Flax to Linen: How to grow flaxseed and transform it into linen cloth
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 4 มิ.ย. 2024
- Learn how to grow flax and transform it into linen cloth with this gentle video about the Victoria Flax to Linen Group. A reskilling project that has been growing flax for fibre, in backyards and fields for over a decade.
This video discusses how to grow flax, process the fibre, spin, and weave linen into cloth.
Check out Raven's book, Homegrown Linen; Transforming Flaxseed into Fibre www.etsy.com/listing/67374529...
00:00 intro
00:49 flax to linen Victoria
02:06 growing flax
06:40 rippling flaxseeds
07:53 pond/water retting
10:16 dew retting
13:06 breaking
14:31 scutching
16:02 hackling
17:00 tow
18:00 distaff
20:39 spinning
21:21 scouring
22:23 working/weaving with linen
26:08 dancing aprons
Want to learn more about flax and linen, here are some more videos: • Linen and Flax - growi...
To the memory of Denise Dunn and Barbara Rimmer
With special thanks to Flax to Linen Victoria and the Victoria Handweavers’ and Spinners’ Guild
Dialogue and Demonstration: Beatrice Keizers, Brenda Nicolson, & Raven Ranson
Filming and Editing: Crowing Hen Farm
😷Please note: this video was made following the local health and safety guidelines and requirements at the time of filming. It may seem excessive in hindsight, but it was what was required for us to get together, even in an outdoor setting, in the summer of 2020.
Help me make more free videos for you to enjoy: ko-fi.com/crowinghen
#flax #linen #fibershed - แนวปฏิบัติและการใช้ชีวิต
Hello lovely ladies! Just a little warning: while flipping and breaking the boons you want to wear a mask because due to the retting the bundles will be covered in mold. By manipulating it the spores will flow free in the air and those are really really bad for your lungs! For everybody but especially for people with Asthma etc. Gorgeous work!
This is a really important point.
The first flax workshop I took was inside a garage and I was coughing for weeks after due to the dust. After that, I always process flax outside, with good airflow.
Good thing masks are fashionable these days. Even outside the dust can get to me and even a cotton mask makes a huge difference to improve my breathing.
Mold is bad for the entire respiratory system (sinuses, bronchial tubes, etc.), as well as for the eyes. Mold spores are so tiny they can get into a cut in the skin. Wear protective clothing, face mask and eye goggles when working around mold.
@@DesertSkiesAV I wouldn't have thought of goggles, thank you!
That's what I was thinking too. I have bad lungs and am always mindful of dust coming from the processes I perform.
My husband's uncle worked in a carpet mill. He ended up with fibers inside his eye that also clogged up his tearducts and was constantly itchy and inflamed. He had a couple of surgeries to have fibers removed. Surgeries were scheduled about every 4-6 months to allow free fiber to coagulate together. Then his doctor went in and removed these gelatinous clumps. It disabled him.
What I like most about this plant is that the whole plant is used…nothing is wasted, from the roots right to the seeds.
Very environmentally friendly.
Thank you for sharing.
Love from UK
I love that too. nothing wasted.
I love linen fabric and purchase it at thrift shoppes whenever possible (otherwise I could not possibly afford quality linen). I recently purchased a $275 skirt for $6. This gives me a deep appreciation for the work that goes in to making linen. I have been becoming increasingly interested in natural textiles, especially natural garment dying.
Thank you. I love thrifted linen, not only is it giving the garment new life, the fabric is often softer and happier than it is when new.
I also go there and 👀 . I make embroidery samples because it’s hard to find nice big pieces. 😊
i love the idea of connecting to ancient and pre-industrial societies by creating my own clothing through these methods. Clothing is so important in our daily lives, and this was even more so for people in the past who didn't have fast fashion and they could possibly see their clothes being made from the field to pieces of fabric being sewn together. The intersection between history and fashion fascinates me, and this video inspires me to one day try this process! Thank you!
It's amazing how much impact cloth has on our daily lives. To think it was all made by hand not so very long ago.
