are you ready to cast on with a gorgeous linen yarn? Let's take a look at our top tips for working with this beautiful fiber!
When using linen yarns, they may at first feel rough or scratchy. Don't worry, this is normal and the yarn will become softer with each wash, but if it's something that bothers you during knitting, soak it in warm water for at least 30 minutes to help soften the fibers and make them easier to work with.*
*Important: Make sure your yarn is fully dry before you begin knitting with it, and if your yarn is in a ball be sure to convert it into a skein first before soaking. Check out this post from Spruce Crafts if you are unsure how to do that!
As mentioned, linen doesn't have as much elasticity as other fibers, so it can feel like the stitches on the needle are too large. This leads to knitters pulling the yarn too tight and creating an uneven tension. Try to keep your stitches relaxed and be guided by your final swatch and gauge. If the fabric isn't right, adjust your needle size and swatch again. It will make for a much more enjoyable knitting experience and a more polished FO than constantly pulling at your yarn.
Due to the nature of linen, the stitches on your needles will be crisp and won't compress together as wool does. This can lead to the stitches easily slipping off your needles if you are working flat. Avoid this by using a longer needle/cable so the stitches have more room and try wooden needles instead of metal so the surface at each end has a little resistance.
As linen doesn't have as much elasticity as wool, more intricate stitch patterns can be difficult to work with. Complex cables, for example, can highlight tension issues making the fabric look messy, and as linen is a heavier fiber, the weight of the cables coupled with the natural drape of linen can cause the fabric to sag, so be sure to swatch all stitch patterns to check the results.
For linen to really shine, think of stitch patterns like stockinette, garter, moss, broken rib, and simple twisted stitches. Lace patterns are always a good choice too, as the natural drape opens up the stitches and enhances delicate designs.
To finish, wash and block your project to even out the stitches. While handwashing is always an option, linen loves the washing machine and the dryer, and using them can really encourage the fabric to soften. However, we would still recommend keeping to low temperatures and testing this out with your swatch first to see the results.
We’d love to know, are you a linen fan or do you avoid it? If you are the latter, have we changed your mind? If you are the former, do you have any tips you’d like to share for working with linen yarns? Let us know in the comments below!
May 03, 2023
WOWOWOW I never thought about washing linen before knitting! I have some skeins from a kit that I started, said ewwwwww a few times, and quietly put it in a drawer and slipped out of the room !!
May 03, 2023
Thanks for pulling together these tips! I do like knitting with linen, but it’s definitely different than bouncy wools. It’s worth it, though, and it really does last forever. I have a lace top I knitted out of linen about 12 years ago. It still looks great, and now that it’s aged a bit it feels so soft you’d swear it was silk!
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November 13, 2023 1 min read 6 Comments
Hi lovelies!
I hope you are well, and making a dent in your gift knitting (if you are gift knitting this year, that is!)
I am back here today with something a little different: A question for you.
Over the course of the last year, I took over writing most of our blog posts again, and while I love it very much, I also noticed that I tend to gravitate towards posts that I like to read – pattern inspiration posts, FO roundups, that sort of thing.
October 30, 2023 3 min read 2 Comments
Hi lovelies!
As I was finishing up Aurin's Joy Cardigan over the weekend, I started thinking about what I could cast on now that one of my current WIPs is almost done. And then it hit me - the holidays are just under two months away, and I have this dream of knitting a few sweaters for my nephews. Will I manage it in time? Who knows. But it would be nice to gift them the promised sweaters in time for the end of the year so that they actually get a little wear out of them still this winter!
Are you already deep in gift knitting mode or, like me, just starting to plan? If the latter (or the former, if you still need a few ideas!) I might have just the thing for you: Three super quick gift knit ideas!
October 18, 2023 3 min read
Hi lovelies! To celebrate that Holst Garn Supersoft, an absolute rockstar when it comes to texture and colorwork, is back in the shop, we thought it would be fun to do a "Team Picks" pattern roundup!
Each one of us picked a pattern they'd love to knit with Holst Garn Supersoft and the colorways they'd make it in.
Ready? Here we go!
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Barb Brown
May 03, 2023
I really like linen (and hemp) for warm weather tops. But for the longest while it was only available in worsted weight or heavier. I see it is now more readily available in sport and fingering and am going to purchase some shortly.
I have also found a wool/linen blend designed for socks, and am currently knitting a pair. I have a sensitivity to nylon, so I am over the moon about this yarn.