Elegant Rowan Creative linen - beautifully balanced for year round knitting

We’ve been talking about linen for a while now, so it’s no secret how I feel about most 100% linen yarns. They can be stiff, wiry, and very hard on your hands. It’s a shame, because linen is such a fabulous fiber to wear—cool, breathable, and durable, growing softer and more lovely over time. But no one wants their knitting experience to be a battle of wills. That’s why I’ve never carried 100% linen yarns in the shop… until recently with DanDoh Linen, which I love. Now, I want to talk about another yarn that really changes the game: Rowan Creative Linen.

Creative Linen is not a new yarn—it’s been around more than 15 years, and was the only yarn that stayed in the stable when Rowan closed the Nashua sub-brand. I’ve knit with it, I’ve talked about it, and I love it.

But I never looked deeply into its construction and why it’s so special. Until now.

Soft, strong, and easy to work with

Creative Linen is a blend of 50% cotton and 50% linen—so right away, you’re getting the structure and softness of cotton alongside the cool breathability of linen. But what really sets it apart is the construction. It’s what’s called a cable-plied yarn, which means the individual strands are twisted together not once, but twice. That second twist gives the yarn a little more structure and a touch of bounce—something that plant-based fibers typically lack.  

I'll go into this in more detail in my YouTube review of Creative Linen, but for now, just know that construction makes Creative Linen surprisingly easy to knit. It feels smooth on your hands and works up with beautiful stitch definition—especially nice if you’re doing lace or texture. It's not one of those yarns that you have to block aggressively just to make the fabric behave. It’s already lovely.

Created with Rowan designs in mind

Like DanDoh Linen was made to support Yumiko Alexander’s fluid, modern silhouettes, Creative Linen was developed to suit Rowan’s relaxed but tailored style. It’s just structured enough to hold a shape, but not so stiff that it feels rigid. That stitch definition I mentioned is exactly right for cables, lace, and all the other kinds of fabric we think of when we think of Rowan designs.  Perfect for polished pullovers, easy tanks, beachy cardigans—warm-weather staples that work across seasons and climates.

Do you need to block it hard? not really

On my last YouTube, I talked about how plant-based yarns behave differently from wool, especially with the blocking. It’s impossible to damage the fibers when they’re wet, so you can block them hard without worry. So, if you wanted to use Creative Linen in one of those projects where you block it hard and really open it up for drape or to showcase lacework, you totally can. But you don’t need to. Creative Linen works just fine knit at gauge, worn, washed, worn, washed—you get the idea.

I have found over the 15+ years that I’ve been working with this yarn that it maintains its shape and stays looking brand new—such a plus for those of us who prefer classic knits we can wear forever.

Try it for yourself

Creative Linen comes in a palette of neutrals and wearable tones that lend themselves to a timeless, seasonless wardrobe. We often think of linen just for summer because it’s so cool and comfortable. Here in the mid Atlantic area, linen, like cotton, is perfect year-round, and even more so for those of you in the South and Southwest. It’s also perfect for anyone sensitive to wool that wants a quality garment that will last.

Whether you’re craving a crisp white tee, a sunset-colored wrap, or something soft and neutral for layering, Creative Linen is a perfect choice.

As I said, I’ll be showcasing Creative Linen this week on YouTube, so be sure to tune in. I’ll share swatches, show you a few of my favorite patterns, and talk about why this yarn might just become your new favorite for spring and summer garments.