Thanks for watching.
Hello Ladies. I love linen and have a few precious pieces - one is a top I bought when I visited the UK 10 yrs ago (I'm from South Africa) and it is in perfect condition, only getting softer with each wash and wear. I also have a piece of fabric, folded with all my other fabrics waiting for divine inspiration to move it to the sewing machine. I am rushing off now to give it a wash and then roll it up instead, I hope I haven't ruined it. my love and respect for linen is even greater now since watching this wonderful video. You girls are amazing - that is hard work - but very rewarding, I am sure. If I had a swatch of your fabric, I would frame it as a work of art - yes, I loooooove fabric that much 😍 Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
Linen is forgiving, but it does like to be rolled when possible.
Thanks for watching.
thank you so much ladies. When I was a kid I lived in a village and saw farmers growing flax a lot. but sadly not anymore. I definitely will show this video to my students to let them know how beautiful and how hard as well the whole process for us to get linen.
Thanks for sharing! We had a lot of fun making the video.
This has my vote as the best video on TH-cam. Thank you, ladies.
Thank you so much!
Absolutely FANTASTIC! Thank you so much for this! I'm 26 years old and I'm trying to reskill traditional crafts, especially weaving. I am so grateful to you all for sharing your years of experimentation and transformation. thank you!!
You are so welcome!
Such an incredible and informative video! Thank you so much for taking the time to make this. At 30 years old, I've just discovered that the materials and processing used to make clothes, mattresses, ect., have been slowly poisoning me. I've been left with serious organ damage and an autoimmune condition that's made me allergic to just about everything. I can no longer use most available clothing or furniture. On my quest to obtain natural materials, I've found that the only way to really get them, is to make them yourself. I wish more communities were willing to engage in projects like this.
I am so glad you liked the video.
Yes, it is crazy what is in our modern textiles. Good for you to seek out natural alternatives. I've noticed in my own journey that natural fibre clothes often last longer and make my body feel better.
36 year old straight male here. Loved this!!!!
There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.
Welcome. I'm glad you enjoyed it.
I found it unexpectedly satisfying and calming to watch this fibre processing and hear you ladies narrate what you were doing.
I probably won't ever do it myself but thank you for taking me along on your journey with this video.
Thank you so much!
I agree! It was so satisfying sharing in their experience.
As a novice spinner and weaver, learning from experienced makers is the best for me to learn. I love the passion and joy in everyone's faces. I took a weaving class last year and learned immediately I had found my people. This video was so much fun to watch. The end made me smile and gave me a giggle. BRAVA!
Well said!
There is something so wonderful when you find your people. Weavers are wonderful.
I am just starting my own flax to linen study and I am so thankful for this video. I live near Milton Ontario and am a textile student at Sheridan College and the idea of making my own is so thrilling to me. I would love to have like minded friends to go through this process with me as you seem to have there in Victoria.
Glad it was helpful!
How wonderful to have a textile programme at your local college.
Happy growing.
You are a bit far, but many of my friends and I are trying new ways to be sustainable, and making linen is part of our experiment. We are near Montreal. If you wish, we could discuss more on the topic! We will be starting our first experiment this summer.
@@crochetwithmat2610 Neat! I’m in MTL and currently experimenting with processing fibres from stinging nettle and milkweed I foraged in the city…supposedly the bast fibres are similar to flax, but I don’t have the personal experience yet to compare
I love this. I'm 60 years old and feel like life is about over for me. This gives me hope.
We need to teach this stuff in school so kids understand how much work it takes. Maybe they can appreciate things more.
Good job ladies!
So glad you liked it. It would be great to teach this in schools.
where did you develop the idea that your life is over at 60?
@@lileelisamc.4722 just saying...my life time is almost over. I mean at the most 20 good years lift.
@@human-qp1mf I just turned 60 this year myself. I am in the same boat. I might have 20, 30, 40 years left. My grandfather lived until 98 and my grandmother to 91. Granfathre was travelling the world in his 90's. I lost a brother at 38, and my father this year at 80. My advice is to make the best of whatever you have left, take good care of your physical and mental health.
