Our yarns
Why linen?
Why have we dedicated a whole website to one natural fibre?
Well, the answer is simply because we believe that this age-old fibre in all its rustic beauty has so much to offer.
As a keen knitter, I have tried knitting with many different yarns, but when I first discovered linen yarn a few years ago, I instantly fell in love with it. One thing I dislike about some yarns is pilling.... You spend hours and hours on a garment and when you finally get to wear it, it starts to bobble and lose its stitch definition. One of the many advantages of linen is that it is very unlikely to pill. It is also a lot less prone to moth damage, it can be washed and dried easily (no risk of felting, it doesn't mind temperature changes), it keeps it shape once the fibres have "relaxed" after the first wash, it is anti-static, anti-bacterial, hypo-allergenic and thermo-regulating, ...... to name but a few. Please read our "About linen" page for all the marvellous natural qualities of linen.
Well, the answer is simply because we believe that this age-old fibre in all its rustic beauty has so much to offer.
As a keen knitter, I have tried knitting with many different yarns, but when I first discovered linen yarn a few years ago, I instantly fell in love with it. One thing I dislike about some yarns is pilling.... You spend hours and hours on a garment and when you finally get to wear it, it starts to bobble and lose its stitch definition. One of the many advantages of linen is that it is very unlikely to pill. It is also a lot less prone to moth damage, it can be washed and dried easily (no risk of felting, it doesn't mind temperature changes), it keeps it shape once the fibres have "relaxed" after the first wash, it is anti-static, anti-bacterial, hypo-allergenic and thermo-regulating, ...... to name but a few. Please read our "About linen" page for all the marvellous natural qualities of linen.
Where does our linen yarn come from?
We aim to be as transparent as possible when it comes to the origin of our yarns.
Our linen yarn comes from flax that was grown in the coastal region stretching from Caen in Normandy to Amsterdam in Holland, where 80% of the world's flax is grown (see our About LInen page). Most of the flax grown in this area is sent for spinning/processing in Chinal. This is not the case with our yarn. We only use flas that is certified European Flax and also has the label Masters of Linen, which is a guarantee of a 100% local and traceable European linen-to-yarn supply chain.
All our hand-dyed yarns have been dyed in the UK by myself, and the Flaxi range has also been dyed in the UK.
Our linen yarn comes from flax that was grown in the coastal region stretching from Caen in Normandy to Amsterdam in Holland, where 80% of the world's flax is grown (see our About LInen page). Most of the flax grown in this area is sent for spinning/processing in Chinal. This is not the case with our yarn. We only use flas that is certified European Flax and also has the label Masters of Linen, which is a guarantee of a 100% local and traceable European linen-to-yarn supply chain.
All our hand-dyed yarns have been dyed in the UK by myself, and the Flaxi range has also been dyed in the UK.
Weight and length of skeins.
We mainly stock a sport weight in the 100% linen yarn, Nm 9.6/4 or Nm 10/4, which will also knit up as a light DK.
We chose to work with thicker yarns because we felt these were less readily available for customers than the very thin linen yarn, and as a general rule, linen is quite under-represented in yarn shops. Our Sport weight is a very versatile yarn and can be used to make a plethora of projects, like tops, shawls and accessories such as bags or spa mitts.
We have recently introduced a new yarn to our range, a 50/50 linen alpaca blend called Alpalini. It comes in the same weight and length as the pure linen yarn.
The latest addition to our range is Flaxi, a pre-dyed yarn in 17 solid colours. Flaxi is made with our usual top quality European Flax (grown in France/Belgium), certified Masters of Linen. This range has been dyed and plied by a dye house in the UK.
Weight tolerance.
Our 100% linen comes in 50g or 100g skeins. We wind the yarn mechanically to a certain length (minimum 240m for 100g) However, due to very slight variations in thickness during spinning, there may be slightly more or less weight in a skein. Please allow for a 3% tolerance, so the skeins could vary between 97g and well over 100g. If you purchase more than one skein and one is under the 100g, we will compensate by sending another which is over 100g, so the weights average out. In conclusion, even if the weight of a skein is slightly less than expected, the length/yardage is guaranteed.
We chose to work with thicker yarns because we felt these were less readily available for customers than the very thin linen yarn, and as a general rule, linen is quite under-represented in yarn shops. Our Sport weight is a very versatile yarn and can be used to make a plethora of projects, like tops, shawls and accessories such as bags or spa mitts.
We have recently introduced a new yarn to our range, a 50/50 linen alpaca blend called Alpalini. It comes in the same weight and length as the pure linen yarn.
The latest addition to our range is Flaxi, a pre-dyed yarn in 17 solid colours. Flaxi is made with our usual top quality European Flax (grown in France/Belgium), certified Masters of Linen. This range has been dyed and plied by a dye house in the UK.
