#flax and linen

[halljavalge]

Source: lindahaglunds/knorkan

ℍ𝐚𝓵ｌ נ𝐀 𝔳คĻǤẸ

[ye-olde-cider]

So I'm trying to make folk linen pants from sowing to sewing.

Second post (here's first)

It's been about 60 days since sowing (it's 22nd of June). It's looking so pretty and started blooming about 55th day. I've been watering it one or two wheelbarrows of every 2 weeks, which I thought would be too little but it's growing pretty good. It's still not that high (about over the knee) and I doubt it'll get much higher sadly. That means lower grade of fibers but whatever. It'll be fine.

Every now and again there are parts laying down and I've been seeing some hares running about so they probably hide in it tramping down the plants. But it gets up no problem so all good. Maybe next time I'll put up a little fence around it.

Also idk when should I harvest it bc all the info is about oil flax, not textile flax, and even then it's contradictory sometimes. But either way it's around 100-120th day, so we're still only halfway.

Next up I need to start thinking about scuthing it, and it requires some equipment. But it's easy enough to build on my own probably. It should be something like this flax-brake:

And then this kind of metal comb, which I'll make just by densly putting nails in a blank:

So yeah, that's the plans for the near future. Here's a bonus flax video if you stayed till the end ❤️

[crookedtines]

So... I finally took a drop spindle spinning class after going back and forth about it for weeks.

The white yarn's what I spun in class. It's pretty lumpy, but it's got personality. I had a bunch of wool left over, so of course it got dyed a fun color the second I got home. In the meantime I watched a ton of spinning videos, which seemed to magically enable me to spin a finer yarn on my second attempt. Watching other people work really makes things click into place!

Here they are freshly plied! The difference between them is wild (to me). I have no idea what to use them for, but that probably won't stop me from making more.

[balkanradfem]

Woman grows flax and makes linen from it!

(I was crying every time she complained about flax not growing in 3 months as it was expected, she planted it in late summer instead of early spring and expected it to grow in December T_T)

[notquitebilateral]

Guuueeeesss we're going to try spinning flax.

After some not so great bits I think I am getting the hang of the different type of drafting required.

[milkweedman]

Finally making a start on the handspun linen summer blanket (just a big garter stitch rectangle that so far I've only knit out of cotton. The gaps allow free air flow so it adds no additional warmth, but it's still quite heavy and feels like an actual blanket). Of course, still spinning the linen for it. I'm currently on skein #2... definitely will need to spin quite a bit more. I do also have a failed project that used a skein or two of this stuff that I cam unravel though, so that might help.

The little skein is what I just finished up today. Didn't feel like fighting with my wheel to ply a full bobbin--by about 2/3 full it's too heavy to treadle if wetspun, and must be turned by hand. And my wheel's center of gravity was definitely not made with that in mind. Might do exclusively mini skeins of linen in the future, its definitely less annoying.

[shannonpurdyjones]

What's a long-lasting fabric that's also good for living in a hot, humid swamp? Like every day is 32 C, 100% humidity (90 F).

Linen!!!

Ok so I'm born and raised in NC in the south eastern US, also a hot humid swamp in the summers (85-95F and more often than not 80-100% humidity). Loose flowy linen clothing is my go-to. It breathes well (vital in humid climates) and good quality 100% linen lasts a long time. The only thing it doesn't do is the "instant wicking and then instant drying" (like workout clothes) but it does okay in that dept and dries quickly once hung up.

I'm always about supporting local small businesses, so check around your area for seamstresses or small shops first. In lieu of that I've had good luck on Etsy searching 100% linen [dress, pants, etc] and filtering for 'ships from [insert your home country]'.

Full disclosure, you will pay more for a handmade 100% linen garment than polyester spandex fast fashion. That said, I have 4 linen dresses and skirts I saved for over the past several years. Not only do I find myself wearing them way more than my other clothes, but they also look basically brand new after years of regular wear. It's an investment, but in my experience it's worth it.