I have taken extensive notes from this video. I am writing a book that includes the flax to linen process. I would like to give proper credit to the women who made this video.
I never could wrap my head around how flax was made into cloth. This was awesome.
Thank you
This was amazing. I’ve wanted to do this for so long but only saw videos on large scale production. Thanks for sharing.
Glad it was helpful!
Everything about this is pure joy. Thank you, ladies! And I loved your dance. :)
Thank you so much!
Now I can see the "The girl with the flaxen hair" in the work you're doing. Thank you for sharing.
And the Tow-headed boy.
It's amazing how many sayings come from textile crafts.
Thanks for watching!
Your fine presentation made me think of the first women to figure this out, so very long ago. Thankfully
This is fantastic! I’ve known of the process from reading but seeing you demonstrate each step was so helpful. I love linen!
Linen is lovely!
It must be soooo satisfying to go from preparing soil and sowing seeds all the way to a finished piece of fabric or clothing. I would love to do this but I have no land. Not even a small yard.
Also, the weaving at the end looked incredible.
It really is satisfying!
I've grown linen in pots on my balcony before. But I find cotton makes a kinder houseplant. Pretty flowers and foliage too.
Your team did an excellent job showing the process visually and explaining it, as well as what can go wrong. Watched this while hand stitching a linen shirt sleeve. :)
Glad you enjoyed it!
This is the most informative video on taking glax to linen I have seen. Thank you so much for explaining the whole process. You ladies did a fine job!
I'm so glad!
Well done ladies.. i always was wondering how it was done back then.. my grangrangran used to have a flax manufacture back then.. we still have stories in the family how they worked with this plant to create stuff.
Sounds great! I love stories from family history.
What precious women!
I've always been curious about the flax production process. Thank you for this amazing tutorial! And all the best to all of you...
🌻
Glad you enjoyed it!
I can't believe I'm 46 yrs old and just learning where linen comes from. Absolutely love this video.
Rock on!
Never too old to learn something new.
Thanks for watching.
Very thorough, well-paced and accessible process video. My ancestors were wool farmers & millwrights in the mountains of Portugal so fiber arts is near & dear. Best comprehensive seed-to-linen posting on TH-cam I've seen. Thank you!
Thanks for sharing!
This is the best flax to linen video I've seen! ❤️
Thanks!
I made it here from reading Joshua 2 about Rahab and she had flax stalks in her roof and I wouldn’t why that was. It’s so cool to see the process of what flax can do!
Over all a most charmling and informative presentation. As a graduate of The Olds College master spinners program and also a cranky instructor. In case anyone cares flax is traditionly sun in the Z direction, counter clock wise, also if I may add I have found that if the linen warp yarn is sized with an unflavoured jellatine, espeacialy singles, makes the weaving more tangle free. When dressing the dystaff as you showed.when I tied the strick around my waist there were always chuckles and gigles from the female class members. This is a much needed vidio.
There is always something more to learn. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you.
Yes, I do love spinning flax counterclockwise. I often wonder if flax grown down under would be spun the other way?
Wow. nice to see the old ways still being taught and enjoyed
Glad you enjoyed it
I loved every part of this video. The dedication to discovering and educating about something so good and useful is beautiful. Thank you so much!
Glad you enjoyed it!
What a wonderful demonstration! Brings home the point of how much time and effort it takes to produce something real. Wish more people would think about that the next time they are about to purchase some cheap, shoddy garment that will probably fall apart after a couple of washings.
Exactly!
Oh Yes!
Learning how to grow clothing has taught me so much about using clothing. The quality, the care, the mending. These garments are next to our skin every day and we know so little about them. Growing linen has been a real eye opener.
I just learned about the health benefits of 100% linen last week but I was shocked at the prices but now after this video I can truly appreciate it!!
Wow! What a fantastic video! I’ve been spinning for 10 years and have always been intrigued by linen. I will definitely try it. Thank you for keeping these traditions alive
Go for it! Let us know if you have any questions.
