Linen Stitch Hand Towels
What better stitch to use with our brand new Field Linen than linen stitch? And what better project than linens? These Linen Stitch Hand Towels make all sorts of sense, and they also happen to be stunning little knit specimens.
Linen Stitch makes a flat and very sturdy fabric, which is smooth and woven looking on one side and pleasantly nubbly on the other. Stripes of our May Apple color against warm and creamy Queen Anne’s Lace harken to vintage kitchen linens and make these Hand Towels true heirlooms.
We love Field Linen for this job. It’s machine washable, durable, and absorbent, and Field Linen is also a totally classic choice for hard-working housewares!
Yarn lovers, if you adore the yarn used in this project, you’ll love exploring all of our other yarn collections! Discover over 45 thoughtfully designed yarns in nearly every natural fiber and in every spectacular color you can imagine. Only available here at Purl Soho’s online yarn store, where every skein is created with care and your creativity in mind!
And once you’ve made yourself a pair, Linen Stitch Hand Towels also make very special gifts for people getting married, for people who welcome you into their home, or for people you simply love! -Laura
Designed by Purl Soho designer, Laura Ferguson.
Share your progress and connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho, #PurlSohoBusyHands, #PurlSohoLinenStitchHandTowels, and #PurlSohoFieldLinen. We can’t wait to see what you make!
Materials
- Main Color (MC): 2 skeins of Purl Soho’s Field Linen, 100% linen. Each skein is 295 yards/ 100 grams; approximately 240 yards required per towel. We used the color Queen Anne’s Lace.
- Contrast Color (CC): 1 skein of Field Linen; approximately 50 yards required per towel. We used the color May Apple.
- US 6 (4mm) straight or 24-inch circular needles
- If using straight needles: Two US 6 double pointed needles for I-Cord
NOTE: Each Towel uses under one skein of yarn, so with 3 skeins of Field Linen, you can make 3 Towels in total, using the CC as the MC for the third one!
Gauge
32 stitches and 48 rows = 4 inches in Linen Stitch
Size
Finished Dimensions: 11 inches wide x 17 ½ inches long
Notes
Slip all stitches purlwise unless indicated otherwise.
Stitch Patterns
One-Color Linen Stitch
Row 1 (wrong side): P1, *slip 1 with yarn in back (wyib), p1, repeat from * to end of row.
Row 2 (right side): Slip 1 knitwise wyib, *k1, slip 1 with yarn in front (wyif), repeat from * to last 2 stitches, k1, slip 1 knitwise wyib.
Repeat Rows 1 and 2.
Two-Color Linen Stitch
With CC…
Row 1 (wrong side): P1, *slip 1 wyib, p1, repeat from * to end of row.
Row 2 (right side): Slip 1 knitwise wyib, *k1, slip 1 wyif, repeat from * to last 2 stitches, k1, slip 1 knitwise wyib.
With MC…
Rows 3 and 4: Repeat Rows 1 and 2.
Repeat Rows 1-4.
NOTE: Carry the color you’re not using up the side of the work by bringing it in front of the working yarn when you purl the first stitch of Row 1
Pattern
NOTE: What follows are exact directions for making your Hand Towels like ours, but feel free to place stripes wherever you want!
Hand Towel #1
With MC, cast on 87 stitches. We used a basic Long Tail Cast On.
Work in One-Color Linen Stitch (see Stitch Patterns, above) until piece measures 2 inches from cast-on edge, ending with a right-side row.
Join CC and work in Two-Color Linen Stitch (see Stitch Patterns, above) for approximately 3 inches, ending with Row 4. Cut CC.
With MC, work in One-Color Linen Stitch for 10 inches, ending with a right-side row.
Join CC and work in Two-Color Linen Stitch for approximately 1 inch, ending with Row 4. Cut CC.
With MC, work in One-Color Linen Stitch for 1½ inches, ending with a wrong-side row.
Next Row (right side): Bind off knitwise until 3 stitches remain (1 stitch on the right needle and 2 stitches on the left needle), k2, leaving 3 stitches on the right needle.
