15 Types of Linen for Sewing & How to Choose

Linen is a strong, breathable natural fabric made from flax. It’s a favourite for warm-weather clothing and home sewing because it wears beautifully over time. In this guide, you’ll learn the most common types of linen fabric, how to choose the right weight for your project, and how to wash and sew linen for the best results.

What is Linen?

Linen is a hard-wearing, natural fabric made from fibers of the flax plant. This purple flowering plant is grown worldwide and, in particular, in Western Europe. The flax plant is extremely versatile and can also be used to produce linseed oil as well as textiles. Linen is also considered a sustainable type of fabric. Moreover, the term linen was derived from the flax plant’s Latin name called “Linum usitatissimum.”

Here is a summary table so you know when to choose linen for your projects.

Best for	Choose	Notes
Blouses/skirts	Handkerchief linen	Lightweight, drapey
Dresses	Midweight linen	Most versatile
Pants/jackets	Suiting linen	Crisp, holds shape
Towels	Huckaback / toweling linen	Absorbent weaves
Less wrinkles	Linen-cotton blend	Easier care

Due to its open weave and distinctive fibers, it is prone to wrinkling. Rather than shy away from this property, many designers incorporate this into their distinctive designs. Care must be taken when washing linen to prevent shrinkage.

Types of Linen (Common Weaves & Weights)

There are many different types of linen today to choose from, and all are valued for their softness, durability, strength of fiber, and texture.

Here are the different types of linen used today:

1. Damask Linen

Damask linen is a beautiful mixture of plain and satin weave, giving the linen a smooth texture and reversible design. Despite its rigid texture, the damask offers substantial absorbency properties. It is widely used for tablecloths and napkins since it is usually produced in block colors.

2. Venice Linen

This is a variation of Damask linen.  Its signature mark is the large floral prints and fine graceful drapes.

3. Loosely Woven Linens

Loosely woven linens are highly absorbent. One of the varieties of this linen is known as Bird’s Eye linen. It has a pattern that resembles a bird’s eye. Loose weave linen is used for toweling and baby diapers.

4. Huckaback Linen

This linen blend is either made from pure linen or a blend of cotton and linen.  Huckaback linen makes up beautifully into towel lengths. It is very absorbent and lightweight.

5. Plain Woven Linen

Plain woven types of linen, also known as glass toweling, are usually found in checks or striped in blue or red. The reason it is also called glass toweling is that it is great for wiping glasses over and removing smudges.

It has a loose weave, and this makes it extra soft and suitable for different cleaning purposes. The main item made from plain woven linen is tea towels (dishcloths), as it is highly absorbent.

6. Handkerchief Linen

Handkerchief linen is a plain weave linen.  It is used for handkerchiefs and for soft blouses because it hangs softly.

7. Holland linen

This is another variation of a plain weave linen.  This linen is treated with a mixture of starch and oil until it becomes opaque.  The result is a linen ideal to use for window shades and lampshades.

8. Cambric Linen

Cambric types of linen have a very fine weave and originate from Cambria, France.  It is used for delicate items like handkerchiefs and lingerie.

9. Butcher’s Linen

Butcher’s linen is another variety of plain weave linen, but it is stiff and coarse.  Butcher’s linen is well suited to aprons and heavy-duty clothing.

10. Sheeting Linen

Sheeting linen is a heavy fabric that is very wide. This is a versatile fabric used for sheets and for clothing. Dresses and suits and other linen clothing look good made out of sheeting linen.

11. Toweling Linen

Toweling linen, with its looped weave, is ideal for towels, and it comes in different widths for the purpose of cutting out towels of different sizes.

12. Linen and Cotton Blend

This fabric is a 50/50 mix of linen and cotton. The cotton gives the fabric more body and helps it to crease less.  It is used for dresses, jackets, skirts and aprons. One reason to blend the fibers is that it keeps the texture of linen but has more body which is especially important for jackets.

13. Linen and Silk Mix

Linen and silk blends have the look of linen but, due to the silk, have an extra sheen. It is a smart fabric and is used for expensive suits, dresses, and skirts.

14. Linen and Polyester

Polyester is often added to linen blends to reduce the cost and also to reduce the amount of wrinkling.

15. Suiting Linen

Suiting linen is a strong fabric with a crisp finish.  It comes in different weaves like herringbone, twill, and plain weave.  It makes up into summer shirts, apron sewing patterns, dresses skirts and jackets. 

Choosing the Best Linen Quality

European linen is considered to be the best type of linen in terms of quality because of the climate and growing conditions of the flax there. A naturally damp ocean climate and rich soil produce a long flax fiber. The quality control board called the Masters of Linen produces a registered trademark of quality. 

Belgium linen is rated as the highest quality linen, but in order to be classified as such, it has to contain 85% flax fiber and be woven in Belgium. When you plan to buy the best Belgian linen, look for the hallmark on the linen tag. Belgian linen makes beautiful artists’ canvases for professional painters. 

