Has anyone experience in using 10/2 linen for dishtowels?  If so what EPI did you use?  I was given several tubes of 10/2 linen and am wondering if it works for dish towels or is it too heavy?

Comments

Tue, 05/14/2013 - 12:40

laurafry

Not familiar with the size.  How many yards per pound (or meters per kilo) does it have?

Sometimes it works well to use a plied yarn for warp and a singles for weft (if that thought helps any)

cheers,

Laura

Tue, 05/14/2013 - 13:23

Sara von Tresckow

10/2 linen is quite heavy - but would make coarse towels that might be quite nice.

Plied linen thread can be visualized reasonably well if you takes the first number - in this case 10 - and then do the math to get an equivalent number - divide by 2 and then write that number x/2 and you get the cotton thread weight that would be quite similar. In this case, the 10/2 linen would look and behave a lot like 5/2 cotton.

For linen singles, say a number 8, you can simply write x/2 - in this case, a number 8 linen would be roughly equal to an 8/2 cotton.

This is not scientifically exact, but gives a pretty good idea of the weight and hand of fabric made of the yarn.

Tue, 05/14/2013 - 15:40

Marianne88 (not verified)

Thank you Sara for your explanations.  I was wondering how to combine coton and Irish linen 20/2 that I already have.  I would like to make towels that would be nice and not to thin.

Tue, 05/14/2013 - 20:07

toftcottageweavery

The packaging does not give any measurement other than 10/2, 100% linen.  Webs has a valley yarn 10/2 linen that is 1500 YPP so it falls mid way between 3/2 (1260 ypp) and 5/2 cotton (2100 ypp).  I was given 1.5 lbs of bright navy and 1 lb of red - really lovely colors and I am excited to make something with them.  I thought that I could add some natural/white and make all American dish towels for this summer.  Perhaps this weight of linen would make nice napkins for outdoor eating on the 4Th of July?  What do you think - dish towels or napkins or an even better idea??
Tue, 05/14/2013 - 20:33

Sara von Tresckow

Lea numbered linen is nothing more than the number (8, 10, 12, etc) times 300 to give yards per pound. It plied, divide also by number of plies.

The yards per pound is not totally accurate to give the relationship to cotton - the calculation I put up earlier takes into account the "specific gravity" or weight of the materials. Linen is a bit heavier than cotton, thus, you get that in between value by doing yards per pound. The ypp is most useful for determining the amount of thread needed.

Wed, 05/15/2013 - 00:02

toftcottageweavery

Thanks, Sara, for the explanation - I now understand! Useful formula for future linens as well.  I read blogs from Europe which use the lea number and I wasn't sure how to interpret them.  Any ideas for a project with this weight linen?

Thanks again,

Patricia  

Wed, 05/15/2013 - 00:07

sally orgren

...placemats, table runner, dresser scarf, or mug rugs?

Or, would it work for a tote bag or some other kind of purse?

Could it be woven to make an hip apron with a few big pockets for tools, or a shuttle holder... (double weave with sleeves to hold the shuttles?)

Wed, 05/15/2013 - 02:17

Sara von Tresckow

This linen is not so coarse that it is unusable - think rangy, bold textiles. Probably not towels or clothing. Runners or mats would be really nice. I also routinely mix and match cottons and linens. My standard 10/2 cotton warp gets mixed with 8/1 linen when a stiff placemat or runner is desired and 12/1 when a towel should have a more elegant appearance.

There is no standard that says warp and weft have to match - have fun playing.

Wed, 05/15/2013 - 11:11

toftcottageweavery

Thanks, Sara and Sally for your suggestions!  I believe that I have 4th of July placemats and/or a runner in my near weaving future!