If you have been following me, you have seen that I love using lots of colors in my projects. This necktie is a swatch for me--a sampler to see how linen stitch works at a tight gauge. So far, I can see it does not roll yet (good for ties, scarves, etc.) I love stitches that stay flat without blocking.
I am using size 3 U.S. needles and worsted yarn, which is tight, but not as tight as most knitters, as I am an extremely relaxed knitter. I usually have to go down a couple of needle sizes to get gauge in any pattern. An advantage of relaxed knitting is I can knit for long periods of time without fatigue.
Try linen stitch yourself:
Cast on an even number of stitches.
Row 1: (K1, Slip 1 with yarn in front) repeat to end of row.
Row 2: (P1, Slip 1 with yarn in back) repeat to end of row.
Repeat Rows 1 and 2 to desired length.
The slipped stitches on the right side give a woven look to the fabric. As a bonus, I think the wrong side is just as pretty, with a seed stitch-like texture. It looks good in one color, but using multiple colors allows the slipped stitches to become more visible.
At a tight gauge like I am doing, linen stitch would work well for purses, coasters, and placemats. Any flat project that needs lots of body will benefit from linen stitch.
This pattern is not linen stitch, but used slipped stitches to form 2-color rows without carrying both colors at the same time.
Any good stitch library will have a variety of slipped stitch patterns. Try one!