Make i-Cord
With the remaining 3 stitches, work an I-cord for 3 inches, working the last row as follows…
Last Row: K1, k2tog, bind off first stitch by passing it over the second stitch and off the right needle. Cut yarn, leaving an 8-inch tail and pull through remaining stitch.
Secure Loop + Finish
Thread the tail onto a tapestry needle. Weave in the tail at the base of the I-cord on the wrong side of the towel, securing the tail and creating a loop with the I-cord.
Weave in the remaining ends and block as desired.
HAND TOWEL #2
With MC, cast on 87 stitches. We used a basic Long Tail Cast On.
Work in One-Color Linen Stitch (see Stitch Patterns, above) until piece measures 2 inches from cast-on edge, ending with a right-side row.
Join CC and work in Two-Color Linen Stitch for approximately ¼ inch, ending with Row 4. Cut CC.
With MC, work in One-Color Linen Stitch for ¾ inch, ending with a right-side row.
Join CC and work in Two-Color Linen Stitch for approximately ¼ inch, ending with Row 4. Cut CC.
With MC, work in One-Color Linen Stitch for ¾ inch, ending with a right-side row.
Join CC and work in Two-Color Linen Stitch for approximately 1 inch, ending with Row 4. Cut CC.
With MC, work in One-Color Linen Stitch for 10 ¼ inches, ending with a right-side row.
Join CC and work in Two-Color Linen Stitch for approximately ¼ inch, ending with Row 4. Cut CC.
With MC, work in One-Color Linen Stitch for 2 inches, ending with a wrong-side row.
Next Row (right side): Bind off knitwise until 3 stitches remain (1 stitch on the right needle and 2 stitches on the left needle), k2, leaving 3 stitches on the right needle.
Make i-Cord, Secure Loop + Finish
Make I-cord, secure it and finish towel, as described above for Hand Towel #1.
Looking for more inspiration? Explore all of our free knitting patterns and knitting tutorials, buy one of our many knitting kits and yarn bundles, and shop for beautiful yarn. We have over 35 gorgeous natural fiber yarns in 100’s of magnificent colors, designed to bring integrity, beauty, and joy to your next knitting project and only available at Purl Soho!
This is a beautiful pattern, and I would love to make it, but the yarn is a bit expensive — $84 for a hand towel? Is there a less expensive yarn that would work as well? Thanks!
Hi Kara,
For this pattern, you could substitute with the cotton pure, it is $14.50 a skein and comes in an abundant amount of colors in fact we just introduced a new pattern using the cotton pure yarn for the slip stitch dish towels to give you an idea of what it looks like knit up.
I hope this helps,
Melissa
I’ve made several of this pattern using cotton pure.
I am now trying with the field linen. The one problem is the yarn splits horribly. Not the nicest yarn to work with.
Hi. Are we to knit with two strands held together using a #6 needle? Thank you!
Hello Anna,
Thank you for reaching out! For this pattern you will be knitting with one strand at a time on size 6 needles in either one-color linen stitch or two-color linen stitch. I hope this helps! Let me know if you have any further questions.
-Marilla
How many towels can you make from the three skeins of yarn? only two?
Hello,
Thanks for reaching out! You can make two hand towels from the three skeins. If you reverse the main color and the contrast color you could make a third.
Happy Knitting,
Marilla
These are lovely! Do you know the approximate yardage used per towel?
Hello Angie,
Great question. The approximate yardage used per towel is 263.
Warmly,
Marilla
Hi,
Did you use all of the MC and CC? The reason I ask is because if there’s enough left over, I think a matching dishcloth would make a wonderful set to give as a gift.
Hi Robin,
Thanks for reaching out. A matching dishcloth is a great idea! I think you would have enough left over especially if you reversed the contrast and main colors.
I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any further questions!
-Marilla
This is just what I’ve been looking for. How many towels does the 2+1 skein quantity make?
Do the silver thistle and quail feather yarns look good together?
Hello Jane,
I’m so happy you found what you were looking for! You can make two towels with the three skeins of Field Linen. You will have over half a skein of the contrast color left over, and a little bit of the main color left. If you wanted to make a third towel with the colors reversed you might have enough.
Silver Thistle and quail feather would be beautiful together.
Happy knitting!
