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Tips for Knitting with Linen Yarn

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I’m sure I’ve knit with linen yarn before, but I can’t think of any projects I’ve made with it. I think I made a market bag once with a linen blend, and I have enough linen in my stash to knit a top, I just haven’t done it yet.

As an aside, if you’re wondering what linen is, it’s a natural fiber produced from flax. It’s a very labor intensive process, but it makes yarn that is strong, lightweight, durable and machine washable. It’s a great fiber to use and wear in the summer, whether you’re knitting garments with it or sewing or buying garments made from linen fabric.

There is a bit of a learning curve to working with linen yarn, though. It can be slippery and easily get tangled on itself. These tips for knitting with linen yarn from Jessica McDonald Designs are a great place to start if you’re contemplating your first linen knitting project.

The advice to not work from a center-pull ball is actually really great and not something I would have thought of as potentially causing a problem. But all her tips are great so click over there and check it out.

Her post shares a couple of her designs that are worked in linen yarn, but if you’re looking for more ideas, here are a few patterns I’ve shared recently that use linen or a linen blend yarn:

I don’t know that I’m going to get to knitting with my linen yarn this summer, but it’s definitely on my list to work with soon, and with these tips I’ll be all set for success with a lot less frustration.

Have you ever worked with linen yarn? I’d love to hear your tips.

[Photo: Jessica McDonald Designs]

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Learn All About Sewing Velvet Fabric

 

I’m always tempted by the pretty velvets at the fabric store.  So much texture!  And the way the fibers catch the light!  But sewing on velvet is trickier than you’d think.  That nap that lends beautiful texture also likes to slip and crawl.  That nap can also spell disaster if you cut a piece the wrong direction.  That isn’t to say you shouldn’t use buy that velvet and sew it into something gorgeous, you just need to go into your velvet sewing project prepared.  And Melissa at Melly Sews has a post that takes you step by step through sewing on velvet. 

Velvet is such a luscious fabric, especially for winter sewing projects.  Of course there are velvet Christmas sewing projects – stockings, tree skirts, santa hats – but velvet is beautiful for all winter.  Think of all the gorgeous velvet dresses, evening bags, hair accessories, even pillows and other home décor that you see all winter long. 

Melly Sews’ post gives you the tips and tricks you need to know in order for your velvet sewing project to end up a success.  There are types of projects better suited for velvets, and kinds of projects to avoid.  She describes the different types of velvet available.  And she also tells the best way to lay out and cut your pattern pieces from velvet fabric.  Her tutorial also covers marking, pressing, and of course sewing that beautiful fabric.  There’s also a video included in case that’s your preferred method for learning.

Head over to Melly Sews to learn how to sew on velvet fabric. 

And if you want to learn more about that lovely blue velvet dress shown, she has a post that tells more about it including 2 ways to style it depending on if you want to be more dressy or more casual.

[photo credit: Melly Sews]