Flax Processing Part 1

Turning flax into a finished product is a process that has been developed over thousands of years. In this one-day workshop we will cover the entire process from seed to yarn. We will discuss how to plant seed, and how to rhett.  Students will then spend the rest of the day learning to break, scutch, and hackle the plant to prepare it for spinning. The remainder of the day will be spent spinning the flax on either a wheel or drop spindle.

Students should know how to spin a little. But no prior flax experience is necessary. Some equipment is very sharp. Students should be old enough to follow safety instructions without supervision. Processing flax can be dusty. Students with breathing problems should bring a good mask to wear.

Skills and Techniques:

  • Planting seed and harvesting plants.
  • Processing plants into line for spinning, (rhetting, breaking, scutching, and hackling).
  • How to spin on a drop spindle and wheel (students do not have to do both).
  • Gain knowledge on the history of flax and linen.

 

Materials Fee: $35 paid directly to the instructor. Fee cover flax to bring through the process and flax to spin.

Special Tools or Equipment: Working spinning wheel or drop spindle. Instructor has drop spindles for the entire class and a limited number of spinning wheels. SMF also has spinning wheels to loan. If students have flax processing equipment, they may bring it to use. But we will have equipment for everyone to try using.

Workshop Policies: Please be sure to read our policies before you register for a workshop which can be found here Workshop Policies

$125.00

Out of stock

Sign up to be emailed when this workshop becomes available