-Marilla
Hi! I am new to knitting- this is my 3rd project and still learning to read patterns. On row 2 – last 2 stitches-k1, slip 1 knitwise wyib.
My working yarn ends up between the last 2 stitches not at the end??? Not sure I’m reading it correctly
Hi Malana,
That is a great question and you are correct! Since you are only slipping the last stitch, the yarn will sit in between your last two stitches instead of at the end. This will result in a nice smooth selvage edge for your hand towels. I hope this helps but please let me know if you have any other questions!
Happy knitting,
Gavriella
Love the pattern of the linen stitch hand towels. I love the blue verbena. What would you recommend as a master color with that? And/or, can you recommend a color combo that would work well in a kitchen that has the following colors: Black, tan, sage green, cherry wood. I’d like to de-emphasize the black. Thank you!
Hello Lisa,
I’m so happy to hear you love this pattern as much as we do! I agree that the Blue Verbena is a beautiful option. I think the Queen Anne’s Lace would be the best main color choice for the Blue Verbena. I think it will support the blue and yellow nicely as well as tie into your kitchen’s color scheme.
I hope this helps. Happy knitting!
How many towels can you make using the main color? It looks like the second color can go a long ways depending upon how much you use. Thanks.
Hello Shari,
For each Towel you will need a little less than one skein on the main color and approximately a quarter skein of the contrast color.
I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any further questions!
-Marilla
Hi,
These look lovely! I wanted to inquire about how many towels the bundle of 3 skeins will make. One? Two? More?
Thank you!
Hello Jennie,
You can make two towels with the bundle of three skeins. You will have over half a skein of the contrast color left over, so if you wanted to make a couple more you would just need the main color.
I hope this helps!
-Marilla
How many towels will these 3 skeins make?
Hello Barbara,
Thanks for reaching out. You can make two towels with the bundle of three skeins. You should have over half a skein of the contrast color left over.
I hope this helps!
-Marilla
I have been a weaver for many years, and am excited to find your pattern for knitting hand towels! My brain has been operating in the “you WEAVE hand towels” box (it’s also a lovely box) for so long that I’m embarrassed to admit surprise at the idea (duh!) of KNITTING hand towels! I can hardly wait to start! Thank you for sharing :-). Also – thank you so much for your patience in answering the same question, many times. I occasionally send off my urgent question before I read previous comments & realize that other folks have asked the same question AND already received the answer I was looking for. I understand an impatient reply, but it is very off-putting. Your replies are MUCH more pleasant & encouraging. Thank you!
Hello Karen,
These are such kind words – thank you!
-Marilla
I am so excited about this new pattern! I reminds me of the linen hand towels my grandmother used to make! Thank you.
Julie
Beautiful towels. I think they would also make lovely napkins, if you squared them?
Hello Diana,
Thank you for your kind words! I agree, these would make beautiful napkins.
Best,
Marilla
If these were to be crocheted (I can’t knit!) do you roughly know how many skeins would be needed? I’m in the UK so wouldn’t be using the same exact yarn. Apart from SC stitch, do you think another crochet stitch would work well, or should I just stick to the simpler approach?! Thanks.
Hi Vicki,
Since you are crocheting, I would probably get an extra skein of the main color as the pattern roughly uses one skein for one towel, and crocheting uses up more yarn. For the stitch I would stay with the sc it is very clean and simple and would look the best for the hand towel.
I hope this helps,
Melissa
Hi Melissa, thank you. I’ve just crocheted the towel making it slightly bigger and it worked really well! I used just under a skein for the MC too. About to start another! Love these so much and one day, I’ll definitely have a go at knitting them 🙂
Hi Vicki,
So happy you love these,I have just started making some myself. These would be perfect as your first knitting project as well.
Enjoy your day,
Melissa
These are lovely! I never work with machine-washable yarns, so I’m wondering: should I do something special when I weave in the ends to help them hold up to repeated washings? Thanks for another great pattern!
Hello Dianne,
Thanks for writing in! I’m so happy to hear you enjoy this pattern! This shouldn’t be to much of an issue, however you could weave in longer ends to add some security.
I hope this helps!
-Marilla
What cast on method do you recommend that would be best for this project?
