My Best Tips for Knitting With Linen Yarn
Katerina RieckelI was thinking for a while about making this post because I sometimes see tops knitted with linen yarn that are (unintentionally) almost see-through, with uneven stitches and no shape. Or someone talks about how their hand-knitted linen garments almost always shrink.
Hopefully, these six tips for knitting with linen yarn will help someone. I definitely learned some lessons on my way when I first worked with linen, which was not a very pleasant experience! My yarn was slipping all over the place, and my garment turned out much bigger than expected. Now I feel confident enough to tackle any linen pattern.
Tip n. 1: Use wooden knitting needles
Linen yarns are much more slippery than woolen yarns, so knitting with metal needles can be very frustrating. Save yourself the trouble by using wooden or bamboo knitting needles. If you don't want to give up on metal knitting needles completely and you're looking for something in between, try copper knitting needles. While they're fast to work with, they are slightly less slippery than standard knitting needles.
Tip n. 2: Knit with two strands of linen yarn
Using two strands of a lightweight (lace, fingering or DK) linen yarn helps you achieve a more consistent gauge and makes the yarn so much easier to work with. Whenever I worked with a single strand, I was way more likely to accidentally put my needle tip within the strands of the single strand. Sounds like Inception, but it happens!
Tip n. 3: Keep the yarn under tension
Since linen yarn is so slippery, you'll benefit from keeping your yarn under tension when knitting. Stretch your hands often to prevent any aches and pains due to the increased tension.
Tip n. 4: Make sure you swatch
You really, really should knit a swatch before you attempt to make a linen garment. You may be familiar with your typical gauge when using wool or other animal fibers, but plant fibers (often suitable for summer knitting) are a whole different game. They don't hold their shape that well, they may shrink after washing, they drape and weigh differently.
Tip n. 5: Handwash the finished object in cold water
When you're done, give your hand-knitted linen garment or accessory a lukewarm or cold water bath. Add a mild laundry detergent (I typically use the same one I use for woolen garments). Don't hang up your linen clothes, or you'll risk them stretching out under their heavy weight. Lay them flat and air dry.
Tip n. 6: Choose a pattern with a lot of drape
When picking out the knitting pattern for your linen yarn, look for a lot of drape. Linen yarns are perfect for openwork lace and simple stockinette stitch patterns, whether crocheted or knitted.
The pattern you see in the images in this post is called the Rift Top knitting pattern, and it features a dropped stitch lace panel, while the rest of the body is worked in a stockinette stitch. This results in a garment that's comfortable, breathable, and easy to style. The pattern comes in 10 sizes and you can find it here.
Let me know if you found this post useful below. I'd love to hear about your experience with knitting with linen yarns!
