PumpkinKnitter

The adventures of a knitting grandmother

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Thursday, June 26, 2008

L is for...

Linen. I had been working on the Moss Grid hand towel from Mason Dixon Knitting for over a year; I just couldn't seem to feel the love for the linen. It was dry and hard to my fingers. Okay, not that dry and hard, but compared to a nice merino wool, yes, hard and dry. Like knitting with old string. None the less, I pushed myself to finish this and did so on June 8. Here is a picture of the unwashed towel.

The next day I threw it into the washer with the regular wash and let it ride. No great difference after the washing, but I tossed it into the dryer with the other things and turned on the heat. When the cycle was done, I hunted it out. Eureka! Amazingly soft and fluffed out! And not a bit of blocking needed!

Seriously, I was blown away by the results. I was standing there in the laundry room, squishing the towel in my hands and against my face, certain that some washer/dryer gremlin had replaced the dry, hard linen with this wonderful fabric. I'm sold. I'm converted. Now I believe that those beautiful patterns knit with linen are entirely worth the investment. (Now, if I hadn't put myself on a stash-only diet...)

Specs: Louet Euroflax Originals, one skein French Blue. I only had enough to knit 10 repeats of the pattern instead of twelve. US Size 5 needles. Scrumptious.

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6 Comments:

Blogger margene said...

Love the texture...love the color!

7:14 AM  
Blogger cyndy said...

Oh it is beautiful!

I bet it feels wonderful, I love linen (and my flax in the garden is just about knee high!)

1:50 PM  
Blogger Annie said...

I've heard tell of this transformation, but I haven't experienced it for myself yet. That color of blue would do it for me, though. Just lovely.

5:11 AM  
Blogger roxie said...

And when you press it, it gets a lovely gloss. Linen has nice results, but it is a pain to work with.

6:34 AM  
Blogger Nana Sadie said...

Pat, it's beautiful! I'm going to try hard to give it a one-time try, just on YOUR recommendation (ok...you're the icing on the cake, since everyone says what you do!)
If I decide to take it slowly, maybe my hands can stand it?
(((hugs)))

11:07 AM  
Blogger kathy b said...

AHA! I never put mine in the dryer either! off to the dryer it goes. Thanks

7:27 PM  

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