Hi Lisa,
Thanks for writing in! In general, when not noted, we use the long tail cast on and it would work well here!
Best,
Cassy
Hello,
Purchased a cone of cotton pure (egret white) and skein of cotton pure red nectar.
New to knitting and would like to have suggestions regarding duplication of lovely look of the towels that were knitted with field linen.
Prefer towel width 10 -12 inches.
Thank you,
Anna
Hi Anna,
Thanks for writing in! For these towels we used one solid linen and one linen that has two different color plies. This helps to create the mottled look of the redder stripes. When using cotton, you can achieve a bit more solid of a stripe that will differ but still be quite lovely!
You will need to knit a gauge swatch first to determine how many stitches you are getting per inch. Once you know how many stitches you are getting per inch, you will multiply that number by 10-12 inches and cast on the closest odd number. You will then follow the pattern as written!
Best,
Cassy
Hello Cassy,
Tried size 3 needle using cotton pure for linen stitch towel.
Very difficult to knit using size 3 needle and fabric is very stiff. I’m new to knitting.
What size needle to use with cotton pure?
Thanks,
Anna
Hi Anna,
Thanks for the question! I would think that you could start with a US 7 or 8. Knit a gauge swatch with each and see which fabric you like better!
Happy knitting!
Cassy
With a thinner yarn and smaller needles (size 3US) how many stitches would you recommend casting on for towels approximately the same dimensions? Thank you for your assistance.
Sherri
Hi Sherri,
Thanks for writing in! I am happy to help you figure out a cast on! You will need to knit a gauge swatch first to determine how many stitches you are getting per inch using US 3 needles. Once you know how many stitches you are getting per inch, you will multiply that number by 11 inches and cast on the closest odd number. You will then follow the pattern as written!
Best of luck!
Cassy
Hi. I stumbled into this by googling linen towel. I’m going on a month long vacation and want to take along a “linen bath towel” after reading that linen is antibacterial and does not needed washing as frequently as cotton, because it does not smell. I knitted and crocheted many dishcloth. This time I want to knit a bath towel because it will be thinner and lighter for traveling. I’m willing to pay for the linen please advise me how much I need and which stitch to use. I heard the waffle stitch is a good stitch. But if it takes a lot more yarn I’ll go with the linen stitch.
Sorry I forgot to mention that I want it in one color. So as cream or light gray.
Hi Sara,
What a lovely idea! I have not worked with waffle stitch before for a towel or washcloth so I am unsure if if takes more yarn or works better for the project you propose. You can always try knitting up a small sample to see if you prefer it over linen stitch. I do think that the linen stitch will work well for your purposes. Each skein of out Field Linen will yield a towel about 11 x 17 1/2 inches. With 3 skeins you can make a 24 x 24 inch towel. If you would like to make a larger towel, you can add more skeins until you reach the appropriate size.
Let us know if we can be of any further assistance!
Cassy
If Cotton Pure (sport weight) yarn is substituted for Field Linen (fingering weight) yarn in the Linen Stitch Hand Towel pattern, do I use US 3 knitting needles instead of the US 6 needle required for Field Linen ?
Thank you.
Hello Dianne,
Thank you for your question! If you use a size 3 needle with cotton pure it will come out very tight and will be difficult to knit. If you would like to use cotton pure for this pattern I would go up in needle size and adjust my cast on number rather than going down in needle size. I hope this helps and please let me know if you have any further questions!
Warmly,
Marilla
When carrying the color not using up the side of the work … should this only be done when there is a space of a couple rows? Is it Ok to carry the main color up when there is the six rows between the CC. — Or should the CC yarn be cut and then added over that span?
Hi Kila,
Great question! You can certainly carry the contrast color up the side through the striped section! I would not do so through the long solid section as it will be more noticeable!
Best,
Cassy
Am I correct that in row 2 only the first stitch and last stitches are slipped knitwise. All the others are slipped Purl wise?
Hi Deborah,
Thanks for writing in! You are correct!
Best,
Cassy
Just saw this pattern. Great. How did you get the stitches so tight? If I use a US 6 my towels will look like lace. Am I knitting way too loosely?