Facinating! I learned to use a backstrap loom as a little girl. Mum would get cotton and linen yarn to weave. The process of taking a plant, turning it into fiber, weaving it, turning the cloth into a garment is an amazing process. Thank you for doing this.
I may be prejudiced from my interest in traditional technologies, but this video is more interesting than anything Hollywood puts out.
Thanks. That means a lot!
Absolutely fascinating!!! I am going to plant some next year. Knitting is my passion and to make my own yarn would be amazing. Thanks for your research. Loved the video.
Sounds great!
Excellent video! Thank you, ladies!! Several friends and I have been playing just like this for several years. I am so thrilled so much interest in bringing back flax production! Beautiful work. Thank you again. Very much enjoyed watching.
Our pleasure!
I absolutely loved this video! Thank you for "teaching" me how to make linen from flax. 🥰
Glad it was helpful!
Marvelous, ladies with great skills and passion for their work.
Thank you very much!
Thank you to all of those involved in making this video - to share with everyone/anyone interested in natural fibers, like linen. This was
a beautifully demonstrated & very well explained mini documentary, of what success looks like if you set up a good group of equally minded, determined, & passionate people!!!
I’m thankful that craftspeople like you still exist & share their knowledge 👏🏻👏🏻!
Our pleasure!
Thank you so much for the feedback. It's a joy to share our passion with others.
I love linen and this is very informative on how it starts to the finished fabric! Wonderful! We need to keep these traditions.
You are so welcome!
Very pleasant people and a cute sense of humor, thanks for the walkthrough :)
Glad you enjoyed it!
This is the single most informative video on flax processing and spinning that I have found! Thank you so much for including so many details and troubleshooting tips right off the batt! I finally know what to do with the stricks I have in my fiber stash!
Glad it was helpful!
Stash stricks are like fine wine - they improve with age.
Enjoyed this so much. !I love Linen anything! Linen and Cotton My Fabrics! I was born in the South of America. Men in the summer particular ,wore white or Tan linen Suits to keep cool in our oppressive HEAT! Women tended to wear Cotton muslins.
Linen production ,an ancient Art. Y'all are remarkable to take on this project.✌️💜🌷🧡💛
Wow, Im so glad I came across this video. What a gem! These ladies are so wholesome and amazing. I'm hoping one day can have some land to grow flax on and maybe even some adorable rescue sheep to try my hand at wool.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Denise, R.I.P love thank you for your great enlightenment and knowledge from Tucson Arizona 😇😇😇
I learned so much from this vlog. Thank you so much for showing step by step.
lol, i do not know how i stumbled upon this, but as a regular dude who knows absolutely nothing about stuff like this i found this damn interesting!
Glad you enjoyed it!
I love everything about this. The amount of labor and love that is put into creating linen is stunning. What a beautiful tribute to your friend. I watched this video to learn about how to spin and treat linen thread, spinning heritage flax from the Berta's Flax project. Thank you for documenting your work and sharing it with the world. We need to remember women's work, because it has made the world.
Glad you enjoyed it!
The Berta's Flax project sounds fantastic. I'm so glad it's getting they are doing it and helping the flax find new homes.
@@CrowingHen Sooo question... having a long piece of linen is great but I'm a huge sewer...can I cut into my woven fabric and use it for pattern pieces or will it completely unravel on me?
@@entrepreneurialadventures760 That's a great question!
The first step is to finish the cloth which involves washing it. Just like we do with commercial fabric before sewing with it. We want to make sure it won't change shape after we sew with it. Some more details on finishing cloth here: th-cam.com/video/4GA8Dk2hToY/w-d-xo.html
From there, it depends on the cloth. Most of the time you can cut and sew as per normal, but sometimes the weave is a bit loose and the fabric wants to unravel. For that kind of cloth, I sew a line of stitches on either side of where I want to cut so that it doesn't unravel after I cut it.
To find out if your cloth wants to unravel, do a couple of sample cuts (one on the grain and one on the bias) to see how it behaves and if you need to take extra steps to keep it acting kind towards you.
