| Flax The preparations for spinning is similar across | | | | If kept at 80 degrees, the retting process takes 4 or 5 |
| most plant fibres, including Flax and Hemp. Cotton is | | | | days, and any colder than that takes longer. When the |
| handled differently, as with cotton it is not the stalk of | | | | retting is complete the bundles should feel soft and |
| the plant that is used. Flax is the fibre used to create | | | | slimy, and quite a few fibres should be standing out |
| linen. | | | | form the stalks. When wrapped around a finger the |
| Harvesting The first step in preparing flax to be spun is | | | | inner woody part should spring away from the fibres. |
| harvesting it. Flax is not cut, but instead it is pulled out | | | | It is better to not let the bundles sit in the water long |
| of the ground about a month after the initial blooming. It | | | | enough than to let them sit there too long, as they |
| should be pulled when the lower part of the plant | | | | always can be submerged again if found to be |
| begins to turn yellow, and when, on opening the pods, | | | | wanting later, but the reverse problem cannot be |
| the most forward of the seeds are found in a soft | | | | solved (in this case the fibres are rotted as well as the |
| state, and the middle of the seeds is green. It should be | | | | stalk, and one cannot un-rot something). |
| pulled in handfuls, straight up. Next, one should join | | | | Dressing the Flax Dressing is the broad term referring |
| several handfuls together and tie them using a slip knot | | | | to removing the fibres from the straw and cleaning it |
| so that the sting can be tightened as the stalks dry. ( | | | | enough to be spun. The flax is broken scutched and |
| Note that great care should be taken to keep the root | | | | hackled in this step. |
| ends even.) These bundles of several handfuls of flax | | | | Breaking Take the bundles of flax and untie them. |
| (also known as "beets") should be left standing up till | | | | Next, in small handfuls, put it between the beater of the |
| the whole is dry, pods and all. At this point the seed will | | | | breaking machine ( a set of wooden blades which |
| then be ripe and the flax in the best state. | | | | mesh together when the upper jaw is lowered- it looks |
| Removing the Seedheads At this point the seed | | | | like a paper cutter but instead of having a big knife it |
| heads are removed. Once the seed heads are | | | | has a blunt arm), and beat it till the three or four inches |
| removed it can be stored for many months if | | | | that have been beaten appear to be soft. Move the |
| necessary, but they must be kept dry. An easy way | | | | flax a little higher and continue to beat it till all is soft, |
| to remove the seed heads is to take a board and | | | | and the wood is separated from the fibre. When half |
| hammer in a row of blunt nails at even intervals, like a | | | | of the flax is broken, hold the beaten end and beat the |
| comb. | | | | rest in the same way as the other end was beaten, till |
| Spread a sheet out to collect the seed heads, as they | | | | the wood is separated. |
| can be planted to create more flax. Next pull the dry | | | | Scutching In order to remove some of the straw from |
| bundles of flax through the nails (also called a ripple). | | | | the fibre, it helps to swing a wooden scutching knife |
| This will cause the seed heads to pop off. Make sure | | | | down the fibres while they hang vertically, thus |
| to maintain the evenness of the root ends. | | | | scraping the edge of the knife along the fibres and pull |
| In order to separate the seeds from the rest of the | | | | away pieces of the stalk. Some of the fibre will also |
| seed heads an easy method is to thresh the seed | | | | be scutched away, this cannot be helped and is |
| heads by use of a rolling pin. Then, on a windy day or | | | | natural. |
| in front of a fan, take the mixture and pour it back and | | | | Hackles In this process the fibre is pulled through |
| forth between two containers. This action is called | | | | various different sized hackles. A hackle is a bed of |
| winnowing. The chaff will get caught in the wind and | | | | "nails"- sharp, long-tapered, tempered, polished steel |
| blow away, while the seeds will fall straight down into | | | | pins driven into wooden blocks at regular spacing. A |
| the container. A screen also works to filter out some | | | | good progression is from 4 pins per square inch, to 12, |
| of the chaff. | | | | to 25 to 48 to 80. The first three will remove the |
| Retting Retting is the process of rotting away the inner | | | | straw, and the last two will split and polish the fibres. |
| stalk, leaving the outer fibres intact. A standing pool of | | | | Some of the finer stuff that comes off in the last |
| water or a plastic trash can is needed. Actually, any | | | | hackles can be carded like wool and spun. It will |
| type of water tight container of wood, concrete, | | | | produce a coarser yarn than the fibres pulled through |
| earthenware or plastic will work. Metal will not work, as | | | | the heckles because it will still have some straw in it. |
| an acid is produced when retting, and it would corrode | | | | Spinning Depending on the preference of the spinner, |
| the metal. A tall plastic trash can with a spigot at the | | | | flax can either be spun from a distaff, or the spinner |
| bottom works well. Place as many bundles of flax in | | | | may simply lay flax fibres in their lap. It is |
| the trash can as will fit, and fill the trash can full of | | | | recommended that the spinner keep their fingers wet |
| warm water (80 degrees Fahrenheit is best). It is | | | | when spinning, to prevent forming a fuzzy thread, and |
| suggested that a lid of some sort be put over the | | | | that the single be spun with an "S" twist. (See Ply |
| trash can in order to keep the flax submerged, | | | | above for details). From this point on much of the |
| conserve warmth and contain the stench. After 4 | | | | process is the same as that for wool. |
| hours a complete change of water is recommended, | | | | Washing One of the few differences in between flax |
| and 8 hours after that the scum should be washed off | | | | and wool once the fibre is ready for spinning is the |
| the top by the addition of some more water. From | | | | washing process. After flax is spun it should be let to |
| then on the scum should be washed off every 12 | | | | sit in a pot of boiling water for a couple of hours to set |
| hours until the retting process is over. | | | | the twist and reduce fuzziness. |