Hello Maureen,
Thank you for reaching out! It sounds like your gauge could be to loose. I would try going down to a US 5 or a US 4 if it continues to be an issue. The reason we are knitting on a US 6 for this project is because the linen stitch is a very dense stitch, so if you are not using a linen stitch this yarn works better on a US 2 – US 5.
I hope this helps and Happy knitting!
-Marilla
Absolutely beautiful! Just concerned that the red color of the May Apple will “bleed” into the off-white color of the Queen Anne’s Lace. Is there something that needs to be done so the color won’t bleed; or is this not a problem?
Thank you.
Hello Irene,
Thank you for reaching out! We haven’t had issues with this yarn bleeding, but it might to be a good idea to test it before jumping in. To do this you would knit a small swatch with both the red and white yarn. You will then put your swatch in water to test if the red will bleed onto your white yarn. If it does bleed you can Re-fix the dye before starting the project.
I hope this helps and happy knitting!
-Marilla
Way to expense for one who lives on less than $900 a month. I knit & crochet a lot, for gifts etc. I am & have bought expensive yarns for beautiful throws, baby sweaters, But no way for 2 towels. I extremely like these towels & would love to make, but even the other yarn u suggested at $14.95 is way to much for my income.
However I ordered your baby alpaca yarn for a gorgeous scarf (u showed in white), & love it. The scarf came out beautifully..
Hello Carol,
Thank you for writing us- I’m so happy to hear your scarf came out beautifully and that you enjoyed the process!
We totally understand that sometimes our yarn suggestions are more of an inspiration than a reality for many people. The same is true for this project. In the mean time I would check out our Slip Stitch Dishtowels Which could be knit with Cascade’s Ultra Pima Cotton.
I hope this helps and thank you for your thoughtful words!
Happy knitting,
Marilla
Hi Purl Bee –
Just love this linen knitting yarn and pattern. I’m thinking of making a pillowcase to sleep on. Linen is so nice and cool. Do you think this specific linen yarn would be appropriate or is there something else you recommend? Thank you. Cindy by the Sea of Lake Erie….
Hello Cindy,
Thank you for writing us! I love this idea- this will be quite luxurious! You will have to let us know how it goes and send us a picture of the final product!
Happy knitting!
-Marilla
Thanks Marilla. Will give it a try. Cindy
Hi! I’d like to make these towels using your Lantern cotton and linen blend yarn. Can you suggest how many skeins I would need and how many stitches to cast on – including allowing for 2% shrinkage – using the Lantern yarn?
Thanks so much!
Hi Shari,
Thanks for writing in! To simplify things, I would suggest following the instructions for our Colorblock Hand Towels, as they are also linen stitch, are a similar size, and the pattern is already written for the gauge of Lantern. You can easily substitute the stripe pattern from these Linen Stitch Hand Towels for the colorblock instructions and end up with what you are looking for without much extra math! I would purchase one extra skein of the main color since this stripe pattern may end up using a bit less contrast color and a bit more main color.
Best of luck and please let us know how your version turns out!
Julianna
Is there a comparable crochet pattern available? I’ve purchased the yarn from you but unfortunately don’t knit. I saw where you suggested a simple single crochet? Would I start with chaining the same number as the knitting instructions state to cast on? Thanks for the help and the free gorgeous pattern and while the yarn isn’t in everyone’s budget it sure is delicious (im a fiber snob lol) and a even if you can’t afford enough for the pattern, just treat yourself to one skein just experience the different yarns… make a couple facial scrubbies or a face cloth Just for yourself. You don’t have to make a huge hand towel! I made a couple of soap savers with one skein already.. this linen yarn plays nice with the scrubby yarn. I made them just big enough to hold a bar of my good soap, basically I crocheted two equal sized rectangular pieces, the backside I used this yarn in single crochet and the other side, the front I call it, I used the scrubby yarn, two strands held together and used the bobble stitch to create texture then whip stitched them together inside out, turned right side in and single crocheted a loop to hang.. they are amazing for exfoliating and then the linen side is nice to gently cleanse my face!
Hi Jess,
Thank you so much for the kind words, and we’re happy to hear you’re finding so many uses for our Field Linen! The best way to figure out how to crochet a similar size towel would be to crochet a gauge swatch and measure your stitches per inch and multiply that number by 11 inches, and add one chain for a turning chain. You may also want to look up the crochet linen stitch, which looks very similar to the knitted version!