I would love to hear how it goes.
@@CrowingHen thank you so much! I'll definitely have to try that...I really wanna make a billowy peasant top/corset shirt out of it so that it feels more historically appropriate!😁
@@entrepreneurialadventures760 That sounds like a fun project. I would love to hear how it goes.
Thank you to all the ladies who help to make this project a reality and for sharing this invaluable knowledge with the world.
Our pleasure!
This was very relaxing to watch as well as informative. Thank you for sharing the blessed memories of your friend. שלום
Thank you so much!
Excellent! What a great movie. I've already shared it with a teenager that is planning her first crop of flax. Never having met you ladies, I am amazed how similar your details are to my Flax to Linen demo. I guess we learned from similar sources and experiences. I haven't tried borax for scouring, I've always used my lye soap. Hmm. I'm so happy that there is a a visual source to share with beginning flax/linen fans especially when we aren't getting together during this time of isolation. Thank you!
There are a lot of different things we can use for scouring. I suspect the water quality influences which has the best result.
I'm on a well, so my water is different again and I find wood ash and no soap gives me the results I like best (but be careful because wet wood ash can burn skin)
@@CrowingHen Thanks. I am on town water and grate my soap up fine, it is a soft, not harsh soap recipe. As long as you don't take a nap while simmering, ahem, burned, it comes out nice.
@@CrowingHen yes the wood ash makes lye. I have used it for the lyr to make lye soap, when I made it with my grandma.
Every September there is a scutching festival in South western Pennsylvania in Somerset county. Old fashion fun, food, music, and of course the demonstration of scutching.
very cool!
I got into flax because I heard my silkie chickens would like to eat the seeds. I saw how pretty the flowers were and now I’m interested in the idea of turning flax into linen. I’m probably not gonna make linen but it is interesting. I like things that have multi purpose.
I’m planting my first flax crops this year! Already an avid wheel spinner and weaver ❤ always happy to learn something new and nice to see others have been successful! You ladies are lovely ❤️
what wonderful skills! i am thinking about learning to do all of this and growing my own flax crop. this video has been very informational. God bless you all!
You can do it!
A fabulous demonstration of the process, thank you! I'd a vague idea already, but this filled in a lot more detail. I loved that cloth you were weaving!
Glad you enjoyed it!
It's like the opposite to that programme on Discovery channel, "How it's made", because you actually show the "magic", i.e. the human labour and ingenuity that tranform the flax to linen. Lovely demonstration!
Thank you kindly.
I'm fascinated by the lotus silk.
I use an electric power grain grinder to crush the seed pods without damaging the seed then screed off much of the chaff with screens then use my vacuum seed cleaner to finish the process of collecting the mature seed. Getting ready to do a larger linen project on the loom. I will wash mine first for this next project. Getting ready to spin a bunch more for hopefully my shirt. Small steps but it has been a blast. I really liked the weaving part of this video.
That's a great idea for processing the seeds. Thanks for sharing.
@@CrowingHen Check out the video. I even used a hand grain grinder first and it works great. Slow but good. The power one rips through the process quickly with no damage to the seed.
th-cam.com/video/1c55hGHbKY0/w-d-xo.html
Very cool trick!
Check out the link in the description for where to buy the book Homegrown Linen; Transforming Flaxseed into Fibre. It's an introduction on how you can do this at home, yourself, even without fancy equipment.
