Halcyon Yarn Tips for Working with Linen for Weavers & Knitters
Important Characteristics of Linen
Linen is strong, but it doesn't like friction.
An individual strand of linen yarn is very strong. Linen can withstand a good tug from both ends before it snaps, but it cannot take a lot of friction. In other words, linen doesn't like to rub against itself or against other things, like the heddles or the reed or your loom. Friction will cause the linen to fray and thereby weaken the yarn.
For Weavers:
Linen is inelastic.
Linen will not stretch very much in a warp. Once stretched, however, linen will not go back to its original shape because it has no "memory". When working with linen, a constant and consistent tension is better than tight tension.
At the warping board, avoid piling up the threads when winding wide warps. Wind each end next to the previous one and when the pegs are full, start another chain. Tie each chain securely, in a number of places, to prevent the linen threads from rubbing against each other.
Keep the tension even while beaming the warp.
Make sure the ends are flat, not crossed and bunched up, across the back beam. Make sure the paper is wide enough to prevent the threads near the selvedges from sliding off and becoming slack.
To tie better knots, moisten your fingers.
Keep your warp tension consistent, but not too tight.
Weaving
A firm sett shows the pattern best; too open a sett will result in a flimsy fabric.
Use floating selvedges or double selvedge ends.
Beat once but beat hard.
Remember that you want to avoid creating friction on the warp threads. Ideally, you want to beat and change your treadles/harnesses all in one motion.
Advance your warp often.
Advance your warp after every few inches to keep your warp tension even. The greater your fell (the woven cloth in front of the breast beam) the tighter the warp becomes due to take-up.
Use moisture to ease a sticky warp.
Humidity is the real key, 40-50% is best. Use a humidifier or mist the air above the warp (mist behind the heddles to avoid rusting your reed). Avoid spaying the warp itself.
For Knitters:
Linen's inherent stiffness and body make it perfect for lace knits. It will hold the pattern open beautifully. Do no use too large a needle though. The stitch will be open looking even at the appropriate gauge. It can be more difficult to knit with than wool because it is inelastic. You may find you prefer a wood or bamboo needle to add a little friction.
Finishing For Everyone:
Fringes will fray and disintegrate, use a hem instead.
When cutting linen cloth for sewing, finish seams so there are no raw edges.
Washing
Linen fabric is crisp but will soften with each washing.
Wash in hot soapy water (as hot as your hands can stand, but no hotter) with a mild detergent and rinse several times. The last rinse should be in cold water. Use a fabric softener if you wish. To prevent wrinkles, do not wring or twist.
Do not use chlorine bleach — it causes yellowing.
Lace weaves should be allowed to dry flat. Lace knits should be pinned to shape to accentuate the pattern. Other linens can hang dry, preferably over a fat rod like a shower curtain rod; thin rods may crease the fabric.
Ironing
Iron linens while damp with a steam iron on high heat.
For high shine, iron on the right side. To bring out texture, iron on the wrong side.
Storage
Store in a cool dry place.
Store flat whenever possible or rolled on a cardboard tube to prevent wrinkles.
Do not store in plastic bags, cedar chests, cardboard boxes, or in tissue paper. Any or all of these may cause yellowing.
Definitions
Wet spun flax fibers yield a yarn with a smooth finish.
Dry spun flax fibers yield yarn has a softer finish.
Tow linen is spun from shorter, sometimes cut, flax fibers. Tow linen can be wet spun or dry spun and is usually plied for greater strength. Halcyon Yarn’s Newport Linen is a dry spun tow linen.
Line linen is wet spun from the longest flax fibers. Line linen yarn has a smooth surface and is very strong. It is usually sold as a singles yarn (not plied) and is relatively expensive.
Reference Literature
Best of Handwoven: Atwater-Bronson - eBook Printed Copy
Want to sharpen your lace-weaving skills?
This lace technique book is sooooo much more than a project book!
Here's what you'll find inside:
Learn about block profile drafts and how to design your own lace patterns, whether you are using simple pick-up or many shafts.
Discover special warping, weaving, and finishing techniques to use with linen, laces most elegant partner.
