First Impressions

• Although it’s a 100% linen yarn, it isn’t as hard or crunchy as other linen yarns. If you’ve sworn off linen yarn because of the texture, you might be shocked by this one!
• It’s no surprise that it’s a Berroco yarn. They don’t disappoint. They somehow made a 100% linen yarn that’s not as crunchy and hard. It’s not as soft and bendy as, say, a merino wool. But for linen, I think this is the best one I’ve touched.
• Modern Linen is new for the Spring/Summer 2025 line.

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Yarn Specs & Key Details

• Brand & Line Name: Berroco Modern Linen
• Fiber Content: 100% linen
• Weight Category: DK, 3-Light
• Yardage & Skein Size: 273 Yards per 100g
• Construction: Softly Spun
• Price & Availability: $26 USD, bought at most LYS and Online Stores that carry Berroco
• Dyeing Method: Solid color with no discernable variation.
• Recommended Needle/Hook Size:
  • Knitting: US 5-6 / 3.75-4 mm
  • Crochet: F-5 / 3.75 mm
• Gauge Swatch Recommendation:
  • Knitting: 19-20 sts and 30-32 rows per 4” / 10cm
  • Crochet: 18 sc and 23 rows per 4″ / 10cm

How It Feels and How it Knits/Crochets Up

• The swatch drapes and bends effortlessly.
• There is ever-so-slightly a fuzzy halo.
• Knitting Needles:
  • Metal: You guys know that I’m a big fan of metal needles. But I’ll say that pairing them with linen yarn is more challenging – especially if you’re just staring out. 
  • Wood: If you want to avoid fighting to make sure stitches don’t fall off your needles, this is the way to go.
• Crochet Hook:
  • Metal: Their slippery texture can make it hard for newer crocheters to achieve an even tenson.
  • Wood: Many crocheters will prefer the slight grippiness of a wooden hook. It will also be easier to maintain an even texture.
• Remember, it’s linen so it has ZERO stretch.
• The swatch isn’t completely opaque. If I was making something and needed modesty, I think I’d wear something underneath it to give me more coverage. See my swatch in the light? I know you might be thinking that I should have used a smaller needle. But, linen yarn doesn’t nicely wrap around the needle. Going down a needle size would be a much more challenging knitting experience. The choice is yours though – thin layer underneath vs a more challenging (and slower) knitting experience. But here’s my swatch to give you an idea. This is after I washed and dried it twice. It was much more hole-y before that (see my before and after pic further down the page).

after 2 washes and dries, the holes did NOT completely close in.

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Swatching & Stitch Definition

• Stockinette, Garter and Lace are good options
  • What about some other yarns? I didn’t list them because:
    • Cables – no stretch
    • Textured stitches – hard to maintain even stitches
    • Colorwork – Given it’s a cellulose yarn (plant-based), it doesn’t have those barbs to help the yarn grab onto itself.
• It wasn’t my favorite knitting experience. The individual strands didn’t stick together, so it made me knit slower so that I could avoid it splitting. Even with that, I still split a strand occasionally. I personally am OK with that given how beautiful the end product is. But it’s something you should know about it going in. BTW, this is just the way it is with knitting a linen yarn. It’s not related to JUST the Modern Linen.
• I didn’t block it in the traditional way – I washed and dried it. I love to do that with linen yarn! But after a few washed and dries, it did shrink in width – about 15%. It did not shrink in length though. This means that you’d need to CO about 15% MORE sts. But both the feel and the ease of care makes it worth it for me.
• It softens and relaxes beautifully once washed. Just look at how messy the “before” swatch is, and how it completely went away in the “after” swatch.

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Durability & Wearability

• Linen is a strong yarn and actually gets stronger when wet.
• I’m a HUGE believer in using both a washer and a dryer with linen yarn. Using the machines, your project will get softer and drapier. See above for the before and after shots.
• Linen fibers are very long, making it less likely for the yarn to shed or pill.
• Linen will fade similar to a pair of jeans. If you don’t like that about the yarn, I suggest you stop considering it for a project. There’s nothing you can do to prevent it. You either love that about linen or you choose a different yarn.

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Pros & Cons

Pros:
✔️Breathability – great for warmer weather, a relaxed and easygoing project

 ✔️ If you’re looking to expand the type of yarn you use, this is a great option.
✔️ I love the soft hand that it has after laundering

Cons:
⚠️ the lack of stretch limits the type of project you can make in it
⚠️ New-ish crafters might have a hard time with maintaining an even gauge.

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Final Verdict – Is It Worth Stashing?

• If you’re in a warmer climate, you guys will be BFFs
• If you’re in a cooler climate, it still has a place, but your warm months will be shorter.
• If you don’t enjoy working with cotton yarn, I’d suggest trying out Modern Linen before you commit to it.
• For many people though, this would be a specialty addition to the stash.
• Final rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ / 5

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Where to Buy & More Resources

• Where to purchase most LYSs and Online stores if they carry Berroco.
• Suggested patterns Desiderium and Viridiana Shawls would look beautiful in Modern Linen. You’d get a shawl you can wear in the warmer months!
• Similar yarns for those looking for alternatives – Hemp yarn and NON-mercerized Cotton are both good choices.

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