Love love love this Thanks
Loved this wish id carried om as i planted som flaxseed with spinning and weaving in mind in 1992 at the same time I was invited to join a university to paint which I had been involved with since a four year old. I had to choose and painted but recently began weaving again . There's so much to learn and do. Thanks for your video 🙂💞
This is just wonderful! Thank you for putting it together. What a gift. So much knowledge and great demonstrations!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you ladies so very much for this wonderful project and presentation. I have been knitting since I was a child, and fell into spinning a little over a decade ago. Then I became a part of Berta’s Flax and have become so enamored with flax. I have taught myself to spin the flax. Interestingly enough, a nice lady gave me a Peacock table loom, but have no idea how to use it. My friend Sharron Waybright had a huge, room size loom (this was back in the 70’s) that amazed me. I see a similar loom in your video. Sadly, Sharron was in her 70’s back in the 70’s and I do not have access to all her knowledge. Anyhow, I am about to retire for the second time and am looking forward to growing flax and taking it to woven linen. I am so excited to begin that adventure. I wish I could dance with you, as you did in this film. Big hugs to you all. Thank you so much for you this. What a gift to us all. Laura
That sounds like a great adventure. Thank you for visiting.
I learned so much from this video! I cannot thank you enough for showing me that I could do this too! Love the whole process being shown.
Well done!
Glad it was helpful!
Now I know where flaxen mane and tail comes from.It looks like a horse tail when bundled before spooling. Thank you for your video.It is so informative and makes a person realize how much work that wonderful fabric is
You are so welcome!
Beautiful. Everything superbly explained, step by step from start to finish.Thank you very much. 🌄😍
Glad you liked it
as cultural heritage conservationist i am so delighted in seeing this. thanks for everything
Thank you.
I was spinning wool while I watched and listened. Amazing. A lot of work, I think I’ll stick to wool 😊
surprised you only have 28 hundred subs as your content is very lovely and relaxing.
Thank you! 😊
Love this and love you! Just pure joy spreading from this video!
You are so kind
crocheting with linen is hard, but it makes some adorable cloth creations! I love the rustic feel
Yes, it's tricky to get the tension right. But beautiful and durable.
Just incredible
Amazing video! Thank you
You ladies are absolutely lovely!
such a wonderful documentary!!! I love flax, i eat it in every thinkable way and i love linnen. Wish i could be part of this producing process too....
Thanks so much!
If you have a balcony or windowsill, you can grow some flax in a pot to play with.
Clear, concise, and jolly good fun. :) Thank you.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Well thank you ladies, for explaining the process. Very interesting, and it makes nylon look like a none runner . 😁
What a wonderful movie! Thank you!
Glad you enjoyed it
Thank you loved seeing the process.
Glad you enjoyed it!
This was a really lovely and informative video. Thank you for sharing the process with us.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Beautiful! Thanks for sharing this.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Absolutely love the smocked aprons!!!❤️
Thanks!
Thank you. A well done description of the labor intensive process.
Glad it was helpful!
What a wonderful video. Very informative thank you
Met you folks at Fibrations today, so glad we noticed that you have this wonderful movie. We thoroughly enjoyed it and can't wait to connect with you again! You are so inspiring :)
Thank you for sharing so much knowledge with us! It's so cool to see the process from start-to-finish, and the different ways to grow and process it!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Great job ladies . Thank you for all your efforts and information . Excellent clear presentation .
Our pleasure!
Beautifully done ladies. I had no idea so much went into processing the fibers. You did a thorough job explaining every process ~ thank you!
Thank you so much!
Very beautifully interesting. Thank you all. Your lovely linen aprons ♡♡♡
Thank you too!
Thank you and bless you, From South Africa
Thanks!
A lot of skill and knowledge shared. Thank you. Also a lot of work.............but worth it when the end product materializes from your own hands.
Thanks for watching!
This is an excellent demonstration of this process. I am using it in teaching a fiber and textiles college class; asking students to view it online for the flax module. Thanks for all you hard work!
Glad it was helpful!
Very inspiring. Thank you very much for showing us this labour of love.
Glad you enjoyed it!
So comprehensive! Thank you so much!
Glad you enjoyed it!
I enjoyed learning about the linen making process. Thanks
Glad it was helpful!
Lovely video
Thanks 🤗
Fantastic video! Thank you so much for sharing!
Glad you enjoyed it!
I love it. I’m obsessed with linen and flax I use both in my daily life this is amazing thank you can I come visit
Sandy
Thank you.
I'm far too shy, but I hope in 2022 we can start doing the public demonstrations again and share processing linen with everyone.