Weight tolerance.
Our 100% linen comes in 50g or 100g skeins. We wind the yarn mechanically to a certain length (minimum 240m for 100g) However, due to very slight variations in thickness during spinning, there may be slightly more or less weight in a skein. Please allow for a 3% tolerance, so the skeins could vary between 97g and well over 100g. If you purchase more than one skein and one is under the 100g, we will compensate by sending another which is over 100g, so the weights average out. In conclusion, even if the weight of a skein is slightly less than expected, the length/yardage is guaranteed.
Colour accuracy
We have gone to great pains to reproduce the colours of our yarns accurately on the website. Colour appreciation is very subjective and despite our attempts, colour representation may vary from screen to screen on different devices. The way you see the colour will also differ according to the brightness settings of your screen and the angle from which it is looked at.
Our hand-dyed yarns are dyed in small batches of 5 - 10 skeins using non-toxic, low impact dyes. We also have a plant-dyed range. Due to the nature of hand-dyeing, there may be differences between batches, and even within the same batch you can find slight variations in shading. Therefore we recommend that if you are making a larger project you alternate between 2 skeins every couple of rows, to avoid getting a noticeable line in the colour where you have started a new skein.
Please try to purchase enough yarn to complete your project. We will always try to fill orders for multiple skeins with yarn from the same batch.
Our hand-dyed yarns are dyed in small batches of 5 - 10 skeins using non-toxic, low impact dyes. We also have a plant-dyed range. Due to the nature of hand-dyeing, there may be differences between batches, and even within the same batch you can find slight variations in shading. Therefore we recommend that if you are making a larger project you alternate between 2 skeins every couple of rows, to avoid getting a noticeable line in the colour where you have started a new skein.
Please try to purchase enough yarn to complete your project. We will always try to fill orders for multiple skeins with yarn from the same batch.
Slubs and knots
During the spinning and plying process, excess fibre or lint can become trapped between the separate strands, creating a lump in the yarn. This is perfectly normal and is a feature of linen's characteristic rustic appearance. These slubs should not affect gauge. However, if you come across a particularly large one which you don't want to see in your knitting/crochet etc, it can be removed by carefully teasing it out from between the treads with your nails. If the plies start to separate, just roll them between your finger and thumb to tighten them.
Knots are sometimes unavoidable. If we come across a bad knot while skeining the yarn, we will reject the skein. However, we can't always see them all. If you come across a small knot which is only in one thread/ply, you can probably continue knitting/crocheting, since there are 3 other plies which will keep the yarn strong enough without risk of breaking. If the knot is clearly in all 4 plies, this is a different story. You will need to back track or get to a less conspicuous spot to break the yarn and join as if starting a new ball of yarn.
You may find one knot in a skein, if any.
Knots are sometimes unavoidable. If we come across a bad knot while skeining the yarn, we will reject the skein. However, we can't always see them all. If you come across a small knot which is only in one thread/ply, you can probably continue knitting/crocheting, since there are 3 other plies which will keep the yarn strong enough without risk of breaking. If the knot is clearly in all 4 plies, this is a different story. You will need to back track or get to a less conspicuous spot to break the yarn and join as if starting a new ball of yarn.
You may find one knot in a skein, if any.
How to wash your finished objects made out of linen.
Our yarn is washed twice during the dyeing process. It is washed once before dyeing and after dyeing it undergoes several rinses and a hot wash using an eco-friendly, plant-based laundry detergent, with the aim of removing left-over dye from the fibre.
We do not recommend that you try to wash the skeins before working with them. You will probably end up with tangled yarn.
When you come to washing your finished garment/object, we recommend that you first wash separately by hand. There is a possibility that excess dye may still leech from the yarn for the first couple of washes, so you wouldn't want to be washing it with your whites...!
For subsequent washes, our 100% linen can be machine-washed using a non-bleach mild soap. Try to keep the spin speed no more than 1000 rpm. For best results, you can even dry the finished garment in the dryer for 15 minutes before lying flat to finish drying. With wearing your garment will become very soft with a beautiful lustrous silky effect. It can also be steam-ironed, which will help to soften it and enhance its natural sheen.
We do not recommend that you try to wash the skeins before working with them. You will probably end up with tangled yarn.
When you come to washing your finished garment/object, we recommend that you first wash separately by hand. There is a possibility that excess dye may still leech from the yarn for the first couple of washes, so you wouldn't want to be washing it with your whites...!
For subsequent washes, our 100% linen can be machine-washed using a non-bleach mild soap. Try to keep the spin speed no more than 1000 rpm. For best results, you can even dry the finished garment in the dryer for 15 minutes before lying flat to finish drying. With wearing your garment will become very soft with a beautiful lustrous silky effect. It can also be steam-ironed, which will help to soften it and enhance its natural sheen.