Find out how to design and weave turned lace and discover the difference between Swedish lace and Atwater-Bronson lace.
Start with a sampler and then move through the projects; each one adding a new tool to your lace-weave design kit.
This ebook, and all of Halcyon Yarn's ebooks, are printed in full color on acid-free coated stock, saddle-stitched and ready for immediate browsing and convenient posting next to your loom.
Item Number: 5521500E $15.95
Best of Weaver's Huck Lace
Huck lace is the first in a series of Best of Weaver's books: collections of treasured articles from more than ten inspiring years of Weaver's Magazine. More than forty projects by Weaver's talented designers give complete instructions for weaving huck lace fabrics for towels, table linens, shawls, scarves, throws, clothing and more. For the weaver who enjoys creating original designs, find here the easiest and most comprehensive method for designing huck in print today. Also included are block design, network drafting, and pick-up with huck lace, as well as combining huck with other structures and finishing techniques. For 4 harness & up.
Item Number: 53401000 $28.95
Bobbin Lace Without A Teacher
This is a booklet of very basic instructions and has been compiled with the newcomer-to-lace making in mind. Once the rudiments have been mastered, the new lacemaker should be able to follow most of the beginner books, which are available today. It also includes a short history of bobbin lace.
Item Number: 77400000 $8.00
Handspinner's Handbook
Small, but information packed. The basic spinning information is very thorough and easy for even beginners to understand. Probably the most interesting information is on the fibers and how to spin them: silk, Angora, dog hair, cotton, leaf fibers, and linen. Primarily for wheel spinners.
Item Number: 56020000 $9.95
Handwoven Design Collection 11- Heirloom Table Linens - Handwoven eBook
Long out of print and now available in print exclusively from Halcyon Yarn, this treasury of classic table linens will be a treasury of great ideas. Not all yarns suggested will be currently available as companies may have changed products but the friendly staff here at Halcyon Yarn can help you find great substitutes for any of the patterns.
This ebook, and all of Halcyon Yarn's ebooks, are printed in full color on acid-free stock, saddle-stitched and ready for immediate browsing and convenient posting next to your loom.
Item Number: 5520011E $12.95
Lessons in Bobbin Lacemaking
Twelve step-by-step lessons guide you through the creation of beautiful lace edgings, doilies, collars, belts, bookmarks and more. The author outlines the history of bobbin lace and provides detailed instructions for making your own pillow and bobbins. The final chapter showcases a gallery of Bobbin Lace Designs providing lots of inspiration for bobbin lace projects to come.
Item Number: 77460000 $19.95
Linen From Flax Seed to Woven Cloth
Follow the saga of this remarkable fiber from seed to woven fabric. Learn about past and present day methods of flax cultivation, processing, and spinning, natural and synthetic dyeing, and weaving and finishing linen cloth. An inspirational chapter includes 15 articles by Canadian and American weavers and photographs of the artists' works. Throughout you'll enjoy folklore and historical information, including the use of linen by the ancient Egyptians, a history of Irish linen, and linen's status in today's world of fiber and fashion. The story of linen is timeless and fascinating.
Item Number: 50170100 $49.99
Tatting Designs from Victorian Lace Craft2nd Edition
This is a compilation of wonderful tatting patterns from years gone by. Patterns include several collars, baby bonnets, and pictures of tatting set into garments.
Item Number: 77630000 $17.95
The Art and Craft of Natural Dyeing
This scrupulously researched volume is a comprehensive modern treatment of pre-synthetic era dyes and dyeing. It provides a short history of natural dyeing and then gives dozens of traditional recipes (modified for modern use in some cases) for every major color group and all major fibers. Instructions are detailed and easy to follow. The author is especially interested in traditional methods of dyeing cotton and linen, fibers many other natural dye books have given short shrift to. This would be great for anyone interested in authentic reproductions of historic textiles.
Item Number: 57210000 $26.95
The Master Weaver Library Number 13: Woven Lace and Lacy Weaves
# 13: Woven Lace & Lacy Weaves
Item Number: 53590000 $22.00