Sewing Linen (Tips for Best Results)

Linen is one of the easiest natural fabrics to sew, making it a popular choice for beginners and experienced sewists alike. It feeds smoothly through a sewing machine, holds stitches well, and presses beautifully. However, because linen wrinkles and frays easily, a few extra steps will help you achieve professional-looking results.

How to Sew Linen

Prewash Linen Before Sewing – Always wash linen before cutting your pattern as it can shink noticably the first time it is washed. Wash in cool or lukewarm water with a mild detergent. Try to air-dry or tumble dry on low heat. If you find the wrinkles stubborn, press while still slightly damp.

Recommended needles: Universal needle (80/12) for most projects, Microtex needle for fine linen or denim needle for heavy suiting linen.

Best thread: Polyester all-purpose thread for durability. Cotton thread for natural-fiber projects

Sewing Machine Settings for Linen:

• Stitch length 2.5–3.0 mm
• Tension Medium
• Speed Medium

Always test stitches on scrap fabric before sewing.

finishing seams on Linen – Linen frays more than cotton, so finishing seams is important for long-lasting garments. Choose the finish based on your linen’s weight and the type of project. Good seam finishes for linen include:

• Zigzag stitch
• Serger/overlocker
• French seams (lightweight linen)
• Flat-felled seams (shirts and pants)
• Bias binding (unlined garments)

Pressing Linen for Professional Results: Use steam and medium-high heat and press seams as you go. If your linen is delicate, use a pressing cloth and press on the wrong side.

Common Mistakes When Sewing Linen

Avoid these common problems:

• Skipping prewashing
• Using dull needles
• Not finishing seams
• Stretching fabric while sewing
• Ignoring pressing

Fixing these issues improves results immediately.

What is Linen Used For?

Linen is more expensive than cotton to manufacture and may be blended to reduce its cost.

Uses of linen types of fabric include:

• Bedding, including sheets and duvet covers
• Tablecloths (How to Make Tablecloths)
• Napkins (How to Make Napkins)
• Handkerchiefs (How to Make a Handkerchief)
• Dish Towels (Tea Towels)
• Clothing and suits
• Bags and Purses
• Shoes

Linen’s Pros and Cons

Check out below the various advantages and disadvantages of linen:

The Pros of Linen:

1. Linen becomes softer as it ages, so it is considered one of the longest-standing and most sustainable fabric types.
2. Linen is highly resistant to sun damage; it won’t break down even after being regularly exposed to the sun.
3. Linen dries very well, so several eco-conscious towel manufacturers use it.
4. Linen absorbs and retains dye very well; thus, less dye is required during production.
5. Thanks to its thermo-regulating properties, linen is a great fabric to use for bedding during warm weather conditions.

The Cons of Linen:

1. Linen is not as commonly available as cotton and synthetic fabrics. Producing it requires a demanding manufacturing process that utilizes a substantial amount of time.
2. Given its intensive process, linen is comparably more expensive than cotton and other fabric types.
3. It is notorious for shrinking, especially when linen is washed with hot or warm water.
4. Linen easily creases. Thus, if you want to have smooth and wrinkle-free linen garments at home, be sure to prepare for some backbreaking ironing tasks.

Linen vs Cotton

Both linen and cotton are widely renowned for being soft, durable, and breathable. However, both fabrics have their differences, making one better than the other in specific categories and vice versa.

Absorbency – Both cotton and linen deliver exceptional absorbency, but cotton has a slight edge in this category. Cotton offers the ability to hold 25% water, while linen only holds up to 20%.

Comfort – Cotton offers the capability of keeping its wearers warm. However, they may get a little too warm with prolonged wearing, especially during hot climate situations. On the other hand, Linen is great for both cold and warm weather conditions because it offers the ability to retain heat while making you feel nice and comfortable. Thus, when it comes to comfort, linen is a better option.

Costs – Given the extensive process, effort, and time put into linen production, it is considerably more expensive than cotton fabric. Moreover, linen is also prized for its exceptional features and benefits that people can’t get from other fabrics.

Sustainability – Linen is the landslide winner when it comes to sustainability. Linen fabric production utilizes less water than cotton production with a similar quantity. Additionally, the cultivation of flax uses fewer pesticides, and producing linen does not require harmful chemicals.

Durability – Although both linen and cotton offer exceptional durability, cotton may have shorter longevity than linen, depending on the quality and weave.

Caring for Linen

Although linen is well-renowned for being a durable and long-lasting fabric, it also needs special care to maximize its longevity. One of the best things you can do to keep linen’s quality and avoid shrinking is to wash it with room temperature water only and not with warm or hot water. Additionally, since linen easily wrinkles, careful folding is essential.

On the same note, given that linen easily wrinkles, ironing the fabric is pivotal if you want to keep it smooth and crease-free. While ironing, you may also want to use a little bit of starch spray to keep it clean and crisp.

In Conclusion

Linen truly is remarkable for its versatility and quality. It has traveled through time from ancient Egyptian days as a cloth for mummification to the modern-day fabric found in homes, factories, and art galleries. It is everywhere you can think of, from bathrooms to bedrooms, appearing as a humble washcloth or a vibrant work of art. Linen is loved by all, and so are all the types of linen.