Best,
Julianna
I have a question about the 2 color linen stitch pattern. It isn’t important in a pattern like this. You can pretty much do what you want. But I am curious as to your intentions. Pattern says rows 1 and 2 in CC. Then in MC, rows 3 & 4 you repeat rows 1 & 2. Directly underneath the MC heading it then says repeat rows 1-4. So, are the last 4 rows worked in MC or do you go back to CC for the first two rows? One way will have you doing 2 rows in CC and 6 in MC. The other will be 2 rows of each color alternating them. That ”Repeat row 1-4 tucked right up under “With MC” is confusing. All that being said, I made my first towel and it is fabulous. My husband said it’s the best tea towel we’ve ever had.
Hi Mommo,
Thanks for writing in, and I’m sorry that this part of the pattern didn’t come across clearly! You should repeat all the way back to row one and alternate two rows of CC and two rows of MC for the two color linen stitch section.
I hope that clears things up, and how wonderful that your towel is so appreciated!
Best,
Julianna
Hi,
I am really looking forward to knitting these lovely towels! I need a less expensive yarn, however. Would you recommend the Cotton Pure or the Ultra Pima? I am leaning toward the Ultra Puma, as it has color choices (for the CC) I prefer. But if you feel the Cotton Pure is a better selection, I ca find an alternative CC in that yarn. I am knitting these as bathroom hand towels. As always, thank you for your kind and generous assistance!
Lee
Hi Lee,
Thanks for reaching out! Both Cotton Pure and Ultra Pima are great options for this pattern and would work equally well, so if Ultra Pima has the colors you need, I would go with that! Either way, since both cottons are slightly heavier weight than Field Linen, I would recommend knitting a gauge swatch in pattern on US 6 or 7 needles to make sure you are happy with the fabric and to measure your stitches per inch. You can then multiply that number by 11 and round to the nearest odd number to determine your cast on number.
Happy knitting, and please let us know how they turn out!
Julianna
The edge with the cast on always seems wider than the rest of the towel. I tried using smaller needles for the first row, didn’t really help. Any suggestion? Thank you.
Hi Judith,
Thanks for reaching out! This can be a common problem in Linen Stitch, and is usually caused by pulling the yarn too tightly when slipping stitches. Casting on with a smaller needle can help, but I would also try to relax a bit and not pull the yarn between stitches.
I hope that helps!
Julianna
What length circular needles are recommended for this project?
Hello Liz,
Thanks for writing! For knitting projects like this, I prefer a 32″ cord. It feels like a good length for projects that are not knit in the round, not to long and not to short.
I hope this helps and happy knitting!
-Marilla
Hi! I am attempting these towels as my first linen project. After a couple of tension squares with a US 4 needle (I was using my US 6 needles in another project that’s in progress) I noticed my result was way off from the photos even with a smaller needle. It is my first time knitting in this kind of material, so I’m not sure what I can do to help. Any tips on that? Also, will doing the whole project using a size 4 affect the end result?
Hi Claire,
Thanks for reaching out! Because linen has no stretch or elasticity and can be a bit hard on your hands, it’s not uncommon to find that you knit looser with it than you normally would, especially when you are just getting used to it. Fortunately, as long as you are able to match our gauge, it doesn’t matter what size needle you end up using. With a bit of practice, I’m sure you will become much more comfortable knitting with linen and should find that your gauge gets closer to how you normally knit!
Best,
Julianna
I’m excited to get started on my first towel and have read through the complete instructions a couple of times. Am I missing something crucial, or are the “one-color linen stitch” and the “two-color linen stitch” exactly the same?
I’m going to proceed in the belief that I’ve read correctly and the stitches ARE the same and that I produce a lovely linen towel. : >)
Hi Kat,
So glad you’re excited to start! You are correct that is the same knitting directions for Rows 1-4 in the One-Color and the Two-Color Linen Stitch. The only difference is that the “Two-Color Linen Stitch” has you alternate colors. Knit rows 1-2 with your CC color, and then rows 3-4 with your MC. I’m sure your towel will be lovely!