(Obv everyone is not in a financial position to buy new. Places like poshmark etc are great for finding quality linen second hand at a much lower price, and you're reusing, which is always good!)

[nerdythangs]

Share your knowledge? 👀

BUCKLE IN BUDDY

Just as a quick aside before I get started: I'm a slut for linen. I've been super into linen clothing for a few years now and I honestly think linen is the best sustainable fabric. THAT BEING SAID. A lot of linen clothing is expensive??? Like stupid expensive. You can find it cheaper on poshmark and other similar sites, but the plus side of ordering through them is that you can customize it (I never have, but the option's there).

Anyway here's the source shops:

The Maybe Collection One of the few linen stores I've found that is manufactured in the states. I recently discovered their stuff and I'm stoked to find a states-side option.

VIKOLINO Another US-made linen company from my home state, Jersayyyy. I love that one of the models is totally their mom. And their kids clothes are cute.

NotPERFECTLINEN For me this brand is the epitome of linen clothing. Gorgeous cuts that manage to skip over frumpy with lots of variety. Lithuanian-made with a focus on sustainability.

Leka Design I unexpectedly discovered this shop while visiting friends in Victoria, BC. Entering their workshop was like being greeted by old friends (insert joke about friendly Canadians) and while not all their clothes are linen, a lot are, and they're beautiful.

Tsiomi Kids Ukranian linen (and cotton) clothes maker that makes really cute kids clothes for your instagram-worthy family photo shoots. Their adult clothing has the same vibes as Sonderflor.

Linen ID Studio Another Lithuanian linen shop with those cottage-core vibes everyone's looking for, but with a more modern flare. I'm lusting after several of their blouses.

FLAX Can't have a linen shop list without FLAX. They're old school, and while I'm not exactly sure if they're considered "slow fashion", they're sustainably sourced and can be a lot more affordable, especially second hand.

[tyrhinosaurus]

Wet spinning flax on a drizzly weekend

[dormouseinatrenchcoat]

FLAX. IS. PLANTED.

Dedicated a whole entire 16 square foot plot to it this year so wish me luck that I actually get a good harvest instead of like. Two whole plants lol

[silkdamask-blog]

Just harvested the last of my test flax from my raised bed a week or so ago; now dew retting. Isn’t it lovely? BTW, the raised bed also has 2 year old asparagus so we are hoping to have some next spring.

[archaalen]

Having thoughts about linen (flax) farming. Less environmental impact than cotton, naturally cooling fabric, and can be grown in a wider variety of climates. Is it a realistic goal? Probably not, but the thought remains.

[ye-olde-cider]

So I'm trying to make folk linen pants from sowing to sewing (here's the journey so far)

Throwback to 53rd day (8th of june) when I found some paths made by an animal, probably hares or cats

But it got straight by the evening and was looking as pretty as always

[dapurinthos]

just realised that all three oppress brothers probably know how to make their own clothes from bast fibres, from harvesting the plant & getting to spinning thread to weaving because those nightsisters aren't going to be making that pretty red cloth themselves and it isn't just rancor hide.

tho all dathomiri children probably learn how to spin thread because it's historically been a childhood-learned craft (hello sandy pylos thx for ur records).

hi hello i am also researching for the dathomir star temple arc that i have kidnapped for galaxies because 1) it's a good way to test if a traumatised child's shielding is back up to dealing w/other, non-naturally-shielding force-users; 2) lene took over the 'who tf is this guy?' (maul) investigation; 3) the zeffo temple there has corpses that look all pompeii-ish like how the nameless leave people husks and i must also explore lene's trauma wrt that.

[balkanradfem]

blog post i think is right up your alley (she grew her own flax to spin into linen yarn): https://waltin.se/josefinwaltinspinner/flax-retting-success/

Yeah it is up my alley! Thank you :D I love flax and one day I will spin it!

[chasingrainbowsforever]

~ Pastel Yellows ~