Will Daytime Linen Win Me Over?

Fiber: 100% Egyptian linen (long-fiber flax)

From: Flax and Twine

Weight: Fingering or DK/light worsted

Natural, dyed, both: dyed

What I made: Bennet Bandana by Anne Weil, in fingering

Pros: modern color palette, surprisingly easy on the needles with minimal splitting, smaller skeins make it easy to source the exact yardage need for projects. Great for weaving, as well as crocheting and knitting. Produces a beautiful linen garment that gets softer and drapier with each wear!

Cons: like all 100% linen yarns, it has no elasticity like wool, and the feel of this on the needles can take some getting used to. But it didn't bother my hand joints like I expected, and was much more enjoyable to work with than others I've tried. 

Hot take: Ok,  knitting with linen is not for the faint of heart, I always thought. But I badly wanted my own handmade linen garments in my wardrobe - or at least, an accessory to start with? The Bennet Bandana was the perfect mini project to try, and ... it surprised me in every way with how enjoyable and easy it was! Be careful with gauge, and trust that linen's end result is better than its work in progress; linen can create an uneven or very open-seeming stitch at first, but knit it too tightly and you'll have a finished project that is too dense. Like all great natural fibers, it will get better and better with each wear, should be hand-washed, and does not need to be frequently washed!