Happy Knitting
Jessica
I love the towels I’ve made using field linen and would like to buy more. Any chance you will get other colors? Besides neutrals, the only colors you offer are dark. I’m finishing up a blue, your pattern shows red. I’d really like more variety.
Hi Maralie
Thanks for writing in! Unfortunately, we had colors in the Field Linen which were discontinued, but we are always looking into expanding our range of colors in different lines. I would suggest Lantern as a great substitute, for its color range and similar fiber content. The pattern would need to be adjusted for the size, due to the worsted weight of Lantern, but if you followed the Colorblock Hand Towels pattern it would work perfectly, and you could just add stripes! Hope this helps and happy knitting!
Jessica
Thank you for your response. I have Lantern and don’t like it at all. It doesn’t absorb water and is rather stiff. No way I’d like it for a towel. I’ll just have to learn to like dark field linen. Though it would be nice if you’d consider more colors again. Thanks again.
I recently found linen stitch and love it for cotton! My question is.. I also just learned how slipping the first stitch of a row makes such a nice edge.. and learned that it’s not always written into a pattern.. am I supposed to do that here? The edges in the pictures look great!
Hi Ali,
Thanks for writing in, and it’s wonderful to hear that you are enjoying Linen Stitch so much! Although you may find some patterns benefit from adding a slipped stitch selvage, all Purl Soho patterns include a selvage stitch when appropriate, including this one! If you look at the pattern below, you will see that all right-side rows begin and end with slipping one stitch knitwise with the yarn in back, and the wrong-side rows begin and end with a purl stitch. This creates the tidy edges you can see in our pictures!
Happy knitting!
Julianna
I like this pattern better than the yellow and white knit in cotton. Could you tell me how I could use cotton pure (I think is the name) for this pattern.
I assume (beginner here) the gauge would be different but I don’t know how to do that. My kind knit shop does that for me but they are closed. So as many detailed instructions as you can give me will be greatly appreciated.
I have considered using the cotton pure pattern for the yellow and white towel and just eye the stripes but I want it to be symmetrical.
Thank you. I so appreciate being able to ask you all the questions I do and how quick your responses come and how kindly put they are.
Caroline
Hi Caroline,
Thank you so much for the kind words! Yes, you can certainly modify this pattern to use Cotton Pure! I would recommend using a US 7 needle, just as we did in our Colorfield Hand Towels, which should give you a gauge of 28 stitches and 50 rows to 4 inches in pattern. You can then multiply your stitches per inch by the width of the towel and round to the nearest odd number to determine how many stitches to cast on. For this hand towel, you will cast on 77 stitches and can then follow the rest of the pattern as written!
I hope that helps, and happy knitting!
Julianna
Greetings Purl Soho Team!
Hope this finds everyone well! I have made a smidge smaller versions of these towels for gifts and people love ’em as much as I love to knit them! The yarn is lovely! I was wondering/hoping you could offer some insight/tutorial on another finishing option: short fringe. The i-cord loop is nice, but not really fitting for my smaller, fingertip towel version. I have tried to find tutorials on adding fringe to cotton without much luck. Might you be able to comment on best practice? Thank you so much for offering such great yarn and beautiful patterns! ❤️
Hi Sara,
Thanks for reaching out and for your kind words! I am so happy to hear that you have been enjoying our yarn and patterns! Thank you for your interest in a short fringe tip tutorial, I will be sure to pass this along!
Happy knitting!
Gianna
Ok it took me 4 tries to get it right
Luckily I only got about an inch in before I noticed the error
This is a very good pattern to really dial in your precise and detailed knitting the strands of the field linen make it a tad complicated at first but I stayed at it and it’s coming out really beautiful
Also: the field linen does not like to stay in a ball I have a cake winder and it really wants to just kind of fall apart in the hall so just be aware of this when you’re working with it it’s not a good yearn for a travel or grab and go project
Love it love it it’s going to make a beautiful wedding gift for my sister
Hi Stephanie,
Thanks for reaching out! I am so glad to hear that you are on the right track! I do have a tip for Field Linen when working from a cake, with plant-based fibers I always recommend pulling from the outside of the cake rather than the inside, I also suggest placing the cake in a zip lock bag and locking the top with just a small hole oped with the strand coming out. This will help keep the cake all together so it doesn’t fall apart as easily and is easier to transport!
