Tag Archives: linen yarn

Hoi An Top

Posted in Knitting by

In 2013, I went to Hoi An, Vietnam with my then boyfriend on a 8 week Southeast Asia backpacking trip. The town continues to be one of my favorite in Vietnam. The old section was a mix of history and beauty. The beach was such a relief in the oppressive heat. We rented bikes for $1 and had the time of our lives. One of my favorite memories was sitting at a local restaurant, while it rained, watching life go by with a “fresh beer” (beer from a keg) and a bowl of rose dumplings. Hoi An holds a very special place in my heart.

Biking around Hoi An

When I came across Hoi An Top I knew I had to make it. A beautiful lace tank that was inspired by the lanterns of Hoi An? Pattern sold ✅.

Sandra from Nomad Stitches made a well laid out pattern that included different colors for the different sizing options. My gauge was slightly different so I went with the large sizing. The lace chart is easy to work with and eventually I had it memorized. I repeated the chart four times as I wanted a shirt length top rather than cropped. The part of this pattern that dragged out for me was the I-cord bind off for the armholes and neckline. This is not my favorite bind-off method, but in this case I went with the designer’s judgement.

This was my first experience with Rosários 4 Alfama Eco Friendly 100% linen. The color of the yarn is such a lovely lilac. This yarn was easy to work with, but it did shed. I had to be careful about knitting prior to work so I didn’t end up a linty mess. Like any linen yarn there was a loss of fiber flexibility while knitting so I made sure to keep my weaving ends on the longer side. I used about 3 skeins for this project. Originally, I thought of making a tunic length so I overbought on yarn. Midway through the project I decided to keep it simple. I have several skeins leftover so I may make a mini version for the baby if I can get the math figured out.

The Hoi An Top was a rewarding garment to create. The construction was interesting and the lacework was right up my alley. Only order of business now is to find a nice occasion to wear it outside of the house.

Until Next Time,

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Little Edie

Posted in Getting Crafty, Knitting by

Isabell Kraemer designs fantastically! I love how she designs wardrobe staples that are effortless to wear. Edie is no exception. Continuing my love of making summer tops, I finished Edie prior to my summer trip. It looked like the perfect casual piece to add to my wardrobe.

I used Quince & Co Sparrow in Surf. I purchased the yarn online thinking it was blue. Turns out it is a blue color that was intertwined with a beige/ sandy color. The mix is very subtle to the eye. This was my first time working with Quince & Co yarn and I really loved the linen/ flax blend. I especially appreciated how the top has washed up. I have washed it several times and the color has stayed vibrant and the integrity of the yarn has upheld.

I made the XS size which does not allow the 2″ of positive ease at the bust line as stated in the pattern. I also did not complete the optional final edging around the neck. I slipped one stitch at the beginning of every row which kept everything looking neat. The biggest modification I made was to shorten the top significantly. I didn’t want a crop top, but more of a shorter top that just hit my hips. My smaller torso get lost in a lot of fabric.

So here I am in the Whitsundays (Australia) hanging on the beach in my Edie top! The linen is so light and airy to wear on the beach. I will most certainly be working with this material again.

What are your thought on knitting with linen?

Until Next Time,

-Whit-