Linen Question

I recently purchased a piece of linen and was very happy with my results when done. As I stitched it became soft and easy to work with. I went back to the source where I bought it and purchased another. Both were from Wichelt but different colours. My second piece is nothing at all like the first. Its truly not unlike working on screen fabric for a window. It also has the extreme feel of plastic. It is unforgiving and a horror on the floss. Has anyone else experienced this in linen fabrics? The source told me to contact Wichelt and "complain" to them. I can only find an online source for kits. I emailed but have yet to hear back. So I come to you all to see what you think? Please advise. This is only the second time Ive used linen and possibly the last if this is normal for linen. Thank you so much for your help.

Sylvana

Duckeyd, very sorry to read this. If something you bought by wichelt is not good and they give no answer, email them a lot, maybe is this a solution till they get enough of it.
You have rights as a costumer, or your money back. Is there a site where you can post your problem, if so you can point Wichelt on that.
Good luck my dear.

CraftyLouAnna

I have found the less expensive the fabric......... the less quality of the linen; and yes Ive used some really sad linen.    And it may not be 100% linen as well: Ive had some horribly pill and have
had to shave my fabric.   
Perhaps washing it first might have softened it some, or the dye has caused the fabric to be more coarse than it should be.   
I hope you get some answers and they replace the fabric.   Its a shame to go to the trouble of prepping for a project only to find its not what you expected.

Puppy

I bought linen only company Zweigart + once company Permin  :(.

Softness, density and more depends on the composition (100% or 98%, especially 70%), but it is not always indicated.

Quality depends of the fabrics color and on the count (28, 32, 35, 40).

I try to buy only in a "real" shops so as not to be upset.

KatharinaV-NL

Has the linen an orange stripe on the side? All Zweigart fabrics have an orange stripe.
Zweigart is good quality.
Real linen is flax. it has longer fibres than cotton. So linen can be more sturdy.
But keep in mind: many fabrics are stiff in the beginning to work with because of the fabric stiffener that is added to the fabric.
And linen can feel double stiff to the touch in the beginning.
Why the fabric stiffener? To keep the holes open for us to see where to put the needle in.
After washing your piece for the first time the holes close up a bit. So never wash your fabric before working on it and always wash it after finishing it.
My advice for "plastic" feeling fabric: do not wash yet but work on it with a brush and soften it up through working the piece in circular motions with the brush. That will soften up the flax fibre and break up the fabric stiffener a bit more.
Wash the linen after working on it. Wash it by hand. Do not crease it as creases can only pressed out of linen with a very hot iron and verrrrrry much weight pressure from your iron on the fabric. :lol Linen needs to be attacked ;P by an iron. Cotton fabric needs to be cuddled by the iron. :)
By the way: linen is the best fabric to work on if youre making an heirloom. Because of the longest fibres it last the longest of all natural fabrics.
Happy stitching everyone!