I hope this helps, happy knitting!
Gianna
These towels look lovely! I was wondering if I could knit these with Blackburn Linen yarn using #3 US needles. Thoughts?
Hi Pauline,
Thanks for reaching out! Blackbird Linen is a sport weight/light DK weight yarn that is actually going to be much thicker than Field Linen’s fingering weight, so while you could absolutely use it to make a linen stitch hand towel, you would likely need to use a needle size that’s closer to a US7 or US8. The linen stitch creates quite a snug weave, so you’ll want to go up in size from what is generally recommended for the weight of yarn you’ll be using in order to get a fabric that is snug but still moveable. . For example, Field Linen’s recommended needle size is US2-4, but we used a US6 to knit these towels!
If you wanted to work these towels up in Blackbird Linen, then I’d recommend first knitting up a gauge swatch to determine the best needle size to use, as well as determine how many stitches you’ll need to cast on in order to work the towels to the same dimensions listed in the existing pattern. We have a great tutorial called All About Gauge that you can take a look at for lots of helpful information on how to make your swatch, and get an accurate gauge count!
I hope this helps!
Warmly,
Kelsey
Hi! I got a bit mixed up in the pattern and I guess I wasn’t slipping edge stitches knitwise. Are they supposed to be twisted or normal knit stitches along the edge? Couldn’t find any pictures where this was visible. Thanks!
Hi Ester,
Thanks for reaching out. While slipping the edge stitches knitwise will give them a twist, I don’t think that the difference is all that drastic! The pattern will still work out nicely even if you slip the edge stitches purlwise. Hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili
Hello! I have a general question — do your skein recommendations include yardage needed for a swatch? If not, how much additional yarn would I need to knit 1-2 decent sized swatches? Thank you!
Hi Sarah,
Thanks for reaching out. All of our skein recommendations are rounded up from the sample yardage, plus a 10% buffer! You will definitely have enough yarn to knit 2 decently sized swatches. For this pattern in particular, you’ll only use 50 yards of the contrast color, so I’d recommend making all of your swatches with that color. Hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili
Maybe a silly question but r these meant for kitchen or bath use?
Hi Kiki!
Thank you for your question! These are versatile towels that would be great for both kitchen and bath use. It’s up to you!
All the best,
Margaret
Thank you! Could one use a different stitch to make these towels? Any ideas on other stitches that would look nice?
Hi Kiki,
I think Seed Stitch or Moss Stitch would look nice for these towels, but this will impact your gauge, so we recommend working a swatch in the stitch you choose to help determine how many stitches you will need to cast on.
I hope this gives you some ideas for your towels, but please let me know if you have any other questions!
All the best,
Margaret
Hi
Idiotic question here but I already have US #6 circulars in the 32″ and 16″ lengths. I would rather not buy another and the towel will be knit flat anyhow so can I use one of my needles instead of the 24″? I’m headed outta town for a while, and want to get all my stuff ready to start holiday presents! Thanks very much.
Hi Kath!
That’s a good question! You can certainly use either the 16″ or the 32″ circular needles you have to knit these towels. I would recommend the 32″ circulars in particular so that you have enough room for your stitches. I hope this helps you get started on your holiday knitting, and please feel free to ask any other questions you may have!
All the best,
Margaret
I started this project over a year ago and I HATE this yarn, it’s very course and hard to work with and spilts really bad. I think I need to frog it and I’m so bummed because the yarn is pricey 🙁
I think I’m going to try the farmhouse towels with cotton pure and see if I can enjoy knitting that one
I was trying to make this for a wedding gift and just couldn’t get it to work
Hi Stephanie,
I’m sorry to hear that you didn’t love knitting with Field Linen. Linen is a very particular fiber, and while some knitters love it, it’s certainly not everybody’s cup of tea!
I think you’ll like working with Cotton Pure a lot more though. It’s just about the softest cotton yarn I’ve ever worked with, so I have a feeling that this yarn will be more pleasant for you to work with!
All the best,
Lili